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Good morning. It's a joy to be 
here. Please take your Bibles and open 
with me to a very familiar passage of Scripture as we will be plowing 
some, I trust, familiar ground this morning from Romans chapter 
3. Romans chapter 3, we'll read 
verses 21 through 28 in a moment. I do bring you greetings from 
your brothers and sisters in Portland and Glen Cullen Baptist 
Church. We pray for you often, and as 
Pastor Butler mentioned, it was a real joy to have him and Daniel 
in our church. And Pastor Butler was a real 
blessing to us as he shared his testimony and the grace of God 
in his life, shared with us a bit about the work here. and then 
preached twice on the Lord's Day, and then we kept him over 
and put him to work on Monday also as he spoke to our men in 
our monthly men's theology meeting. And it was a real joy. I do believe 
our hearts were knit together, and there is this sense of fellowship, 
awareness, confidence of fellowship, I should say. that we have together 
around things that are really important. And we'll talk about 
important things this morning. It's always a question, what 
to preach when you go to visit, especially a sister church. And I don't think you can err 
if you stick close to the knitting. We used to refer to that at Boeing. 
That's those things that you hold as vitally important. And brethren, I'm sure you would 
agree that there is absolutely nothing more important to us 
than the gospel. And at the very heart of the 
gospel is this doctrine of justification. So we want to stay with that 
theme, as our brother has taken up this morning from Luke chapter 
16, as we have sung of it. And I wish I could say that all 
professing Christians I wish I could stand up here 
and say that, but the sad truth is there is a measure of confusion 
and serious error. We have had people come to our 
church within the last couple of years from other denominations 
where at one time the gospel was clearly proclaimed from those 
pulpits, in particular how a man is right with God. And they have 
fallen away from that. And that's sad. So there is even 
a degree of confusion amongst what we would refer to as evangelical 
Christians, even in the Reformed camp. Ian Hamilton, several years 
ago, in a series of articles, I think it was three or four 
articles he wrote for the Banner of Truth magazine, wrote these 
words. There are even some suggesting, 
and perhaps even more than suggesting, that the Reformation doctrine 
of justification, by grace alone, through faith alone, is the very 
same doctrine that is now being taught by the Roman Catholic 
Church. And if nothing else, I think 
Christian believers need themselves to be reminded afresh just what 
the Word of God, our only rule of faith, has to teach us concerning 
this subject. It's always good to review these 
things and to know. Pastor Butler mentioned that 
we have a sense of camaraderie. We talked, matter of fact, in 
his study about the similarities at Glen Collin to here. And it's 
neat that we have that. The pulpit is almost identical. 
It's almost identical in size. I feel very much at home standing 
behind this pulpit. But much more important than 
that. is that we be together on this doctrine of how a man 
is right with God. There was a day, Ian Hamilton 
continues, when you could assume that evangelical Christians understood 
what the doctrine of justification was. I love Charleston, South 
Carolina. It's my favorite place in all 
the world. I love to visit there. It's like walking through a museum. 
It's the birthplace of Reformed theology in the United States. 
The gospel was preached there years ago. And you can go down 
into the old town, the old section of Charleston, and see these 
old churches from the late 17th and early 18th century. And still having services today, 
but a very different message is coming out of those churches. 
