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

Sola Fide And Justification - Part 2 of 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2016-11-08

Synopsis: In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver continues his study on justification by faith alone, reviewing its definition and unpacking its key components. He explains that justification is an act of God's free grace toward sinners, consisting of both the pardon of sins and the imputation of Christ's perfect righteousness. The ground of justification is solely the person and work of Jesus Christ, not any works or inherent righteousness in the believer. The method is imputation: our sins were credited to Christ, and His righteousness is credited to us. Faith is the instrumental means by which we receive this gift, not the ground of justification. Weaver emphasizes that faith alone, apart from works, unites us to Christ and appropriates His righteousness.

[John Weaver] Let's begin by looking at Romans 5 and verse 1 and this is so lofty day that is faith alone and justification Romans 5 verse 1 says therefore being justified by faith We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, let me take just a few moments and review last week's message on part one. I pointed out how justification is indeed a legal, forensic term. It is, in fact, a declaration of the law court. It is the declaration of a judge. I also pointed out from Deuteronomy, Proverbs 17, Luke 6, Luke 16, how that it is simply a pronunciation. It is a declaration. And I showed how that even used in human terms, it is still just simply a declaration.

[John Weaver] It has nothing to do with infusing righteousness into anyone. It is a term of the law courts. I also pointed out that there is no such thing as a justified unregenerate or unsanctified person. It is true that justification, regeneration, and sanctification differ, but all those who are justified have been regenerated and sanctified as well. Those things always go together, although they are separate and different.

[John Weaver] Now, the definition that I've tried to give you is a very simple one, yet this definition can be found in the Bible. It could also be found basically in the Westminster Confession of Faith, in the Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith, the Old London Confession of Faith. All you have to do is look up justification by faith and you're going to find something similar. Sometimes it might be more extensive, but it's going to say, in essence, the same thing. So here it is.

[John Weaver] Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardons all 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 Jesus Christ by faith imputed unto them and received by faith alone. Or by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. So this definition then basically summarizes justification by faith.

[John Weaver] Now last week we only looked at two points. we saw first of all the author of justification. Justification is an act of God. I pointed out how that justification is ascribed in the Bible to all three persons of the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. God the Father justifies us by declaring by pronouncing us justified. God the Son does so by imputing his righteousness, and God the Holy Spirit does so by sealing us up and sealing our lives unto the day of redemption. So all three persons in the Godhead are given here the act of justification. Then I pointed out that justification is an act of God's free grace. So that was the source of justification. It is free grace. And I pointed out that free does not just simply means it doesn't cost us anything or that it is a gift. It means far more than that.

[John Weaver] For in John 15 verse 25, our Lord said, they hated me without a cause. And the Greek word there is Dorian. And it's the same word that is used in Romans 3, being justified freely by His grace. So since Jesus Christ is God, He is perfect, He is sinless. There was nothing in Him that drew forth or merited their hatred. They hated Him freely. Likewise, when it comes to justification, there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the free grace of God. We didn't earn it. We didn't merit it. It's not that we just needed it. God just instantly gave it to us.

[John Weaver] In fact, the Bible tells us that we have everything to our demerit. We were sinners. We were vile. We were wicked. We were undone. And so obviously in first Peter chapter 5 in verse 10 God is called the God of all grace and when God comes to us in grace It has absolutely nothing to do with what we are in and of ourselves, or what we have, or what we have done. In fact, the Bible says in Isaiah 43 and verse 25, God said, I, even I, am he that blotteth out all thy transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. when you get to Psalm 106 and verse 8. The Bible says, nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake that He might make His mighty power to be known. So God saved us for His name's sake.

[John Weaver] So we cannot look for one moment for anything in us or anything around us. The only thing that we can look for is actually the free grace of God. It is the only reason, it is the only motive that He should ever save us or take even notice of us at all. So we're justified freely by His grace even without a cause. God did not justify us. God did not save us because we needed saving. Someone says, why did God save you? Well, I needed to be saved. Well, there are a lot of people that need to be saved that aren't saved. So we have to look only to the grace of God.

[John Weaver] In Titus 3 verses 3 and 5, Paul wrote and said, For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, But according to his own mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now listen to this next verse, that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. So even all that we were were justified by grace. So today I want to continue our study and work our way through this definition. So let me give you the next point. When you remember the definition of justification, justification is an act of God. There's the author. It is an act of God's free grace. There's the source.

