Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Sola Fide And Justification

Justification by Faith Alone - 1

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2016-11-14

Synopsis: John Weaver introduces the doctrine of justification by faith alone (Sola Fidei), emphasizing its centrality to the gospel and the Reformation. He defines justification as a legal, forensic declaration by God, not an infusion of righteousness, and distinguishes it from regeneration and sanctification. The sermon covers the author of justification (God alone) and its source (God's free grace), with the remaining points to be continued in the next session.

[John Weaver] All right, well, let's have prayer tonight. Our Father, we are thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ and for His grace and mercy. We're thankful for each one here tonight, and we ask, Lord, that Your blessed will be done, that You'd open our ears, open our hearts, open our understandings, and give us Your grace and Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. All right. Well, I'm glad the Joukowskis made it. Their name is Janoski. But we were at front sight and there was an old retired sergeant major who couldn't say that and he called everyone of them Joukowskis.

[John Weaver] So, they've never lived it down. Yeah. Keith, good to see you too, son. Yeah. Alright. Let's open our Bibles, if you would please, to Romans chapter 5. I'm going to do something tonight You may not like, but it's the way it goes. I'm going to begin a message tonight that I will not finish until tomorrow night. So it's going to be one message in two parts. The title of the message is, Sola Fidei, or justification by faith alone. So I want you to look in Romans chapter 5 and verse 1 and keep your fingers limber, because we will be turning to a number of scriptures tonight. Romans chapter 5 verse 1, the Bible says, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Note, if you would, therefore being justified by faith.

[John Weaver] Probably everyone has heard of the five solas. The five solas is a term used to designate the five great foundational rallying cries of the Reformers. They were, and are, sola scriptura, the scriptures alone, sola gracia, grace alone, sola fidei, faith alone, solus Christus, Christ alone, and soli Deo gloria, to God alone be the glory. The doctrine of justification by faith alone was the principal truth that God used during the Reformation. It was this truth that led the Reformers out of Rome and a host of other individuals as well. Martin Luther, the Reformer, declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church.

[John Weaver] By that he simply meant this. To the degree that the church understood the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it stood. It was a standing church. But once the church lost this, or did not understand it, then the church basically fell or was fallen. Now, why would Martin Luther say that justification by faith alone was the article of the standing of the falling church? Well, the answer to that is because the basic question that is asked in Job 25 and verse 4 is this, How then can a man be just with God? How then can a man be just with God? Paul answered that question In Romans 1, verses 16 and 17, he said, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Listen to what he said next, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Notice what he said about the gospel.

[John Weaver] For therein, that is in the gospel, is the righteousness of God revealed. So very obviously, the doctrine of justification by faith alone is indeed the article of the standing or falling church. And any error on this point is fatal and far-reaching in its implications. I have to impress upon you that our doctrine Our understanding of the doctrine of justification affects other doctrines as well. It affects your Christology, the doctrine of Christ. Your theology, the doctrine of God. Your soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. Anthropology, the doctrine of man. It also affects the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as the assurance of salvation. So you ask, why in the world is the doctrine of justification by faith alone so important? Well, the answer is, it is important not only for the glory of God, but also for the good of man.

[John Weaver] You'll remember in Luke chapter 2, when the angel was announcing the birth of Lord Jesus Christ, in verses 13 and 14, the Bible says, and suddenly, There was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace, goodwill toward men." So scripture then reveals that the works of God in creation, redemption, and providence are the manifestations of God's glory to His rational creatures. In fact, the Bible says in Revelation 4 verse 11, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. And certainly the glory of God is revealed to us and manifested in the way that God has sovereignly designed to justify the ungodly. So where justification by faith alone is perverted, Then the glory of God is robbed or stolen from God because it is one way that God reveals His glory. It is also revealed for the good of men. Not only the good of men that have already been justified by faith, but also those who are yet to be justified by faith.

[John Weaver] That's why Paul said, as I quoted earlier in Romans 1 and verse 16, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of God. I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Why? For it is the power of God to everyone that believes. And when you think about the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it was not just the grand doctrine of the Reformation. This doctrine has been used practically in every major revival in the past.

[John Weaver] So you have to ask yourself this question. What is justification? I want to give you a definition, and then I want to begin working through this definition tonight, a little bit later, and then I will finish it tomorrow night. Here's the definition of justification. Justification is the act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. So justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all of their sins, listen now, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. Here is my outline. This is what I'm going to be preaching tonight and tomorrow night. In this definition, we have the author of justification.

[John Weaver] Justification is an act of God. We have secondly, the source of justification. Justification is an act of God's free grace. We have, thirdly, the subjects of justification. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners. We have the essence of justification. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all of their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight. Then you have the ground of justification, not for anything wrought in them or done by them. but only for the full satisfaction, obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, and of course then you have the method of justification by God imputed unto them, and lastly the instrument of justification and received by faith alone. So justification is indeed a very important doctrine.

[John Weaver] I would say it's probably one of the primary doctrines of the Bible. And if you don't understand justification by faith, then you really don't understand salvation. And if you don't understand salvation, then obviously there's a lot of things in relation to salvation that you're not going to understand either. You say, well now, Brother Weaver, I'm not a scholar. I'm not a Bible student. I'm not a Greek student. That doesn't matter.

[John Weaver] James Buchanan said it like this, listen carefully. He said, the best preparation for the study of the doctrine of justification is neither great intellectual ability nor much scholastic learning, but a conscience impressed with a sense of our actual condition as sinners before God. So what he said is this, you don't have to be a scholar. You don't have to have a great intellect, just so your conscience is impressed with the fact that you are a sinner and what you really are before God and in the sight of God.

[John Weaver] Now, when we talk about justification, if we need justification, it does mean that we are condemned. If we are condemned, it means that we are guilty before God. If we are guilty before God, it means then that we have trespassed, we've sinned, we've committed iniquity. If you and I are going to understand our condition, then we must understand it in light of Holy Scripture. Because if we do not understand our condition, we're not ever really going to appreciate what God has done for us.

[John Weaver] I want you to hold Romans chapter 5, but look in your Bibles, if you would please, to Matthew chapter 9. Matthew chapter 9, and I want you to note how our Lord addressed this issue. Look in Matthew chapter 9, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Matthew 9 and verse 11. Of course, our Lord has gone into the house to eat with publicans and sinners. And verse 11, And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why, Edith, are you a master with publicans and sinners?

[John Weaver] But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that behold need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, and I will have mercy, not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

[John Weaver] Now notice what he said. Our Lord said, They that behold need not a physician, But they that are sick. And then he said, go ye and learn what that meaneth. For instance, none of you are going to wake up in the morning and say, I feel absolutely wonderful, fabulous. I've never felt this well in my entire life. I think I'll just go by the doctor's office and let him check me out and give him 150 bucks anyhow. You would never do that. They that behold need not a physician." You're not going to go give him money just to be giving him money. And I've got news for you. When you get sick, most of you, if you're like me, you're not going to run to the doctor anyhow. You're going to doctor yourself. You're going to go to your own medicine cabinet, or you're going to go to your herbs, you're going to go to your something to take and try your best to get well. And if whatever you take does not get you well, in all probability, you're still not going to go to the doctor.

[John Weaver] What you're going to do is you're going to call your neighbor, you're going to call your friend and say, look, I've got this and I've got that and I've tried this and I've tried that and nothing seems to work. And your friend will say, well, you know, I had the same thing you had. And guess what? I ate a peanut butter, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and onion sandwich and I got well. You know what, you're going to try a sandwich like that. And once you've tried your remedies, and they do not work, and your friends' remedies, and they do not work, finally, when you understand, if you ever get well, you're going to go to a physician, then you'll go.

[John Weaver] That's exactly what our Lord said. They that behold need not a physician. As long as you do not believe that you are a sinner, as long as you don't believe that you're guilty before God, as long as you do not believe that you are in a desperate situation, you will never seek the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Savior. They that behold me, not a physician, but they that are sick.

[John Weaver] And he said, Go ye and learn what that meaneth. You have to understand your condition before God if you want to understand the doctrine of justification.

[John Weaver] Now, let me give you two caveats or two warnings before I ever get started. First of all, we must understand that the object of faith is that which justifies and not faith itself. The proper object of faith is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is the object of faith in which we glory. It is in the object of faith that we find our assurance. Faith does not look to itself. Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone. So you're not trusting in faith. You're trusting in the object of faith, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. And secondly, it is faith alone that brings us to Jesus Christ, and yet, real, genuine, saving faith is never alone. Real, genuine, saving faith always comes with other graces, as well as biblical works. But, it is faith alone That saves us.

[John Weaver] Now, I've given you the definition of justification by faith, and we're going to work our way through it momentarily. But let me ask this question. What does it mean to justify? The Bible says, therefore, being justified by faith. What does it mean to be justified? Justification means to declare or to pronounce one righteous in light of the standard of the law. Justification is a legal, judicial, forensic term. It is a term of the law courts, and the definition holds true either in light of God's law or even in light of man's law.

[John Weaver] So the point I'm trying to make is this. Justification has to do with the legal side of salvation. Now listen carefully. You do not want to be in error on this point. Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition. Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition, but it is solely and completely an objective change in his standing in relationship to the law.

[John Weaver] Let me say it another way. Justification does not do anything in a sinner. It does something for the sinner, but it does not do anything in the sinner. It does not change his moral character, and it does not infuse righteousness contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. All justification is, is a change in one's legal status from being condemned and guilty to one of forgiveness and righteousness.

[John Weaver] Let me try to illustrate it like this for you. Here's a man that has been accused of robbing the bank. So he has been indicted. That means now he's going to stand in a court of law. If the jury hears all the facts and the law, and the jury comes back and says, we find the defendant not guilty. Then the judge declares him not guilty in light of the law. The law that was alleged that he had broken. So in other words, when the judge says not guilty, he could be saying, you're justified. You're justified. In other words, you are right, and you have a right standing and a right relationship in the eyes of the law.

[John Weaver] So when you think about justification, it is a legal, judicial, forensic term of law. referring to the law of God. So justification is that change of status where one being guilty before God, and therefore under the condemning sentence of the law, and really deserving nothing but eternal banishment from God, is now pardoned and received into God's favor and given a right to all the blessings of Jesus Christ because of His perfect obedience and satisfaction. So, I've made the statement now that justification is a pronouncement. It is a legal declaration.

[John Weaver] I want to show you that from the Bible. So, I want you to begin in Deuteronomy chapter 25 and let's look there at verse 1. Remember, I told you justification does not mean that you infuse righteousness. No. I'm going to show you how that is absolutely impossible. Notice Deuteronomy chapter 25 in verse 1. The Bible says this, If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them, then they, that is the judges, shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

[John Weaver] Now, what in the world are they doing? They're not infusing righteousness into the righteous. No. What does it mean when it says the judges shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked? Well, they pronounce, they legally declare that the righteous man is innocent. He is not guilty. in light of the law. And then they declare condemnation to the wicked. That is, He is guilty in light of the law. So I want you to understand that both justification and condemnation are legal terms. And when you read them in the Bible, you must understand them in light of the law and in light of God's law court.

[John Weaver] So if you would turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 17. Proverbs 17. And look, if you would please, at verse 15. Proverbs 17 and verse 15. In this particular verse, the Bible says this. Proverbs 17, verse 15. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, stop and think about this. The Catholic Church teaches that To be justified, you're infused with righteousness. Well, the Bible says, he that justified the wicked and he that condemned the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord. Do you think the Lord would be mad at someone if someone was able to actually infuse righteousness into a wicked man and make him into a righteous man? No. What is he saying? He is saying he that justified the wicked. In other words, here's a man that's absolutely, totally, positively wrong, wicked, and vile, and the judge declares him innocent. God says that's an abomination. That is an abomination. And when you Condemn the just. When you say that the just man is guilty, when he's not guilty, that's an abomination to the Lord.