There was a time when you could stand in the city square and 
you could hear coming from the Anglican Church, the Presbyterian 
Church, the Congregational Church, the Baptist Church, that a man 
is justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It's not the case today. It was 
the glory, Ian Hamilton says, it was the glory of the evangelical 
gospel, but no longer can you make that assumption. I think 
it's truth to say that many evangelical Christians know what it means 
to justify their margins on their computer, but they know nothing 
of what it means for God to justify the ungodly by his grace, through 
the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We are today 
more computer literate than gospel literate, and that's sadly within 
many evangelical churches. Brethren, there are some things 
that we might not have exactly right, and we can still be on 
safe ground as far as eternity is concerned. But we can't be 
wrong here. I'm so thankful for our sister 
churches. I'm thankful for this church 
and the stand that it takes on the gospel. I'm thankful for 
your pastor and the word of God that is preached here. May that 
always be the case. I'm not aware of any Reformed 
Baptist church. I know some Reformed Baptist 
brethren I'm a little concerned about in some areas. But on this 
issue of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in 
Christ alone, I'm glad to report to you that I don't know of any 
errors. May that always be true. Because this doctrine is vitally 
important. The Church rises and falls on 
this truth. John Calvin referred to justification 
as the main hinge on which religion, or true religion, turns. Martin Luther emphasized it even 
more strongly. This article of justification 
by grace alone, through faith alone, is the head and cornerstone 
of the Church, which alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, 
and protects the Church. Without it, the Church of God 
cannot subsist for one hour. Now, we don't believe That was 
an overstatement at all. The free justification of sinners, 
the ungodly, of which we all are sinners, as we have already 
been reminded of this morning. The justification of sinners 
by the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. It's the bedrock of the gospel, 
the grace of God in Christ Jesus. add to it, take away from it, 
even in the slightest of ways, you lose the gospel. People talk 
about the dangers of weakening the doctrine of justification 
by faith alone. How do you weaken that doctrine? 
You don't weaken it. You either have it or you don't. 
We sing Bonner's hymn, Thy righteousness, O Christ, alone can cover me. No righteousness avail save that 
which is of Thee. To whom save Thee? Who canst alone for sin atone? Lord, shall I flee? And this blessed assurance that 
we are right with God, that we sing of with joy is only received 
by faith. in Jesus Christ. Justification, 
that wonderful act of God, which declares that I, the guilty sinner 
that I am, that I am righteous, righteous before God. Free from the guilt and the penalty 
that my sins deserve. Romans 8, 1, there is therefore 
now no condemnation, neither can there ever be. any condemnation 
to those who are in Christ Jesus. And this wonderful doctrine is 
clearly presented to us here in Romans chapter 3. Very familiar 
passage, verses 21 through 28. But now the righteousness of 
God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and 
the prophets. even the righteousness of God 
through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe 
for there is no difference for all have sinned and fall short 
of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the 
redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God set forth as a 
propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness 
because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that 
were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time 
his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of 
the one who has faith in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is 
excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but 
by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude that a 
man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. What a wonderful passage. It is full and rich. Obviously, 
this morning we won't take the time, nor can we possibly take 
the time to do a thorough exposition of all of those verses. But I 
would like us to gather our thoughts specifically around verse 24. And every word in that verse 
is important. Every word in that verse is absolutely 
imperative for a true understanding of the gospel. This whole passage 
here has come in power throughout the history of God's people and 
has been used of the Holy Spirit and blessed of God to the salvation 
of many souls. Just this week I was reading 
again to John Bunyan's testimony concerning this very passage 
and when he came to know the Lord and we read, he says, live I must not, die I dare not. Now I sunk and fell in my spirit 
and was giving up all for loss. But as I was walking up and down 
in the house as a man in a most woeful state, that word of God 
took hold of my heart. Romans chapter 3 verses 24 and 
25 and he goes on to say, what a turn it made upon me. It was as one awakened out of 
some troublesome dream, and this truth of the gospel, this very 
heartbeat of the gospel came home with saving power to John 
Bunyan, and he was brought to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Every 
word is important. That first word in verse 24 comes 
to us, justified. What does the Bible mean by being 
justified? And today, people seem to think 
that's a difficult thing to arrive at an answer, but it's not difficult, 
it's not complicated, it's not hard to discover. First off, 
it's always used in a legal sense. That word justification is always 
used in scripture in a legal sense. It means to declare righteous. To declare righteous. The word 
justification in the Bible never means to make righteous. So justification, to put it simply, 
is the gracious act of God acting as a judge in a courtroom declaring 
a verdict. And the verdict that he declares 
is righteous. So justification borrows its 
image from the courtroom. The court is in session. The 
defendant is before the judge. You've got that in your mind. 
And there's the accused sitting at the table, and he's standing 
now before the judge, and he's on edge. He's nervous. He's trembling a bit, maybe. 
What is the judge going to say? Well, in Paul's image of justification, 
we see the heavenly courtroom. And almighty God himself is setting 
upon the throne as judge and the sinner stands before him 
and there can be absolutely no doubt as to his guilt. No doubt. This is a guilty man. And don't forget what Paul has 
just said in verse 23. All have sinned and fall short 
of the glory of God. That's a familiar verse. We know 
that verse. Again, sad to say, often it's overlooked today. 