[John Weaver] Now, the third one is the subjects. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners. So you have to ask this question. Who is it that God justifies? Well, let me try to answer that question for you from three different perspectives or from three different standpoints. Since you're in the book of Romans, if you look in Romans 8 and verse 33, very quickly, the Bible asks, Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. So then, from the standpoint of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are His elect. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? And God's elect are those whom He chose in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world. He said very clearly in Ephesians 1 verses 3 and 4, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ according This is now according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world That we

[John Weaver] should be holy and without blame before him in love. So he chose us in Christ Before the foundation of the world if you would turn in your Bibles whole Romans But turn in your Bibles to the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 1 2nd Timothy chapter 1 Look at what Paul tells Timothy verse 8 Paul is in prison and he says this 2nd Timothy 1 verse 8 be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor me as prisoner But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God now watch if you would verse 9 and According to the power of God that is God in his power who has saved us and called us with a holy calling Not according to our own works, but according to his own purpose in grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began So from the standpoint then of God's eternal decree those whom he justifies or his elect those whom He gave grace in Christ Jesus before the world ever began Now if you will go back in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 13 Here's the second statement Acts chapter 13 From the standpoint or from the perspective of the effects produced by the work of the Holy Spirit Those whom he justifies

[John Weaver] are those who believe So look in Acts 13 verse 38 and 39. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man that is Jesus Christ is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. So then standpoint of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are the elect. From the standpoint of the quickening of the Holy Spirit, those whom He justifies are those who believed. The Bible says concerning Abraham in Romans 4, if you will go back there and look at it, in Romans chapter 4 verses 23-25, Romans 4 verse 23, Notice if you would Romans 4 verse 23 Now was written not was not written for his sake alone That is for Abraham's sake alone that it was imputed to him But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him That raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification So then from the standpoint of the ministry and the work of the Holy Spirit

[John Weaver] those whom God justifies Are those who believe now? Thirdly from the perspective and the standpoint of what we are in and of ourselves Look in Romans 4 in verse 5 But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly His faith is counted to him for righteousness. Now, I want you to note in this verse, God justifies the ungodly. He does not justify those that try their best. He does not justify those who are moral and upright and self-righteous. He does not justify those who try to get their good works to outweigh their bad works. No. He justifies those that are absolutely destitute of righteousness and have absolutely nothing in themselves. They have no acceptable works. They have no good deeds. They have nothing to recommend them. They are nothing but pure, unadulterated sinners. Now, if you'll look back to verse 5 again, he says, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

[John Weaver] Now John Owen, in commenting on this verse, made this statement. He said, To say, he who worketh not is justified through believing, is to say that his works, whatever they may be, have no influence in his justification, nor hath God in justifying him in respect to them. Wherefore he alone who worketh not the subject of justification the person to be justified that is God considered no man's works no man's duties of obedience in his justification seeing were justified freely by his grace so obviously then he is saying that He justifies the ungodly.

[John Weaver] And if I had time to go over Romans chapter 4, there are two wonderful illustrations in this chapter, that of Abraham and that of David. Do you remember where Abraham was when God found him and saved him? He was in Ur of the Chaldees. He was an idolater. He was not seeking after God. God sought him. And what about David? David was a whoremonger, an adulterer, a murderer. And God saved him and justified him. So here in Romans chapter 4 is basically what you and I would call a divine miracle.

[John Weaver] Here is the very heart of the gospel. Here God justifies the ungodly and he allows the ungodly to enter into a new and blessed relationship with himself. The Apostle Paul said it like this in 1st Timothy chapter 1 in verse 15 He said this is a faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Jesus Christ came in the world of safe sinners of whom I am chief So I want you to think about this for a moment The gospel of Jesus Christ And the mercy that God shows us through Jesus Christ differs from all other false gospels and all other religious systems. The gospel of Jesus Christ does not hold out hope for the self-righteous. It does not hold out hope for those who do their best. It does not hold out hope for the Pharisee. It holds out hope for the vilest and the most despicable sinner. All these other religions, you know, if you do this and you do that, well, you have hope. No, no, no. Message in the gospel of Jesus Christ There's hope only for sinners There's a beautiful hymn.

[John Weaver] We used to sing it all the time in our church. The title of it is come ye sinners Let me give you the stanzas. Listen carefully. I'm gonna just repeat the course one time But here's the first stanza come ye sinners poor and needy Weak and wounded sick and sore Jesus ready stands to save you full of pity joined with power Now the course would be this I will arise and go to Jesus He will embrace me in

[John Weaver] his arms in the arms of my dear Savior. Oh, there are 10,000 charms So here's the second stanza Come ye thirsty come and welcome God's free bounty glorify true belief and true repentance every grace that brings you nigh third stanza Come you weary heavy laden lost and ruined by the fall if you tarry till you're better You will not come at all Let not conscience make you linger nor fitness fondly dream all the fitness he required is to feel your need of him And that's true.

[John Weaver] Jesus Christ came to save sinners. So who then are the subjects of justification? And the answer is sinners, the ungodly. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the fourth point. The essence of justification. So when you talk about justification and the essence, you're talking about that which justification consists, that which makes it up. So I want you to listen to this definition. Justification is the act of God's free grace unto sinners in which he pardoned all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in his sight. So in this definition, you now have a negative and a positive. The negative would be he pardons all of our sins because our sins were against him and against his law. And the positive would be that he accepts and accounts our persons righteous in his sight.

[John Weaver] Now, I've often heard preachers ask this question. I've also heard well-meaning Christians ask this question to those to whom they're witnessing, sometimes of their own family, sometimes their friends. And the question is asked something like this. Do not you want your sins forgiven so that you may go to heaven? And if you stop and think about that Forgiveness of sins does not take anyone into heaven Forgiveness of sins does not bring you into the presence of God forgiveness of sins may keep you out of punishment, but it wouldn't get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in God's presence, you need more than forgiveness of sins. You need an absolute positive righteousness.