[John Weaver] So, in each of these passages, justification and condemnation are legal declarations. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would now, to Luke chapter 7. Luke chapter 7, showed it to you in the Old Testament, now in the New Testament. Look in Luke chapter 7, and let's begin there. with verse 29 Luke chapter 7 verse 29 and our Lord is talking about John the Baptist in his preaching in fact you can see that verse 28 he says for I say to you among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he now watch and all the people that heard him and the publicans justified God being baptized for the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of Him.

[John Weaver] Now, if you try to tell me that justification is an infusing of righteousness, then you've got a real theological problem in this verse. Because the Bible says in verse 29,"...and all the people that heard him and the publicans justified God." How could you infuse righteousness into the absolutely righteous one? He is already perfect. He cannot become more perfect, nor can he become less perfect. He is the perfect God. Well, how did these people and how did the publicans justify God? Well, you remember John was preaching. And John was preaching the doctrine of repentance.

[John Weaver] And he told them that they were sinners and that they needed to turn from their sins. They justified God by saying, God, you are right. We declare that your sentence is just. You are holy. You are right. We are wrong. And if you look in verse 30, but the Pharisees and the loggers rejected the counsel of God against themselves. In other words, they said, no, no, no, no. God's not right. We're right. So the people and the publicans justified God by pronouncing, by declaring Him right. And the publicans And if the Pharisees then condemn God by saying, no, He's not right, we're right. So obviously, when you look at this passage, it is a very plain passage showing that justification is a declaration. Look in Luke chapter 16, beginning there with verse 14. Luke 16 and verse 14. Watch carefully, Luke 16, verse 14, And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they derided him.

[John Weaver] That is, they're making fun of and they're mocking Jesus Christ. And he said unto them, You are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Now note, if you would, He said, you are they that justify yourselves.

[John Weaver] Now, if justification according to the Roman Catholic Church is correct, they were infusing righteousness into themselves and becoming more righteous. No. He said, you are they which justify yourselves before men. What were they doing? They were declaring that they were right. They were declaring that they were holy. But they were not. That's why he goes on to say,"...for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God." Lord, you're wrong. You may justify, you may declare yourself righteous, but that does not make you righteous at all. So, I hope you've already caught this, that justification is the antithesis or the opposite of condemnation. Just like hot is the opposite of cold, And little or small is the opposite of huge or big.

[John Weaver] I want you to look in Romans chapter 8. In fact, you need to hold this passage. We'll come back to it momentarily. But look in Romans 8, at verses 33 and 34. Romans 8, verses 33 and 34. Watch carefully. Here's the question. Romans 8, verse 33.

[John Weaver] Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Watch the question. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. But notice if you would, who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?

[John Weaver] So if someone is justified, he is not condemned. If someone is condemned, he is not justified. They are opposites. And therefore, if you look in verse 1 of chapter 8, the Bible says, There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. So, the world, Satan and all the hosts of hell cannot undo God's legal forensic declaration of justification. It cannot be undone. It cannot be controverted. It cannot be disannulled. So the answer to our guilt and our condemnation is justification. Justification is the passing of a sentence in favor of a person by which the reward prescribed by the law is given unto him, and it is a declaration of the judge.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to listen carefully. Justification differs from regeneration and sanctification. These three things always go together, but they are different. They're not the same. And if you try to confuse these three doctrines, then you're going to be confused and you are going to confuse other people as well. So let me try to make some comparisons, as well as some distinctions for you. Okay? Justification differs from regeneration, although they are inseparably connected. Regeneration is an act of God the Father.

[John Weaver] James 1.18, Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth. Justification is the sentence of God the Judge. That's why Abraham asks in Genesis 18 and verse 25,"...shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" So, justification is an act of God the Judge. Regeneration is an act of God the Father. Regeneration gives me a place in the family of God. Justification secures my standing before His throne. Okay? Regeneration is internal since it is the implantation of divine life in the soul. Justification is external since it is the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ to my account, which I will explain tomorrow night. In regeneration, I am drawn in repentance to the Father's house.

[John Weaver] In justification, I'm given the best robe which fits me for His presence." So justification differs from regeneration. However, let me make this clear. There is no such thing as a justified unregenerate person. Those whom God justifies, He regenerates. Those who are regenerated have been justified. Okay? So, although justification and regeneration differ, they're always together. Let me also point out that justification differs from sanctification. Here's some of the differences. Sanctification is moral or experiential. Justification is legal and forensic. Sanctification is the operation of the Holy Spirit within me. Justification is based upon what Christ has done for me. Sanctification is gradual and progressive.

[John Weaver] You should be more sanctified tomorrow than you are today. You should be more holy next week than you are this week. Sanctification is gradual and progressive. Justification is instantaneous and immutable. Listen to this. Sanctification admits degrees in this life and is never perfect. Justification, that is not perfect in this life. Justification is complete. and admits no increase or decrease. Let me explain it like this. Some of you tonight are more holy than the rest. I'm not picking out each one and saying you're holy or unholy. I'm just saying, since there are degrees in sanctification, For instance, a father in the faith should be more holy and more godly than a young man in the faith. And the young man in the faith should be more holy and more godly than a babe in the faith. So there are degrees in sanctification. There are degrees in holiness, if you please. But there are no degrees in justification.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that the mighty Apostle Paul is no more justified than you or me? who are just as justified as Paul, or Peter, or Apollos, justification does not admit degrees. Sanctification concerns the state of the sinner, and justification concerns the standing of the sinner. Sanctification produces a moral transformation of character. Justification is a change in legal status.

[John Weaver] Now, let me say it again. Although justification differs from regeneration and sanctification. Regeneration and sanctification always accompany justification. There is no such thing as a justified, unregenerate, unsanctified person. When you confuse these doctrines, you become thoroughly confused yourself, and you cannot possibly progress in the faith as you should. Justification is an act of God when He remits the sins of guilty men and accounts them righteous freely by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. So, the ground of justification can never, ever be the works of man, which we will see more in detail tomorrow night.

[John Weaver] So, tonight, I've got two points. I want to start on our definition. Justification is an act of God's free grace. First of all, I want you to notice the author of justification. Justification is an act of God. It is something that God alone does. So if you look in Romans 8 and verse 33 again, the question is, who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Watch. It is God that justifies. Justification is the work of God alone. However, when you study the Bible, you're going to find out that justification since it is the work of God alone, is ascribed to all three persons in the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just try to explain this temporarily. When you talk about the Trinity, you have to understand the ontological Trinity and the economical Trinity. The ontological trinity is just based on the Greek word ontos, which is being. And all the ontological trinity is, is the logical order of being, which is Father, Son, Holy Ghost. That's the ontological trinity. The economical trinity is how God works, how God moves. Everything is always out of the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. That is how God works. Everything is out of the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. So, I want you to see first, that justification is ascribed to God the Father.

[John Weaver] So if you look again in Romans 8 in verse 33, he asks, who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Look in your Bibles to Romans 3 and verse 26. Romans 3 and verse 26. In fact, we must read verse 25 just so you can see that God the Father is there. In fact, we'll begin with verse 23. Romans 3 verse 23, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by the grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God, that is God the Father, hath set forth to be of propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God. Watch, to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, that he, that is God the Father, might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. So in this passage, God the Father is designated as the author of justification. If you'll skip down to verse 30, seeing it as one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith.

[John Weaver] So, justification is an act of God, and in this passage, it is ascribed to God the Father. If you will turn in your Bibles to Acts 13, beginning there with verse 37, you're going to see here that justification is ascribed to God the Son. Acts 13, beginning there with verse 37, Notice if you would, but he whom God raised again saw no corruption. So we're talking about Jesus Christ. God the Father raised Jesus Christ and he saw no corruption. Verse 38, Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man, Jesus Christ, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.

[John Weaver] and by him all that believe are justified from all things which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." Note,"...and by him all that believe are justified from all things." So in this passage, justification is ascribed to God the Son. So it's already been ascribed to God the Father, now it's been ascribed to God the Son. And if you'll look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 6, you'll see that justification is also ascribed to God the Holy Spirit. Notice, if you would, 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 11.

[John Weaver] And he says, And such were some of you. Well, let's go back to verse 9, so you can see who some of you were. He says, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor violers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God.

[John Weaver] And such were some of you. But You're washed, but you're sanctified, but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. So here, justification is ascribed to God the Holy Spirit.

[John Weaver] Now, think about it like this. God the Father justifies when He declares or pronounces us righteous. God the Son justifies as He imputes His righteousness to us. And God the Holy Spirit justifies as He clears up our titles and seals us unto the day of redemption. So justification is an act of God. It's important that you understand that justification is something that God alone can do. Man cannot justify. Only God can justify because it is His act.

[John Weaver] Now, what's the second point tonight? Here it is. Justification is an act of God's free grace.

[John Weaver] Now, go back, if you would, to Romans 3. Romans 3. We just read it. But I want you to see the source of justification. Romans 3. Notice, if you would please, the Bible says in verse 24, being justified freely by His grace. through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now, let that verse twirl around in your mind just for a moment, being justified freely by His grace.

[John Weaver] Now, the word freely is from the Greek word dorion, and the word really means far more than simply a gift. When we think about God's free grace, we normally think of a gift. Well, let me put it like this. Here's how we think about it. Suppose Greg tells me, Brother Weaver, if you come meet me tomorrow at the cafeteria, I'll buy your dinner. I say, fine. And I meet him and we fellowship together and he buys our dinner, my dinner. So I go back and I look at Brother Ray and I say, Brother Greg just bought my dinner. I got a free meal. Now, what do I mean when I say I got a free meal? I mean, it didn't cost me anything. It was a gift. Greg bought it for me. Now, I use that illustration just to tell you, that's not what this word means. Now, you can still invite me to dinner, but that's not what this word means. When the Bible says, being justified freely by His grace, the word dorean here literally means freely or without a cause.

[John Weaver] Ah. Turn in your Bibles to John chapter 15. John 15. And look if you would please at verse 25. John 15. In fact, let's read verse 24 and verse 25. Because our Lord is speaking, and I want you to see what He said. And this is a quote, by the way, from the Psalms. Verse 25 is anyhow. Look at verse 24. Our Lord said, John 15 verse 24, If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin.

[John Weaver] But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. Now watch carefully. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated me without a cause. You see those Three words in our English Bible without a cause. They hated me without a cause. Guess what? It is the Greek word, Doreen. The same exact word that is translated as being justified freely by His grace. Now, what did our Lord mean when He said, they hated me without a cause? Here's what it meant.

[John Weaver] Jesus Christ is perfect God and perfect man. Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God. Jesus Christ is God incarnate. Jesus Christ was pure, holy, harmless, and undefiled. There was nothing in Jesus Christ that drew forth, merited, or earned their hatred. They hated Him freely. There was no cause of their hatred. But they hated Him freely. There's nothing in Him that drew forth that hatred or that anger. No, no. He's the Son of God. being justified freely by His grace, there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the grace of God.

[John Weaver] You did not earn it. You did not merit it. You did not deserve it. It was not because you were pretty or handsome or smart or dumb. No, no, no, no. There was nothing in you that drew forth the grace of God. God freely moved upon us in His grace. Just like men freely hated Jesus Christ when He did not deserve to be hated, and nothing in Him drew forth their hatred, there was nothing in us that merited or drew forth the grace of God. If you look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 5, I want you to notice a word that is used in reference to grace. Look in Romans chapter 5.

[John Weaver] in verses 20 and 21. Romans 5 verses 20 and 21. Notice what the Bible says. Romans 5, verse 20,"...moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Watch, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." If grace reigns, it is sovereign. It comes at God's pleasure and not ours. There was absolutely nothing in us that constrain God or drew forth that grace. Someone says, but you don't understand, Brother Weaver, I just needed to be saved. Really? What about all the other people in the world that need to be saved, really need to be saved, that are not saved?

[John Weaver] Do you remember in John chapter 5, Our Lord walked among those at the pool of Bethesda. The Bible says in that area lay a great multitude of impotent folk, lame, blind, waiting for the moving of the water. And what did our Lord do? He walked through and singled out one man and said, Will thou be made whole? And the man said, I have no man to help me when the water is being stirred to get down there.

