Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-04-01

ference. Tor all have Sinned ana come
short of the glory Of God" There
may be wide difference In the de-
gree of sinfulness. but there is none
rs far as the fact of sin is concerned;
"a miss Is as good as a mile
The SOURCE Of justification is
found in The grace of God. Being
justified freely by His erace."-Ro-
mans 1924. The word translated
freely" here Is the same word used
by Jesus in John II %: "They hated
me WITHOUT A CAUSE" In Him
was no cause for their hatred but
they hated Him freely" There Is no
cause In the sinner for justification,
for .'Hii have sinned." God justiiies
the sinner freely Cor. without cause)
by His grace.
The METHOD of receiving justifi-
cation is by faith. therefore being
justified by faith."-Rom. 81. II
Is not by works of any kind. past.
present or future, but by simple faith.
This is where the religion Of the world
and the religion of the Bible are M
variance. The world would have iusti-
fication depend on what the sinner
does or attempts 10 do, or promises "a
do. God justifes freely; without n
cause in the one justified. The mo
mcnt the sinner lets 20 of every other
hope and trusts wholly in what God
has done. he stands justified before
God. Some continually wonder II they
have enough faith or If the faith they
have Is the right kind. II there Is
faith nj all II Is enough and II II is faith
in what God has done II Is the right
kind. If God justified a sinner for
anything that sinner does. or attempts
TO do. or promised to do. Justified
10y faith" would have no place In
Scripture.
The man who most earnestly and
most sincerely tries 10 he saved Is the
very one who most earnestly and
most sincerely denies the need for the
sacrifice If Christ upon the cross.
The GROUND upon which God Is
enabled To justify the believing sinner
Is the blood of Christ. Being justi-
fled by His blood."-Rom. SO. Ii is
the blood of Christ alone that pro
cures justification for the believer. II
Is hecanSe the death of Christ So fully
removes all that stands against the
sinner, every spot and stain of sin,
every act of diSohedienCe, every trans
gression against God. that God Him
self sees Il no more. The believer
therefore. Is aS far removed from the
Judgment on sin as the lood-sheltered
lsraelte was removed from judgment
during the night of the passover In
Egypt. Al that time the word was
when see the blood | will pass over
you."-Exod. 12:l3. Nothing was
said concerning any other protection
save the blood; Il that was upon the
door those behind il We're as safe as
God could make them. They were
safe. not because of anything in them
selves. hut because of the blood. They
were saved freely" without a cause
In themselves. So the believer today
Is Justified freely through the redemp
ton that is In Christ Jesus. Christ
our passover is sacrificed for u.s.
Cor. 81. We must be justified by
blood or not nj all.
The CONTINUITY Of justification
lies In the fact that iii is God that
justifieth. Rom. : -. II is God
who is sinncd against and If lie is sat
istied with what Christ has done upon
the cross and juStifcs upon that
ground. who can bring any chargr
against the believer? What end
would be served by charging anyone
with n crime II the Judge Of that crime
Justified and set nj liberty the person
accused?
The reason why many are not just
fed Is found in Romans l0:i-i. They
roInc about 10 establish their own
righteousness. have not submitted
themselves to the righteousness az
God" Attempting 10 establish ones
own righteousness is refusing The
righteousness Of Cod which He freely
offers Ia all who will receive II by
faith.
justification Is needed by every SIN
ncr. Is provided by the grace of God
is prnclired by the blood of Christ and
is offered To ali who will accept IL hy
S'mnle faith. II i possessed througl
rniih rs the one WHO ceases from III
own efforts Ia he saved. Il Is rciecte'
through unhellcf hy the ore who con
,in,es IN his own ervrtS To bc saved
Those who are Gene
II use who nrc gore vnu have Th"s
,h, 1nn,rt.d IoVin.. vou lave sill