[John Weaver] Now, the justified sinner sustained a twofold relation to God. First, He was a responsible creature born under the law. And second, he was a guilty criminal having transgressed that law, violated that law. The very fact that he violated God's law and the very fact that he's a criminal does not cancel out his responsibilities. And it's another sermon. I'm not going to preach it now, but there's a vast difference between responsibility and ability. And it is true in the fall that man lost his ability to please God, but he did not lose his responsibility. So remember now, man was made under the law. Therefore, he has responsibility. He's a sinner. Therefore, he has sins. He's a criminal.

[John Weaver] So justification now answers these things. Because in justification, we are made free from all of our guilt and condemnation through the work of Jesus Christ. Galatians 3 verse 13 tells us, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For as it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. So the curse that we were under has now been removed by the person and work of Jesus Christ. So that means he washed away our sins, he removed our guilt, he removed our condemnation. The second thing is this, in justification there is now a reception into God's favor. So the essence of justification is not that just he pardons all of our sins, but now he accepts and accounts us righteous in his sight.

[John Weaver] Now, I'll explain this verse a little bit later. But in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21, the Bible says, For he, that is God the Father, hath made him, that is God the Son, to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And when you get to 1 Corinthians 1 in verse 30, But of him, that is of God the Father, of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God It's made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification.

[John Weaver] So here's the point I'm trying to make. Jesus Christ in his person and work has paid all of my debts. But he hasn't only paid my debts. He has discharged my responsibilities fully as well. So my law giver is my law fulfiller. So God then can righteously be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ, because in justification, he not only pardons our transgressions, he accepts and accounts us righteous in Jesus Christ. Now, how can God do this? How can God do that when we know, not only the scripture tells us, but we know from experience that we're ungodly and wicked in and of ourselves? Well, let's come to the ground of justification. Listen, if you would. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardoned all their sins accepts and accounts their persons righteous in his sight now. Here's the ground Not for anything wrought in them or done by them But only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ So You have a negative and a positive The negative is not for anything wrought in us or done by us.

[John Weaver] I'm going to deal with that negative first. You remember that passage I quoted a little bit earlier, Titus three and verse five, not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his own mercy, he saved us. And then, of course, the apostle said in Galatians 2 and verse 16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified in the faith of Christ or by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall no man be justified. And then when you get to Romans 3 and verse 28, he says it like this. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

[John Weaver] So I mentioned this to you before, and let me emphasize it now. Our works could never be meritorious. We can never earn salvation. No one has ever been saved by keeping the law. No one will ever be saved by keeping the law. Why? Because the law demands three things of every individual. It demands a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. No one has ever rendered to the law that which it requires except Jesus Christ. So if, for instance, just to show you, let's suppose that each one of us today, from this instance on, became absolutely perfect. We became perfect in thought, word, and deed. We never sinned again from now to the day that we died.

[John Weaver] Would that take us into the presence of God? No. For what about those sins we committed before we got perfect? You see what I'm saying? So obviously no one can be saved by the law. A fallen creature, a depraved man, cannot give to the law that which it demands. Our best is absolutely nothing but failure. why he said in Isaiah 64 and verse 6, but we are all as an unclean thing and all of our righteousnesses are filthy rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away. So obviously it is impossible to be saved by the law. In fact the Apostle Paul said it like this in Galatians 3 and verse 21, is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law that could have given righteousness, then verily, or given life, then verily righteousness would have been by the law. So if there had been a law given that could give life, then righteousness would have been by the law.

[John Weaver] If you can be saved by law, any law, then Jesus Christ died in vain. And that's Paul's argument right there.

[John Weaver] Now, there's another negative in this definition. Not by works done by them or works that are wrought in them. Not for anything wrought in them. Simply stated, we are not justified because of repentance or faith or regeneration or anything that is wrought in us. We're not justified because we believed. It is true that we receive this blessing by faith, but faith is not the ground of our justification Well, what is the ground of our justification? Listen again not for anything wrought in them or done by them but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. So the ground of our justification is wholly, totally, and completely outside of ourselves. It is found only in the person and work of Jesus Christ. So it is not Christ plus. It is not Christ and. It is Christ alone. It is Jesus Christ period. Now, when we talk about the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, all that refers to is everything about Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] It would refer to his virgin birth, his sinless life, his death, his burial, his resurrection, his ascension in heaven, his intercession, In fact, if you will look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 13, Hebrews chapter 13. And notice if you would beginning there with verse 10. This is a beautiful verse talking about Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13 verse 10. He says we have an altar where if they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle So if you want to go back to the types and emblems Then you have no right to Jesus Christ verse 11 for the bodies of those beasts Whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by thy priest for sin or burn without the camp now watch where for Jesus also That he might sanctify the people with his own blood Suffered without the gate Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach note if you would Jesus That he might sanctify the people with his own blood now we are justified and we're declared righteous in view of the fact that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to us in this work God does not set aside his law He keeps that law.