[John Weaver] While I'm coming, someone else steps in. Our Lord says, Take up thy bed and walk. And He did so. How many of those people did our Lord heal? One. How many needed healing? All of them. Could He not have just as easily healed every one of them? Yes. Why did He only heal one? Our Lord answers that. In John chapter 5, as the Father hath life in Himself, even so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself, that all men should honour the Son even as equally as they honour the Father." In other words, just like sovereignty demonstrates that God the Father is God, sovereignty demonstrates that Jesus Christ is God. Multitudes may have needed it, but grace is sovereign and grace reigns and comes only at the pleasure of God. There was nothing in us that drew forth the grace of God. There was everything in us that would repel God because all we did was sin and violate His law.

[John Weaver] And any justification of the glories in anything other than three graces is an unbiblical and unscriptural concept. So, we have to ask this question. In what way is justification an act of God's free grace unto sinners? Well, first, it was pure grace that God was willing to accept satisfaction at the hands of a substitute or a surety. You have to understand that you owed the debt. I owed the debt. We sinned. We violated God's law. We transgressed.

[John Weaver] We are the iniquitous ones. We owed the debt. It's kind of like if Mark came up to me and said, I need to borrow $10,000. And I said, fine. And I had it. And I loaned him $10,000 with the stipulation to be back in 30 days, etc., etc., you know, that kind of thing. So 30 days comes along and Mark doesn't have my money. And finally, after 45 days, I come up and I say, I want my money.

[John Weaver] He says, I don't have it. I said, Mark, let me tell you something. If you don't give me that money by tomorrow, I'm going to take it out on your hide. I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp. You will wish you had given me that money a hundred times over by the time I get through with you. And Greg overhears me saying that to Mark. And Greg looks at me and says, no, no, no, no, no. You don't have to hurt him. Here, I'll give you the money for Mark. I could look at Greg and say, Who are you? You don't owe me any money. Get out of my sight. Mark is the one that owes me the money and he better get it or I'm going to beat him half to death. I don't have to take satisfaction at the hands of another. Mark owes the debt. So it's pure grace that God was willing to take satisfaction at the hand of another.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I must point out, it was wondrous grace that God Himself wonderfully provided the substitute and the surety. Do you know what the Bible says? Go back to Romans 3. Look at it. Look at it. Romans chapter 3. Notice, if you would please, verse 24. Look carefully. being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God, that is whom the Father set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. God sent His Son. God set Him forth. God said, I will not only accept a substitute, I will not only accept a surety, I will provide Him. That's why the Bible says in Galatians 4, verses 4 and 5, but when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law that would not receive the adoption of sons. Notice what the Bible says, God sent forth His Son. So it was pure grace that God was willing to accept a substitute.

[John Weaver] It was wondrous grace that God graciously gave us His Son, and thirdly, It was amazing grace that Jesus Christ willingly undertook to suffer in our place in our stead. In Hebrews 10, verses 6 and 7, which is a quote from the Psalms,"...in burnt offerings, for sacrifices, for sins thou hast had no pleasure. Then I said, Lo, I come, as it is written in the volume of this book, to do thy will, O God." Jesus Christ amazingly, willingly took our place and suffered in our stead.

[John Weaver] Next time you're singing the hymn, O to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. Lord, let thy grace, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Sing it with zeal, because you are a debtor to grace. I want you to consider just a couple of applications. The first one is this. I've already given you the author of justification, that is God. It really does not matter if one thinks, or really if one thinks or believes about justification, I assure you something. The truth of the matter is God is the author of justification and not man. And if God does not justify, it does not matter what you do or how you live, you are still condemned and you are not justified. God is the author of justification, not man. You say, but I've lived for Him for all these years. I've done this and I've done that.

[John Weaver] Do you remember that passage in Matthew chapter 7? Our Lord said, Depart from me ye that work of iniquity, I never knew you. Oh Lord, Lord, do you not remember us? In thy name we've cast out demons. In thy name we've done wondrous works. In thy name we've done all these things. We've even prophesied and preached in your name. Jesus said, I never knew you. Do you want to trust in your works?

[John Weaver] The truth of the matter is, it's God who justifies. You cannot justify yourself. Your works will never cut it. God is the author of justification. Secondly, if God is the author of justification, it is a declaration that none can alter or cancel. There is no court of appeals. You cannot go above and beyond God. He is the supreme judge. What did he say in Romans 8 and verse 33?

[John Weaver] Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is He that condemns? It doesn't matter what the devil says. It doesn't matter if the demons of this world and all the unbelievers and all the ungodly united in rebellion against God's legal forensic declaration. They can't change it. When God says justified, no one can alter it. No one can repeal it. Thirdly, if God is the author of justification, it is a declaration that is founded upon truth and reality. God does not do that which He condemns as sin and wickedness.

[John Weaver] You remember He said in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination in his sight. When God pronounces a man righteous in regard to the law, he has been made righteous in Jesus Christ. His declaration is grounded in truth and in reality. If God is the author of justification, his act must be based solely upon his grace. Because each of us has foully revolted, we've transgressed his law, we've rebelled, we've sinned, we've been disobedient and full of iniquity. Not one deserves God's grace or God's mercy. Justification is an act of God's free grace.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you a question. When is the last time you really thanked God for your salvation? When is the last time you really sought to understand the person and work of Jesus Christ and how God saves sinners that he might be just And the justifier of him that pleaded on Jesus Christ. I'm going to explain that tomorrow night by God's grace. You have to understand this.

[John Weaver] The only reason you're alive tonight. The only reason you did not die in your sleep last night. is because of God's grace and God's mercies. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. Because His compassions, they fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. If you learn anything tonight, learn that God is the author of justification. And the source is His free grace.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You for Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the great salvation that He has purchased and that He has worked out. We give Thee praise and honor and glory. We worship Thee as the one true and the living God. And we worship Thee through Your Son, the Lord Jesus, in the Spirit, in Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Justification by Faith Alone - 1

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1114162252369
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Sola Fide And Justification
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-11-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 145: Justification by Faith Alone — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	73

Formatted Transcript

Opening

All right, well, let's have prayer tonight. Our Father, we are thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ and for His grace and mercy. We're thankful for each one here tonight, and we ask, Lord, that Your blessed will be done, that You'd open our ears, open our hearts, open our understandings, and give us Your grace and Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. All right. Well, I'm glad the Joukowskis made it. Their name is Janoski. But we were at Front Sight and there was an old retired sergeant major who couldn't say that and he called every one of them Joukowskis.

So, they've never lived it down. Yeah. Keith, good to see you too, son. Yeah. Alright. Let's open our Bibles, if you would please, to Romans chapter 5. I'm going to do something tonight you may not like, but it's the way it goes. I'm going to begin a message tonight that I will not finish until tomorrow night. So it's going to be one message in two parts. The title of the message is, Sola Fidei, or justification by faith alone. So I want you to look in Romans chapter 5 and verse 1 and keep your fingers limber, because we will be turning to a number of scriptures tonight. Romans chapter 5 verse 1, the Bible says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Note, if you would, "therefore being justified by faith."

Introduction and Importance of Justification

Weaver introduces the topic, citing Romans 5:1 and the five solas of the Reformation, and explains why justification by faith alone is the article of the standing or falling church.

Scripture Reading — Job 25:4

Probably everyone has heard of the five solas. The five solas is a term used to designate the five great foundational rallying cries of the Reformers. They were, and are, sola scriptura, the Scriptures alone; sola gratia, grace alone; sola fidei, faith alone; solus Christus, Christ alone; and soli Deo gloria, to God alone be the glory. The doctrine of justification by faith alone was the principal truth that God used during the Reformation. It was this truth that led the Reformers out of Rome and a host of other individuals as well. Martin Luther, the Reformer, declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church. By that he simply meant this. To the degree that the church understood the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it stood. It was a standing church. But once the church lost this, or did not understand it, then the church basically fell or was fallen. Now, why would Martin Luther say that justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church? Well, the answer to that is because the basic question that is asked in Job 25 and verse 4 is this, "How then can a man be just with God?" How then can a man be just with God? Paul answered that question in Romans 1, verses 16 and 17, he said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Listen to what he said next, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Notice what he said about the gospel.

Definition of Justification

A detailed definition is given: justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, pardoning their sins and accounting them righteous solely through Christ's obedience and satisfaction, received by faith alone.

So you have to ask yourself this question. What is justification? I want to give you a definition, and then I want to begin working through this definition tonight, a little bit later, and then I will finish it tomorrow night. Here's the definition of justification. Justification is the act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. So justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all of their sins, listen now, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. Here is my outline. This is what I'm going to be preaching tonight and tomorrow night. In this definition, we have the author of justification.

The Meaning of Justification as a Legal Declaration

Justification is explained as a forensic term meaning to declare righteous, not to make righteous. It is a change in legal status, not a subjective change in character.

Now, I've given you the definition of justification by faith, and we're going to work our way through it momentarily. But let me ask this question. What does it mean to justify? The Bible says, "Therefore, being justified by faith." What does it mean to be justified? Justification means to declare or to pronounce one righteous in light of the standard of the law. Justification is a legal, judicial, forensic term. It is a term of the law courts, and the definition holds true either in light of God's law or even in light of man's law.

So the point I'm trying to make is this. Justification has to do with the legal side of salvation. Now listen carefully. You do not want to be in error on this point. Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition. Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition, but it is solely and completely an objective change in his standing in relationship to the law. Let me say it another way. Justification does not do anything in a sinner. It does something for the sinner, but it does not do anything in the sinner. It does not change his moral character, and it does not infuse righteousness contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. All justification is, is a change in one's legal status from being condemned and guilty to one of forgiveness and righteousness.

Biblical Evidence for Justification as Declaration

Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 25:1, Proverbs 17:15, Luke 7:29, and Romans 8:33-34 are used to show that justification is a legal pronouncement, the opposite of condemnation.

I want to show you that from the Bible. So, I want you to begin in Deuteronomy chapter 25 and let's look there at verse 1. Remember, I told you justification does not mean that you infuse righteousness. No. I'm going to show you how that is absolutely impossible. Notice Deuteronomy chapter 25 in verse 1. The Bible says this, "If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they," that is the judges, "shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked."

Now, what in the world are they doing? They're not infusing righteousness into the righteous. No. What does it mean when it says the judges shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked? Well, they pronounce, they legally declare that the righteous man is innocent. He is not guilty in light of the law. And then they declare condemnation to the wicked. That is, he is guilty in light of the law. So I want you to understand that both justification and condemnation are legal terms. And when you read them in the Bible, you must understand them in light of the law and in light of God's law court.

So if you would turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 17. Proverbs 17. And look, if you would please, at verse 15. Proverbs 17 and verse 15. In this particular verse, the Bible says this. Proverbs 17, verse 15, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord."

Now, stop and think about this. The Catholic Church teaches that to be justified, you're infused with righteousness. Well, the Bible says, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord." Do you think the Lord would be mad at someone if someone was able to actually infuse righteousness into a wicked man and make him into a righteous man? No. What is he saying? He is saying, "He that justifieth the wicked." In other words, here's a man that's absolutely, totally, positively wrong, wicked, and vile, and the judge declares him innocent. God says that's an abomination. That is an abomination. And when you condemn the just, when you say that the just man is guilty, when he's not guilty, that's an abomination to the Lord.

So, in each of these passages, justification and condemnation are legal declarations. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would now, to Luke chapter 7. Luke chapter 7, showed it to you in the Old Testament, now in the New Testament. Look in Luke chapter 7, and let's begin there with verse 29. Luke chapter 7 verse 29, and our Lord is talking about John the Baptist in his preaching. In fact, you can see that verse 28 he says, "For I say to you, among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." Now watch, "And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him."

Now, if you try to tell me that justification is an infusing of righteousness, then you've got a real theological problem in this verse. Because the Bible says in verse 29, "...and all the people that heard him and the publicans justified God." How could you infuse righteousness into the absolutely righteous one? He is already perfect. He cannot become more perfect, nor can he become less perfect. He is the perfect God. Well, how did these people and how did the publicans justify God? Well, you remember John was preaching. And John was preaching the doctrine of repentance.

