Justification, Part 4

In this part of the sermon: The sermon focuses on Luke 18:14, 'this man went down to his house justified,' and uses the Westminster Larger Catechism's definition of justification as a framework to organize…

Martin explains that creedal and confessional standards like the Westminster Catechism do not mold the Word of God but serve as an aid to understand what is already in the Word, reflecting the Holy Spirit's work in the Church.

There must be some organization of the materials. And so I have suggested that the best way to gather together the leading lines of biblical thought concerning justification, what it meant for the publican to go down to his house justified, is to take the framework of the larger catechism of the Westminster Synod, the Westminster Standards, and using that definition of justification to bring together the biblical materials under the six distinct lines of thought set before us in this confessional standard. And for those who were not with us several weeks ago, I would just briefly say in an asi...

4:52 - 6:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin briefly reviews previously covered points: God is the author of justification, free grace is its source, and sinners (with nothing to commend them) are its recipients…

The 'massive verbiage' of the Catechism's definition of justification is likened to an 'M1 bulldozer' to convey its overwhelming impact and comprehensive nature upon first reading.

The answer? Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in His sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed to them and received by faith alone. Now I suggest that that massive verbiage that just sort of overwhelms you and hits you like an M1, an M1 bulldozer when you read it for the first time, can be broken down into six distinct categories of thought, which bring together every major line of biblica...

6:34 - 7:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Have you really heard that the recipients of God's justifying act are sinners, bringing nothing to God?

A recent phone call from a listener who, despite hearing it many times, 'for the first time' truly grasped that 'nothing do I bring to God' for justification, illustrating the Holy Spirit's work in opening eyes to gospel truth.

He pleads nothing before God, but mercy to him as a sinner. Though this note of gospel truth is sounded frequently, and I trust clearly from this pulpit, when the Holy Ghost opens a person's eyes to see it, it's good news for the first time. And what a thrill was mine to have someone call me. Just a week or so ago, and say, Pastor, as I sat there Sunday night, perhaps for the first time I saw it clearly, nothing do I bring to God.

10:03 - 10:36 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is not enough that we be declared no longer guilty. We must be declared as those who have a title and a right to eternal life and all the blessings that flow from it.

The difference between a criminal being pardoned (no longer guilty) and being regarded as if he had perfectly kept the law (positively righteous) illustrates the two aspects of justification: pardon and acceptance/imputation of righteousness.

A thought which Paul amplifies by linking justification with the adoption of believers as God's sons and God's heirs. A man may be a criminal and for years find himself in a penal institution. It is one thing for a decree to go forth that he is pardoned, that society will no longer deal with him as one who has broken a law, stolen a bank, killed a man. But suppose you ask men to regard him as though he not only had never done those things, but as though he had perfectly kept the law and had never stolen anything.

23:22 - 24:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Dare you meet God with one unpardoned sin? Seek acceptance in Jesus Christ.

Martin lists various hypothetical sins of the publican (dishonesty, nastiness, cheating as a kid, stealing from his mother) to emphasize that God's justification means not just forgetting these sins but regarding him as perfectly law-keeping.

Now apply this to the publican. When Jesus said, This man went down to his house justified, how did he go down to his house? How did God who justified him regard him? Did he simply say, Now, Mr. Publican, I no longer will remember all the times that you were dishonest in your business dealings, all the time you were, nasty to your wife, and all the times you cheated when you were playing ball as a kid in the playground at the local school. I won't remember the times when you stuck your hand into your mama's pocketbook and took a quarter. Is God simply saying, I will no longer remember your sin...

26:20 - 27:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Dare you meet God with one unpardoned sin? Seek acceptance in Jesus Christ.

A quote from Mr. Plummer (likely A. Plummer) stating that 'a single transgression can rouse an enlightened conscience to the wildest fury' highlights the terrifying reality of unpardoned sin and the need for complete justification.

One unpardoned sin would destroy a soul forever. And listen to this next statement. A single transgression can rouse an enlightened conscience to the wildest fury. My friend, you lay upon your bed at night and think of how God must deal with you if there is but one sin unpardoned.

28:48 - 29:11 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Yes, I will labor it, my friend, for failure to see this will land multitudes in hell.

Martin contrasts a 'good, law-abiding citizen' who is proud of his ethical virtue with an 'outright thief' to illustrate how people mistakenly rely on their external conduct for acceptance with God, even while acknowledging the societal preference for the former.

We find the same error in our poor, deluded, liberal people who think that because of some ethical virtue in themselves that makes them better than other people in their external conduct and we don't despise that. Any man who's a good, law-abiding citizen, even if he's proud as the devil because of it, I'd rather have him as my neighbor than some guy that would pick my pocket and chase around with my wife and, and steal stuff off my back porch, wouldn't you? I'd rather have a self-righteous hypocrite for my neighbor than some outright thief. Sure, but the delusion of teaching that does not ham...

35:00 - 35:54 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He introduces the positive ground: 'only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ,' emphasizing that justification is found wholly in Christ alone, citing 1…

A vivid narrative of the publican leaving the temple with a lifted face and light in his countenance, mumbling 'praise the Lord,' illustrates the radical transformation and joy that comes from being justified in Christ alone, contrasting with his earlier bowed head.

1 Corinthians 1 and verse 30. But of Him that is of God the Father, by virtue, by virtue of His mighty working, are ye in Christ Jesus, that is, in spiritual and vital union with Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. That Lord, who alone is made unto us righteousness, but who, when He is made unto us righteousness, is made unto us such a perfect righteousness, such a righteousness external to ourselves, that the only thing we can glory in is Him and Hi...

41:03 - 42:32 Read in full sermon