(Continued from page 275.)

4. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.

Our preceding study has prepared us for the conclusion stated in Rom. 3:28 :"Therefore we conclude a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law; " and again, " It is one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith " (ver. 30).

Faith in connection with justification is illustrated for us in Abraham (Rom. 4:3), and stated to be as simply believing God's testimony, rendered to us by His Son (Heb. i:2). This, plainly, is very different from the principle of law which is to do, to fulfil its requirements ; but no justification is possible on this ground, as we have before seen.

It is by faith, by believing God, because, first of all, it is owning the truth of what God says as to our condition-ungodly ; it is also the acceptance of God's blessed provision made in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Thus we become " of the faith of Jesus," 1:e., He is the object of our faith; and such God justifies. He can justify us on account of this faith, because it lays hold of Christ, it identifies us with the work of Christ, and God's righteous character then covers us as a shield. Therefore it is manifested through faith apart from law. (Read Gal. 2 :16 and Gal. 3:8, 9.)

Rom. 5:1:"Therefore having been justified on the principle of faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." We are cleared, fully acquitted, because of faith in God's testimony concerning His Son. And this result is not dependent upon our feelings or measure of apprehension, but upon the value which God finds in Christ and His work. How perfect and unchanging therefore is our acceptance, and the peace to be enjoyed! This is enforced for us in the next verse:"By whom we have (the perfect tense denoting the continuance) also access by faith into this favor in which we stand." It is an ever-abiding position before and with God. Hence, the hope of the glory of God is our boast; we have no longer any fear to enter into it. How different all this is from anything that could have been obtained through the law!

The blessedness of this is further developed for us in that our justification is linked with the resurrection of Christ. It is connected with Him in that place of glory, given Him by God in acknowledgment of the eternal redemption accomplished by Him through suffering. Our position and security is therefore to be measured by that of Christ Himself, who was our substitute, and is now our representative before the face of God. Let us look at the scriptures which bear upon this particular feature.

5. JUSTIFICATION CONNECTED WITH THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

" Now it was not written on his account alone that it was reckoned to him, but on ours also, to whom (believing on Him who has raised from among the dead Jesus our Lord, who has been delivered for our offences and has been raised for our justification] it will be reckoned "'(Rom. 4:23-25). We see from this and its connection with Abraham that, as in his case so in ours, the God of resurrection power has wrought on our behalf. We see what is "the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe " in the way He has wrought in the raising of Christ from among the dead. In Christ's resurrection we have God's public declaration before all His intelligent creatures that He justifies those who have faith in Jesus-blessed evidence that our justification is an abiding one, since He has proclaimed it in this public manner! For if anything could possibly change the favor in which we thus stand, it would be derogatory to Christ who was raised for our justification :it would be a denial of the efficacy of His work, the perfection of which was witnessed to in His being raised up.

It is one of the glories of Christ that, as seated on heaven's throne, God can ever point to Him as the blessed Person, and to the perfect work accomplished which enables Him righteously to justify those who have put their trust in His Son. " Be it known unto you, therefore, brethren, that through this Man remission of sins is preached to you, and from all things, from which ye could not be justified in the law of Moses, in Him every one that believes is justified" (Acts 13 :37-39). J. Bloore

(To be continued.)