Often it's taken lightly. People will look at that verse 
and say, well, sure, everyone sins. We all have our problems. Nobody is perfect. And we know 
what they mean by that. It's not that big a deal. But 
in the original Greek, there are six different words which 
are translated by our English word sin. The word that Paul 
uses here literally means to err or to miss the mark. And men constantly fall short 
of the glory of God. That's what Paul is saying. And what is that glory of God? 
What is that mark? It's perfection. And men are 
constantly and always missing it. Why? Because all have sinned 
in Adam. We are sinners by nature. Therefore, we are sinners by 
practice. Some have said this thing of 
justification, especially as it relates to sin and guilt, 
is not that big a deal. And they say that because they 
have lost sight of our great and desperate need to be right 
with God. We are before the bar of God's 
justice, every man and woman and boy and girl. And we are 
before the bar of God's justice as guilty sinners. And that's 
clearly implied when Paul says there in verse 24, being justified, 
he's implying there was a time that we weren't justified. We were in fact chargeable with 
transgression and violation of the law. And that's true, both 
of the heart and of the life. Genesis six, five says the imagination 
of the heart of man are always continually and only evil. Jeremiah says the heart is deceitful 
above all things and desperately wicked. And Jesus says it's out 
of the heart where the issues of life come. Psalm 14 and verse 
2, the Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see 
if there are any who understand, who seek God. The psalmist says 
they have all turned aside. They have together become corrupt. 
There is no one who does good. No, not one. Isaiah 53-6, all 
we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned each one to his 
own way. Sin is a serious matter. It has 
put us on the outs with God. Romans 8 describes it as enmity 
between us and God. And our transgression exposes 
us to punishment, because sin is opposed to God's holy nature. It violates his holy laws and 
therefore rightly and justly it places us under his holy displeasure 
and condemnation and judgment. The scriptures are clear, the 
soul that sins shall die. And it's true. Think of Micah 
chapter 7, I think it's verse 18, that God delights in mercy. That's true. But brethren, he 
will in no way clear the guilty. Because the wages of sin are 
death. He's a holy and he's a just God. So we're back in that courtroom. 
Still have that picture in your mind? There's a holy God acting 
as judge and in justification God looks down at the guilty 
sinner. No doubt about his guilt and 
God says you are not guilty. To put it simply, in justification, 
God treats the guilty sinner as if he had never sinned or 
never been a sinner. As if he was as perfectly obedient 
as Christ himself. Now, it's important to note, 
in justification, God does not say, well, you're really not 
that bad, we're just going to let it go. In justification, God does not 
say, well, you're really not a sinner. That's not what God 
says, because God cannot lie. So in justification, God does 
not, also in justification, God does not declare that bad people 
are good, that they're not sinners. And in justification, he doesn't 
change them from bad people into good people. That's not what 
he does in justification. Rather in justification, he declares, 
I'm going to treat you like you are not a sinner. This is so 
important. Justification is about a change 
of status before the law. About a change of status before 
the righteous and the holy God. Guilty, hell-deserving sinners 
are pronounced legally righteous and free from any punishment. 
One man put it this way. In justification, God announces 
that our status is holy, even though our character is anything 
but. It is on the basis of this status 
that Paul can call us saints. People who have been set apart. I hope you appreciate what an 
amazing thing that is. Almost incredible if the Bible 
didn't teach it. Because when we read the Bible, 
we see that earthly judges are to justify the innocent, not 
the guilty. For example, Moses gave instructions 
to the Israelite judges as to how they were to decide cases 
in Deuteronomy 25.1. If there's a dispute between 
men and they come to court, that the judges may judge them. They 
are to justify the righteous. and condemn the wicked. Proverbs 
17 and verse 15 says, he who justifies the wicked and he who 
condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the 
Lord. And the prophet Isaiah pronounced 
a terrible curse upon judges who acquit the guilty for a bribe, 
but deny justice to the innocent. That's what we want. in our judges. But to sit on the bench of justice and condemn the innocent and 
justify the wicked, well, that's to turn justice upside down, 
we think. And then Paul writes in Romans 
chapter 4 and verse 5, God justifies who? Those that are all made better? 
