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THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE
TO exercise candour and forbearance towards those who differ from us, is the duty of all: yet there are bounds beyond which candour becomes indifference, and forbearance treason. In things which are nonessential, and only of secondary importance, we should on no account be rigid: we should form our own opinions, and leave others to follow their own judgment: yea, rather than grieve them by an unnecessary adherence to our own ways, we should conform to theirs, or at least forbear to prosecute our own. This was the conduct of the Apostle Paul. He “bore with the infirmities of his weak brethren [Note: Rom_14:1; Rom_15:1.]:” he circumcised Timothy, in order that he might gain an easier access to them for their good [Note: Act_16:3.]. “He became all things to all men,” that he might win their souls [Note: 1Co_9:19-22.]: and rather than prove a stumbling-block to any, by using that liberty to which he was introduced by the Gospel, he would decline the use of meat to the latest hour of his life [Note: 1Co_8:13.]. But was this his practice when he came to things essential? Did he express no concern when he saw the whole city of Athens given to idolatry? Yes; “his spirit was stirred within him,” and he testified boldly against their ignorant superstitions [Note: Act_17:16; Act_17:22.]. When he perceived that some of the Corinthians were lax in their sentiments and conduct, he told them plainly, that “if any man defiled the temple of God, him would God destroy [Note: 1Co_3:17.].” Thus, in the passage before us, he, who on other occasions “was gentle among them, even like a nursing mother cherishing her children [Note: 1Th_2:7.],” was filled with indignation against those who perverted the “Gospel of Christ,” and denounced against every one of them, even though he were an angel from heaven, the most awful anathemas: yea, that they might know the fixedness of his mind respecting it, he renewed his declarations, and repeated his anathemas.
Let us then inquire,
I. What was the Gospel which Paul preached—
On this point the utmost caution is necessary. The Apostle pronounces every one accursed that preaches any other Gospel different from that which he had preached to the Galatians. A mistake therefore in this matter will he absolutely fatal to us.
Observe then, that the great doctrine which he insisted on, was justification by faith alone without the works of the law. This, I say, was the point which he maintained, in contradistinction to justification by works, or by faith and works together: and this, namely, justification by faith without works, was the Gospel which he preached.
Respecting this we can have no doubt, if we consider,
1. The statements which he makes—
[Here let us notice his train of argument, especially in that part of the epistle which accords with a similar statement in the Epistle to the Romans. He observes, that Abraham was justified by faith; and that we become partakers of his benefits by faith also [Note: Gal_3:6-9.]: that the law, instead of justifying, curses and condemns us [Note: Gal_3:10.]: that the prophets asserted justification by faith, in direct opposition to justification by the works of the law [Note: Gal_3:11-12.]: and that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, not that we might afterwards be justified by the law, but that we might enjoy his blessings through faith [Note: Gal_3:13-14.]. The Apostle then goes on to illustrate and confirm this by the covenant which was made with Abraham. In this covenant God gave to Abraham, and to his believing posterity, the inheritance of eternal life. Four hundred and thirty years after, he gave the law to Moses, and made another covenant with the Jews respecting their possession of the earthly Canaan. This latter covenant therefore, you perceive, was made between different parties; the former being between God and Abraham, (including all the believing seed of Abraham, whether they were circumcised or not,) and the other, between God and the Jewish nation only: consequently, as a man’s covenant cannot be annulled unless both parties consent, so the covenant which God made with the Jews cannot supersede that which he had so long before made with Abraham and his believing seed; because the latter party were not present at the making of it, nor had they ever consented to annul the covenant which had been made with them [Note: Gal_3:15-18.]. If it be asked, Why then was the law given? We answer, Not to supersede the covenant which had been “before confirmed of God in Christ,” but to shew men their need of that better covenant [Note: Gal_3:19.], and to serve “as a school-master to bring them unto Christ, that they might be justified by faith [Note: Gal_3:24.].”
Now compare this with the whole train of argument in the five first chapters to the Romans, and the coincidence will establish the point at once. The Apostle there shews our condemnation by the law, and the consequent impossibility of ever being justified by it: from thence he shews the necessity of seeking justification by faith in Christ [Note: Rom_3:19-22.]; more especially because that way of justification, and that alone, would exclude boasting [Note: Rom_3:27-28. (Mark ver. 28.)]. He then proceeds to establish his point by the examples of Abraham [Note: Rom_4:1-3.] and David [Note: Rom_4:6-8.], both of whom sought justification by faith only: and he argues from thence, that if works compose any part of our justifying righteousness, “our reward will not be of grace, but of debt;” and heaven will be, not a gift bestowed, but a compensation that we have earned: and consequently, that we must “not work” in order to obtain righteousness, but “believe on him who justifieth the ungodly [Note: Rom_4:4-5. Mark these verses, and weigh every word in them.]:” (Mark well, not the godly, but the ungodly.) If it be said, that another Apostle represents Abraham as justified by his works [Note: Jam_2:21.], St. Paul proves to demonstration, that St. James cannot speak of Abraham’s justification before God, but only of the justification, or manifestation, of his faith, as true, and genuine; for that Abraham “was justified while yet he was in uncircumcision [Note: Jam_4:9-11.];” which was not only before he offered Isaac upon the altar, but long before Isaac was born [Note: Gen_17:19; Gen_17:23-24, with Gen_22:1-13.].
