Justifcation By Faith Alone

This weekend a friend and I were conversing about the topic of "justification by faith alone". He expressed a concern over the way, at present, many proclaim this truth. Quite honestly, before our conversation, I had not given much thought to the content of his concern. "What was his concern", you ask? He said that he was concerned that in much teaching on this subject, there is a mixing of justification and sanctification. He was concerned that people are being made to feel that they are somehow less of a sinner after they' come to faith in Christ than they were before they came to Christ. In fact, his concern is that they are being told NOT TO THINK OF THEMSELVES AS SINNERS. He cited the teachings which play up the "goodness" and "righteousness" of believers, as those which lead people to believe that, of themselves, they possess an "active righteousness" (to borrow from Luther's description). That is, they are being told that they are, in reality, RIGHTEOUS. This muddies the waters of salvation's stream. In justification we are "declared" righteous. We have an "imputed" or "accounted" righteous. God counts, reckons, considers us to be as righteous as Christ. He clothes us with His own righteousness. We are covered by His righteousness. We are not "actually" or "actively" righteous. The righteousness we have is God's, not ours. Spurgeon said that we are like the moon. The moon possess no light of its own, but merely reflects the brilliance of the sun. We have no righteousness of our own. We merely reflect God's righteousness. It is not ours, but God's. Paul did not want to be "found having" his "own righteousness" (Phil 3) and neither should we.

My friend's point? We are not righteous! We are no more righteous today than we were when we were faithless sinners. We are as much in need today of an "alien righteousness" (this is how Luther and the Reformers referred to that "righteousness of God" which was heralded by the Apostle Paul in Rom 1:17) as we were when we were rescued by the Savior. His point? Justification is not properly understood and, hence, is not as precious or important to us, if we do not see our own present sinfulness. Consequently, we will not be able to see our constant need of justifying grace as long as we fail to see our own sinfulness.

Luther was dogmatic in stating that Christians are "simul justus et peccator". That is, Christians are simultaneously just and sinful. At the same moment in time we are both saints and sinners. I agree that this is crucial. The human mind is apt to think too highly of itself. Remember Paul's words to the Romans, "let no one think more highly of himself than he ought to think" (Rom 12). If those who lived in such proximity to the Savior's Apostles needed to be reminded of this, then we do as well.

It was in this frame of mind, while I was reading Piper's "Brothers We Are Not Professionals", that I came across Piper's chapter, "Brother's Preach and Live Justifaction by Faith Alone". I closed the book and asked God to make me aware of my own sinfulness and my constant need of justitifying grace. As I approached my computer to check my e-mail and get the latest Mississippi State Basketball news, I came across an e-mail that caught my attention. The Title, "He puts us in our right place!" grabbed me. Turns out, God was quick to begin answering my prayer. See the e-mail for yourself:

He puts us in our right place!(J. C. Ryle, " Having the Spirit")"When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment." (John 16:8)All who have the Spirit are convinced by Him of sin.He alone can open a man's eyes to the real extent of his guilt and corruption before God. He always does this when He comes into the soul. He puts us in our right place! He shows us the vileness of our own hearts, and makes us cry with the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" He pulls down those proud, self-righteous, self-justifying notions with which we are all born--and makes us feel as we ought to feel--"I am a sinful man, and I deserve to be in hell!" Sin is no more pleasant to those who are taught by the Spirit. It is their sorrow when tempted by it. It is their shame when they are overtaken by it. Their desire is to be free from it altogether. Their happiest times are when they are enabled to walk most closely with God. Their saddest times are when they are furthest off from Him. "When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment." (John 16:8).

God answers prayer. What an encouragement! May we all pray that God would help us to see our own sinfulness and see our need of an "alien righteousness" that only He can provide!

"Father, glorify your name" by making me aware of my own sinfulness and cause me to hunger and thirst for Your righteousness!

simul justus et peccator