Justification, Part 3

Driving home: We are seeking to expound precisely what is meant in Scripture by the Lord's statement at the conclusion of the record of the parable, by that statement. When he went down to his house justified, what was the exact state…

Martin uses the analogy of confessions and catechisms as guides for understanding doctrine and as 'fences' to protect it from heresy, like guarding a beautiful piece of property.

Then, last week, we began to open up the doctrine in a formal way, and I suggested that the best way to do so was to use the Westminster standards, that is, the Westminster Confession, the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms, as a guide in opening up the doctrine. And apparently a number of you were convinced of my little polemic on the benefit of confessions and catechisms, and we shall be ordering a number of the ones we recommend. We have a Baptist Catechism, which is the Westminster Shorter Catechism, just altered in the area of how much water and on whom and on church government. An...

4:46 - 5:55 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section expounds on free grace as the sole source of justification, defining 'freely' as 'without a cause in us' and 'grace' as 'undeserved mercy'. Martin emphasizes that…

He uses the metaphor of men trying to 'cut a channel' or 'make a conduit' for God's grace, illustrating the error of trying to limit God's sovereign freedom in showing mercy.

Nobody telling God, now look God, we've cut a channel here, your grace must run through that channel. Or Lord, we've made a conduit here, your grace must flow down this conduit. No, no. Just as God in the perfection of His sovereign being is utterly free from all the fetters that men would put upon Him, so He is free when He would show mercy.

12:29 - 12:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section expounds on free grace as the sole source of justification, defining 'freely' as 'without a cause in us' and 'grace' as 'undeserved mercy'. Martin emphasizes that…

He uses John 15:25, 'They hated Him without a cause,' to define 'freely' (dorean) as 'without any cause in us' when applied to justification.

When Paul said being justified freely by His grace, what did he mean? Well, this is exactly the same word that is used in John 15, 25 when speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Scripture says, They hated Him without a cause. Exactly the same word. They hated Him freely.

15:27 - 15:50 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin identifies sinners, specifically the 'ungodly' as described in Romans 4:5, as the recipients of justification. He uses the Publican's plea for mercy as the prime example of…

The analogy of receiving a paycheck for 40 hours of work as a 'debt' owed, versus receiving double pay as 'grace', illustrates the difference between earning a reward and receiving unmerited favor.

So his reasonings should be clear. Now to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. When you get your paycheck on Thursday or Friday and the time clock shows that you put in your 40 hours, you don't run up to the boss or to the head of the company and say, oh, how gracious you've been to me. I can't understand such grace.

27:26 - 27:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Cling to the truth that when God justifies, He deals with those who in themselves have nothing to commend themselves to God.

He quotes the hymn 'Nothing in My Hands I Bring' to illustrate the sinner's posture of bringing nothing but their need to God for justification.

What it's saying is as far as the sinner in his own mind finding anything himself that can be the ground of his iniquity, his acceptance before God, he finds nothing, he pleads nothing, he stands before God saying, nothing in my hands I bring.

30:03 - 30:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not look inward for some qualification (like deep conviction or repentance) before daring to venture on Christ, as this is a terrible, deluding, and damning heresy.

Martin shares his observation of people laboring for years under the delusion that they were not 'awakened sinners' enough to trust Christ, leading to despair or subtle self-righteousness.

And the very confession of his hardness is what he doesn't even realize is the indication of his repentance and his brokenness. Hence, to cause the sinner to look inward upon himself is to produce on the one hand hopeless and terrible bondage. And I've seen this. You think this is not a very needful warning.

32:57 - 33:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Aspiring ministers should be known as 'free grace preachers,' inviting sinners to Christ without qualification.

He references Dr. Packer's observation that every true spiritual revival has at its heart the Holy Spirit bringing home the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and reflects on the history of revivals.

Now, that's no little flea-picking theologian saying that. That's a man who's well-read, very perceptive and sensitive, and I believe he's stated it accurately. I began to think of the histories of the true revivals that I'm acquainted with. And you'll find at the heart of those revivals, every revival, starting with that mighty movement of God in the apostolic age, has been the Holy Ghost bringing home with fresh power to men this grand, by truth, free grace to sinners.

39:02 - 39:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Aspiring ministers should be known as 'free grace preachers,' inviting sinners to Christ without qualification.

He quotes lines from the hymn 'Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched' to illustrate the unqualified invitation of the gospel to sinners.

And if the Lord is doing anything to encourage us in our day, and I think particularly of you young men with aspirations to and some indications of God's providential pressure in the direction of the ministry, oh, that you might be known as free grace preachers. Not cheap grace preachers, but free grace preachers. Never let it be said that we've spawned a generation of young men who in a false overreaction against the non-appreciation of the law and the non-appreciation of repentance and the lordship of Christ, never let it be said that we've sent out a generation of legal preachers who cannot...

39:34 - 40:38 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Drawing on Plummer, Martin asserts that maintaining the doctrine of 'free grace to sinners' is essential for the gospel to remain good news, for God's glory to be upheld, and for…

He uses the Roman Catholic teaching on purgatory, mortal sins, and the necessity of performance for salvation to illustrate a system that holds salvation in jeopardy to produce good works, contrasting it with free grace.

And the Roman Catholic says, oh no, that's a dangerous doctrine. If we told our people that they're saved by the merits of another, they'd go out and live like the devil. We've got to keep them in line by saying, if you don't live up to certain standards, you may end up in purgatory. And if you don't live up to certain other standards, something worse, mortal sins, you may end up in hell itself.

42:34 - 42:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand and receive the doctrine of justification by free grace, as it produces the driving motivation for genuine good works and holiness, rather than relying on external checklists or guilt.

He contrasts 'pumping up all kinds of schemes' and 'rubbing consciences raw' with checklists for good works, with the genuine motivation for holiness that comes from seeing Christ's glory.

And so with Mr. Plummer I would say to this congregation tonight cling to this facet of the doctrine of justification that the recipients of this blessing are sinners contemplated as nothing but sinners in themselves and the clinging to this alone will keep the gospel good news will maintain the glory of God bound up in this doctrine and will produce the holiness of heart and life which alone will keep us from sin. And that is the only way that salvation can be produced by this truth. You see the sad thing in our day is to see so much of evangelicalism pumping up all kinds of schemes to produc...

44:27 - 45:53 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the essence of justification as a singular, absolute 'act' of God, not a process. This act involves complete pardon and acceptance, meaning a believer is 'wholly…

He quotes the hymn 'It Is Well With My Soul' ('My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part, but the whole...') to illustrate the complete pardon received in justification.

It says He will not save me but destroy me, but bailed me back and conjure me out of His great fear. What is it thatiggly? There is this idol which shows up in people of our likes. And it says, So God will not flood a separate Space when He saith enclosed me with death and love of God. It says He will not save me but destroy me but destruction upon me. If nothing happens to your soul, they shall suffer defence in service of His charge, by the power and the ière for being God'sğı qui tu sweok over others of His have어요 and he which will never80 avoid death and sin. There is a moment when suchーwe...

53:10 - 53:34 Read in full sermon

The point: To be saved, repent and believe the Gospel; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and cast yourself upon Him.

He recounts Charles Spurgeon's experience of looking inward for years until a Methodist preacher directed him to 'Look unto me all the ends of the earth and be ye saved,' illustrating the error of self-examination for salvation.

That was Spurgeon's problem for years. He was looking at himself, looking at himself under conviction for those years until that Methodist preacher on that snowy night looked up in the gallery as they say in England. We say the balcony and said, young man, you're sad. And the sadness is upon your face and it'll be upon your face until you look to Christ.

57:32 - 57:52 Read in full sermon