That's not what it says. Paul says, God justifies the 
ungodly. That's the wonder and power of 
the gospel. Earthly judges are to justify the righteous, the 
innocent, the pure, those who pay their taxes and don't run 
red lights. Well, the judge of heaven justifies 
the ungodly, the sinner, the guilty. This 
must have shocked Paul's Roman readers. We know this doctrine. Most of us here this morning. I remember the first time I came 
to understand something of this doctrine. Wow, that's the gospel. Those readers back in Paul's 
day must have thought, Paul, are you sure about that? Are 
you sure you want to say that God justifies the ungodly? Is 
that right? It's outrageous that the divine 
judge should practice what he forbids human judges to do. How 
can God count and treat unrighteous, guilty people as being righteous, 
as if they had no sin? Is this truth of justification 
amazing? Isn't this a wonderful thing? 
When I think about being justified, knowing my heart, knowing what 
I am of myself, that I am innocent before God, that I am free forever 
of the guilt and the penalty my sins deserve. How is it? How is it that the 
Holy God justifies That is, declares ungodly sinners to be righteous 
and forgiven. Well, Romans 3, 24 tells us. 
And note first, the emphasis falls upon the word freely. Being justified freely. That's, God does it freely. That 
means gratuitously, received by us as a free gift. In fact, the ESV, which I'm familiar 
with, Daniel, and the New American Standard Bible, says as a gift. as a gift. That's important. Because it insists that we are 
not justified by our words. And Paul is emphatic here in 
this section. Verse 20. Therefore, by the deeds 
of the law No flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law 
is the knowledge of sin. Verses 21 and 22. But now the 
righteousness of God, apart from the law, is revealed, being witnessed 
by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God 
through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference on 
those who believe, not those who work for it, not those who 
earn it. Verse 28. Therefore, we conclude that a 
man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law." Brethren, 
what could possibly be clearer? How many times does the Apostle 
have to say it? To be justified freely always 
appears in Scripture as diametrically opposed to a being justified 
by works. You just can't have it both ways. and keep the gospel. You can 
have it both ways, but you'll be lost in your sins. You can 
have it both ways and you've lost the gospel. The point is 
there is absolutely nothing we can do or ever possibly might 
do. Our legal standing before God 
depends totally upon the gracious favor and redemptive grace in 
Christ Jesus for us as a gift. a gift, being justified freely. There is nothing we can do of 
ourselves. There is nothing we can do of 
ourselves in any sense of the word that can help us or even 
contribute the smallest way, one single thing towards our 
being justified. Totally impossible. for anyone 
to be justified by their own words. That's Paul's point. That's 
why he says it over and again. He wants us to get it. We can't 
possibly pay the penalty our sins deserve. Romans 6.23, the 
wages of sin is death. And when Paul says that, he means 
more than physical death. It's included, but it's more 
than that. It's eternal death. It's the death of hell forever. 
Forsaken of God and the everlasting bearing of his eternal and infinite 
wrath. It's also spiritual death to 
be separated from the love of God. Being filled with all enmity 
against the living God forever and ever. How awful. Devoid of 
all love of God. Forever. The wages of sin is 
death. Can't pay for that. What payment 
are you going to make? Moreover, we could never make 
things right for any past sin or transgression. You know, some 
people have the idea that, well, I have these sins in the past, 
but you know what? I'm going to start today and I'm going 
to work real hard from now on and I'll go into overdrive. That'll cover it and take care 
of that. You can't do it. I mean, just think. Suppose a 
person sinned only once. This is an impossible thing, 
I'm asking you to suppose. But suppose a person sinned only 
once, and maybe as a young child. But even still, that person can 
never even make that one sin right. You can't work a bit harder 
and make up lost ground. You can't take a time out, as 
it were. I like to golf, I'm not very 
good, so I take a lot of mulligans. You know what a mulligan is? 