And he told them that they were sinners and that they needed to turn from their sins. They justified God by saying, "God, you are right. We declare that your sentence is just. You are holy. You are right. We are wrong." And if you look in verse 30,

Scripture Reading — Luke 7:29-30

"But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves."

In other words, they said, "No, no, no, no. God's not right. We're right." So the people and the publicans justified God by pronouncing, by declaring Him right. And the Pharisees then condemn God by saying, "No, He's not right, we're right." So obviously, when you look at this passage, it is a very plain passage showing that justification is a declaration. Look in Luke chapter 16, beginning there with verse 14. Luke 16 and verse 14. Watch carefully, Luke 16, verse 14, "And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they derided him."

That is, they're making fun of and they're mocking Jesus Christ. "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Now note, if you would, He said, "Ye are they that justify yourselves." Now, if justification according to the Roman Catholic Church is correct, they were infusing righteousness into themselves and becoming more righteous. No. He said, "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men." What were they doing? They were declaring that they were right. They were declaring that they were holy. But they were not. That's why he goes on to say, "...for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Lord, you're wrong. You may justify, you may declare yourself righteous, but that does not make you righteous at all. So, I hope you've already caught this, that justification is the antithesis or the opposite of condemnation. Just like hot is the opposite of cold, and little or small is the opposite of huge or big.

I want you to look in Romans chapter 8. In fact, you need to hold this passage. We'll come back to it momentarily. But look in Romans 8, at verses 33 and 34. Romans 8, verses 33 and 34. Watch carefully. Here's the question. Romans 8, verse 33.

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." Watch the question. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." But notice if you would, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?"

Distinctions from Regeneration and Sanctification

Justification is distinguished from regeneration (an internal act of God the Father) and sanctification (a gradual moral transformation), though all three always accompany each other.

Now, I want you to listen carefully. Justification differs from regeneration and sanctification. These three things always go together, but they are different. They're not the same. And if you try to confuse these three doctrines, then you're going to be confused and you are going to confuse other people as well. So let me try to make some comparisons, as well as some distinctions for you. Okay? Justification differs from regeneration, although they are inseparably connected. Regeneration is an act of God the Father.

James 1:18,

Scripture Reading — James 1:18

"Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth."

Justification is the sentence of God the Judge. That's why Abraham asks in Genesis 18 and verse 25, "...shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" So, justification is an act of God the Judge. Regeneration is an act of God the Father. Regeneration gives me a place in the family of God. Justification secures my standing before His throne. Okay? Regeneration is internal since it is the implantation of divine life in the soul. Justification is external since it is the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ to my account, which I will explain tomorrow night. In regeneration, I am drawn in repentance to the Father's house.

In justification, I'm given the best robe which fits me for His presence. So justification differs from regeneration. However, let me make this clear. There is no such thing as a justified unregenerate person. Those whom God justifies, He regenerates. Those who are regenerated have been justified. Okay? So, although justification and regeneration differ, they're always together. Let me also point out that justification differs from sanctification. Here's some of the differences. Sanctification is moral or experiential. Justification is legal and forensic. Sanctification is the operation of the Holy Spirit within me. Justification is based upon what Christ has done for me. Sanctification is gradual and progressive.

You should be more sanctified tomorrow than you are today. You should be more holy next week than you are this week. Sanctification is gradual and progressive. Justification is instantaneous and immutable. Listen to this. Sanctification admits degrees in this life and is never perfect. Justification, that is not perfect in this life. Justification is complete and admits no increase or decrease. Let me explain it like this. Some of you tonight are more holy than the rest. I'm not picking out each one and saying you're holy or unholy. I'm just saying, since there are degrees in sanctification. For instance, a father in the faith should be more holy and more godly than a young man in the faith. And the young man in the faith should be more holy and more godly than a babe in the faith. So there are degrees in sanctification. There are degrees in holiness, if you please. But there are no degrees in justification.

Do you realize that the mighty Apostle Paul is no more justified than you or me? We are just as justified as Paul, or Peter, or Apollos. Justification does not admit degrees. Sanctification concerns the state of the sinner, and justification concerns the standing of the sinner. Sanctification produces a moral transformation of character. Justification is a change in legal status.

Now, let me say it again. Although justification differs from regeneration and sanctification, regeneration and sanctification always accompany justification. There is no such thing as a justified, unregenerate, unsanctified person. When you confuse these doctrines, you become thoroughly confused yourself, and you cannot possibly progress in the faith as you should. Justification is an act of God when He remits the sins of guilty men and accounts them righteous freely by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. So, the ground of justification can never, ever be the works of man, which we will see more in detail tomorrow night.

The Author of Justification: God Alone

Justification is an act of God, ascribed to all three persons of the Trinity: the Father declares righteous, the Son imputes righteousness, and the Spirit seals and clears our title.

So, tonight, I've got two points. I want to start on our definition. Justification is an act of God's free grace. First of all, I want you to notice the author of justification. Justification is an act of God. It is something that God alone does. So if you look in Romans 8 and verse 33 again, the question is, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" Watch. "It is God that justifieth." Justification is the work of God alone. However, when you study the Bible, you're going to find out that justification, since it is the work of God alone, is ascribed to all three persons in the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost.

Now, let me just try to explain this temporarily. When you talk about the Trinity, you have to understand the ontological Trinity and the economical Trinity. The ontological trinity is just based on the Greek word ontos, which is being. And all the ontological trinity is, is the logical order of being, which is Father, Son, Holy Ghost. That's the ontological trinity. The economical trinity is how God works, how God moves. Everything is always out of the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. That is how God works. Everything is out of the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. So, I want you to see first, that justification is ascribed to God the Father.

So if you look again in Romans 8 in verse 33, he asks, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." Look in your Bibles to Romans 3 and verse 26. Romans 3 and verse 26. In fact, we must read verse 25 just so you can see that God the Father is there. In fact, we'll begin with verse 23. Romans 3 verse 23,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:23-26

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God,"

that is God the Father,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:23-26

"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,"

that is God the Father,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:23-26

"might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

So in this passage, God the Father is designated as the author of justification. If you'll skip down to verse 30, "Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith."

So, justification is an act of God, and in this passage, it is ascribed to God the Father. If you will turn in your Bibles to Acts 13, beginning there with verse 37, you're going to see here that justification is ascribed to God the Son. Acts 13, beginning there with verse 37, notice if you would,

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:37-39

"But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption."

So we're talking about Jesus Christ. God the Father raised Jesus Christ and he saw no corruption. Verse 38,

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:37-39

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

Note,

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:37-39

"...and by him all that believe are justified from all things."

So in this passage, justification is ascribed to God the Son. So it's already been ascribed to God the Father, now it's been ascribed to God the Son. And if you'll look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 6, you'll see that justification is also ascribed to God the Holy Spirit. Notice, if you would, 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 11.

And he says, "And such were some of you." Well, let's go back to verse 9, so you can see who some of you were. He says, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." So here, justification is ascribed to God the Holy Spirit.

Now, think about it like this. God the Father justifies when He declares or pronounces us righteous. God the Son justifies as He imputes His righteousness to us. And God the Holy Spirit justifies as He clears up our titles and seals us unto the day of redemption. So justification is an act of God. It's important that you understand that justification is something that God alone can do. Man cannot justify. Only God can justify because it is His act.

The Source of Justification: God's Free Grace

Justification is by God's free grace (dorean), meaning without any cause in us. Grace is sovereign and unmerited, as seen in God providing Christ as our substitute.

Now, go back, if you would, to Romans 3. Romans 3. We just read it. But I want you to see the source of justification. Romans 3. Notice, if you would please, the Bible says in verse 24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Now, let that verse twirl around in your mind just for a moment, "being justified freely by his grace."

Now, the word "freely" is from the Greek word dorean, and the word really means far more than simply a gift. When we think about God's free grace, we normally think of a gift. Well, let me put it like this. Here's how we think about it. Suppose Greg tells me, "Brother Weaver, if you come meet me tomorrow at the cafeteria, I'll buy your dinner." I say, "Fine." And I meet him and we fellowship together and he buys our dinner, my dinner. So I go back and I look at Brother Ray and I say, "Brother Greg just bought my dinner. I got a free meal." Now, what do I mean when I say I got a free meal? I mean, it didn't cost me anything. It was a gift. Greg bought it for me. Now, I use that illustration just to tell you, that's not what this word means. Now, you can still invite me to dinner, but that's not what this word means. When the Bible says, "being justified freely by his grace," the word dorean here literally means freely or without a cause.

Ah. Turn in your Bibles to John chapter 15. John 15. And look if you would please at verse 25. John 15. In fact, let's read verse 24 and verse 25. Because our Lord is speaking, and I want you to see what He said. And this is a quote, by the way, from the Psalms. Verse 25 is anyhow. Look at verse 24. Our Lord said, John 15 verse 24, "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin."

"But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." You see those three words in our English Bible, "without a cause." "They hated me without a cause." Guess what? It is the Greek word, dorean. The same exact word that is translated as "being justified freely by his grace." Now, what did our Lord mean when He said, "They hated me without a cause"? Here's what it meant. Jesus Christ is perfect God and perfect man. Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God. Jesus Christ is God incarnate. Jesus Christ was pure, holy, harmless, and undefiled. There was nothing in Jesus Christ that drew forth, merited, or earned their hatred. They hated Him freely. There was no cause of their hatred. But they hated Him freely. There's nothing in Him that drew forth that hatred or that anger. No, no. He's the Son of God. Being justified freely by His grace, there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the grace of God.

You did not earn it. You did not merit it. You did not deserve it. It was not because you were pretty or handsome or smart or dumb. No, no, no, no. There was nothing in you that drew forth the grace of God. God freely moved upon us in His grace. Just like men freely hated Jesus Christ when He did not deserve to be hated, and nothing in Him drew forth their hatred, there was nothing in us that merited or drew forth the grace of God. If you look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 5, I want you to notice a word that is used in reference to grace. Look in Romans chapter 5.

In verses 20 and 21. Romans 5 verses 20 and 21. Notice what the Bible says. Romans 5, verse 20,

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:20-21

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

If grace reigns, it is sovereign. It comes at God's pleasure and not ours. There was absolutely nothing in us that constrain God or drew forth that grace. Someone says, "But you don't understand, Brother Weaver, I just needed to be saved." Really? What about all the other people in the world that need to be saved, really need to be saved, that are not saved?

Do you remember in John chapter 5, our Lord walked among those at the pool of Bethesda. The Bible says in that area lay a great multitude of impotent folk, lame, blind, waiting for the moving of the water. And what did our Lord do? He walked through and singled out one man and said, "Wilt thou be made whole?" And the man said, "I have no man to help me when the water is being stirred to get down there." "While I am coming, another steppeth down before me." Our Lord says, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And he did so. How many of those people did our Lord heal? One. How many needed healing? All of them. Could He not have just as easily healed every one of them? Yes. Why did He only heal one? Our Lord answers that. In John chapter 5, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." In other words, just like sovereignty demonstrates that God the Father is God, sovereignty demonstrates that Jesus Christ is God. Multitudes may have needed it, but grace is sovereign and grace reigns and comes only at the pleasure of God. There was nothing in us that drew forth the grace of God. There was everything in us that would repel God because all we did was sin and violate His law.

And any justification that glories in anything other than free grace is an unbiblical and unscriptural concept. So, we have to ask this question. In what way is justification an act of God's free grace unto sinners? Well, first, it was pure grace that God was willing to accept satisfaction at the hands of a substitute or a surety. You have to understand that you owed the debt. I owed the debt. We sinned. We violated God's law. We transgressed.