It is needless to prosecute any further the Apostle’s statement: it will be sufficient just to mention his conclusion from it, which is; “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God [Note: Rom_5:1.].”]
2. The objections he anticipates—
[In all his writings St. Paul is careful to obviate the objections which he foresees will be urged against the truths that he inculcates. The objections which he supposes an ignorant person will make, are two: first, That if, where sin has abounded, grace much more abounds, we may “continue in sin that grace may abound [Note: Rom_5:20; Rom_6:1.]:” for the greater sinners we are before we are justified, the more will the grace of God be magnified in justifying such ungodly creatures: and, if a person be justified without any respect to his works, then, secondly, we may live in sin after we are justified; because we are not under the law which requires good works, but under a dispensation of grace [Note: Rom_6:15.], wherein life is given freely without any regard to our works, past, present, or future.
Time will not admit of our considering how he answers these objections: (suffice it to say, that he shews they have no solid foundation; and that good works are effectually secured, though they be not taken into the account in our justification:) we mention the objections only, to shew what the doctrine must be that gave rise to them. Suppose the Apostle had said, that we were to be justified by our works alone, or by faith and works united, what room could there have been for such objections as these? If works were taken into consideration in the matter of our justification before God, we could have no temptation whatever on that account, to neglect them, either before or after we were justified. But if we are justified by faith without any respect to our works, then we can see at once, how a person, not understanding the whole of the Christian scheme, might conceive that the doctrine tended to licentiousness. Indeed these are the very objections that are yet daily urged by ignorant people against the Apostle’s doctrine: they cry, ‘You need only believe, and you may live as you will: and the more wicked you are, the more will the free grace of God be glorified in saving you.’ Persons never think of urging these objections against those who preach salvation by works, whether in the whole or in part; which is a sure proof, that the Apostle did not preach that doctrine; but that the doctrine which he delivered was that of salvation by faith without the works of the law. In this view of his doctrine there is some apparent ground for the objection: in any other view of it, there is none at all.]
3. The perversions he complains of—
[What was it he complained of in the conduct of the Galatians? It was this: that they added the observance of the Mosaic ritual to the duties enjoined by the Gospel [Note: Gal_4:9-10.], hoping thereby to render themselves more acceptable to God. And in what manner does he complain of this? He calls it an introducing of “another Gospel, which yet was not another [Note: Gal_1:6-7.]” (for it was a mongrel religion, neither law nor Gospel); or, in other words, a “perversion or rejection of the true Gospel [Note: Gal_1:6-7. with 3:1.].” Now what ground had he for such heavy accusations, if he himself preached salvation (whether in whole or in part) by the works of the law? On this supposition, the more works they did, the more certain they would be to obtain justification: supposing the Mosaic ritual to be abrogated, there still was no harm in “observing days, and months, and years;” and all that he could properly say to them on the occasion, was, “That they were giving themselves needless trouble:” he must have commended them for their zeal in doing these works; and only told them, that now there was no occasion for these observances. But if he preached justification by faith without the works of the law, and saw that they were performing these works in order to secure their justification, then he might well say, “I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain [Note: Gal_4:11.].”
Again—We read of heavy complaints against Peter. What had Peter done? He had conversed familiarly with the Gentile converts, and lived for a season, as they did, without any regard to the Mosaic ritual. But when some Judaizing converts came from Jerusalem, he was afraid of offending their prejudices; and therefore he forsook the Gentile converts, and lived with the others in the observance of all the Jewish rites and ceremonies [Note: Gal_2:11-13.]. By this conduct, he not only sanctioned the erroneous idea that the Mosaic rites were still obligatory on the Jewish Christians, but that it was necessary even for the Gentile Christians to conform to them. Now this, in any view of St. Paul’s doctrine, was highly blameworthy; because it was imposing a needless yoke upon the neck of the Gentiles. But this was all: and supposing that Paul had preached justification by works, this was all that he could properly lay to the charge of Peter. But supposing, as we have shewn, that the Gospel which Paul preached held forth justification by faith alone, then there was abundant reason for rebuking Peter in the presence of the whole Church, and accusing him of subverting the foundations of the Gospel [Note: Gal_2:14-16.], and declaring that, so far as he prevailed, he “frustrated the grace of God,” and made “the death of Christ to be in vain [Note: Gal_2:21.].”]