It's a do-over and you don't count them all. There are no 
do-overs with God. You can't clock out and work 
overtime for God. Even more than that, it's impossible 
that we might somehow meet or satisfy God's requirement. And 
God is a holy God. He requires a suffering, atoning 
sacrifice to cover sin. Penalty has to be paid. Verse 25 speaks of the need for 
propitiation, doesn't it? Well, there's another whole sermon. I told Pastor Butler there's 
so many things here. That's what we're trying to focus 
in on, verse 24, but there's so much here. Propitiation and 
atoning, suffering, sacrifice that satisfies the judgment and 
the wrath of God. And you know what? That implies 
obedience. Behold the Lamb of God, the spotless 
Lamb of God. And that obedience Let's come 
out of love. You see, Martin Luther had to 
learn this. Suffering of itself, no matter how severe or selfless, 
you know, this whole idea of penance can never be enough, 
can never satisfy. Suffering is atoning and meritorious 
as a payment for sin and guilt only when it occurs out of perfect 
obedience. And the penalty due sin, God's 
wrath, must be borne. And it must be borne as an act 
of true and perfect love. How are you to serve God? How 
are you to love God? With all your heart and your 
mind. Who has done that? It's simply impossible for us 
because by nature, you see, you and I are children of disobedience. 
And as such, we're condemned by the righteous judgment of 
God. We're back in that courtroom. We are guilty sinners. To be 
justified simply is forever out of our reach. Again, Martin Luther 
had to learn that. Martin Luther thought he could 
work real hard. He could be very religious. He could suffer and 
take up his cross and give himself to all kinds of degradation and 
self-sacrifice. And he could stand before God 
as a justified. The more he suffered. The more 
he saw. Until we came to the realization 
that is the just that live by faith. Why? Because God justifies 
freely to get. Not the labors of my hands can 
fulfill thy laws, demands. Could my zeal, no respite, no, 
could my tears forever flow. All for sin could not atone. 
Thou must save, and thou alone. Freely. We are justified freely 
as a gift without any of our works. How amazing is that? It's not something we earn. It's 
not something we deserve or merit. In fact, we get exactly the opposite 
of what we deserve. Don't forget, there are none 
righteous. No, not even one. And all of 
us deserve punishment. All of us deserve condemnation. 
in hell's everlasting fire. Instead, we are justified freely 
by his grace. There is no other way to be saved. That leads to another question. 
On what basis or ground does God freely justify? How can he who is holy do this 
without contradicting or setting aside his own justice? And Paul's answer is, God justifies 
by Christ's blood. Romans chapter 5, verse 9. In 
verse 25, we see that we are justified by Christ who God set 
forth as a propitiation, that sacrifice that satisfies God's 
justice by his blood. And so our text in verse 24 says, 
being justified freely by his grace, how? Through the redemption 
that is in Christ Jesus. Brethren, that's the ground you 
see, that's the meritorious cause of our justification. That's 
the answer as to how the Holy God can be just and the justifier 
of the center in verse 26. That's the answer. It's because 
of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Redemption, what 
a blessed word. Just like that word justification, 
redemption also lies at the very heart of the gospel. The word 
redemption literally means liberation. to be set free by the payment 
of a ransom price. The justification borrows from 
the language of the courtroom. Redemption borrows from the language 
of the marketplace. In particular, the marketplace 
where slaves are dealt. Those in bondage. Redemption, 
a price must be paid. And we use the illustration of 
maybe an American... American. Sorry. I am an American. Sorry. An American prisoner of 
war, his freedom has been negotiated by the government. The price 
of his freedom has been paid. In other words, literally, he's 
been redeemed. His freedom has been bought. 
And this in spite of the fact that he may yet still be in custody, 
in prison. However, his actual freedom, 
his release out of prison, must now ensue. And our passage says 
we're redeemed in or through Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. Christ alone. There is no other 
name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. If you are ever to be saved, 
and you must be saved, you must be saved. Come to the 
Lord Jesus even now. And in coming, realize there 
is no other name. under heaven given among men, 
except the name of Jesus Christ." And so, what do we preach? We 
preach Christ. We preach Christ crucified. And 
when Paul speaks of in Jesus Christ, he means in the sphere 
of Christ Jesus alone. Paul literally means only in 
him is this redemption, this liberation, effected. So you shall call his name Jesus. Literally, Jehovah saves. Why? Because he'll save his people 
from their sins. He is Emmanuel. He is God with 
us. He is the eternal Son of God 
in our flesh and blood. He has come to us in his name. In the name of Jesus lies the 
power whereby this redemption is effected because only Jesus 
is the living God Himself in our flesh and blood. He's the 
personal Son of God through an everlasting Spirit and only He, 
through that everlasting Spirit, only He could offer Himself up 
as a payment, redemption. And there's this name Christ, 
more accurately, title. That's His title. His name is 
not Christ, that's His title. That means the anointed one. 
