“It Is God That Justifieth”
Romans 8:33
This doctrine of free justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ is the very essence of the gospel. Every other doctrine of justification is declared by the Spirit of God to be a false gospel (Gal. 1:6-7). This is the only ground of solid joy, peace, comfort, and hope there is for sinners before the holy Lord God. If my being just with God depends upon me, or must in some way be determined by me, then I have no hope. But, blessed be God, it is not man that justifieth; “IT IS GOD THAT JUSTIFIETH!’
GOD THE FATHER IS
SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUR JUSTIFIER (Rom. 8:33; 3:25-26; Isa. 45:20). He is
represented in Scripture as having contrived the scheme and plan of
justification from eternity. He found a ransom for us (Job 33:24). He laid help
upon One that is mighty to save (Ps. 89:19). He set up his Son as our Mediator,
Surety, Representative, and Substitute before the world began (Prov. 8). He
accepted us in the Beloved as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world
(Eph. 1:6). It was God the Father who, in the fulness of time, sent his Son
into the world to execute his great scheme of grace (Rom. 8:1-4; Gal. 4:4). God
the Father accepts and is well pleased with the righteousness wrought out by
Christ as our Representative. Once the Lord Jesus had wrought out righteousness
for us, once he had magnified the law and made it honorable by both obeying all
its precepts and principles and by satisfying all its justice and condemnation,
it was our heavenly Father who approved of it and accepted it for us. Our
heavenly Father has imputed the righteousness of Christ to his elect (Rom. 4:6;
1 Cor. 1:30). Yet, God the Father could never have justified us without or
apart from the obedience and blood of his dear Son as our Substitute; and
therefore GOD THE SON IS SAID TO JUSTIFY
HIS PEOPLE (Isa. 53:11). The question was asked way back in the Book of
Job, probably the oldest book in the Bible…"How
then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a
woman?" To that question there is only one answer – CHRIST (Rom. 10:4)
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, having fully obeyed and perfectly satisfied the
law of God for us is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”, and we are made “the righteousness of God in him.” This is the very language of the Bible
(Jer. 23:6; 33:16). As the God-man, our Mediator, “He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our
justification.” He arose from the grave as “The Sun of Righteousness, with healing in his wings!” As our
legal, divinely appointed Head and Representative, our dear Savior was himself
justified from all sin (the sins of his people imputed to him) and we were and
are justified in him (Isa. 45:25; 50:8; 1 Tim. 3:16). The work of our justification is
also ascribed to God the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11). It is the Holy
Spirit who convinces chosen, redeemed sinners of sin, of righteousness, and
judgment (John 16:8-11). It is God the Holy Spirit who works faith in us and
causes us to look to Christ alone for justification (2 Cor. 4:13; Col.
2:12-13). It is the blessed Spirit of God who speaks peace to our hearts,
sprinkles the blood of Christ upon our consciences, and gives us peace with
God, even the peace of perfect, full, complete, everlasting justification (Heb.
9:14; 10:22).
Don Fortner