Justification, Part 6

Driving home: So then when the scripture says we are justified by faith it does not mean that there is something in the faith which justifies us. It is simply the means by which we come.

A destitute man begging for food is said to be 'kept alive by his begging.' This illustrates that begging is the instrumental means to obtain food, but the food itself is what sustains life. Similarly, faith is the instrumental means to receive Christ's righteousness, but Christ's righteousness is what justifies.

All right? What do we mean by the instrumental means of justification? Well, we mean simply this. Here's a man sitting out on Bloomfield Avenue destitute of any means of income and he's begging.

13:25 - 13:38 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God embraces us in electing and renewing love we embrace him in faith and it's when there's that responsive embrace of the sinner already embraced in God's electing love and in his renewing love it's when the sinner havi…

Expanding on the beggar analogy, the beggar receives bread with his hand. This illustrates that faith is the receptive grace, like the hand, that lays hold of what is offered, without demeaning other graces (like other body parts) which have different functions.

Go back to the beggar.

26:58 - 26:59 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God embraces us in electing and renewing love we embrace him in faith and it's when there's that responsive embrace of the sinner already embraced in God's electing love and in his renewing love it's when the sinner havi…

A quotation from Luther (via another servant of Christ) describes faith as forming a union between Christ and believers, like a marriage. Through this 'marriage ring of faith,' Christ takes the believer's sins, and the believer receives Christ's perfect holiness and blessings, a 'blessed change' and 'happy union'.

who quotes from Luther on this very concept of union with Christ and it's beautiful others very well represent the office of faith when they say that by means of it a union is formed between Christ and believers thus Luther said it happens that by obedience to the Lord and to Christ when the law of the world is put into place all things shall be as what it should be everything which Christ has becomes the property of the believing soul everything which the soul has becomes the property of Christ Christ possesses all blessings and eternal life they are henceforth the property of the believing s...

31:29 - 32:55 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes by emphasizing that justification is by faith, whether weak or strong. He uses an analogy of a machine that heals upon contact, illustrating that the virtue lies…

Dabney's illustration of a machine with healing electrical energy that cures disease upon contact. Two men, one vigorous and one crippled, touch it with different forces but both are equally healed. This illustrates that the virtue for justification is in Christ, not in the strength or vigor of one's faith, but in the contact itself.

Dabney, again, a theologian in a systematic theology book, has a very homey illustration. Even you kids can get it.

55:05 - 55:12 Read in full sermon

The point: If troubled by the weakness of your faith, stop looking at the strength of your hand and look at the object of your faith: the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reference to John Bunyan's characters like Mr. Weak Faith, Mr. Ready to Halt, and Mr. Feeble Mind from 'Pilgrim's Progress.' This illustrates that even those with weak faith are on the road to the Celestial City, emphasizing that the genuineness of faith, not its strength, is what matters for justification.

Now granted the man who has strong faith may enjoy his healthy state more but he's no more healthy and Bunyan understood this didn't he? He not only has great heart and faithful but who else does he have on that road to the celestial city? Mr. Weak Faith Mr. Ready to Halt Mr. Weak Faith Mr. Ready to Halt Mr. Weak Faith Mr. Ready to Halt Mr. Weak Faith Mr. Weak Faith Mr. Weak Faith Mr. Weak Faith feeble mind. Why? He was a pastor. He wasn't some theologian sitting up in an ivory tower just scratching his head and stroking his beard saying now what shall I write about for posterity?

59:16 - 59:54 Read in full sermon