So in Christ lies the power. In Christ lies the authorization, 
literally the right for this man of sorrows to do what he 
did. One man put it this way, he said 
he is Christ Jesus because the Son of God in human nature was 
appointed authorized, delegated as the eternal head of Zion to 
represent me, to take upon himself my guilt, to satisfy in my behalf 
the awesomely eternal justice of the living God. Brethren, 
the child of God has been redeemed. Redeemed, how I love to proclaim 
it. Redeemed by the blood of the 
Lamb. Redeemed by His infinite mercy, His child, and forever 
I am. in and by Christ Jesus alone. He bore the eternal and infinite 
wrath of God that our sins deserve. That's what the child of God 
says. He alone tasted with full awareness and knowledge, perfect 
obedience. Think of that. Father, if it 
be possible, let this cup pass from me. to bear your wrath. Nevertheless, not my will, but 
your will be done." He bore it. He bore that condemnation of 
God that was heavy upon you and I because of our 
sin. He alone bore it away completely. All we like sheep have gone astray. 
We have turned everyone to his own way. Yes, that's true. And 
the Lord has laid on him, the Father has laid on him the iniquity 
of us all. He was on that cross willingly 
and freely for us, redeeming us, and he stayed there. He stayed 
there out of perfect love. until he could shout aloud in 
victory, it is finished. Not a cry of defeat. It is finished. And in that redemptive work, 
he secured. He merited our fellowship with 
God. How incredible is that? Note 
how the apostle describes it there in verses 25 and 26, when 
God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to 
demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance God 
had passed over the sins that were previously committed to 
demonstrate at the present time his righteousness that he might 
be the just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Praise God. In his work of redemption, 
he defeated for us the power of sin and the devil. He purchased with his own blood 
our liberation from the bondage and dominion of sin. And he earned everlasting life 
and glory for us. I trust you see something, appreciate 
even something more of the force of Paul's argument here, how 
all of these words hang together. Justice is indeed carried out. Sin is, in fact, punished. Evil is redressed. Guilt is really 
dealt with. How? Christ took it on. And he 
died in our place. You see, when the Apostle Paul 
gives his testimony there in Galatians chapter 2, 20 and 22, 
and when Paul says, Christ died for me. Isn't it wonderful? But you know 
what he's literally, you know what he's really saying? Christ 
died instead of me. That's the testimony of the child 
of God. God's justice was fully realized 
and experienced by him for us. Our sin was punished in him. There can be no doubt, brethren. 
There can be no wavering. There can be no compromise at 
this point. Being justified is a free gift. It is not resting upon our obedience 
to the law. What could be clearer? It doesn't 
rest upon good works. It's not resting upon some religious 
act, such as baptism or confirmation or church membership, being part 
of the covenant community. It doesn't rest upon privilege 
or right of birth. Oh, children growing up in the 
church, be careful. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and you will be saved. Not because mommy and daddy believe, 
but because you've appropriated what Christ has done for you 
personally. And don't make the Roman error 
that's accepted by many Protestants today, Evangelicals and Catholics 
together. that confuses justification with 
sanctification. Dear brethren, justification 
does not rest upon faithfulness. It's a free gift. And it's a 
free gift that is realized for us by Christ Jesus alone without 
any works, even foreseen good works. The Christian does have good 
works. For by grace are ye saved through faith, that not of yourselves, 
it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For 
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, when, even way 
before the world began, that we might walk in good works." 
