Acceptance With God
2 sermons on this topic
Pastor Martin opens his treatment of the doctrine of justification by underscoring its supreme importance. After showing that the doctrine answers the most fundamental of human questions, 'How shall sinful man find acceptance with God?', he argues for its importance on two grounds: the glory of God, since in justifying the ungodly God displays the brilliance of every divine attribute, and the good of the creature, both for the conversion of sinners and the establishing peace, holiness, and joy in believers.
Pastor Martin opens the very essence of the justifying act, showing it is two distinct yet inseparable elements: God pardons all our sins and accepts our persons as righteous in His sight. He marshals texts on forgiveness from Acts 13, Romans 4, Exodus 34, Psalm 103, Psalm 130, Isaiah 43-44, and then turns to the master-and-two-servants illustration to demonstrate that pardon alone is not enough - positive righteousness is also required, conferred in Christ as 1 Corinthians 1:30 and Romans 5:1-2 declare.