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We can turn to Chapter 11 of Justification in the Second London Confession of Faith. We have dealt a lot recently with the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Of course, I think there's probably worse things that could happen to us in our individual and church lives, but chapter 11 is most essential, most important, and a great summary statement concerning the biblical truth of justification. So I'll read the chapter, and then we'll look at it in some detail. So beginning in paragraph one, Those whom God affectionately calleth, He also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone. not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness, but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law and passive obedience in His death for their whole and soul righteousness, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness is the alone instrument of justification. Yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. Christ, by His obedience in death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified, and did by the sacrifice of Himself in the blood of His cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf. Yet, inasmuch as He was given by the Father for them, and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins and rise again for their justification. Nevertheless, they are not justified personally until the Holy Spirit doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified. And although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure. And in that condition, they have not usually the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. the justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament. Amen. So certainly a doctrinal formulation of a great truth taught in Holy Scripture, taught consistently from Genesis to Revelation. You see that emphasis specifically in chapter 11, paragraph 6. But a doctrine that yields great practical encouragement and comfort for the people of God, if you get this down and you understand your acceptance with God is based on what Christ has done, I think that's a great comfort and a stability to the soul of man. Brockle, on justification, with reference to a personal application, says, is the soul of Christianity and the fountainhead of all true comfort and sanctification. He who errs in this doctrine errs to his eternal destruction. The devil is therefore continually engaged in denying, perverting, and obscuring the truth expressed concerning justification." I think he's right on with that. And then Benjamin Keech, with reference to a ministerial application, makes this observation. Other subjects a minister may preach upon, and that unto the prophet and advantage of the people. But this he must preach, this he cannot omit, if he would truly preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. So practically, stability, comfort, sanctification, And then ministerially, this ought to be the focus and emphasis in any gospel ministry, because remember, it is the ministry of the gospel. It's not the ministry of the law. The law is essential to understand, because by law we know our sin and misery, and that then sends us to the Lord Christ, that fountainhead of grace and mercy and forgiveness and righteousness. So basically what we have in the chapter is the nature of justification in paragraphs one and two. And then secondly, the cause of justification in paragraph 3. Third, the time of justification in paragraph 4. Fourth, the forgiveness of sins after justification in paragraph 5. And then finally, the uniformity of justification or the consistency of it in paragraph 6. So the confession is very adamant that Abel was saved by God's grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, as was Abraham, as was Isaac, as was Jacob, as was Isaiah and Jeremiah, and the rest of the Old Testament saints. So it's not that there's been two ways or three ways or seven ways of approach unto God, but it is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. So in paragraph 1, note first the recipients of this particular blessing, and it is a gospel blessing. Paul says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. So if you turn with me to Romans chapter 8, you'll see where the confession gets what it's saying here. So those whom God affectionately calleth, He also freely justifieth. So it's those affectionately called and those alone. And we see that great order of salvation in Romans chapter 8, specifically beginning in verse 29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called. Whom he called, these he also justified. And whom he justified, these he also glorified." So the calling that's in sight there in verse 30 is the calling that Cam taught from chapter 10, effectual calling. We call that effectual calling or internal calling or efficacious calling. in contrast to a general calling or an external call of the gospel. The Lord Jesus tells us to preach the gospel to all nations. That doesn't mean that that is an effectual call to everybody in all of those nations, but rather the effectual call goes to those whom God foreknew the ones He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. So those He calls, He justifies, and that's the emphasis here in chapter 11, paragraph 1. Those whom God affectionately calleth, He also freely justifieth. And then it speaks concerning the nature or the essence of the blessing involved. Note first the negative statement, not by infusing righteousness into them. In our study in Philippians chapter 3 at verse 9, I mentioned that there's two ways, two types of righteousness, inherent or imputed, and we argued for the imputed righteousness of Christ received by faith alone, and that's