There are good works, but our justification doesn't even rest 
on those foreseen good works. It rests on Christ alone. The Bible says, while we were 
yet sinners, Christ died for us. Stand firm in the truth. It is 
totally unacceptable to speak of the redemption of Jesus Christ 
as simply something that makes sinners savable. As some teach, 
that Jesus has merely opened a way. And now the father can 
negotiate with the sinner and say, I've done everything I can 
possibly do to save you. Now it's up to you to close the 
deal. Christ Jesus redeemed us upon 
the cross of Calvary. Our redemption is reality. God forbid, God forbid that we 
should boast in anything, in our act of will, in our good 
works, in our church membership, in our baptism, in anything. God forbid that we should boast 
in anything save the cross of Jesus Christ. And all of this 
is to the praise of his marvelous grace. Do you see it there? We 
didn't miss the word grace. Justification's source is the 
grace of God. We know the familiar definition, 
his unmerited and undeserved favor to sinners. Sinners he 
set his affections on even before the foundation of the world. 
being justified freely by His grace. God set His love and affection 
on us before we knew Him. He loved us first. That's what 
grace is. Even before the foundations of 
the world, He loved us unconditionally in Christ. The Bible speaks of 
that election of grace in Ephesians 1. And having loved us so much 
that He gave His only Son to redeem us. What good thing would 
he possibly withhold from us? He gave us the gift of faith. 
He has joined us to Jesus Christ. So Paul emphasizes here in our 
passage. Faith. Faith. The only means 
by which this glorious justification is realized. Have you believed 
in Christ? You must believe in Christ. Do you have faith? Not faith 
in faith. Not faith in something you've 
done, but do you have faith in Christ? Therefore, being justified 
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, don't think I've taken another 
direction here. Faith never saves us. We're not justified because we 
believe. God's grace is the fountain. 
God's grace is the source. Christ's blood and his righteousness 
alone is the ground. And faith, brothers and sisters, 
is the necessary means of justification. In fact, faith is the only means. 
Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Without faith, 
you cannot be justified. But by faith, the Bible says, 
all that believe, all that believe, that means all that agree with 
and all that trust in Christ's death are justified. And here's the good news. The 
gospel calls you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel 
comes with a free invitation and it's to you. Receive what 
God has done in Christ by the grace and blood of the Savior. Receive it as accomplished for 
you personally. Believe it. Believe it. Trust in it. And what is the 
promise? You will be saved. Not guilty. not guilty. We sang earlier, my hope is built 
on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not 
trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On 
Christ the solid rock I stand, while other ground is sinking 
sand. I pray we always remember what 
an important and glorious thing I pray that we always remember 
that. As Pastor Butler has mentioned, 
this sweet fellowship between the churches, may it always be 
centered and rest upon this bedrock of this truth. Think of its effects. What a humbling truth. I believe 
John Calvin has got it right in his little booklet, The golden 
booklet of the true Christian life, I think. I can't tell you 
how many times I've read it, but I can't remember the exact 
title. But his premise that he begins with is that the very 
essence of Christianity is humility. The very essence of Christianity 
is humility. I think he's right. When Jesus 
preached that sermon on the Mount, and he called his disciples together, 
how did he open? Blessed are the poor in spirit. You see, when our faith is in 
Christ alone, as Paul asks in verse 27, where then is boasting? It's excluded. Because we are 
debtors to the free grace of God found in Christ Jesus alone. I love the name of your church. 
Free Grace Baptist Church. It's an amazing truth. In Christ, 
God accepts us. Again, back to this courtroom. It's not like the sinner has 
pulled one over on God. It's not like he's come with 
a good alibi. God knows that we are wretched 
sinners. God knows of ourselves we're 
not worthy to be called his children. He knows of ourselves there is 
nothing righteous. There is nothing holy about us. And yet he accepts us and forgives 
us, counts us righteous for Christ's sake, and brings us into his 
family and makes us his dear children. To as many as received 
him, to them he gave the right to become children of God to 
those who believed in his name. in the history of the world, 
no one who sincerely believed in Jesus has ever, ever, ever 
been refused. Turned away. Romans 5, 1, being 
justified by faith, we have peace with God. Romans 8, 33 and 34, 
who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? The 
point is justified people can live without fear. Justified people by faith can 
live with confidence and assurance looking to heaven. Justified 
people can sing, no condemnation now I dread, Jesus and all in 
him is mine. Paul writes to the Corinthians, 
all things are yours in Christ Jesus. What are those all things? 