We are convinced that, if this accumulated evidence be duly weighed, no doubt can remain upon our minds respecting the doctrine which Paul preached, and which he calls in our text “The Gospel.” Let us then inquire,
II. Why he manifested such zeal in maintaining it—
No man had less of bigotry than the Apostle Paul: for, though a Jew, he spent his life in vindicating the liberty of the Gentiles, and, in fact, died a martyr to. their cause [Note: Act_21:28-31.]. Nor was he actuated by resentment; for, when most blaming the Galatians, he says, “Ye have not injured me at all [Note: Gal_4:12.].” Nor was he impelled by ambition, as though he would preserve an unrivalled ascendency over the Galatian Church; for he considered himself as “not having dominion over their faith, but merely as a helper of their joy [Note: 2Co_1:24.].” His view was to maintain,
1. The purity of the Gospel—
[The Gospel is a fountain of life to a ruined world: nor is there a cistern in the universe that can afford waters so salubrious. It is there alone that Christ is revealed: and “there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we can be saved [Note: Act_4:12.].” Now a perverting of this fundamental doctrine of justification by faith alone, is a poisoning of that fountain; and consequently a destroying of the whole human race, as well those to whom its waters flow, as those who dwell in the parched desert. Suppose any man were found so in-human, as without any cause to poison the spring whereby a populous city were sustained, and from whence alone they could draw what was necessary for their sustenance; would not every living creature execrate him? Yet that man would be innocent in comparison of him who diffuses the deadly doctrines of a mutilated Gospel: for the former destroys only the bodies of men; whereas the latter consigns over their souls to everlasting destruction. No wonder then that the Apostle expressed himself with such vehemence! no wonder that he pronounced every person, whether it were himself, or an angel from heaven, “accursed,” who should dare to “adulterate the sincere milk of the Word [Note: 2Co_2:17; 2Co_4:2.]!” It was on this ground that he resisted with invincible firmness the attempts that were made to get Titus circumcised [Note: Gal_2:3.]; and it was with the same view that he opposed so strenuously all the efforts of Judaizing teachers, even though they were sanctioned by the examples of Barnabas or Peter himself.]
2. The importance of the Gospel—
[Many who would shudder at the idea of infidelity, are ready to consider the doctrine of justification by faith alone, either as erroneous, or at best as speculative, doubtful, and indifferent. They will not unfrequently say, ‘Take care to do good works, and you need not trouble yourself about these nice questions.’ Now I readily grant that there are nice questions relative to predestination and election, and some other points, which may, or may not, be received consistently with our “holding the Head,” the Lord Jesus Christ: but this is not the case with the doctrine before us. Justification by faith alone, is the hinge upon which the whole of Christianity turns. If that be practically received into the heart, it will save a man, though he be mistaken in many other points: but a mistake relative to that will be fatal to him, though he should hold every other truth in the Bible. Hear how St. Paul speaks in a passage before referred to; “If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain [Note: Gal_2:21.];” that is, It was in vain that Christ came down from heaven: all that he did or suffered was in vain, “if righteousness (whether in whole or in part) come by the law;” for “all that are under the law are under the curse [Note: Gal_3:10. compared with Gal_5:3.].” Again, with peculiar firmness and solemnity he says, “Behold, I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing [Note: Gal_5:2.].” What! was there any sin in circumcision? Why then did Paul circumcise Timothy? No: the act was as innocent as any act could be: but the sin lay, in complying with that ordinance with a view to further their justification before God: and then, it not only did not improve the prospects of the person that submitted to it, but made “Christ himself of no profit to him whatsoever.” Once more he says, “Christ is become of no effect unto you; whosoever of you is justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace [Note: Gal_5:4.];” that is, Ye have utterly renounced the grace of the Gospel, and ye can no more be saved, than the devils themselves; for Christ is become of no effect unto you. In the Epistle to the Romans he confirms these things, not merely, as in the fore-cited passages, by strong assertions, but by matter of fact: for he declares that the Jews were left to perish, notwithstanding all their endeavours to obtain righteousness by the law; and that the Gentiles, who had paid no attention whatever to righteousness of any kind, were saved: and that the reason of the one being saved, while the others perished, was, that the one embraced the doctrine of justification by faith only, while the others were too proud to submit to it [Note: Rom_9:30-33; Rom_10:3-4.]. Let these matters be considered; and then let any one say, whether there was not good reason for the Apostle’s anathemas, which under any other circumstances might have been justly counted harsh and severe. He felt the importance of the doctrine; and he wished all others to feel it: and therefore he did not hesitate to imprecate curses even on an angel from heaven, if any one could be found blind and impious enough to set it aside.]