precisely what the Confession is doing here. So this infusing by the Spirit means or produces an inherent righteousness in the sinner himself, and so what we see here is it's not by infusing righteousness into them. So the papist doctrine primarily of infused righteousness is in view. And certainly the Protestant position is it's not infusion, and it's not inherent, but rather it's imputed, and that's what the Confession will go on to say with reference to the righteousness by which we stand accepted before God. So the negative statement, not by infusing righteousness into them, and then the positive statement, it follows after the negative. It goes on to say, but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous. Again, we spent time in the sermon on Philippians 3.9 last Sunday night, looking at both these aspects of God's blessings, these two blessings under the head of justification, the forgiveness of sins. Paul preaching in Pisidian Antioch, And Acts 13 tells us that forgiveness comes by Jesus Christ our Lord. John the Baptist spots Jesus in John 1 29 and says, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Paul in Ephesians 1 says, in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of God's grace. So forgiveness is basically inarguable. In other words, everybody believes, anybody that subscribes insofar as a scriptural understanding of forgiveness, everybody agrees that forgiveness of justification, agrees that forgiveness is certainly integral to that. In other words, we have to be cleansed in the blood of the Lord Jesus before we are accepted in God's sight. But the confession, rightly articulating biblical truth, underscores not only the need for forgiveness and justification, but a positive righteousness by which we will be accepted in the sight of our God. Of course, there are many passages that deal with this, a couple that we ought to appreciate. First is in Romans chapter Five, when Paul is dealing with covenantal categories, he speaks of death in Adam and life in Christ. And in Romans 5 at verse 18, he says, therefore, as through one man's offense, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man's righteousness, righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners and better rendered as constituted or reckoned or accounted. It's more of a legal or forensic term that's in view here versus an inherent or an infused making one or transforming one into a righteous being. It's covenantal, it is federal theology, and is dealing in a legal sense. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, again through the imputation of Adam's sin, so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous, or constituted righteous, or reckoned as righteous. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians 1, another emphasis on the imputation of the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. So forgiveness, again, everybody agrees. In justification, forgiveness is an absolute crucial part of justification. Not everybody agrees on the imputation of Christ's righteousness. Again, when the Confession says, not by infusing righteousness into them, that's a popish view. The popish view is that justification includes our sanctification. So justification, as it were, gets the ball rolling, but our sanctification or our covenantal faithfulness completes the ball at the end of the course, and then we are accepted by God. The confession won't have any of that because it articulates the truth of Scripture. Notice in 1 Corinthians 1 verse 30, Of course, 2 Corinthians chapter 5, another passage that is very conspicuous with reference to the imputed righteousness of Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 5, 21, for he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him. And then, of course, Philippians 3, verse 9, which we saw last Sunday night, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. Galatians 2.21 underscores again that we need not only a forgiveness of sins, but a righteousness that avails with God. So in Galatians 2.21, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes to the law, then Christ died in vain. And of course, Paul's opening statement in Romans 1, verses 16 and 17, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God, power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Why? Because in it, the righteousness of God is revealed. So it's not the righteous perfection of God or the perfection of God, which is righteousness or justness, but it's the righteousness that God demands and that God supplies in the Christian gospel. So Romans 1, 16 and 17, a thesis statement by which he introduces his exposition of the gospel. And we see there that this righteousness that God demands is supplied by God. Romans 3, 21 as well. But now the righteousness of God has been revealed. and is testified or witnessed by the law and the prophets. So when it comes to this particular doctrine, it's crucial to maintain it, not because 2nd London highlights it, but because the scripture asserts it. We need a perfection or rather a righteousness by which we can enter into the presence of God. God demands obedience, 1st Samuel chapter 15, Hebrews chapter 10. God demands a perfect obedience and it's either us or it's Christ. It's not anything other than that. It's either we come in our own righteousness, which is perpetual, exact, and entire, and personal, or we come in the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. So in essence, justification includes cleansing in His blood and clothed in His righteousness. And it's a wonderful and glorious truth. It's not something that we should try to diminish or to mitigate. It's not something that we should try to say, well, what about sanctity? Paragraph 2 is going to