"I'm justified! I'm happy in Jesus today!" So proclaims the songwriter. I have been made just; yet I am not a just person. I am a sinner to whom there has been imputed the righteousness of Christ. If righteousness is imputed and not infused as the Romanists contend, then most assuredly I am not a just person by infusion. Am I wrong in believing that justification is likewise by imputation? At least may I say that the righteousness that has been imputed to my account has provided for a Holy God not only to stamp "Paid in Full" across my account, but to further stamp "Justified, Holy." If I am righteous in the eyes of a just God, it is because of a righteous Savior. If I am the recipient of justification it is because Christ Himself is just and was declared so by a righteous and just Father.

"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" Rom. 3:24-26. By the offering of his blood, Jesus became a propitiation (a sacrifice, an offering before God in our behalf) in order to purchase our redemption. Twice does this scripture declare "his righteousness." Further, if He were not righteous, neither could He be just; and if He be not just, neither can he be the justifier of one who owns Him as the Object of his faith.

Justification is two-fold. Am I to be justified? Then the principal of justification must first be applied to God. He must be justified in justifying me, lest His righteousness prevent it from happening at all. If God is to act in righteousness (and He can do no otherwise) He Himself must be justified and perform righteously in His actions. That which He determines to do must come first under the scrutiny of justification. "according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" Eph. 1:11b. It should be to our comfort to know that even the very purpose and counsel and will of God are governed by His own righteousness - He Himself conforms to His own Law! After all, He's unchangeable!

Isaiah 53 is well known as prophesy that portrays our Lord's crucifixion, but other texts do likewise show forth some of the events proceeding it: "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting" "He is near that justifieth me" Isa. 50:6,8.

He is near that justifieth me. And so it was verified in Christ; by his resurrection he was proved not to be the man that he was represented, not a blasphemer, not a deceiver, not an enemy to Caesar. The judge that condemned him owned he found no fault in him; the centurion, or sheriff that had charged his execution, declared him a righteous man: so near was he that justified him. But it was true of him in a further and more peculiar sense: the Father justified him when he accepted the satisfaction he made for the sin of man, and constituted him the Lord our righteousness, who was made sin for us. He was justified in the Spirit, 1 Tim. 111.16. He was near who did it; for his resurrection, by which he was justified, soon followed his condemnation and crucifixion. He was straightway glorified. John xxi.32.

Matthew Henry's Commentary, vol. 4, pg. 285,286.

"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also in vain. . . ye are yet in your sins" I Cor. 15:14,17b. "He was justified in the Spirit." What did Matthew Henry say? "He was near who did it; for his resurrection by which he was justified, soon followed his condemnation and crucifixion. He was straightway glorified." If Christ be not risen your faith is in vain, ye are yet in your sins. Why? Without the resurrection; without the proof of justification in the Father raising Him from the dead, he would neither be reckoned righteous nor justified. But praise be, "the Father justified him when he accepted the satisfaction he made for the sin of man, and constituted him the Lord our righteousness, who was made sin for us. "He was justified in the Spirit." Don't miss it! The Father justified him. . .He was justified in the Spirit!

Actually we found that God must first be justified in Himself; in His Divine purposes; in His actions. Secondly, we looked at the justification of Christ. Of course, neither righteousness nor justification was imputed to His account! He merited them by fulfilling the Covenant of Works as the Second Adam, although righteousness and justice were always His in the holiness of His person.

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" Rom. 4:5. Here we find justification and righteousness - imputed unto the account of the ungodly! - not by any works - but by faith.

"For by grace are ye saved [have received imputed righteousness and justification] through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast" Eph. 2:8,9. (I trust that you will not think me to have done damage to or violated the scripture with my insert in parenthesis.)

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called . . .and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified . . ." But that's another subject!

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