GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #468
Justification By The Righteousness Of Christ
Pastor
Don Fortner
Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road
Danville,
Kentucky 40422-9438
That which is imputed to us
in justification is the righteousness of Christ. If we are to understand this
blessed, gospel doctrine as it is set forth in the Word of God, we must mix
nothing with the righteousness of Christ as the ground of our justification.
1. No one could ever be justified by his own works of obedience to God (Rom.
3:20, 28; Gal. 2:16). The Scriptures tell us plainly that no man’s obedience to
the law can justify him, neither as considered by themselves nor as associated
with the obedience of Christ. The reasons are obvious. Our righteousnesses are
only filthy rags in God’s sight. The best of our deeds is only worthy of God’s
wrath, not his favor. The law demands perfection; but we cannot give it.
Besides, if justification could be accomplished by our works of righteousness,
then Christ died in vain (Gal. 2:21), it could not be ascribed to grace at all
(Rom. 11:6), and there would be grounds for boasting before God (Rom. 3:27).
2. We are not justified by our obedience to
the gospel either. Many think that the gospel is simply a lowering of the
demands of the law. Though no man can be justified by complying with and
obeying the law, they foolishly imagine that God has now made repentance and
faith conditions of justification. Such doctrine is not to be found in
Scripture. God never changes. He cannot accept anything less than perfection.
He who is holiness demands holiness (Heb. 12:14).
3. Religious sincerity can never give sinners
a justifying righteousness before God. Pagans, Papists, Mahometans, and
Jews may be just as sincere as Christians, as were many of our Lord’s disciples
in the New Testament before they were converted; But sincerity does not atone
for sin or satisfy the demands of God’s law.
4. Not even faith itself, the act of believing
on the Lord Jesus Christ, is the grounds of our justification with God. Many
erroneously teach that it is our faith in Christ which is imputed to us for
righteousness. But that is not the teaching of Scripture. Faith, though it is
the gift of God, is described in Scripture as a person’s own act. Therefore, it
cannot be that which is imputed to us for righteousness. That righteousness
which is ours in justification is called “an
everlasting righteousness.” Therefore it cannot be ascribed to our faith,
because our faith is not everlasting. Righteousness is revealed to faith, we believe
unto righteousness, and righteousness is given to all who believe (Rom. 1:17;
3:22; 10:10). Therefore faith and righteousness cannot be considered the same
thing.
5. The Word of God asserts that the obedience
of Christ as our Mediator and Substitute, and that alone, is the righteousness
of God which is imputed to God’s elect for justification (Rom. 5:18-19). If
we would be just with God we must have a perfect holiness of nature, a perfect
obedience of life, and a perfect satisfaction for sin. These things constitute
righteousness. Nothing else can. And these things are found only in our great
and glorious Substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ.
AMEN.