deal with sanctity, as is Philippians 3, 10 and 11. Tonight, after Paul's great statement in Philippians 3, 9, he then turns attention to sanctification and glorification. So it's not the case that justification yields this mindset, what shall we say, shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? May it never be. No, justification is the alone basis for our acceptance with God, and consequent to that, now we want to live in a manner that is consistent with God's calling upon our lives. It's a blessed wonderful truth and unfortunately has been denied not only by Roman Catholicism but some within Protestantism that have questioned and have asserted that there is no imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That's an unfortunate thought, that's an unfortunate reality, places us back at the garden, at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil if we're forgiven. but then we are in a probationary period where we have to function in a particular capacity to be received finally by God. It's a horrible concept. It has no peace, it affords no comfort, and there's no Romans 5. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. There's no Romans 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So this desire to denigrate or to remove from the scheme of salvation the imputation of Christ's righteousness, it's harebrained, it's moronic, it's satanic. As Abrakel says, the devil is therefore continually engaged in denying perverting and obscuring the truth expressed. Paul says something similar in Galatians chapter 1. He's amazed that you're turning so quickly from him who called you in the gospel of grace to another gospel which is not a gospel. If it is the case that it's faith plus our words, if it is the case that it's Christ a bit and us a bit, Paul says that's no gospel. That's not good news. That's simply moral reform that's going to end us ultimately in the lake of fire. It's not gospel. Gospel is that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself. not good advice, not some self-help, not just a call to do goodery, but rather God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ is both the forgiveness of sins and the imputed righteousness of Jesus received by faith alone. So notice, they go on to speak of the basis of this, and again, negatively. After highlighting the twin blessings and justification, pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous, they go on to explain that last statement. It's almost as if they knew. Nobody questions forgiveness. Nobody questions whether or not, through the blood of Jesus Christ, we're forgiven. But a lot of people do question this righteousness and this assertion that it's an imputed righteousness received by faith alone. So notice, first, the negative assertion. Not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone. Not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness. So not on the basis of anything wrought in us. It's good for us to be reminded. of Canon 11 from the Council of Trent. Quote, if anyone says that men are justified either by the sole imputation of the justice of Christ or by the sole remission of sins to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost and remains in them, or also that the grace by which we are justified is only the goodwill of God, let him be anathema. Now notice, they don't say, you know, we have a bit of a difference. We have a bit of an intramural debate concerning our acceptance with God. No, they double down. They're not having any truck with any Protestantism whatsoever. They're not, you know, bent on evangelicals and Catholics together. They're not bent on some false notion of ecumenicism that sacrifices the doctrine of justification by faith alone at the altar of some sort of an alleged unity. They pronounce anathema on Protestantism for maintaining the imputation of Christ's righteousness received by faith alone. Ian Murray said, there was the strongest biblical reason for the urgency with which the Reformed divines have always distinguished the act of justification from the process of sanctification. We surely need Christ for us and Christ in us, but the two things are not to be confused as the ground of our acceptance before God. Again, so clear and so easy to understand, and so obviously and patently biblical, it's an amazing thing how people messed it up. But again, the devil is therefore continually engaged in denying, perverting, and obscuring the truth expressed. Paul goes on in Galatians 221 to say that if righteousness comes through the law, then what? Then Christ died in vain. So the stakes are very high with reference to a clear definition and our understanding and appropriation of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. So it's not on the basis of anything wrought in us, and it's not on the basis of anything done by us. Turn back to Romans 3. Romans chapter three, specifically at verse 28. I mentioned last Sunday night that sometimes pope-ish type people or those who are opposed to the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ say, well, Paul doesn't say alone in the Bible. He never says justification by faith alone. Yeah, he does. You just don't have ears to hear it. Notice in 328, therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Yeah, he doesn't say alone, but he says apart from the deeds of the law. So that means justification is by faith alone. because it's apart from the deeds of the law. It is obvious the aloneness, the solaness is absolutely biblical. If you turn over to Galatians chapter two, again, a fighting epistle where Paul is dealing with justification by faith alone with the background of the foil being Judaizers who were saying faith in Jesus plus the ceremonies of