We are the iniquitous ones. We owed the debt. It's kind of like if Mark came up to me and said, "I need to borrow $10,000." And I said, "Fine." And I had it. And I loaned him $10,000 with the stipulation to be back in 30 days, etc., etc., you know, that kind of thing. So 30 days comes along and Mark doesn't have my money. And finally, after 45 days, I come up and I say, "I want my money." He says, "I don't have it." I said, "Mark, let me tell you something. If you don't give me that money by tomorrow, I'm going to take it out on your hide. I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp. You will wish you had given me that money a hundred times over by the time I get through with you." And Greg overhears me saying that to Mark. And Greg looks at me and says, "No, no, no, no, no. You don't have to hurt him. Here, I'll give you the money for Mark." I could look at Greg and say, "Who are you? You don't owe me any money. Get out of my sight. Mark is the one that owes me the money and he better get it or I'm going to beat him half to death." I don't have to take satisfaction at the hands of another. Mark owes the debt. So it's pure grace that God was willing to take satisfaction at the hand of another.

Secondly, I must point out, it was wondrous grace that God Himself wonderfully provided the substitute and the surety. Do you know what the Bible says? Go back to Romans 3. Look at it. Look at it. Romans chapter 3. Notice, if you would please, verse 24. Look carefully. "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God," that is whom the Father, "hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." God sent His Son. God set Him forth. God said, "I will not only accept a substitute, I will not only accept a surety, I will provide Him." That's why the Bible says in Galatians 4, verses 4 and 5, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Notice what the Bible says, "God sent forth his Son." So it was pure grace that God was willing to accept a substitute.

It was wondrous grace that God graciously gave us His Son, and thirdly, it was amazing grace that Jesus Christ willingly undertook to suffer in our place in our stead. In Hebrews 10, verses 6 and 7, which is a quote from the Psalms, "In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." Jesus Christ amazingly, willingly took our place and suffered in our stead. Next time you're singing the hymn, "O to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. Let thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee." Sing it with zeal, because you are a debtor to grace. I want you to consider just a couple of applications. The first one is this. I've already given you the author of justification, that is God. It really does not matter if one thinks, or really if one thinks or believes about justification, I assure you something. The truth of the matter is God is the author of justification and not man. And if God does not justify, it does not matter what you do or how you live, you are still condemned and you are not justified. God is the author of justification, not man. You say, "But I've lived for Him for all these years. I've done this and I've done that."

Applications and Conclusion

Applications emphasize that God alone justifies, His declaration is unalterable, and it is based on truth. Believers are urged to thank God for His grace and salvation.

Do you remember that passage in Matthew chapter 7? Our Lord said, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you." "Oh Lord, Lord, do you not remember us? In thy name we've cast out demons. In thy name we've done wondrous works. In thy name we've done all these things. We've even prophesied and preached in your name." Jesus said, "I never knew you." Do you want to trust in your works? The truth of the matter is, it's God who justifies. You cannot justify yourself. Your works will never cut it. God is the author of justification. Secondly, if God is the author of justification, it is a declaration that none can alter or cancel. There is no court of appeals. You cannot go above and beyond God. He is the supreme judge. What did he say in Romans 8 and verse 33?

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?" It doesn't matter what the devil says. It doesn't matter if the demons of this world and all the unbelievers and all the ungodly united in rebellion against God's legal forensic declaration. They can't change it. When God says justified, no one can alter it. No one can repeal it. Thirdly, if God is the author of justification, it is a declaration that is founded upon truth and reality. God does not do that which He condemns as sin and wickedness.

You remember He said in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination in his sight." When God pronounces a man righteous in regard to the law, he has been made righteous in Jesus Christ. His declaration is grounded in truth and in reality. If God is the author of justification, his act must be based solely upon his grace. Because each of us has foully revolted, we've transgressed his law, we've rebelled, we've sinned, we've been disobedient and full of iniquity. Not one deserves God's grace or God's mercy. Justification is an act of God's free grace. Let me ask you a question. When is the last time you really thanked God for your salvation? When is the last time you really sought to understand the person and work of Jesus Christ and how God saves sinners that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ? I'm going to explain that tomorrow night by God's grace. You have to understand this.

The only reason you're alive tonight. The only reason you did not die in your sleep last night is because of God's grace and God's mercies. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. Because His compassions, they fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. If you learn anything tonight, learn that God is the author of justification. And the source is His free grace.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Centrality of Justification by Faith Alone

Summary: The doctrine of justification by faith alone is the article of the standing or falling church, essential for understanding the gospel and salvation.

Evidence: Martin Luther, the Reformer, declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church.

Justification as a Forensic Declaration

Summary: Justification is a legal, judicial act of God declaring a sinner righteous, not an infusion of righteousness or a change in moral character.

Evidence: Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition, but it is solely and completely an objective change in his standing in relationship to the law.

Distinction from Regeneration and Sanctification

Summary: Justification differs from regeneration (internal life) and sanctification (progressive holiness), though they are inseparably connected in salvation.

Evidence: Justification differs from regeneration and sanctification. These three things always go together, but they are different.

God as the Sole Author of Justification

Summary: Justification is an act of God alone, ascribed to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and cannot be achieved by human works.

Evidence: It is God that justifieth. Justification is the work of God alone.

Justification by Free and Sovereign Grace

Summary: Justification is by God's free grace (dorean), meaning without any cause or merit in us; grace is sovereign and unearned.

Evidence: Being justified freely by his grace... the word dorean here literally means freely or without a cause.

Key Arguments

Justification is a legal declaration, not an infusion

Summary: Weaver argues from Scripture that to justify means to declare righteous, not to make righteous, contrasting it with the Roman Catholic view of infused righteousness.

Evidence: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord. Do you think the Lord would be mad at someone if someone was able to actually infuse righteousness into a wicked man and make him into a righteous man? No.

Justification is the opposite of condemnation

Summary: Using Romans 8:33-34, Weaver shows that justification and condemnation are mutually exclusive legal states before God.

Evidence: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?

Justification is an act of God alone

Summary: Weaver demonstrates that justification is ascribed to all three persons of the Trinity, emphasizing that only God can justify.

Evidence: It is God that justifieth... justification is ascribed to God the Father... to God the Son... to God the Holy Spirit.

Grace is the sole source of justification

Summary: Justification is by God's free grace, meaning there is nothing in us that merits or causes it; it is sovereign and unearned.

Evidence: Being justified freely by his grace... there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the grace of God.

God's grace in providing a substitute is wondrous

Summary: It was pure grace that God accepted a substitute, wondrous grace that He provided His Son, and amazing grace that Christ willingly suffered in our place.

Evidence: It was pure grace that God was willing to accept satisfaction at the hands of a substitute or a surety... God sent forth his Son... Jesus Christ amazingly, willingly took our place and suffered in our stead.

Scripture References

Romans 5:1

Context: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Job 25:4

Context: How then can a man be just with God?

Romans 1:16-17

Context: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ... For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Luke 2:13-14

Context: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Revelation 4:11

Context: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Matthew 9:11-13

Context: They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick... I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Deuteronomy 25:1

Context: Then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

Proverbs 17:15

Context: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

Luke 7:29-30

Context: And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God... But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves.

Luke 16:14-15

Context: Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts.

Romans 8:33-34

Context: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?

Romans 8:1

Context: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

James 1:18

Context: Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.

Genesis 18:25

Context: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Romans 3:23-26

Context: For all have sinned... Being justified freely by his grace... that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Acts 13:37-39

Context: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Context: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

John 15:24-25

Context: They hated me without a cause.

Romans 5:20-21

Context: Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Galatians 4:4-5

Context: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.

Historical References

The Reformation and the Five Solas

Context: The five solas (sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fidei, solus Christus, soli Deo gloria) were the foundational rallying cries of the Reformers, with justification by faith alone being the principal truth used by God during the Reformation.

Martin Luther

Context: Martin Luther declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church.

Roman Catholic Church teaching on justification

Context: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that justification involves an infusion of righteousness, which Weaver argues against, stating that justification does not change moral character.

James Buchanan quote

Context: James Buchanan said that the best preparation for studying justification is not intellectual ability or learning, but a conscience impressed with our condition as sinners before God.

Important Quotes

Martin Luther, the Reformer, declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church.

Significance: Highlights the critical importance of justification by faith alone for the health and orthodoxy of the church.

Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition, but it is solely and completely an objective change in his standing in relationship to the law.

Significance: Clarifies the forensic nature of justification, distinguishing it from Roman Catholic and other erroneous views.

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord.

Significance: Used to argue that justification cannot mean making someone righteous, but is a legal declaration based on truth.

It is God that justifieth. Justification is the work of God alone.

Significance: Underscores that justification is a divine act, not a human achievement, and is ascribed to the Triune God.

The best preparation for the study of the doctrine of justification is neither great intellectual ability nor much scholastic learning, but a conscience impressed with a sense of our actual condition as sinners before God.

Significance: Quoting James Buchanan to stress that understanding justification begins with recognizing one's sinfulness.

Discussion Questions

Why did Martin Luther call justification by faith alone the 'article of the standing or falling church'?

Context: Weaver explains that the church stands or falls based on its understanding of this doctrine, as it answers the fundamental question of how a man can be just with God.

How does the biblical definition of justification as a legal declaration differ from the Roman Catholic view of infused righteousness?

Context: Weaver contrasts the forensic declaration of righteousness with the idea of an internal change, using Proverbs 17:15 and other passages.

What are the practical implications of justification being an act of God alone, and how does this affect our assurance of salvation?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that since God justifies, no one can condemn or alter that declaration, providing unshakable assurance.

In what ways does the word 'dorean' (freely, without a cause) deepen our understanding of God's grace in justification?

Context: Weaver explains that 'dorean' means there is nothing in us that merits grace, just as there was nothing in Christ that merited hatred.

How should the distinction between justification, regeneration, and sanctification affect our Christian walk and understanding of salvation?

Context: Weaver outlines the differences and connections, warning that confusing them leads to confusion in the faith.

Applications

Trust in God's declaration, not self-justification

Summary: Since God alone justifies, believers should not rely on their own works or feelings for assurance, but on God's unalterable legal declaration.

Evidence: It really does not matter if one thinks or believes about justification, I assure you something. The truth of the matter is God is the author of justification and not man.

Rest in the unchangeable nature of justification

Summary: God's declaration of justification cannot be appealed or overturned, providing security against accusations from Satan or the world.

Evidence: There is no court of appeals. You cannot go above and beyond God. He is the supreme judge.

Cultivate gratitude for sovereign grace

Summary: Recognizing that justification is entirely by God's free grace should lead believers to thank God continually for their salvation.

Evidence: When is the last time you really thanked God for your salvation?

Understand your sinful condition to appreciate justification

Summary: A proper understanding of justification begins with a conscience impressed with our actual condition as sinners before God, not intellectual learning.