[John Weaver] He honors that law That's why in Romans chapter 3 the Bible says that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus So when we're justified the ground is only the person and work of Jesus Christ Now here's the question How does God do that? Because we know that we're sinners, and we know that Jesus Christ is righteous. So how does God do that?

[John Weaver] That brings me to the next point, the method of justification. Now listen carefully. Justification is an 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 So, how does God? Justify us and the answer is by imputation Now, let me explain something. Let me make a statement If you don't understand imputation Then you do not understand Salvation If you do not understand imputation Then it is impossible to be sound in the faith. It's just impossible The word impute Which occurs frequently in our Bible?

[John Weaver] Especially in the New Testament the word impute literally means to credit to someone's account We use the word impute today in a different sense. So here it is The Lorraine is downtown shopping She sees this beautiful dress 200 bucks it cost Shona has under 15. She really wants it But they won't reduce the price. It's only one, just her size. And other women are coming in the store, and so she wants that dress. So what she do? She reaches in her purse, pulls out that little plastic card and says, impute this to my husband's account. Well, she really didn't say that. She just says charge it. When you charge something to someone's account, that is imputation. That is exactly what this word means. Do you remember?

[John Weaver] in Philippians chapter 1 Onesimus was a runaway slave He had stolen from Philemon and ran down to Rome got in trouble got thrown into the dungeon and in the providence of God in the same dungeon the Apostle Paul was in and Paul preached to him and he got converted and And Paul sent him back to Philemon. And in Philemon 1 in verse 18, Paul says to Philemon, If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on my account.

[John Weaver] What did he just say? Impute it to me. Charge it to me. He said, I'll pay it when I come again. Put that on my account.

[John Weaver] Now, there are only three acts of imputation in the Bible. Only three. First of all, there's the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. Secondly, there's the imputation of believers' sins to Jesus Christ. And thirdly, there's the imputation of Christ's righteousness to believers. Now it's very easy to prove the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. I could quote to you like Romans 5 in verse 18, therefore as by one offense judgment came unto many. Or I could go to verse 19, for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners.

[John Weaver] But I can make it simpler than that. In fact, verse 12 is very simple. Verse 12 says wherefore is by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin. And so death passed upon all men for that all of sin. How can I prove to you that Adam's sin was imputed his posterity? And the answer is because everybody dies. I mean, that should be obvious. That should be very plain.

[John Weaver] Now, When it comes to the imputation of believer sins to Christ and Christ's righteousness to believers. You remember that verse I quoted earlier in 2nd Corinthians 5 and verse 21. Wherefore, in fact go back, go back there. Look in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. Not wherefore, but notice what the Bible does say in verse 21. For Not wherefore, but for. For he, that is God the Father, hath made him, that is God the Son, to be sinned for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

[John Weaver] Now, before I explain that, let me give you a quote. Listen carefully. Christ was not made sin by the infusion of depravity, nor are we made righteous by the infusion of holiness. Though personally holy, our surety the Lord Jesus Christ did, by entering our law place, render himself officially liable to the wrath of God. And so though personally unholy, we are by virtue of our legal identification with Christ entitled to the favor of God. As the consequence of Christ's being made sin for us was that the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all, so the consequence of Christ's obedience being reckoned to our account is that God lays righteousness upon all them that believe. As our sins were the judicial ground for the sufferings of Christ, by which sufferings He satisfied justice, so Christ's righteousness judicial ground of our acceptance with God by which our pardon is an act of justice and which we could say in which our justification also is an act of justice now when the Bible says for he that is God the Father had made him God the Son to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him this verse teaches imputation now Remember what I told you earlier that Jesus Christ is perfect man and perfect God

[John Weaver] Jesus Christ sinless Jesus Christ agreed to be our substitute in our surety Through the eternal covenant We were given to Christ We are identified with him So when Christ came in our place, there was a legal, judicial obligation upon Him by assuming suretyship for us and by assuming substitution for us. The way to explain it is this. If Gary tells me he needs to borrow some money, but the bank won't let him have money, without a cosigner.

[John Weaver] And he asked me, would I cosign the note with him? And I said, well, yes, I'll do that. So we go down to the bank. Gary signs his name. I sign my name. Guess what? If Gary doesn't pay, who do they come after? Me. Because I became a surety for him. I became a substitute for him. If He cannot pay, I'm still the surety. I'm still the substitute.

[John Weaver] Jesus Christ entered into a legal, judicially binding covenant with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. And He came in our place.