3. The sufficiency of the Gospel—
[We are far from imputing any evil intention to those who object to the doctrine we are maintaining. “They have a zeal for God; but not according to knowledge [Note: Rom_10:2.].” They have fears and apprehensions that the Gospel which has been set forth, is insufficient either to justify, or to sanctify, the soul: and on this account they add good works to faith in order to their justification; conceiving, that the righteousness of Christ cannot be the less effectual for the addition of ours to it; and that the idea of being justified in part by our good works must be an irresistible inducement to the performance of them: whereas the exalting of faith as the only mean of salvation, must, they suppose, relax men’s diligence in good works. But let us not presume to prop up the ark, or to change the plans which Infinite Wisdom has devised for the salvation of man. “The robe of Christ’s righteousness” is quite sufficient “to cover our nakedness [Note: Rev_3:18.],” without adding to it “the filthy rags of our righteousness [Note: Isa_64:6.].” And there are grounds enough for abounding in good works without putting them into the place of Christ, and making a Saviour of them. The Scripture is plain; “All that believe are justified from all things [Note: Act_13:39.]:” and it is equally plain, that “faith will work by love [Note: Gal_5:6.],” and “overcome the world [Note: 1Jn_5:4.],” and “purify the heart [Note: Act_15:9.].” Had the Gospel needed any addition in either of these respects, St. Paul would not have been so adverse to the attempts to improve it: but, as it needed nothing of this kind, he could not endure that we should presume to be wiser than God: “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty, instruct him? He that reproveth God, let him answer it [Note: Job_40:2.].”]
Our improvement of this subject must be short: but we cannot conclude it without briefly noticing its importance,
1. To those who minister—
[It is not within the compass of language to suggest words that could more deserve the attention of ministers, than those of our text. Many things doubtless are requisite for a due discharge of the ministry: but there is one that as far surpasses all others, as the sun exceeds a taper. It is this; an acquaintance with this fundamental doctrine of Scripture, the doctrine of justification by faith alone. If a man be not instructed in it, how can he instruct others? and if he be not instructing them in this, what is he doing, but bringing down curses upon his own soul, and leading his people also to destruction? Would to God, that those who look forward to the ministry as a source of worldly honour or emolument, would seriously reflect upon this tremendous passage, and consider, whether it be worth their while to involve themselves in such accumulated misery! Would to God that those also who are in the ministry, would consider what they have undertaken to preach, and what is uniformly inculcated in the articles, the homilies, and the liturgy of our Church! But whether men will consider for themselves or not, we must say, “a necessity is laid upon them, and woe be unto them if they preach not the Gospel [Note: 1Co_9:16.].”]
2. To those who are ministered unto—
[If there be such a necessity laid on ministers to preach “the truth as it is in Jesus,” there must be the same necessity for you to hear and embrace it. Inquire then, what is the Gospel that ye have received? Is it this, or is it “another Gospel?” Are your views of the Gospel such as would furnish occasion for an ignorant person to raise objections against it as tending to licentiousness? Yet do you, at the same time, manifest by your life and conversation, that it is “a doctrine according to godliness?” Inquire into these things; for “they are your life [Note: Deu_32:47.].” If your views of Divine truth do not answer to this description, they are not such as the Apostle Paul had, nor will they lead you where he is. If, instead of looking for salvation by faith alone, you are mixing your own merits with those of Christ, you must inevitably perish: Christ shall profit you nothing. You may build hay, and wood, and stubble, upon the true foundation, and yet be saved at last: you will suffer loss indeed; yet you will be saved, though it be as persons snatched out of the fire [Note: 1Co_3:12; 1Co_3:15.]. But if you build on any thing besides Christ, you have a foundation of sand, which will fail you in the hour of trial, to the destruction of your whole fabric, and the ruin of your own souls [Note: Mat_7:26-27.]. The mixtures of your righteousness with Christ’s, like the feet of iron and clay in Nebuchadnezzar’s image, will never bear the super-incumbent weight: they cannot unite; they cannot adhere; if you attempt to stand upon them, you will fall and be broken in pieces [Note: Dan_2:33-34.]. There is but “one faith [Note: Eph_4:5.],” but one foundation: “other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ [Note: 1Co_3:11.].” Take heed therefore that you build upon it [Note: 1Co_3:10.]; and let your superstructure be such as shall be approved in the day when it shall be tried by fire [Note: 1Co_3:13-14.].]