Evidence: The best preparation for the study of the doctrine of justification is... a conscience impressed with a sense of our actual condition as sinners before God.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:40:30Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T07:43:06Z

Clean Transcript

Justification by Faith Alone - 1

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, well, let's have prayer tonight. Our Father, we are thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ and for His grace and mercy. We're thankful for each one here tonight, and we ask, Lord, that Your blessed will be done, that You'd open our ears, open our hearts, open our understandings, and give us Your grace and Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. All right. Well, I'm glad the Joukowskis made it. Their name is Janoski. But we were at Front Sight and there was an old retired sergeant major who couldn't say that and he called every one of them Joukowskis.
#1 | 0:01 to 0:41 | cleaned
So, they've never lived it down. Yeah. Keith, good to see you too, son. Yeah. Alright. Let's open our Bibles, if you would please, to Romans chapter 5. I'm going to do something tonight you may not like, but it's the way it goes. I'm going to begin a message tonight that I will not finish until tomorrow night. So it's going to be one message in two parts. The title of the message is, Sola Fidei, or justification by faith alone. So I want you to look in Romans chapter 5 and verse 1 and keep your fingers limber, because we will be turning to a number of scriptures tonight. Romans chapter 5 verse 1, the Bible says, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Note, if you would, "therefore being justified by faith."
#2 | 0:41 to 1:35 | cleaned
Probably everyone has heard of the five solas. The five solas is a term used to designate the five great foundational rallying cries of the Reformers. They were, and are, sola scriptura, the Scriptures alone; sola gratia, grace alone; sola fidei, faith alone; solus Christus, Christ alone; and soli Deo gloria, to God alone be the glory. The doctrine of justification by faith alone was the principal truth that God used during the Reformation. It was this truth that led the Reformers out of Rome and a host of other individuals as well. Martin Luther, the Reformer, declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church.
#3 | 1:36 to 2:29 | cleaned
By that he simply meant this. To the degree that the church understood the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it stood. It was a standing church. But once the church lost this, or did not understand it, then the church basically fell or was fallen. Now, why would Martin Luther say that justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church? Well, the answer to that is because the basic question that is asked in Job 25 and verse 4 is this, "How then can a man be just with God?" How then can a man be just with God? Paul answered that question in Romans 1, verses 16 and 17, he said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Listen to what he said next, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Notice what he said about the gospel.
#4 | 2:31 to 3:43 | cleaned
"For therein," that is in the gospel, "is the righteousness of God revealed." So very obviously, the doctrine of justification by faith alone is indeed the article of the standing or falling church. And any error on this point is fatal and far-reaching in its implications. I have to impress upon you that our doctrine, our understanding of the doctrine of justification, affects other doctrines as well. It affects your Christology, the doctrine of Christ. Your theology, the doctrine of God. Your soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. Anthropology, the doctrine of man. It also affects the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as the assurance of salvation. So you ask, why in the world is the doctrine of justification by faith alone so important? Well, the answer is, it is important not only for the glory of God, but also for the good of man.
#5 | 3:44 to 4:48 | cleaned
You'll remember in Luke chapter 2, when the angel was announcing the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, in verses 13 and 14, the Bible says, "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." So Scripture then reveals that the works of God in creation, redemption, and providence are the manifestations of God's glory to His rational creatures. In fact, the Bible says in Revelation 4 verse 11, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." And certainly the glory of God is revealed to us and manifested in the way that God has sovereignly designed to justify the ungodly. So where justification by faith alone is perverted, then the glory of God is robbed or stolen from God because it is one way that God reveals His glory. It is also revealed for the good of men. Not only the good of men that have already been justified by faith, but also those who are yet to be justified by faith.
#6 | 4:49 to 6:16 | cleaned
That's why Paul said, as I quoted earlier in Romans 1 and verse 16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of God. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." Why? "For it is the power of God to everyone that believes." And when you think about the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it was not just the grand doctrine of the Reformation. This doctrine has been used practically in every major revival in the past.
#7 | 6:17 to 6:48 | cleaned
So you have to ask yourself this question. What is justification? I want to give you a definition, and then I want to begin working through this definition tonight, a little bit later, and then I will finish it tomorrow night. Here's the definition of justification. Justification is the act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. So justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all of their sins, listen now, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. Here is my outline. This is what I'm going to be preaching tonight and tomorrow night. In this definition, we have the author of justification.
#8 | 6:49 to 8:13 | cleaned
Justification is an act of God. We have secondly, the source of justification. Justification is an act of God's free grace. We have, thirdly, the subjects of justification. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners. We have the essence of justification. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all of their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight. Then you have the ground of justification, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, and of course then you have the method of justification by God imputed unto them, and lastly the instrument of justification and received by faith alone. So justification is indeed a very important doctrine.
#9 | 8:13 to 9:10 | cleaned
I would say it's probably one of the primary doctrines of the Bible. And if you don't understand justification by faith, then you really don't understand salvation. And if you don't understand salvation, then obviously there's a lot of things in relation to salvation that you're not going to understand either. You say, well now, Brother Weaver, I'm not a scholar. I'm not a Bible student. I'm not a Greek student. That doesn't matter.
#10 | 9:10 to 9:35 | cleaned
James Buchanan said it like this, listen carefully. He said, "The best preparation for the study of the doctrine of justification is neither great intellectual ability nor much scholastic learning, but a conscience impressed with a sense of our actual condition as sinners before God." So what he said is this, you don't have to be a scholar. You don't have to have a great intellect, just so your conscience is impressed with the fact that you are a sinner and what you really are before God and in the sight of God.
#11 | 9:36 to 10:18 | cleaned
Now, when we talk about justification, if we need justification, it does mean that we are condemned. If we are condemned, it means that we are guilty before God. If we are guilty before God, it means then that we have trespassed, we've sinned, we've committed iniquity. If you and I are going to understand our condition, then we must understand it in light of Holy Scripture. Because if we do not understand our condition, we're not ever really going to appreciate what God has done for us.
#12 | 10:19 to 10:55 | cleaned
I want you to hold Romans chapter 5, but look in your Bibles, if you would please, to Matthew chapter 9. Matthew chapter 9, and I want you to note how our Lord addressed this issue. Look in Matthew chapter 9, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Matthew 9 and verse 11. Of course, our Lord has gone into the house to eat with publicans and sinners. And verse 11, "And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"
#13 | 10:56 to 11:31 | cleaned
"But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
#14 | 11:32 to 11:47 | cleaned
Now notice what he said. Our Lord said, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." And then he said, "Go ye and learn what that meaneth." For instance, none of you are going to wake up in the morning and say, "I feel absolutely wonderful, fabulous. I've never felt this well in my entire life. I think I'll just go by the doctor's office and let him check me out and give him 150 bucks anyhow." You would never do that. "They that be whole need not a physician." You're not going to go give him money just to be giving him money. And I've got news for you. When you get sick, most of you, if you're like me, you're not going to run to the doctor anyhow. You're going to doctor yourself. You're going to go to your own medicine cabinet, or you're going to go to your herbs, you're going to go to your something to take and try your best to get well. And if whatever you take does not get you well, in all probability, you're still not going to go to the doctor.
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What you're going to do is you're going to call your neighbor, you're going to call your friend and say, "Look, I've got this and I've got that and I've tried this and I've tried that and nothing seems to work." And your friend will say, "Well, you know, I had the same thing you had. And guess what? I ate a peanut butter, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and onion sandwich and I got well." You know what, you're going to try a sandwich like that. And once you've tried your remedies, and they do not work, and your friends' remedies, and they do not work, finally, when you understand, if you ever get well, you're going to go to a physician, then you'll go.
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That's exactly what our Lord said. "They that be whole need not a physician." As long as you do not believe that you are a sinner, as long as you don't believe that you're guilty before God, as long as you do not believe that you are in a desperate situation, you will never seek the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Savior. "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick."
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And he said, "Go ye and learn what that meaneth." You have to understand your condition before God if you want to understand the doctrine of justification.
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Now, let me give you two caveats or two warnings before I ever get started. First of all, we must understand that the object of faith is that which justifies and not faith itself. The proper object of faith is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is the object of faith in which we glory. It is in the object of faith that we find our assurance. Faith does not look to itself. Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone. So you're not trusting in faith. You're trusting in the object of faith, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. And secondly, it is faith alone that brings us to Jesus Christ, and yet, real, genuine, saving faith is never alone. Real, genuine, saving faith always comes with other graces, as well as biblical works. But, it is faith alone that saves us.
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Now, I've given you the definition of justification by faith, and we're going to work our way through it momentarily. But let me ask this question. What does it mean to justify? The Bible says, "Therefore, being justified by faith." What does it mean to be justified? Justification means to declare or to pronounce one righteous in light of the standard of the law. Justification is a legal, judicial, forensic term. It is a term of the law courts, and the definition holds true either in light of God's law or even in light of man's law.
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So the point I'm trying to make is this. Justification has to do with the legal side of salvation. Now listen carefully. You do not want to be in error on this point. Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition. Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition, but it is solely and completely an objective change in his standing in relationship to the law.
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Let me say it another way. Justification does not do anything in a sinner. It does something for the sinner, but it does not do anything in the sinner. It does not change his moral character, and it does not infuse righteousness contrary to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. All justification is, is a change in one's legal status from being condemned and guilty to one of forgiveness and righteousness.
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Let me try to illustrate it like this for you. Here's a man that has been accused of robbing the bank. So he has been indicted. That means now he's going to stand in a court of law. If the jury hears all the facts and the law, and the jury comes back and says, "We find the defendant not guilty," then the judge declares him not guilty in light of the law. The law that was alleged that he had broken. So in other words, when the judge says not guilty, he could be saying, "You're justified. You're justified." In other words, you are right, and you have a right standing and a right relationship in the eyes of the law.
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So when you think about justification, it is a legal, judicial, forensic term of law, referring to the law of God. So justification is that change of status where one being guilty before God, and therefore under the condemning sentence of the law, and really deserving nothing but eternal banishment from God, is now pardoned and received into God's favor and given a right to all the blessings of Jesus Christ because of His perfect obedience and satisfaction. So, I've made the statement now that justification is a pronouncement. It is a legal declaration.
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I want to show you that from the Bible. So, I want you to begin in Deuteronomy chapter 25 and let's look there at verse 1. Remember, I told you justification does not mean that you infuse righteousness. No. I'm going to show you how that is absolutely impossible. Notice Deuteronomy chapter 25 in verse 1. The Bible says this, "If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they," that is the judges, "shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked."
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Now, what in the world are they doing? They're not infusing righteousness into the righteous. No. What does it mean when it says the judges shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked? Well, they pronounce, they legally declare that the righteous man is innocent. He is not guilty in light of the law. And then they declare condemnation to the wicked. That is, he is guilty in light of the law. So I want you to understand that both justification and condemnation are legal terms. And when you read them in the Bible, you must understand them in light of the law and in light of God's law court.
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So if you would turn in your Bibles to Proverbs 17. Proverbs 17. And look, if you would please, at verse 15. Proverbs 17 and verse 15. In this particular verse, the Bible says this. Proverbs 17, verse 15, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord."
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Now, stop and think about this. The Catholic Church teaches that to be justified, you're infused with righteousness. Well, the Bible says, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord." Do you think the Lord would be mad at someone if someone was able to actually infuse righteousness into a wicked man and make him into a righteous man? No. What is he saying? He is saying, "He that justifieth the wicked." In other words, here's a man that's absolutely, totally, positively wrong, wicked, and vile, and the judge declares him innocent. God says that's an abomination. That is an abomination. And when you condemn the just, when you say that the just man is guilty, when he's not guilty, that's an abomination to the Lord.
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So, in each of these passages, justification and condemnation are legal declarations. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would now, to Luke chapter 7. Luke chapter 7, showed it to you in the Old Testament, now in the New Testament. Look in Luke chapter 7, and let's begin there with verse 29. Luke chapter 7 verse 29, and our Lord is talking about John the Baptist in his preaching. In fact, you can see that verse 28 he says, "For I say to you, among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." Now watch, "And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him."
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Now, if you try to tell me that justification is an infusing of righteousness, then you've got a real theological problem in this verse. Because the Bible says in verse 29, "...and all the people that heard him and the publicans justified God." How could you infuse righteousness into the absolutely righteous one? He is already perfect. He cannot become more perfect, nor can he become less perfect. He is the perfect God. Well, how did these people and how did the publicans justify God? Well, you remember John was preaching. And John was preaching the doctrine of repentance.
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And he told them that they were sinners and that they needed to turn from their sins. They justified God by saying, "God, you are right. We declare that your sentence is just. You are holy. You are right. We are wrong." And if you look in verse 30, "But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves." In other words, they said, "No, no, no, no. God's not right. We're right." So the people and the publicans justified God by pronouncing, by declaring Him right. And the Pharisees then condemn God by saying, "No, He's not right, we're right." So obviously, when you look at this passage, it is a very plain passage showing that justification is a declaration. Look in Luke chapter 16, beginning there with verse 14. Luke 16 and verse 14. Watch carefully, Luke 16, verse 14, "And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they derided him."
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That is, they're making fun of and they're mocking Jesus Christ. "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Now note, if you would, He said, "Ye are they that justify yourselves."
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Now, if justification according to the Roman Catholic Church is correct, they were infusing righteousness into themselves and becoming more righteous. No. He said, "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men." What were they doing? They were declaring that they were right. They were declaring that they were holy. But they were not. That's why he goes on to say, "...for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Lord, you're wrong. You may justify, you may declare yourself righteous, but that does not make you righteous at all. So, I hope you've already caught this, that justification is the antithesis or the opposite of condemnation. Just like hot is the opposite of cold, and little or small is the opposite of huge or big.
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I want you to look in Romans chapter 8. In fact, you need to hold this passage. We'll come back to it momentarily. But look in Romans 8, at verses 33 and 34. Romans 8, verses 33 and 34. Watch carefully. Here's the question. Romans 8, verse 33.
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"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." Watch the question. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." But notice if you would, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?"
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So if someone is justified, he is not condemned. If someone is condemned, he is not justified. They are opposites. And therefore, if you look in verse 1 of chapter 8, the Bible says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." So, the world, Satan and all the hosts of hell cannot undo God's legal forensic declaration of justification. It cannot be undone. It cannot be controverted. It cannot be disannulled. So the answer to our guilt and our condemnation is justification. Justification is the passing of a sentence in favor of a person by which the reward prescribed by the law is given unto him, and it is a declaration of the judge.