[John Weaver] Now, suppose just for a moment that this pen represents all of our sins. Here we are unholy ungodly Condemned under the wrath and under the curse of God and here is Jesus Christ So Jesus Christ comes made of a woman made under the law to redeem those that were under the law He lived a perfect holy life He gave to the law that which it demanded a personal perfect perpetual obedience a He then suffered in our stead and satisfied the wrath and the justice and the holiness of God Why did Jesus Christ suffer because he was personally innocent but yet he was Judicially or legally guilty why because God took our sins and Imputed them to Jesus Christ. He charged them to his account And then what Christ did, or what God the Father did, was He took this perfect righteousness, which God the Son earned, and now He comes over here and imputes that to our account. So He can forgive our sins because they are paid for, and we can be in the presence of God because we have a perfect righteousness that has been given to us through Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Bible tells us that this is imputation. In fact the Apostle Paul asked in Romans chapter 4 verse 1, what shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining the flesh hath found? And the answer is, he found righteousness through imputation. Verse 11 says this, and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. Romans 4 verse 22, and therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness. Romans 4 verse 24, but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. So the framework then of the imputation is that eternal covenant that is spoken of in Hebrews 13 verse 20 that was entered into between God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit before the world ever began. Because God the Father gave God the Son of people the Son agreed to die for those people To redeem them and God the Holy Spirit promised to regenerate them and convert them That is the eternal covenant that is mentioned in Hebrews 13 and verse 20 now Since you understand Imputation You ought to

[John Weaver] understand The poem and the song that was written by Horatio Boner. Listen to this. Upon a life, I did not live. Upon a death, I did not die. Another's life, another's death, I'll stake my whole eternity. Then the second stanza, not on my tears, which I have shed, Not on my sorrows, which I have known, another's tears, another's grief. On these I rest and rest alone. So that means our whole focus is upon the person and work of Jesus Christ. The method of justification is by imputation so that God can be just and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus.

[John Weaver] Now, I've got one more point, and that is this. The instrumental means of justification. If God does it, how do we receive it? Now listen to this. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which he pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in his sight, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but for only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Jesus Christ by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. The one little word alone makes the difference between truth and error. Faith alone faith alone is the instrumental cause or means of justification Now listen carefully a man is justified in faith Through faith and by faith But never on account of faith Because faith is not the grounds of justification. The personal work of Jesus Christ is the ground for justification. So we may be justified in faith, by faith, through faith, but not because of our faith.

[John Weaver] Moreover, that's something that is wrong in us. Okay? Faith is neither the ground nor the substance of our justification, but simply the hand that receives the divine gift that is offered to us in the gospel. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3 and verse 9, and be found in him not having a righteousness of mine own, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. And then he said in Romans 3 in verse 22 even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ Unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference. And then again, I've already quoted Romans 3 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Thomas Goodwin Said this listen carefully and I'm gonna explain this momentarily But he asked the question, how are we justified by faith?

[John Weaver] Having given a threefold negative answer, and here's the negative answer, not by faith as a joint cause with works, which the Romanists teach, not by faith as an act of grace in us, which the Armenians teach, not by faith that receives the Spirit's witness as the antinomians teach, He says, we now turn to the positive answer. Faith justifies only as an instrument which God has appointed to the apprehension and the application of Christ's righteousness. When we say that faith is an instrument of our justification, let it be clearly understood that we do not mean faith is an instrument wherewith God justifies, but the instrument whereby we receive Christ. Christ has merited the righteousness for us, and faith in Christ is that which renders it meet in God's sight that purchased blessings be assigned. Faith unites to Christ, and being united to Him, we are possessed of all that is in Christ, so far as it is consistent with our capacity of receiving and God's appointment in giving Having been made one with Christ in spirit.

[John Weaver] God now considers us one with him in law So let me just say this right now what Thomas Goodwin is saying is this I'm going to clarify a little bit later He is saying that we receive Our justification our salvation by faith alone only because God ordained faith God appointed faith. If God had not ordained and appointed faith, faith would have been insufficient. It wouldn't have done anything.

[John Weaver] It would have never worked. Now, the Westminster Larger Catechism asked this question, question number 73, how does faith justify a sinner in the sight of God? Here is the answer. Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works which are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, was imputed to him for its justification, but only as it is an instrument

[John Weaver] by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness. Again, the Westminster Confession says, it's only faith that grasps that which God gives. So, you could ask this question, why does the Bible speak of being justified by faith? When you and I both know that faith never travels alone. If God gives you faith, there are a multitude of other graces that always comes with faith. But why does the Bible then speak of being justified by faith alone? And the answer is because faith is the only grace that is totally receptive. Faith is nothing more than an outstretched hand saying, give Lord, please give Lord. Here I am. I'm ready to receive. Faith is the outstretched hand that receives Christ as he is fully and freely offered in the gospel.

[John Weaver] Stephen Charnock, another Puritan, said it like this, and therefore it is observed that our justification by faith is always expressed in the passive and not in the active. We are justified by faith, not that faith justifies us. The efficacy is in Christ's blood. The reception is in our faith. So, Literally, what it means is this. We're simply beggars with outstretched hands. The outstretched hand is faith. It's faith that God has ordained that apprehends and applies Jesus Christ. And the only reason faith works is because God ordained that.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you an illustration. It may be a silly illustration, but at least it'll illustrate. Okay. Let's suppose I'm starving to death. I've done without food 39 and a half days. I'm very weak. I'm very emaciated. And here comes David Price and he's bringing a great big heavy bowl full of milk and cereal. He says, there you go, big boy. Eat up. Help yourself. Well, I'm so weak. I can't pick the bowl up and get it to my mouth And I'm so weak. I'm afraid if I fall in it, I can't pick my head up and I might drown And I'm thinking what good Is that nutrition doing me? I I can't get to it and David said here Here's a spoon Help yourself And I take that spoon and I dip into that heavy bowl of cereal and I eat and I'm revived and I live Would it not be absolutely foolish of me to say the spoon saved my life Spoon didn't save my life. It was the milk in the cereal that saved my life The spoon was only a means to get to the life-saving nutrients Do you follow me?

