It Is God That Justifieth

Some months ago we spent several weeks considering Paul’s teaching on election and justification in Romans chapter 8:28-32. We learned how covenant grace extends from eternity to eternity, founded on everlasting love and culminating in the saints’ eternal glory. We learned how ‘all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose’. We learned how Christ gave His life ‘a ransom for many’ and how with Him we have been given ‘all things’ needful for our spiritual and temporal good.

Return to Romans

Tomorrow and in the coming weeks, God willing, we shall return to this chapter to hear what the apostle says concerning the believer’s freedom from condemnation and the unbreakable love-union forged between the Lord Jesus and His people. Paul has set forth these blessed doctrines for our practical encouragement and we shall endeavour to understand some of the implications for our everyday life. We shall also consider the significance of Christ’s intercession for us at the right hand of God. 

Who can refute God?

Paul tells us in verse 33 that God’s covenant people, the elect, are justified by God. It is God who justifies. He is repeating himself from verse 30. Sinners do not justify themselves, not by their works, not by their faith. Justification is a divine act of grace and mercy and carries the full endorsement of divine authority. If God declares us righteous who can contradict Him? It is God who pardons and removes the sinner’s transgression and God who makes the sinner holy and acceptable in Christ with His own righteousness. 

Sin at the door

Because it is God who justifies Paul is able to say, ‘Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?’. Paul is not suggesting there is nothing chargeable against God’s elect. On the contrary, believers know full-well how easy sinning can be and how bitter the consequences. They know from God’s word they are guilty of original sin in Adam. They know in their own life how quickly they went astray and still turn to their own way at every opportunity. They know how far they have wandered from God and how offensive their sin is to Him. 

The old man and the new

Even as believers the elect of God are not free from indwelling sin in their flesh and in their minds, or from committing sin by their actions. Paul calls this the old man in our nature who pursues and harasses the new man of the spirit all the days of our life. Believers are not sinless or perfect in themselves. Nevertheless, God’s gospel tells us believing sinners are delivered from the guilt of sin, the dominion of sin, and the punishment of sin by the sacrifice of their Surety and Substitute, Jesus Christ. 

See you, see me

Nor do Paul’s words imply there is no accuser. Believers are quick to accuse themselves when their conscience is pricked and their sins rise up to reproach them. So, too, the world is quick to accuse the Lord’s people when our words and actions compromise our testimony. Satan accuses the brethren, first tempting them to sin then revelling in their falls and failures. However, not one of these charges stick to the elect since none of the divine persons lay anything against them: not God the Father, not God the Son, not God the Holy Spirit. 

God sees no sin in His people

Christ’s redeemed people have many accusers and face many legitimate accusations. Yet Paul’s argument remains, God has justified us, or as John puts it, ‘the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin’. Though the Lord Jesus died personally His death was vicarious in the sight of God. Jesus did not die for His own sin but for the sin of others. He died in the place of those given to Him in the covenant of peace and whom He loved with everlasting love. When He died He took our sin upon Himself and carried it all away.

A finished work

God’s justification and acceptance of sinners is never casual and arbitrary. It is deliberate, purposeful and strictly just. Pardoning His elect in Christ conforms with God’s perfect holiness while at the same time honours His grace and mercy. The plan to redeem, ransom and reconcile a fallen, sinful people was conceived in eternity and accomplished in time through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. 

 Amen.