The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-12
SABBATH IN tue CHURCHES
Rev. j. A. Anderson breaches In the
Second Presby terian Church.
MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH
Was the Topic Of His Thoughtful and
Scholarly Discourse Faith Is tho
Sinners Act In Laying Hold
CpOu Christ Church Notes.

~
N. Y. occupied the pulpit at both SER
vices of the Second Presbyterian
church yesterday and his forcible argu-
ments. supplemented with an excellent
delivery. won the sympathy ana atteh-
ton of his auditory.
The text Of his mornings sermon was
from Romans. iii. 2S: Therefore we
conclude that man Is Justihed py
faith without the deeds of the law
IHe spoke as follows:
"All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God and Is profitable. This Is Il
truth which the church holds as funda-
mental, because 1t is II truth which Is
divinely revealed. To believers. faith
Is built upon the whole word of God;
but every part is not equally vital with
the rest. Here and there some grand
doctrine arises to prominence. claiming
more of our attention because OF It's
greater importance. This is true OF
none to a greater extent than the one
mentioned in my text. justification by
faith
This great and grand doctrine is here
mentioned in as few words as couiu
here as foregone conclusion already
conclusion drawn from a
preceding field. The apostle in previous
chapteSs of this epistle has laid the
foundation for the emphatic truth
which is here enunciated.
Just Before God.
"How can man be just before God"'
Guided by the spirit of truth Paul pro-
ceeds to unfold and explain the only
way. The necessity OF justification Is
evident from the universal sinfulness
and the consequent universal guilt OF
man. outward from the center to the
portion of the arc we search
in vain for the spotless man. and in de-
spair we cry, who will show us any
good"
"St. Paul says: AS it is written.
there is none righteous-no. not one:
there is none that understandeth, there
is none that seek. after God These are
the words of the inspired apostle. IL
implies the absolute impossibility OF
justification by works.
Let us now consider justification. or
the nature of its meaning. How are
We justified? First. negatively, not by
the deeds of the law: secondly, positive
ly. We are justified by faith. The first
II,
our minds is, What is the nature of
Justification? To say that it is a doc
trine of vast Importance Is only to re-
peat what Bible students and every
Christian has felt and acknowledged in
all ages.
Justification is an act of God in the
exercise of his free grace. Paul warns
us not to confuse Sanctification with
justification. The phrase to justify does
not mean to make just. The sinner is
not made holy by the act of justiiica-
ton. Its true Gospel meaning is to de-
clare Just. 1t Is a judicial act and in
that act God acts in judicial capacity.
1t proceeds upon the imputation of
Christ's righteousness to those who
have been given to Christ in covenant
by God, in which God acts as a SOW
ereign. But in justification God acts
as judge and because of this imputa-
tion declares the sinner to be free from
the claims of the law for punishment
and treats him as just.
One Kind Of Innocence.
Suppose a criminal to be arraigned
for murder at the bar of justice. The
judge is seated upon the bench. the
trial proceeds, the criminal is convicted.
A verdict of guilty is pronounced and
he is sentenced to pay the penalty of
his guilt. Just then a message Is re-
ceived from the executive containing a
full pardon. The judge therefore re-
leases the prisoner and declares him to
be free from the penalty which has rest
ed upon him. His shackles are re-
moved. he goes forth a free man. Now
that criminal just man, he does not
make him really innocent of the crime
of murder; he simply declares that, le-
gally, he is just, that he is no longer
liable to punishment.
God is our King, because Of what
Christ had done for us, forgives our
sins and imputes to us the righteous
ness of Christ and then, as Judge, He
declares us just and free. Because Of
the Saviour's righteousness being made
ours we are freed from all liability to
penalty and all rewards which are
promised to the perfect and obedient are
declared to belong to us. That such
Is its true Gospel sense, we know. be-
cause In many places it would otherwise
be meaningless. The term justification
Is used as the opposite of condemnation,
not the opposite of sin or unrighteous-
ness.
"If you would see how man can
be justified and yet no violation be done
to Gods justice. go to Bethlehem s.
manger and see the eternal Son of God
Graded there. entering upon life of
among men-go and look
then upon His perfect life, His strict
obedience to all the law: consider His
spOtless purity. Follow Him to the
Wilderness and behold Him battling
with the tempter; go to the Mount Of
haa "a, tfnn a,
intercession; go to Cethsemanae and
see His anguish Of soul. His tears and
bloody sweat-to Calvary and behold
Him in the pangs Of death, nailed upon
the uplifted cross. crying My God! My
God! Why hast thou forsaken me?'
1T Is imputed to man, and man Is
treated as just because Christ has salts
fed the law for him, he Is no more la
BILE to punishment than Christ Him
self.
What the APOSTLE Says.
1.-The text declares that we are justi-
fed by faith. If Christ's perfect right
eousness Is positively the only ground
of justification, how can faith also be
said to be a ground of justification? ?
Then we conclude says the apostle,
that man is justified by faith The
simple explanation of this is that faith
is the instrumental ground of justifica-
tion.
Faith Is the sinners act in laying
hold upon Christ. 1t Is the means. Such
Is the relation which faith sustains to
justification. IT Is the instrument and
not the meritoriOus ground of justifi-
cation.
peace with God-tflis Is the grand
result. The curse Is removed, the Di-
vine anger appeased. our Father recon-
ciled., All that was once gloomy and
forebOding disappears, the smiles OF
heaven beam down like the suns golden
rays. the thunderings of the law are
hushed, for all its demands are salts
fed. Justice no longer clamors for
our blood. for Its sword has been bathed
In the blood of the atoning lamb.
And now. standing beneath the