Moses and then you'll be accepted by God Most High. Again, Cam preached on this not too long ago. 2.16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. Again, that's a loan. not by the works of the law, that's alone, that's solo, that's sola, that means without the works of the law. And of course Titus chapter 3, and again there are many other passages, but Titus chapter 3, specifically at verse 5, The simple sentence is right in the middle. He saved us, but it's surrounded by a lot of other things that we need to get. Verse five, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us. Through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. And Paul shuts down this notion often in Romans, if it's by works, then it's not by grace. These are mutually exclusive categories. Either it's a covenant of works, or it's a covenant of grace. Either you're accepted based on what Christ has done, or you're based on what you have done, or you're accepted based on what you and Christ have done. But Galatians and Romans shut down the whole notion of a Christ plus, for our acceptance with God Almighty. So then it goes on to say in the Confession, not on the basis of the imputation of faith or any other evangelical obedience. And the Confession's going to be clear that faith is an instrument. Faith is not the causal condition for which we are accepted by God. Notice it goes on to say, not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness. Now probably or likely they had Baxterianism or Neo-Nomianism, a new law-ism approach to our acceptance with God. That in the new covenant, there's a new law, and we respond to that new law through our faith, and that faith then becomes conditional or a ground or a foundation for which we are accepted by God. So Baxter taught a neo-Nomian doctrine of justification by denying the imputation of Christ's act of obedience and claiming that an obedient faith fulfills the condition for justification. Faith is imputed for righteousness because it is an act of obedience to God. It is the performance of the condition of the justifying covenant. Again, the confession is adamant. So is Paul. So is the rest of the Bible. It is not a combination. It is not that we bring faith to the table, and as a result, even if it's faith in Jesus to the table, and as a result then God declares us justified, or God then enters into covenant arrangement with us. That's not how it is. And then it goes on positively. So there's this negative, positive motif that the confession navigates to set forth the truth. And Paul does the same thing, as I mentioned there in Titus 3.5. It's not by this, but it is by this. It is not by this, but it is by this. So the confession is using a very effective teaching technique to make sure that we're not fuzzy on this doctrine of justification. So it goes on to say positively, but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law and passive obedience in his death for their whole and soul righteousness. So the London Confession, or Second London, is following Savoy here. Westminster sort of, I don't want to say compromised, but what's the word? Yeah, relieved it a bit and didn't use this emphasis on active obedience and passive obedience. So whenever anybody says the Westminster Confession is better, point them to chapter 11, paragraph one, and say the Second London is better. Our confession can beat up your confession. So it is the imputation of Christ's act of obedience unto the whole law and passive obedience in his death for their whole and soul righteousness. So God's demand for perfection. Again, 1 Samuel chapter 15, God desires obedience. Hebrews chapter 10, verses five to 10. Second London, 19 one, by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact and perpetual obedience. This kind of a conditional faith to Christ and then a conditional performance in the new covenant and hopefully God will accept us on that final day, that's no justification. That is not what we find in scripture in a Romans 5-1 or in a Romans 8-1. That is not the comfort and stability that the people of God need. The comfort and stability that the people of God need is cleansed in His blood and clothed in His righteousness. The Bible declares that Christ rendered perfect obedience under the whole law. Jesus says, I always do that which is pleasing to my father. My meat is to come and to do the will of my father who sent me. So it's not that Christ was just showing an example. Now, There is an example, we should be like Jesus. Nobody would suggest otherwise, right? We should be like Jesus. But the primary emphasis on his life of obedience was covenantal obedience to the law of God that would then be, that righteousness would then be imputed to the elect of God, those whom he foreknew, those he predestined, those he calls, those he justifies. We need a righteousness by which we enter into the very presence of God. So again, the denials, denial by N.T. Wright. Righteousness is not an object, a substance or a gas which can be passed across the courtroom. Well, that's just to mock and to caricature. It isn't to deal with the biblical texts we've seen that speak concerning the imputed righteousness of Jesus. It doesn't take into consideration the imputation of Adam's sin to us, the imputation of our sin to Christ, and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us. This is much about which the Bible hangs. Machen made the observation, People often say N.T. Wright is brilliant, and I don't doubt that he is. N.T. Wright's a great communicator. I don't doubt that he is. N.T. Wright's a great writer. I don't doubt that he is. N.T. Wright's really great on the Gospels. When people like him are denying the historicity of the supernatural with reference to the life