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Now, I want you to listen carefully. Justification differs from regeneration and sanctification. These three things always go together, but they are different. They're not the same. And if you try to confuse these three doctrines, then you're going to be confused and you are going to confuse other people as well. So let me try to make some comparisons, as well as some distinctions for you. Okay? Justification differs from regeneration, although they are inseparably connected. Regeneration is an act of God the Father.
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James 1:18, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth." Justification is the sentence of God the Judge. That's why Abraham asks in Genesis 18 and verse 25, "...shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" So, justification is an act of God the Judge. Regeneration is an act of God the Father. Regeneration gives me a place in the family of God. Justification secures my standing before His throne. Okay? Regeneration is internal since it is the implantation of divine life in the soul. Justification is external since it is the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ to my account, which I will explain tomorrow night. In regeneration, I am drawn in repentance to the Father's house.
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In justification, I'm given the best robe which fits me for His presence. So justification differs from regeneration. However, let me make this clear. There is no such thing as a justified unregenerate person. Those whom God justifies, He regenerates. Those who are regenerated have been justified. Okay? So, although justification and regeneration differ, they're always together. Let me also point out that justification differs from sanctification. Here's some of the differences. Sanctification is moral or experiential. Justification is legal and forensic. Sanctification is the operation of the Holy Spirit within me. Justification is based upon what Christ has done for me. Sanctification is gradual and progressive.
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You should be more sanctified tomorrow than you are today. You should be more holy next week than you are this week. Sanctification is gradual and progressive. Justification is instantaneous and immutable. Listen to this. Sanctification admits degrees in this life and is never perfect. Justification, that is not perfect in this life. Justification is complete and admits no increase or decrease. Let me explain it like this. Some of you tonight are more holy than the rest. I'm not picking out each one and saying you're holy or unholy. I'm just saying, since there are degrees in sanctification. For instance, a father in the faith should be more holy and more godly than a young man in the faith. And the young man in the faith should be more holy and more godly than a babe in the faith. So there are degrees in sanctification. There are degrees in holiness, if you please. But there are no degrees in justification.
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Do you realize that the mighty Apostle Paul is no more justified than you or me? We are just as justified as Paul, or Peter, or Apollos. Justification does not admit degrees. Sanctification concerns the state of the sinner, and justification concerns the standing of the sinner. Sanctification produces a moral transformation of character. Justification is a change in legal status.
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Now, let me say it again. Although justification differs from regeneration and sanctification, regeneration and sanctification always accompany justification. There is no such thing as a justified, unregenerate, unsanctified person. When you confuse these doctrines, you become thoroughly confused yourself, and you cannot possibly progress in the faith as you should. Justification is an act of God when He remits the sins of guilty men and accounts them righteous freely by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. So, the ground of justification can never, ever be the works of man, which we will see more in detail tomorrow night.
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So, tonight, I've got two points. I want to start on our definition. Justification is an act of God's free grace. First of all, I want you to notice the author of justification. Justification is an act of God. It is something that God alone does. So if you look in Romans 8 and verse 33 again, the question is, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" Watch. "It is God that justifieth." Justification is the work of God alone. However, when you study the Bible, you're going to find out that justification, since it is the work of God alone, is ascribed to all three persons in the Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost.
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Now, let me just try to explain this temporarily. When you talk about the Trinity, you have to understand the ontological Trinity and the economical Trinity. The ontological trinity is just based on the Greek word ontos, which is being. And all the ontological trinity is, is the logical order of being, which is Father, Son, Holy Ghost. That's the ontological trinity. The economical trinity is how God works, how God moves. Everything is always out of the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. That is how God works. Everything is out of the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit. So, I want you to see first, that justification is ascribed to God the Father.
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So if you look again in Romans 8 in verse 33, he asks, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." Look in your Bibles to Romans 3 and verse 26. Romans 3 and verse 26. In fact, we must read verse 25 just so you can see that God the Father is there. In fact, we'll begin with verse 23. Romans 3 verse 23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God," that is God the Father, "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," that is God the Father, "might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." So in this passage, God the Father is designated as the author of justification. If you'll skip down to verse 30, "Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith."
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So, justification is an act of God, and in this passage, it is ascribed to God the Father. If you will turn in your Bibles to Acts 13, beginning there with verse 37, you're going to see here that justification is ascribed to God the Son. Acts 13, beginning there with verse 37, notice if you would, "But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption." So we're talking about Jesus Christ. God the Father raised Jesus Christ and he saw no corruption. Verse 38, "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins."
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"And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." Note, "...and by him all that believe are justified from all things." So in this passage, justification is ascribed to God the Son. So it's already been ascribed to God the Father, now it's been ascribed to God the Son. And if you'll look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 6, you'll see that justification is also ascribed to God the Holy Spirit. Notice, if you would, 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 11.
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And he says, "And such were some of you." Well, let's go back to verse 9, so you can see who some of you were. He says, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
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"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." So here, justification is ascribed to God the Holy Spirit.
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Now, think about it like this. God the Father justifies when He declares or pronounces us righteous. God the Son justifies as He imputes His righteousness to us. And God the Holy Spirit justifies as He clears up our titles and seals us unto the day of redemption. So justification is an act of God. It's important that you understand that justification is something that God alone can do. Man cannot justify. Only God can justify because it is His act.
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Now, what's the second point tonight? Here it is. Justification is an act of God's free grace.
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Now, go back, if you would, to Romans 3. Romans 3. We just read it. But I want you to see the source of justification. Romans 3. Notice, if you would please, the Bible says in verse 24, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Now, let that verse twirl around in your mind just for a moment, "being justified freely by his grace."
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Now, the word "freely" is from the Greek word dorean, and the word really means far more than simply a gift. When we think about God's free grace, we normally think of a gift. Well, let me put it like this. Here's how we think about it. Suppose Greg tells me, "Brother Weaver, if you come meet me tomorrow at the cafeteria, I'll buy your dinner." I say, "Fine." And I meet him and we fellowship together and he buys our dinner, my dinner. So I go back and I look at Brother Ray and I say, "Brother Greg just bought my dinner. I got a free meal." Now, what do I mean when I say I got a free meal? I mean, it didn't cost me anything. It was a gift. Greg bought it for me. Now, I use that illustration just to tell you, that's not what this word means. Now, you can still invite me to dinner, but that's not what this word means. When the Bible says, "being justified freely by his grace," the word dorean here literally means freely or without a cause.
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Ah. Turn in your Bibles to John chapter 15. John 15. And look if you would please at verse 25. John 15. In fact, let's read verse 24 and verse 25. Because our Lord is speaking, and I want you to see what He said. And this is a quote, by the way, from the Psalms. Verse 25 is anyhow. Look at verse 24. Our Lord said, John 15 verse 24, "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin."
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"But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." You see those three words in our English Bible, "without a cause." "They hated me without a cause." Guess what? It is the Greek word, dorean. The same exact word that is translated as "being justified freely by his grace." Now, what did our Lord mean when He said, "They hated me without a cause"? Here's what it meant.
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Jesus Christ is perfect God and perfect man. Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God. Jesus Christ is God incarnate. Jesus Christ was pure, holy, harmless, and undefiled. There was nothing in Jesus Christ that drew forth, merited, or earned their hatred. They hated Him freely. There was no cause of their hatred. But they hated Him freely. There's nothing in Him that drew forth that hatred or that anger. No, no. He's the Son of God. Being justified freely by His grace, there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the grace of God.
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You did not earn it. You did not merit it. You did not deserve it. It was not because you were pretty or handsome or smart or dumb. No, no, no, no. There was nothing in you that drew forth the grace of God. God freely moved upon us in His grace. Just like men freely hated Jesus Christ when He did not deserve to be hated, and nothing in Him drew forth their hatred, there was nothing in us that merited or drew forth the grace of God. If you look back in your Bibles to Romans chapter 5, I want you to notice a word that is used in reference to grace. Look in Romans chapter 5.
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In verses 20 and 21. Romans 5 verses 20 and 21. Notice what the Bible says. Romans 5, verse 20, "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." If grace reigns, it is sovereign. It comes at God's pleasure and not ours. There was absolutely nothing in us that constrain God or drew forth that grace. Someone says, "But you don't understand, Brother Weaver, I just needed to be saved." Really? What about all the other people in the world that need to be saved, really need to be saved, that are not saved?
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Do you remember in John chapter 5, our Lord walked among those at the pool of Bethesda. The Bible says in that area lay a great multitude of impotent folk, lame, blind, waiting for the moving of the water. And what did our Lord do? He walked through and singled out one man and said, "Wilt thou be made whole?" And the man said, "I have no man to help me when the water is being stirred to get down there."
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"While I am coming, another steppeth down before me." Our Lord says, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And he did so. How many of those people did our Lord heal? One. How many needed healing? All of them. Could He not have just as easily healed every one of them? Yes. Why did He only heal one? Our Lord answers that. In John chapter 5, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." In other words, just like sovereignty demonstrates that God the Father is God, sovereignty demonstrates that Jesus Christ is God. Multitudes may have needed it, but grace is sovereign and grace reigns and comes only at the pleasure of God. There was nothing in us that drew forth the grace of God. There was everything in us that would repel God because all we did was sin and violate His law.
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And any justification that glories in anything other than free grace is an unbiblical and unscriptural concept. So, we have to ask this question. In what way is justification an act of God's free grace unto sinners? Well, first, it was pure grace that God was willing to accept satisfaction at the hands of a substitute or a surety. You have to understand that you owed the debt. I owed the debt. We sinned. We violated God's law. We transgressed.
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We are the iniquitous ones. We owed the debt. It's kind of like if Mark came up to me and said, "I need to borrow $10,000." And I said, "Fine." And I had it. And I loaned him $10,000 with the stipulation to be back in 30 days, etc., etc., you know, that kind of thing. So 30 days comes along and Mark doesn't have my money. And finally, after 45 days, I come up and I say, "I want my money."
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He says, "I don't have it." I said, "Mark, let me tell you something. If you don't give me that money by tomorrow, I'm going to take it out on your hide. I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp. You will wish you had given me that money a hundred times over by the time I get through with you." And Greg overhears me saying that to Mark. And Greg looks at me and says, "No, no, no, no, no. You don't have to hurt him. Here, I'll give you the money for Mark." I could look at Greg and say, "Who are you? You don't owe me any money. Get out of my sight. Mark is the one that owes me the money and he better get it or I'm going to beat him half to death." I don't have to take satisfaction at the hands of another. Mark owes the debt. So it's pure grace that God was willing to take satisfaction at the hand of another.
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Secondly, I must point out, it was wondrous grace that God Himself wonderfully provided the substitute and the surety. Do you know what the Bible says? Go back to Romans 3. Look at it. Look at it. Romans chapter 3. Notice, if you would please, verse 24. Look carefully. "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God," that is whom the Father, "hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." God sent His Son. God set Him forth. God said, "I will not only accept a substitute, I will not only accept a surety, I will provide Him." That's why the Bible says in Galatians 4, verses 4 and 5, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Notice what the Bible says, "God sent forth his Son." So it was pure grace that God was willing to accept a substitute.
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It was wondrous grace that God graciously gave us His Son, and thirdly, it was amazing grace that Jesus Christ willingly undertook to suffer in our place in our stead. In Hebrews 10, verses 6 and 7, which is a quote from the Psalms, "In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." Jesus Christ amazingly, willingly took our place and suffered in our stead.
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Next time you're singing the hymn, "O to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. Let thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee." Sing it with zeal, because you are a debtor to grace. I want you to consider just a couple of applications. The first one is this. I've already given you the author of justification, that is God. It really does not matter if one thinks, or really if one thinks or believes about justification, I assure you something. The truth of the matter is God is the author of justification and not man. And if God does not justify, it does not matter what you do or how you live, you are still condemned and you are not justified. God is the author of justification, not man. You say, "But I've lived for Him for all these years. I've done this and I've done that."
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Do you remember that passage in Matthew chapter 7? Our Lord said, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you." "Oh Lord, Lord, do you not remember us? In thy name we've cast out demons. In thy name we've done wondrous works. In thy name we've done all these things. We've even prophesied and preached in your name." Jesus said, "I never knew you." Do you want to trust in your works?
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The truth of the matter is, it's God who justifies. You cannot justify yourself. Your works will never cut it. God is the author of justification. Secondly, if God is the author of justification, it is a declaration that none can alter or cancel. There is no court of appeals. You cannot go above and beyond God. He is the supreme judge. What did he say in Romans 8 and verse 33?
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"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?" It doesn't matter what the devil says. It doesn't matter if the demons of this world and all the unbelievers and all the ungodly united in rebellion against God's legal forensic declaration. They can't change it. When God says justified, no one can alter it. No one can repeal it. Thirdly, if God is the author of justification, it is a declaration that is founded upon truth and reality. God does not do that which He condemns as sin and wickedness.
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You remember He said in Proverbs 17 and verse 15, "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination in his sight." When God pronounces a man righteous in regard to the law, he has been made righteous in Jesus Christ. His declaration is grounded in truth and in reality. If God is the author of justification, his act must be based solely upon his grace. Because each of us has foully revolted, we've transgressed his law, we've rebelled, we've sinned, we've been disobedient and full of iniquity. Not one deserves God's grace or God's mercy. Justification is an act of God's free grace.
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Let me ask you a question. When is the last time you really thanked God for your salvation? When is the last time you really sought to understand the person and work of Jesus Christ and how God saves sinners that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ? I'm going to explain that tomorrow night by God's grace. You have to understand this.
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The only reason you're alive tonight. The only reason you did not die in your sleep last night is because of God's grace and God's mercies. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed. Because His compassions, they fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. If you learn anything tonight, learn that God is the author of justification. And the source is His free grace.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You for Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the great salvation that He has purchased and that He has worked out. We give Thee praise and honor and glory. We worship Thee as the one true and the living God. And we worship Thee through Your Son, the Lord Jesus, in the Spirit, in Christ's name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:40:30Z

