| When justification is
seen to be the total work of God the role of the sinner’s faith is usually
questioned. This brings us to the second sense in which the word justified is used in the
Bible. As noted before, the word "justify" is also used in the sense of meaning
to prove the righteousness of a person or action, to show to be just. Now it is in THIS
sense that it can be said that a man’s faith justifies him. James 2.24 uses the word
"justified" in this sense: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified
(shown to be just), and not by faith only." James CANNOT be teaching here that a man
is justified from the guilt and penalty of sin by faith and works. Otherwise there would
be a contradiction in the Scripture. For Paul plainly affirms that "a man is NOT
justified by the works of the law (Gal 2.16)." God imputes righteousness to sinners
WITHOUT WORKS (Rom 4.6). If works make a sinner righteous, then sinners are made righteous
by their obedience rather than the obedience of One, Jesus Christ (Rom 5.19). Of course,
such is not the case! A man’s faith and works do not justify him in the sense of
freeing him from the guilt and condemnation of sin. Rather his faith and works SHOW that
he has been freed from sin. And this freedom from sin was procured by Christ’s faith.
Believing in Christ shows that one IS justified from sin, as Acts 13.39 indicates:
"And by him all that believe ARE justified from all things, from which ye could not
be justified by the law of Moses." Romans 4.3 also teaches that a man’s faith
shows that he is just, that he is freed from sin: "For what saith the scripture?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." This is a
quotation from Genesis 15.6 where God promised Abraham a seed as numerous as the stars of
heaven. Abraham believed this and it was accounted to him for righteousness. However, this
incident took place sometime AFTER Abraham’s departure from Ur of the Chaldees. Paul
teaches in Hebrews 11.8 that this departure was done "by faith". Hence, Abraham
was a believer BEFORE the events of Genesis 15. Scripture also teaches that it is a JUST
man that lives by faith (Heb 10.38). So Abraham was a just man BEFORE the events of
Genesis 15. Therefore, his believing God in Genesis 15.6 but showed him to be ALREADY
just. God counted Abraham’s faith for righteousness because it evidenced the
righteousness that Abraham ALREADY possessed. Paul then made application of this to the
saints at Rome: "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it (faith) was
imputed to him (for righteousness); But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we
believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead (Rom 4.23-24)."
Every act of faith performed by a child of God is more to his account PROVING that he
is righteous, that he has been justified from sin by the faith of Christ. It is for this
reason that Paul said: "even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ (Gal 2.16)." It is not that Paul thought he would
gain justification from sin by his faith. He rather sought PROOF or EVIDENCE that he was
justified by the faith of Christ. |
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A word is in order about the theme of James 2. In James 2
believers are taught how to have the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ (Jm 2.1). Here is a
faith that men have. It is not to be confused with the faith of Romans 3.22 and Galatians
2.16. That faith frees a sinner from sin and its condemnation, whereas the faith in James
2 does not. The faith of James 2 is "of the Lord Jesus Christ" in that He is the
author of it (Heb 12.2), but it is a man’s to exercise. If a man’s faith be
without works, then it is dead and amounts to no more than the faith of trembling devils.
In order to show a true faith produced by the Lord Jesus, one must have good works as
James 2.;18 teaches: "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: SHEW me
thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." Therefore,
justification by works is the proving of faith, whether it is genuine or not. In
conclusion, it is the faith possessed and exercised by the Lord Jesus Christ that
justifies a sinner in the sense of freeing him from the guilt and penalty of sin. It is
the faith of the sinner exercised in obedience to the gospel that justifies him in the
sense of proving him to be just or righteous. And it is good works that justifies the
sinner in the sense of showing that his faith is a genuine faith produced by the Lord
Jesus Christ. Hence, Christ’s faith frees a man from sin; the man’s faith show
that he is thus freed from sin; and works show that his faith is true.
Today we have individuals that claim to be Christian on the basis of their faith in
Jesus Christ, but continue to live in such a way that clearly shows their faith to be
false. The Scripture warns us of such professors: "They profess that they know God;
but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate (Tit 1.16)."
Jeremiah delivered a stinging message to the professors of his day which is needed
today also: "Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal,
murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after
other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called
by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations (Jer 7.8-10)?"
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye
not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" |