[John Weaver] Faith saves only because faith apprehends Jesus Christ, who is life. Faith is a means to receive Jesus Christ. We know that when God gives us saving faith, that He gives us other graces as well. And we also know that real, genuine saving faith works. See, everybody understands, and most of the time came quote Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, For by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. But everybody completely misversed in. For we are His workmanship, created under good works, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath foreordained that we should walk therein before the foundation of the world. Created under good works. So, good works always follow real, genuine, saving faith. Now, let me mention one other thing.

[John Weaver] When you read the Bible, you're going to find that there are expressions in relationship to faith. There's a great faith. There's a strong faith. There's a little faith. There's a weak faith. How much faith does it take to get saved? Have you ever thought about that? Well, is my faith sufficient? What about it? Is my faith sufficient? Well, let me just show you something. Suppose this phone was a miracle working phone. Suppose this community had a horrible virus a terrible virus and it was a virus that once you called it you died but this phone emanated a certain frequency that if you came in touch this phone you would live and Well, here's somebody that's been sick for 40 days. Here's another person been sick for 20 days Here's another person been sick only for a day. All of them are dying Here's a man that just has gotten the virus in the last 10 minutes But everybody knows if they touch this phone, they're gonna be saved. They're gonna be healed And so the man that just got the virus in the last 10 minutes He runs and he grabs that phone and he hugs it like this And he's healed Here's the individual that's been sick 40 days that can barely move.

[John Weaver] They're so near death. They barely touch it. How many are healed? All of them. It wasn't the force with which you touched it. It was just that you touched it. You remember that woman Had the issue of blood. She said, if I can but touch the hem of his garment, I shall be made whole. That's all it takes. That's all it takes. You remember? That serpent in the wilderness, whosoever looketh upon the serpent shall live.

[John Weaver] Some might could stare for hours. Others might only could take a glance they were so sick. But if you looked, you lived. If you have faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, no matter if it's a great faith, a strong faith, a weak faith, or a little faith, it's still faith. And you apprehend Jesus Christ. You receive him by faith alone. Justification is an act of God's free grace in the centers in which He pardons their sins Accepts in accounts of a person's righteous in his sight not for anything wrought in them or done by them But only for the perfect obedience full satisfaction of Christ by God Imputed unto them and received by faith alone So life today faith alone. Justification is by faith and faith alone. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee.

[John Weaver] We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you for justifying faith. We thank you for your so great salvation. And Lord, we do pray for these on the prayer list. We remember also James and Effie as they travel and we remember Lord Jeff Heath. We remember, Lord, Franklin Sanders' family and Cindy's family. We think of Dan Miller's family and Jack Gordon's family. And for each one, Lord, that's suffering, we just ask your blessing and help. Give us grace now, Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen.

[John Weaver] so so

Sola Fide And Justification - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	WnSBXbjSTDI
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Sola Fide And Justification
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-11-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 174: Sola Fide And Justification — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	62

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review

Weaver opens with Romans 5:1 and reviews part one, emphasizing justification as a legal, forensic declaration, distinct from regeneration and sanctification but always accompanying them.

Let's begin by looking at Romans 5 and verse 1. And this is so lofty: that it is faith alone and justification. Romans 5 verse 1 says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:1

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

Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, let me take just a few moments and review last week's message on part one. I pointed out how justification is indeed a legal, forensic term. It is, in fact, a declaration of the law court. It is the declaration of a judge. I also pointed out from Deuteronomy, Proverbs 17, Luke 6, Luke 16, how that it is simply a pronunciation. It is a declaration. And I showed how that even used in human terms, it is still just simply a declaration.

It has nothing to do with infusing righteousness into anyone. It is a term of the law courts. I also pointed out that there is no such thing as a justified unregenerate or unsanctified person. It is true that justification, regeneration, and sanctification differ, but all those who are justified have been regenerated and sanctified as well. Those things always go together, although they are separate and different.

Now, the definition that I've tried to give you is a very simple one, yet this definition can be found in the Bible. It could also be found basically in the Westminster Confession of Faith, in the Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith, the Old London Confession of Faith. All you have to do is look up justification by faith and you're going to find something similar. Sometimes it might be more extensive, but it's going to say, in essence, the same thing. So here it is.

Definition of Justification

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

Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardons all 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 Jesus Christ by faith imputed unto them and received by faith alone. Or by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. So this definition then basically summarizes justification by faith.

The Author and Source of Justification

Reviewing the first two points: God is the author (all three persons of the Trinity), and the source is God's free grace, meaning without any cause in us.