Justification by Faith Alone - 1

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver introduces the doctrine of justification by faith alone (Sola Fidei), emphasizing its centrality to the gospel and the Reformation. He defines justification as a legal, forensic declaration by God, not an infusion of righteousness, and distinguishes it from regeneration and sanctification. The sermon covers the author of justification (God alone) and its source (God's free grace), with the remaining points to be continued in the next session.

Opening

Introduction and Importance of Justification

Weaver introduces the topic, citing Romans 5:1 and the five solas of the Reformation, and explains why justification by faith alone is the article of the standing or falling church.

Scripture Reading — Job 25:4

Probably everyone has heard of the five solas. The five solas is a term used to designate the five great foundational rallying cries of the Reformers. They were, and are, sola scriptura, the Scriptures alone; sola gratia, grace alone; sola fidei, faith alone; solus Christus, Christ alone; and soli Deo gloria, to God alone be the glory. The doctrine of justification by faith alone was the principal truth that God used during the Reformation. It was this truth that led the Reformers out of Rome and a host of other individuals as well. Martin Luther, the Reformer, declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church. By that he simply meant this. To the degree that the church understood the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it stood. It was a standing church. But once the church lost this, or did not understand it, then the church basically fell or was fallen. Now, why would Martin Luther say that justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church? Well, the answer to that is because the basic question that is asked in Job 25 and verse 4 is this, "How then can a man be just with God?" How then can a man be just with God? Paul answered that question in Romans 1, verses 16 and 17, he said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Listen to what he said next, "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Notice what he said about the gospel.

Definition of Justification

The Meaning of Justification as a Legal Declaration

Justification is explained as a forensic term meaning to declare righteous, not to make righteous. It is a change in legal status, not a subjective change in character.

Biblical Evidence for Justification as Declaration

Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 25:1, Proverbs 17:15, Luke 7:29, and Romans 8:33-34 are used to show that justification is a legal pronouncement, the opposite of condemnation.

Scripture Reading — Luke 7:29-30

"But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves."

Distinctions from Regeneration and Sanctification

Justification is distinguished from regeneration (an internal act of God the Father) and sanctification (a gradual moral transformation), though all three always accompany each other.

James 1:18,

Scripture Reading — James 1:18

"Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth."

The Author of Justification: God Alone

Justification is an act of God, ascribed to all three persons of the Trinity: the Father declares righteous, the Son imputes righteousness, and the Spirit seals and clears our title.

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:23-26

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God,"

that is God the Father,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:23-26

"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,"

that is God the Father,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:23-26

"might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:37-39

"But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption."

So we're talking about Jesus Christ. God the Father raised Jesus Christ and he saw no corruption. Verse 38,

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:37-39

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

Note,

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:37-39

"...and by him all that believe are justified from all things."

The Source of Justification: God's Free Grace

Justification is by God's free grace (dorean), meaning without any cause in us. Grace is sovereign and unmerited, as seen in God providing Christ as our substitute.

In verses 20 and 21. Romans 5 verses 20 and 21. Notice what the Bible says. Romans 5, verse 20,

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:20-21

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Applications and Conclusion

Applications emphasize that God alone justifies, His declaration is unalterable, and it is based on truth. Believers are urged to thank God for His grace and salvation.

Justification by Faith Alone - 1

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1114162252369
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Sola Fide And Justification
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-11-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 145: Justification by Faith Alone — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	73

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Importance of Justification: Weaver introduces the topic, citing Romans 5:1 and the five solas of the Reformation, and explains why justification by faith alone is the article of the standing or falling church.
Definition of Justification: A detailed definition is given: justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, pardoning their sins and accounting them righteous solely through Christ's obedience and satisfaction, received by faith alone.
The Meaning of Justification as a Legal Declaration: Justification is explained as a forensic term meaning to declare righteous, not to make righteous. It is a change in legal status, not a subjective change in character.
Biblical Evidence for Justification as Declaration: Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 25:1, Proverbs 17:15, Luke 7:29, and Romans 8:33-34 are used to show that justification is a legal pronouncement, the opposite of condemnation.
Distinctions from Regeneration and Sanctification: Justification is distinguished from regeneration (an internal act of God the Father) and sanctification (a gradual moral transformation), though all three always accompany each other.
The Author of Justification: God Alone: Justification is an act of God, ascribed to all three persons of the Trinity: the Father declares righteous, the Son imputes righteousness, and the Spirit seals and clears our title.
The Source of Justification: God's Free Grace: Justification is by God's free grace (dorean), meaning without any cause in us. Grace is sovereign and unmerited, as seen in God providing Christ as our substitute.
Applications and Conclusion: Applications emphasize that God alone justifies, His declaration is unalterable, and it is based on truth. Believers are urged to thank God for His grace and salvation.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Justification is a legal declaration, not an infusion

Weaver argues from Scripture that to justify means to declare righteous, not to make righteous, contrasting it with the Roman Catholic view of infused righteousness.

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord. Do you think the Lord would be mad at someone if someone was able to actually infuse righteousness into a wicked man and make him into a righteous man? No.

Justification is the opposite of condemnation

Using Romans 8:33-34, Weaver shows that justification and condemnation are mutually exclusive legal states before God.

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?

Justification is an act of God alone

Weaver demonstrates that justification is ascribed to all three persons of the Trinity, emphasizing that only God can justify.

It is God that justifieth... justification is ascribed to God the Father... to God the Son... to God the Holy Spirit.

Grace is the sole source of justification

Justification is by God's free grace, meaning there is nothing in us that merits or causes it; it is sovereign and unearned.

Being justified freely by his grace... there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the grace of God.

God's grace in providing a substitute is wondrous

It was pure grace that God accepted a substitute, wondrous grace that He provided His Son, and amazing grace that Christ willingly suffered in our place.

It was pure grace that God was willing to accept satisfaction at the hands of a substitute or a surety... God sent forth his Son... Jesus Christ amazingly, willingly took our place and suffered in our stead.

Scripture References

Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Job 25:4: How then can a man be just with God?
Romans 1:16-17: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ... For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Luke 2:13-14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Revelation 4:11: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Matthew 9:11-13: They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick... I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Deuteronomy 25:1: Then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
Proverbs 17:15: He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Luke 7:29-30: And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God... But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves.
Luke 16:14-15: Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts.
Romans 8:33-34: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?
Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
James 1:18: Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth.
Genesis 18:25: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Romans 3:23-26: For all have sinned... Being justified freely by his grace... that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Acts 13:37-39: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
John 15:24-25: They hated me without a cause.
Romans 5:20-21: Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Galatians 4:4-5: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.

Historical References

The Reformation and the Five Solas: The five solas (sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fidei, solus Christus, soli Deo gloria) were the foundational rallying cries of the Reformers, with justification by faith alone being the principal truth used by God during the Reformation.
Martin Luther: Martin Luther declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church.
Roman Catholic Church teaching on justification: The Roman Catholic Church teaches that justification involves an infusion of righteousness, which Weaver argues against, stating that justification does not change moral character.
James Buchanan quote: James Buchanan said that the best preparation for studying justification is not intellectual ability or learning, but a conscience impressed with our condition as sinners before God.

Important Quotes

Martin Luther, the Reformer, declared that the doctrine of justification by faith alone was the article of the standing or falling church.

Highlights the critical importance of justification by faith alone for the health and orthodoxy of the church.

Justification does not refer to any subjective change wrought in a person's disposition, but it is solely and completely an objective change in his standing in relationship to the law.

Clarifies the forensic nature of justification, distinguishing it from Roman Catholic and other erroneous views.

He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord.

Used to argue that justification cannot mean making someone righteous, but is a legal declaration based on truth.

It is God that justifieth. Justification is the work of God alone.

Underscores that justification is a divine act, not a human achievement, and is ascribed to the Triune God.

The best preparation for the study of the doctrine of justification is neither great intellectual ability nor much scholastic learning, but a conscience impressed with a sense of our actual condition as sinners before God.

Quoting James Buchanan to stress that understanding justification begins with recognizing one's sinfulness.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why did Martin Luther call justification by faith alone the 'article of the standing or falling church'?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the church stands or falls based on its understanding of this doctrine, as it answers the fundamental question of how a man can be just with God.

[Question]

How does the biblical definition of justification as a legal declaration differ from the Roman Catholic view of infused righteousness?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts the forensic declaration of righteousness with the idea of an internal change, using Proverbs 17:15 and other passages.

[Question]

What are the practical implications of justification being an act of God alone, and how does this affect our assurance of salvation?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that since God justifies, no one can condemn or alter that declaration, providing unshakable assurance.

[Question]

In what ways does the word 'dorean' (freely, without a cause) deepen our understanding of God's grace in justification?

[Context]

Weaver explains that 'dorean' means there is nothing in us that merits grace, just as there was nothing in Christ that merited hatred.

[Question]

How should the distinction between justification, regeneration, and sanctification affect our Christian walk and understanding of salvation?

[Context]

Weaver outlines the differences and connections, warning that confusing them leads to confusion in the faith.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T07:43:06Z