of Jesus, you know, he's great. Yeah, but he gets Paul wrong. Machen's great on the historicity of Jesus in the Gospels too, but he gets Paul right. So if you're going to a bookstore when Reformed Book Services opens in Chilliwack, I doubt they'll carry N.T. Wright, but supposing they do, and there's Machen's book on the New Testament, and then you have anything by N.T. Wright on the New Testament, or the Gospels specifically, pick Machen. Now, I'm not a papist telling you there are forbidden books that thou must not read. You can read whatever you want within reason that doesn't violate openly the word of God. But it doesn't matter if he's good on the Gospels in terms of historicity. It doesn't matter that he's not neo-Orthodox or that he's not a liberal when it comes to the life of Jesus. He gets Paul wrong. Machen gets Paul right and the Gospels right. As a matter of fact, he has not merely paid the penalty of Adam's first sin and the penalty of the sins which we individually have committed, but also he has positively merited for us eternal life. He was, in other words, a representative both in penalty paying and in probation keeping. He paid the penalty of sin for us, and He stood the probation for us. Those who have been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ not only are righteous in the sight of God, but they are beyond the possibility of becoming unrighteous. In their case, the probation is over. It is not over because they have stood it successfully. It is not over because they have themselves earned the reward of assured blessedness, which God promised on condition of perfect obedience. But it is over because Christ has stood it for them. It is over because Christ has merited for them the reward by his perfect obedience to God's law. Beautiful. If you ever come into my office, you'll notice I have a little framed picture of a telegram. Leslie Lawson gave that to me. I had sent her a text with a picture of it, and she thankfully got it for me, and I keep it on my desk. And it's a telegram sent by Machen just before he died. He died at 7.30 p.m. on January 1st, 1937, I think in Bismarck, North Dakota. I mean, wow, imagine dying in Bismarck, North Dakota. You go to Bismarck to die, I guess, but here's what he says to John Murray. I'm so thankful for active obedience of Christ. No hope without it. He said that because he understood what we have in the gospel. He understood what we have in justification by faith alone. Papists won't say that. New perspectivists won't say that. Federal visionists won't say that. They would say, I'm so thankful for the obedience of Christ and all of my faithfulness in the life of sanctification. Because again, they fold together justification and sanctification and make that then justification. No, they're inextricably connected. We don't have one without the other, but there are some distinctives as well with reference to justification and sanctification. We need to get that. We need to appreciate that. And then the confession goes on. It says, but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, so that's everything he did in his life, in his ministry, that my meat is to do the will of him who sent me. I always do that which is pleasing to the Father. Every jot and tittle of his life was perfect obedience. There was no sin. holy, harmless, and undefiled. The Apostle Peter, one of his closest associates, applies Isaiah's prophecy to him. There was no guile on his lips. There was no sin in his actions. He always did what was pleasing to the Father. So that act of obedience is absolutely crucial, but also passive obedience. And Renahan points out, passive should be understood in relation to the Latin passion. It is obedience in suffering, humiliation, and death. So it's not passive obedience in the sense that he wasn't an active participant. He speaks of laying down his life for the sheep. He speaks concerning the death that he had to undergo. So it's not a passive obedience in the sense that he was an unwilling participant or a willing participant, and these things just kind of came upon him. No, it is passive with reference to suffering, humiliation, and death. So we've got the recipients in the first part of paragraph 1, the essence in the next part of paragraph 1, the basis in the next part of paragraph 1, and then the instrument in the last part of paragraph 1 and into paragraph 2. Notice. The end of paragraph one, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God. So it is by faith. Murray makes this comment in his commentary on Romans. He says, justification by works always finds its ground in that which the person is and does. It is always oriented to that consideration of virtue attaching to the person justified. The specific quality of faith is trust and commitment to another. It is essentially extraspective, and in that respect is the diametric opposite of works. Faith is self-renouncing. Works are self-congratulatory. Faith looks to what God does. Works have respect to what we are. It is this antithesis of principle that enables the apostle to base the complete exclusion of works upon the principle of faith. And here you can turn to the book of Romans in chapter four. Romans chapter four. Paul uses this very language. Verse 1, what then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about. See, that's problematic. If justification includes sanctification, if justification includes the work of Christ for us, and it includes the Spirit's work in us by which we are complying with the covenant, then we have some room to boast. I mean, what gives us a leg up? Well, if you're a papist, it's that you subscribe to the sacraments of the church and you only ever go to the one holy Catholic church. If you're a Protestant, it's