The Alaska citizen., 1916-01-31

v
 ; James 2:26. . . . . . . c . . . . . . ALL OF GRACE: GOD JUsTIEIETH
 THE UNGOOLY.
 To him that worketh not, but belieyeth in Him that Justitieth the ungodly his faith is counted for Righteousness" Romans 4:5.
 Doubtless you have heard com plaints against God that He saves wicked men and receives unto Him. self the vilest of the vile. To many it is strange that there should be such a text in the Bible that would make God the One that justifieth the ungodly," but it is, neyerthiess the truth. and a happy truth to every man who will apply it to himself It is His plan to make just wno deserve to be punished and favors these who deserve no such treatment. It is common to think that salvation is for the good, that Gods grace is for the pure and holy. those who are free from sin. But when the text here tells so plainly that He "justifieth the un- ..dly," 1t puts to shame all of our ideas in regard to the matter and shows us the marvellous grace of righteous Father. It is common for men to stand for their goodness and wslthiness, and feel that they have sCmc standing before the throne of God on that account, but let it be known that it is all of grace. God who sees through our decep- tiCns knows that there is no innate good in us, for He says. There is ncne righteous, no, not one.' He says and We know that all our right eousnesses are as filthy ra 5s' and that the Lord Jesus Christ did not come into the world to find goodness among men, but to bring goodness to men, and to give to men freely of that goodness, because of the great need of men for goodness. He comes not because we are just, but to make us just: He justifieth the ungOdly
 In the courts of the world We have a right to expect that the in nocent shall go free, and the guilty shall be punished This indeed is the province of man; but it re mains for God to justify the guilty and make him innocent through Je- sus Christ, whom He has sent. It is a miracle reserved for God and can be performed by Him alone. God knows that all men are sinful and He in infinite mercy and love de- sires that they shall be holy. God has brought forth a plan whereby he can adjudge the guilty innocent and treat him hereafter as though he had not sinned; flor He justifi- eth the ungodly."
 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. This is thing to be marveled at, and especially by those who have entered into the r,w life Of forsiveness. Paul calls the attention of Bible readers to the fact that he counted himself as the hief of sinners" and yet who would be inclined to think thus of this man who has been such a powerful eX- ample for good, and who has given us the doctrine whereby we might know also the teachings? To know that the sinner is loved with as much love as if he had never sinned, and had always been among the eodly is a thing to be marveled at, indeed. But let everyone who has received the person of Christ as his hope for salvation know that God justifieth the ungodly."
 Now if God justifies the ungod ly, and he can justify you, And II you will stop to think seriously about it you will reallze that if YOU are not converted that you are certainly among this class of the ungodly; if you have lived without God you have been the reverse of godly. But you say you know you have attended on Gods house, or have not read His Word, or attend ed to what you know is just the proper thing to have done. but you are no great sinner. By your own evidence therefore, you are con demned When you match infinite holiness with finite failure you must r~alzc that they are not in accord. You then are not in accord with God. God wants to justfy you, for you are ungodly.
 But possibly you have attended all the outward works of the church but you have no heart in them. You have tried to justify yourself in saying you have loved your neigh Dor as yourself" but what have you done with the injunction thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, soul, body and strength" and to have done this first? You see your own life as well as words condemn you as un- godly Now God justifies the un- godly and that means you Why not