All those things that pertain to salvation. Those he justifies 
he sanctifies and those he sanctifies he will indeed glorify. Which reminds us of another effect 
of justification, holiness of life and obedience. Some people think this gospel 
leads to careless living. No, it doesn't. No, it doesn't. Not to those 
who have truly believed in Jesus. Not to those who have truly been 
humbled by their sin. When we are justified, we are 
declared holy and all those justified, without exception, desire to 
become holy. Now, it doesn't mean that we 
arrive at some degree of perfection here in this life. No, we are 
fighting all the way to heaven and battling sin. But the child 
of God is one who truly is growing in the grace and the knowledge 
of the Lord. The one who has been freed from the guilt and 
the condemnation of sin, he is justified. He's also been freed 
and delivered from the dominion of sin, so that it no longer 
reigns over him. Shall we continue in sin that 
grace may abound? God forbid. Unthinkable. There's maybe a couple of other 
points, but let me just close. I read this article. I had it 
in my files by Ian Hamilton. I mentioned it earlier, a couple 
of articles that he had written for Banner Truth Magazine entitled, 
Justification by Faith Alone. In closing, let me read his closing 
paragraph. I think it's the second of those 
articles as it relates to this whole idea of the effect The 
fruit of justice, not the basis, brethren, not the reason, but 
the evidence of justification. He says, we must jealously guard 
the distinction between justification and sanctification. We must never 
forget that Christ has been made unto us wisdom, righteousness, 
sanctification, and redemption. The sanctified man or woman is 
the justified man or woman, because justification is in Christ. And when you are vitally united 
to Christ, your life cannot but, by God's grace, evidence that. If any man be in Christ, and 
that in Christ is always in Christ by faith alone, he is what? A 
new creature. Old things have passed away, 
behold, all things have become new. And that's why a transformed 
life is the great evidence of a justified life. Of course, 
we should declaim, defend, argue for the truth, but the greatest 
commendation of the truth is a transformed life. The evidence 
of us being justified sinners is that some little likeness 
of the Lord Jesus Christ is manifest in our poor lives. When my children 
were younger, people would often say to them, you know, you look 
just like your mother. Rarely the father, sadly to say, 
usually their mother. You look just like your mother. 
And I thought, I couldn't think of anything better for my children. 
And isn't that, in a sense, to be true of believers, that people 
look at our lives and say, maybe dimly, maybe poorly, feebly, 
I know whom you belong to. I know who has begotten you. 
I was talking to a brother on this very note, just before coming 
into here, of how even in conversations sometimes with someone, they 
might get a sense that you're in Christ. Are you a Christian? Why are 
you this way? Well, it's because I'm in Christ. Transformation is where justification 
inevitably leads because the righteousness that is imputed 
to us, that word imputed means to be reckoned, to be counted 
as righteous, to us is by union with Christ and by the work of 
the Holy Spirit imparted to us. May the Lord manifest in our 
lives the ultimate fruit of justifying righteousness, which is likeness 
to the moral glory and personal beauty of our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we all be found in Christ. If you are here this morning 
and this afternoon and you have not believed in Jesus Christ, 
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent of your sins and turn 
to Him. He is mighty to save. And He is sufficient to save. And may we all who know the Lord 
be able to say with Paul, for me to live is Christ. Jesus only. Oh may God help us. Amen. Father, how thankful we are for 
the glorious truth of your gospel to be reminded of these things. Father, how humbling to consider 
and how thankful we are that while we were yet sinners, Christ 
died for us. And we thank you for your marvelous 
grace, grace that is greater than all of our sins. And we 
thank you for the Lord Jesus, our righteousness. Father, we 
pray that you would help us to live in humility before you. 
That you would grant unto us, your children, a greater measure 
of assurance and confidence. And that you would mold us and 
make us more and more into the very image of your dear son. 
And Father, we would pray for those here this morning. Undoubtedly, 
there are some here this morning. who are standing before Your 
bar of justice, guilty. And we pray, Father, that You 
may deal with them graciously, that You may give to them the 
gift of faith, and that, Father, they may turn 
to the Lord Jesus Christ and believe on Him, whom to know 
is life eternal. Bless us, we pray, and dismiss 
us with Your love and benediction. In Jesus' name, amen.