Now last week we only looked at two points. We saw first of all the author of justification. Justification is an act of God. I pointed out how that justification is ascribed in the Bible to all three persons of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. God the Father justifies us by declaring, by pronouncing us justified. God the Son does so by imputing His righteousness, and God the Holy Spirit does so by sealing us up and sealing our lives unto the day of redemption. So all three persons in the Godhead are given here the act of justification. Then I pointed out that justification is an act of God's free grace. So that was the source of justification. It is free grace. And I pointed out that free does not just simply mean it doesn't cost us anything or that it is a gift. It means far more than that.

For in John 15 verse 25, our Lord said,

Scripture Reading — John 15:25

"They hated me without a cause."

And the Greek word there is dorean. And it's the same word that is used in Romans 3, "being justified freely by His grace." So since Jesus Christ is God, He is perfect, He is sinless. There was nothing in Him that drew forth or merited their hatred. They hated Him freely. Likewise, when it comes to justification, there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the free grace of God. We didn't earn it. We didn't merit it. It's not that we just needed it. God just instantly gave it to us.

In fact, the Bible tells us that we have everything to our demerit. We were sinners. We were vile. We were wicked. We were undone. And so obviously in 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 10, God is called the God of all grace. And when God comes to us in grace, it has absolutely nothing to do with what we are in and of ourselves, or what we have, or what we have done. In fact, the Bible says in Isaiah 43 and verse 25, God said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 43:25

"I, even I, am he that blotteth out all thy transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

When you get to Psalm 106 and verse 8, the Bible says, "Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known." So God saved us for His name's sake.

So we cannot look for one moment for anything in us or anything around us. The only thing that we can look for is actually the free grace of God. It is the only reason, it is the only motive that He should ever save us or take even notice of us at all. So we're justified freely by His grace, even without a cause. God did not justify us. God did not save us because we needed saving. Someone says, "Why did God save you?" "Well, I needed to be saved." Well, there are a lot of people that need to be saved that aren't saved. So we have to look only to the grace of God.

In Titus 3 verses 3 and 5, Paul wrote and said, "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His own mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ." Now listen to this next verse: "That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." So even all that we were, we're justified by grace. So today I want to continue our study and work our way through this definition. So let me give you the next point. When you remember the definition of justification, justification is an act of God. There's the author. It is an act of God's free grace. There's the source.

The Subjects of Justification: Sinners

God justifies the elect from eternity, those who believe from the Spirit's work, and the ungodly in themselves—those destitute of righteousness.

Now, the third one is the subjects. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners. So you have to ask this question: Who is it that God justifies? Well, let me try to answer that question for you from three different perspectives or from three different standpoints. Since you're in the book of Romans, if you look in Romans 8 and verse 33, very quickly, the Bible asks,

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:33

"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies."

So then, from the standpoint of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are His elect. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? And God's elect are those whom He chose in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world. He said very clearly in Ephesians 1 verses 3 and 4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we

should be holy and without blame before Him in love.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:3-4

" So He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. If you would turn in your Bibles—hold Romans—but turn in your Bibles to the book of 2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1. Look at what Paul tells Timothy, verse 8. Paul is in prison and he says this, 2 Timothy 1 verse 8: "

Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." Now watch, if you would, verse 9: "According to the power of God, that is God in His power, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." So from the standpoint then of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are His elect, those whom He gave grace in Christ Jesus before the world ever began. Now if you will go back in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 13. Here's the second statement. Acts chapter 13. From the standpoint or from the perspective of the effects produced by the work of the Holy Spirit, those whom He justifies

are those who believe. So look in Acts 13 verse 38 and 39:

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:38-39

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

So then, from the standpoint of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are the elect. From the standpoint of the quickening of the Holy Spirit, those whom He justifies are those who believe. The Bible says concerning Abraham in Romans 4, if you will go back there and look at it, in Romans chapter 4 verses 23-25. Romans 4 verse 23: "Now it was not written for his sake alone—that is for Abraham's sake alone—that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification." So then from the standpoint of the ministry and the work of the Holy Spirit,

Scripture Reading — Romans 4:23-25

those whom God justifies are those who believe. Now thirdly, from the perspective and the standpoint of what we are in and of ourselves, look in Romans 4 in verse 5: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness." Now, I want you to note in this verse, God justifies the ungodly. He does not justify those that try their best. He does not justify those who are moral and upright and self-righteous. He does not justify those who try to get their good works to outweigh their bad works. No. He justifies those that are absolutely destitute of righteousness and have absolutely nothing in themselves. They have no acceptable works. They have no good deeds. They have nothing to recommend them. They are nothing but pure, unadulterated sinners. Now, if you'll look back to verse 5 again, he says, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

Now John Owen, in commenting on this verse, made this statement. He said, "To say, 'He who worketh not is justified through believing,' is to say that his works, whatever they may be, have no influence in his justification, nor hath God in justifying him in respect to them. Wherefore he alone who worketh not is the subject of justification, the person to be justified. That is, God considers no man's works, no man's duties of obedience in his justification, seeing we are justified freely by His grace." So obviously then he is saying that He justifies the ungodly. And if I had time to go over Romans chapter 4, there are two wonderful illustrations in this chapter, that of Abraham and that of David. Do you remember where Abraham was when God found him and saved him? He was in Ur of the Chaldees. He was an idolater. He was not seeking after God. God sought him. And what about David? David was a whoremonger, an adulterer, a murderer. And God saved him and justified him. So here in Romans chapter 4 is basically what you and I would call a divine miracle.

