The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1907, Page 92

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92

The Lutheran Pioneer.

I.

Our justification before God is the reverse of
condemnation, and consists in the forgiveness of all
our sins.

1.

Before taking up other questions pertaining to
this doctrine, we ought to clearly understand what
the term “justification before God” signifies. To
know this, it is first in order to examine the mean-
ing of the word “justify.” What do we, what does

- Scripture mean when using this word? To justify
in ordinary language means to show to be just, or
to-declare just. In the latter sense it is used when
the Bible speaks of our being justified in the sight
of God. If all would admit this, we could go on
to another point; but Roman Catholics deny this
and say that the word “justify” in this doctrine
means “to infuse righteousness” into a sinner, so
that he becomes just in his life and walk. If you
say that we are “justified by grace,” they answer
that “grace” denotes the spiritual powers that God
gives, which enable one to do right; if you say
that we are “justified by faith,” they say that faith
justifies you by moving you to do good; if you say
that we are justified “without the deeds of the
Law,” they perhaps may say that we are not justi-
fied without the works of faith. Thus they cling
to the perversion of one term by perverting the
other Scriptural terms. Of “grace” and “faith”
we shall speak later.

We claim that Scripture, when speaking of our
justification before God, is treating of the verdict
God renders, of the sentence He passes upon us.
To state this plainly, our theologians say that justi-
fication does not take place in man, but outside of
man, in the mind of God. They also say that justify
here denotes a forensic or judicial act, and such
an act only, by which is meant that God as a Judge
gives His decision, hands down His opinion.

A number of passages in Scripture indicate, by
other words in the passage, that the Bible uses
‘“Sustify” to point to the verdict of someone sitting
in judgment. ‘he psalmist prays: “Inter not into
judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall
no man living be justified,” Ps. 143, 2. The words
“enter not into judgment” tell us that to “be justi-
fied” refers to God’s judgment upon man. “Behold
now,” says Job, “I have ordered my cause; I know
that I shall be justified,” Job 13, 18. This means,
in other. words, — Job is ready for trial, and is sure
of a decision in his fayor. Rom. 8, 33 we read:
“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s

elect? It is God that justificth.” Because God
justifies the elect, no one dare —if any one dare,
it is in vain — to arraign them, to try to prosecute
them; hence, the words, “It is God that justifieth,”
give us the opinion handed down by the Supreme
Judge.

In some passages the word “justify” is directly
opposed to the word “condemn.” Now, all will
admit that “to condemn” does not mean to put evil
into a person, but to pass judgment against him.
If “justify” is the opposite of “condemn,” “justify”
does not mean to put righteousness into a person,
but to pass a sentence in his favor. A passage where
we have both words is Job 9, 20: “If I justify my-
self, mine own mouth shall condemn me.” Again,
Prov. 17, 15: “He that justifieth the wicked, and
he that condemneth the just, even they both are
abomination to the Lord.” We condemn the just
if we “take away the righteousness of the righteous
from him,” as it is expressed Is. 5, 23.

These passages — and many more can be quoted
—prove that the Bible uses the word “justify” to
denote a judicial act, and tell us, also, that justifi-
cation denotes that act of a judge which is the re-

verse of condemnation. J. Pr. S.
(To be continued.)

From Heaven into Misery.

Christ came from heaven to earth and ‘shared

our misery as we sing in the Christmas hymn:
“\Veleome to earth, Thou noble Guest,
Through whom the sinful world is blest!
Thou com’st to share my misery,
What thanks shall I return to Thee?”

The divers and pearl-fishers sink many fathoms
deep into the sea to seek for pearls, and miners are
lowered hundreds of feet into the earth to dig gold,
silver, and other precious metals. How precious,

‘then, must the human soul be in heaven when on

its account the Lord Jesus did not hesitate to let
Himself down into the bitter sea of human misery.

Scrwer.
——- —-e-«____—_____

Christ in the Bible.

Most beautifully did Luther say: “In this Book
are found the swaddling clothes and the manger in
which Jesus lies, whither the angel also directs the
shepherds. Plain, indeed, is the clothing, but O
how precious is Christ, contained therein!”