faith in Jesus and faithfulness in terms of the covenant. You see, Paul says, and Paul rightly identifies that if any works are contributed by Abraham to his acceptance with God, then Abraham has a bit of space. to boast. He has a little bit of ground upon which to pat himself on the back. And that this is not the case, notice how he ends the verse. So in verse 2, for if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. In other words, he has no ground for boasting before God. Why? Because it ain't from works, and it ain't a combination of faith plus works. It is solely and alone the grace of God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. So when it comes to this statement here, it's a beautiful reality that Murray highlights with reference to the reality of faith. It's extraspective. We look to Christ versus a faith plus works introspection where we wonder if we've done enough in terms of covenantal faithfulness, if we've earned enough of our final acceptance with God. In fact, one sort of prominent evangelical leader makes the statement with reference to the covenant of grace. Not the covenant of words, but the covenant of grace. He says something to the effect, I'm hard pressed to know that there's anything more important for us than to keep the conditions of the covenant for our acceptance with God. Brethren, we're doomed to hell if that is true. Who kept the conditions of the covenant? Jesus, our blessed mediator. This is why Paul in Hebrews chapter 7 can say he's the surety of what? A better covenant, which has better promises, affords a better hope. It is glorious because Christ is satisfied through his active and passive obedience. Now, when faith is discussed in the confession, notice they use a metaphor. The end of paragraph one, they receiving and resting on him. This isn't mystical. This isn't experience-oriented. This isn't feelings. This is metaphor for faith. What is faith? It is to receive Christ. It is to rest upon Christ. It's the open hand that receives the blessings that God gives freely in his gospel. So the metaphorical receiving and resting is illustrative of faith. Faith is directed toward the person and work of Christ. As Westminster Larger Catechism says, how does faith justify a sinner in the sight of God? Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it. nor as if the grace of faith or any act thereof were imputed to him for his justification, but only as it is an instrument by which he receives and applies Christ and his righteousness." It's beautiful. Again, a clear articulation of biblical truth under Protestant robes. Not that Protestants wear robes, or they're not supposed to anyways. I mean, robes at home, I guess, are OK, bathrobes, but robes and pulpits and vestments and all that. If you ever read Lloyd-Jones on preaching and preachers, he makes this long argument that preachers shouldn't draw attention to themselves, just be simple guys preaching the truth. And then he argues for the wearing of the robe. And he says, you're probably going to think I'm odd here, but I think that ministers should be set apart with robes. It's kind of an interesting argument that he uses there. And if you ever see pictures of him in a pulpit, he always had a robe on. And again, not a bathrobe, but the vestments or the gowns that are ecclesiastical in nature. A buddy of mine and I used to say, you should wear Jedi robes, that would be cool. But then notice the confession is very adamant to demonstrate and to affirm and confirm again with scripture that it's not a faith that we generate. It's not a faith that we come to. It's not a faith that we arrive on with reference to our wisdom and the examination of the facts. Okay, now I see who Jesus is, I'll bring that to the table, and then God gets this ball rolling. No faith's a gift. The very faith which is the instrument by which God applies the redemptive benefits of Jesus Christ to us is a gift. It's not self-generated. It's not our wisdom. It's not our ingenuity. Well, yeah, now I see. And I'll come to the table with faith. No, no, no. That faith is a gift given by God. So the empty hand that we use to receive the gifts of gospel grace, that empty hand was given to us by God. So there's no room whatsoever for boasting at any part. Notice in Acts 15, with reference to the giftness or the gift character, of faith. Acts 15, remember this is the conflict over Judaizing, and Acts 15 speaking about Gentile inclusion in the covenant of grace, We read in verse nine, well verse eight, so God who knows the heart, this is Peter's testimony, verses seven to 11, acknowledge them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. So it is a gift given by God. Turn over to Ephesians two, probably the most famous and classic expression of the gift character of faith. Ephesians 2.8, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. And then, of course, Philippians chapter one. Philippians chapter one in verse 29, for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. So the exegetical or biblical or textual argument is clear from these texts, but the theological argument needs to be taken into consideration as well. We're totally depraved. We're totally unable. In fact, look at Romans chapter eight, specifically at verses seven and eight, to see those twin doctrines of total depravity and total inability. Romans eight, seven. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. Nor indeed can be underscores total inability. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Jesus says it as well in his earthly ministry, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. So the doctrine of total depravity and the doctrine of total inability underscore the necessity of the gift character of faith because dead men don't believe the gospel. Paul in Ephesians 2, before he gets to 8 and 9, or 8 to 10, he does verses 1 and 1 to 3. What does he describe there? He doesn't describe man hindered a bit by sin. He doesn't describe man, you know, gimped a bit by sin. He doesn't describe man as lame with reference to sin, or handicapped with reference to sin. He describes man as dead in trespasses and sins. So dead men don't believe the gospel. We must be effectually called. We must be regenerated. We must have our hearts changed. We must be given the graces of faith and repentance so that we can close with Christ. And that is precisely what we see in this emphasis here. They receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith, which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God. Again, John Murray says, this is both the stumbling block and the irresistible appeal of the gospel. It's both the stumbling block or scandal and the irresistible appeal of the gospel. It is the stumbling block to self-righteousness, and self-righteousness is the arch demon of antithesis to grace. It is the glory of the gospel for the contrite and brokenhearted. If we put any other exercise of the human spirit in the place of faith, then we cut the throat of the only confidence a sinner conscious of his lost and helpless condition can entertain. Justification by faith is the jubilee trumpet of the gospel because it proclaims the gospel to the poor and destitute whose only door of hope is to roll themselves in total helplessness upon the grace and power and righteousness of the redeemer of the lost. In the words of one, cast out your anchor into the ocean of the Redeemer's merits. And again, Murray would underscore, the only casting out of that anchor into the ocean of the Redeemer's merits comes as a result of God's grace by which you cast out your anchor into the ocean of the Redeemer's merits. He is not suggesting that somebody has the ability to do that unaided by divine grace and divine operation. And then paragraph 2 is most helpful in terms of a qualification or an addition, rather, to this concept of saving faith. So we're saved or justified freely by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, the alones or the solas of the Protestant Reformation. But notice paragraph 2 is about protecting sanctity in the Christian life. So we talk about often in our studies in Buchanan on Saturday mornings, and as we'll see tonight in Philippians chapter three, verses 10 and 11, Paul speaks very clearly of justification by faith alone in verse nine. And then he speaks specifically of his life of sanctification in verse 10 and the future prospect of glorification in verse 11. And so the confession is very much insisting on that reality in paragraph two. Notice there again is a statement concerning faith, faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness. The metaphorical use there, again receiving and resting, is the alone instrument of justification. In case paragraph one didn't convince you, In case Paul and Romans didn't convince you, in case Paul and Galatians didn't convince you, in case Moses didn't convince you, or the prophets didn't convince you, you need to remember it is the alone instrument of justification, yet. So here comes the protection for sanctity in the Christian life, because some would conclude that if we're justified by faith alone, then it doesn't matter how we live. We're justified by faith alone, and that's probably what drove potpourri, and what drives the new perspective, and what drives the the federal vision, they want to protect sanctity, they want to protect sanctification, they want to make sure that a holy life is consequent upon justification. Well it is consequent upon justification, it's always consequent upon justification, but that doesn't mean you include sanctification with justification for your final acceptance with God. So it goes on then to say, yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. Notice the proof text, Romans 3, 28, to underscore the aloneness of faith with reference to justification. Galatians 5, 6, Paul teaches just like James, faith working through love. And then James, specifically James 2, 17, 22, and 26. Those proof texts are there. for various reasons, but to demonstrate or show the legitimacy of what they're teaching in paragraph two. It is the alone instrument of justification, yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith, but worketh by love. It's beautiful. And again, if you get paragraph two down, it answers the question with reference to sanctity of life or sanctification in the Christian life. And compare the chapter on sanctification to be sure, but we don't load justification up with sanctification and then make that the basis of our acceptance with God. Justification is the basis for our acceptance with God. It's based on the active and passive obedience of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, the imputed righteousness received by faith alone. But understand that faith that is a gift from God, which is the means by which or the instrument by which you close with Christ, it's not alone. It's always accompanied with all other saving graces. Those who are justified will be sanctified. Those for whom Christ died as the objective ground of our acceptance with God, they'll be worked on by the Spirit in terms of sanctification. It's a beautiful arrangement. It's a glorious thing. It's a truth that the Bible everywhere asserts and positively treats in a manner that is consistent with God's grace in the gospel. So it's always or ever accompanied with all other saving graces and it worketh by love. If I wasn't going to quote Westminster Larger Catechism 77 tonight, I would this morning, but