The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-07

justification is a doctrine that should
be constantly preached. There have
been times in the history of Christian
doctrine when this particular doctrine
or inspired truth has been to a very
great extent ignored or forgotten al
together. There have been long
stretches OF time when to be justified
before God by faith on the part of the
subject was treated with positive neg
lect or hidde under sacramentarian-
ism or outward rites. The illustrious
Luther, the great German, revived it
in his lay and gave it new force, and.
in a sense, new life. Even in the latter
part of the seventeenth and in the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century
this fundamental dogma was COW
cred under theological rubbish or
showed aside altogether as futile and
useless, or threadbare and superseded.
There was a general deafness, and a
most barren Journalism. A great primal
truth had either never been learned by
the great body Of protesting Chris
tlanS or a so long been neglected as
to be practically disowned. And still
it is o revealed truth, and a most
important part of the great scheme of
salvation. 1t is strictly Scriptural and
most precious. So literally and thor
oughly an educated graduate and Fell
low Of the University of Oxford as
Rev. John Wesley was, Ga master Of
seven languages), and with so many
acquaintance among the ministers in
his own country, he yet records in his
most valuable Journal" in two oc-
tavos, that on a given day-somewhere
perhaps about the year 174O or a little
later-he knew among his countrymen,
among the clergy, six who were
then teaching the doctrine of Justifca-
ton by faith. 1t had been lost to a
very great extent even among those
called ministers of the Gospel. In
Galatians We read (ii:16) Justified by
the faith of Christ" Now mark, to be
justified is not to make us holy, but
to free us from condemnation. The
great apostle writes: I'VE are justi-
fed freely by His grace, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
whom God has set forth as a propitia-
ton for SIM" That covers the whole
ground. We are under condemnation
for our personal sins committed
against God, and He in great mercy
~pronounces US acquitted, and by His
own judicial decision we cease to be
under the guilt of condemnation any
longer. Graciously. mercifully we
have been spared the enforcement of
the penalty against us-"The soul that
Sinneth, it shall die'-and we stand
before God redeemed from the curse
of a broken law. Justification is a
strictly judicial act, and to be its re-
cipient there must be faith in the
atoning work of Christ the Redeemer.
You are by Gods proclamation of am
nesty, a most merciful and gracious
legislative arrangement precisely fit
ted to mans deplorable and abandon
ed condition. brought into the light
and liberty of a son of God. "Justif-
cation presupposeth a particular per-
son. a particular cause, a condition
performed, and the performance. as al
ready past, pleaded; and the decision
proceeds accordingly" But we do not
enlarge on this point. A justified per-
son is a pardoned sinner. and it is all
through the great and wondrous work
Of Jesus Christ. the sinner being "jus-
titled by the faith of Christ" No one
is ever ju~stifed-that is. pardoned,
freed from condemnation-who does
not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as
his personal Savior. The priceless
blessing of pardon is only to be secur-
ed through active faith in the Christ.