just be here tonight and you'll hear Westminster Larger Catechism 77. Basically, the question is, wherein do justification and sanctification differ? Where do they differ? Again, inextricably connected. You're not sanctified if you haven't been justified. If you're justified, you're going to be sanctified. So wherein lies the differences between these doctrines? Again, the catechism isn't separating them, like they're completely different species altogether. But it's showing wherein there are some fundamental foundational issues with reference to justification and with reference to sanctification. And for the rest of the confession, I don't want to just run through this, but I'm going to run through this. The cause of justification, paragraph 3, it reiterates or it draws out or amplifies this whole idea of active obedience under the whole law and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness. So the objective? sense or the objective cause, notice in the first part of paragraph 3, Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are justified, and did by the sacrifice of Himself in the blood of His cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf. Yet inasmuch as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners. So that's the cause. That's where you kind of peek behind the bare statements of active and passive obedience. What does active and passive obedience look like? Well, it looks like this. And then paragraph four deals with the timing of justification. It's to combat what's called eternal justification. And then, of course, paragraph five, I think, is so practically helpful as well. It is so practically helpful. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified, and although they can never fall from the state of justification. Again, we need to know that. We need to have that firmly rooted in our minds and hearts. But then the reality comes. And again, I often say there's more practical theology in the Second London Confession of Faith than lots of books written on practical theology in our modern era. You know, not every practical theology gets as down and dirty as the end of paragraph 5. Yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure, and in that condition they have not usually the light of His countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith in repentance. So they're justified. That justification isn't going to be taken away. That justification isn't broken. That justification isn't gone. But they may, by their sins. And I think this is the first John 1 emphasis. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I think that's more of a text to believers than it is an invitation to unbelievers. It's to the church or the Lord Jesus Christ if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just. Boys love those two modifiers there, faithful and just. Wouldn't we want loving and grace? faithful based on what he's done in and through his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and just. Remember Paul's whole point in Romans 3 at about 25 and 26 is to show how in the gospel there's a demonstration of the righteousness of God, such that he's both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. So if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us. Again, we probably would have opted, he's very loving, he's very kind, he's very gracious, which is all true. He is very loving, he is very kind, he is very gracious. He's abundant in mercy, to be sure. But faithfulness and justice is where John lays the emphasis with reference to this ongoing forgiveness. that we need as God's children or the Father's children in those seasons of His fatherly displeasure. And in that condition, they have not usually the light of His countenance restored unto them until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith in repentance. And then as I mentioned, paragraph 6 just simply states what we already know to be the case, the justification of believers under the Old Testament was in all these respects one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament. Certainly know the proof texts that are there, but I would always add to this Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9, in a discussion of the superiority of the New Covenant, And the contrast between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, specifically in 9, 6 to 10, Old Covenant, New Covenant, in 9, 11 to 15. Notice what he says in 15. And for this reason, he is the mediator of the New Covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the First Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. So there's retrospective application of the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ to Old Covenant believers. It's not three ways of salvation, it's not seven ways of salvation, it's not the various dispensations by which we come into God's favor, but it's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. For righteous Abel, and Adam and Eve I would include, and for every saint subsequent to that. Well, I'll pray, and then we don't have any time for questions or comments, so we'll just transition into worship. So let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for this great articulation of the doctrine of justification. Pray that we would receive this, again, not just cognitively into our minds, but we would receive it practically, experientially, for the good of our souls. I pray that you'd bless our time of public worship in the morning and evening, Pray that your Holy Spirit would come in power to save sinners. We pray that Jesus, that one who's altogether lovely and chief among 10,000, would save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him. And we ask this in Christ's name, amen.