Here is the very heart of the gospel. Here God justifies the ungodly and He allows the ungodly to enter into a new and blessed relationship with Himself. The Apostle Paul said it like this in 1 Timothy chapter 1 in verse 15. He said,

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 1:15

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

So I want you to think about this for a moment. The gospel of Jesus Christ and the mercy that God shows us through Jesus Christ differs from all other false gospels and all other religious systems. The gospel of Jesus Christ does not hold out hope for the self-righteous. It does not hold out hope for those who do their best. It does not hold out hope for the Pharisee. It holds out hope for the vilest and the most despicable sinner. All these other religions, you know, if you do this and you do that, well, you have hope. No, no, no. The message in the gospel of Jesus Christ: there's hope only for sinners. There's a beautiful hymn.

We used to sing it all the time in our church. The title of it is "Come, Ye Sinners." Let me give you the stanzas. Listen carefully. I'm going to just repeat the chorus one time. But here's the first stanza: "Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore; Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity joined with power." Now the chorus would be this: "I will arise and go to Jesus, He will embrace me in His arms; in the arms of my dear Savior, O there are ten thousand charms." So here's the second stanza: "Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify; true belief and true repentance, every grace that brings you nigh." Third stanza: "Come, ye weary, heavy laden, lost and ruined by the fall; if you tarry till you're better, you will not come at all. Let not conscience make you linger, nor fitness fondly dream; all the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him." And that's true.

Jesus Christ came to save sinners. So who then are the subjects of justification? And the answer is sinners, the ungodly. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners.

The Essence of Justification: Pardon and Imputed Righteousness

Justification consists of both the negative (pardon of sins) and the positive (acceptance and accounting as righteous). Forgiveness alone is insufficient; a positive righteousness is required.

Now, here's the fourth point. The essence of justification. So when you talk about justification and the essence, you're talking about that which justification consists, that which makes it up. So I want you to listen to this definition. Justification is the act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight. So in this definition, you now have a negative and a positive. The negative would be He pardons all of our sins because our sins were against Him and against His law. And the positive would be that He accepts and accounts our persons righteous in His sight.

Now, I've often heard preachers ask this question. I've also heard well-meaning Christians ask this question to those to whom they're witnessing, sometimes of their own family, sometimes their friends. And the question is asked something like this: "Do not you want your sins forgiven so that you may go to heaven?" And if you stop and think about that, forgiveness of sins does not take anyone into heaven. Forgiveness of sins does not bring you into the presence of God. Forgiveness of sins may keep you out of punishment, but it wouldn't get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in God's presence, you need more than forgiveness of sins. You need an absolute positive righteousness.

Now, the justified sinner sustained a twofold relation to God. First, he was a responsible creature born under the law. And second, he was a guilty criminal having transgressed that law, violated that law. The very fact that he violated God's law and the very fact that he's a criminal does not cancel out his responsibilities. And it's another sermon—I'm not going to preach it now—but there's a vast difference between responsibility and ability. And it is true in the fall that man lost his ability to please God, but he did not lose his responsibility. So remember now, man was made under the law. Therefore, he has responsibility. He's a sinner. Therefore, he has sins. He's a criminal.

So justification now answers these things. Because in justification, we are made free from all of our guilt and condemnation through the work of Jesus Christ. Galatians 3 verse 13 tells us,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:13

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for as it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree."

So the curse that we were under has now been removed by the person and work of Jesus Christ. So that means He washed away our sins, He removed our guilt, He removed our condemnation. The second thing is this: in justification there is now a reception into God's favor. So the essence of justification is not that just He pardons all of our sins, but now He accepts and accounts us righteous in His sight.

Now, I'll explain this verse a little bit later. But in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21, the Bible says, "For He—that is God the Father—hath made Him—that is God the Son—to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." And when you get to 1 Corinthians 1 in verse 30,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 1:30

"But of Him—that is of God the Father—of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification."

So here's the point I'm trying to make. Jesus Christ in His person and work has paid all of my debts. But He hasn't only paid my debts. He has discharged my responsibilities fully as well. So my lawgiver is my law fulfiller. So God then can righteously be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ, because in justification, He not only pardons our transgressions, He accepts and accounts us righteous in Jesus Christ. Now, how can God do this? How can God do that when we know, not only the Scripture tells us, but we know from experience that we're ungodly and wicked in and of ourselves? Well, let's come to the ground of justification. Listen, if you would. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight. Now, here's the ground: not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. So you have a negative and a positive. The negative is not for anything wrought in us or done by us.

The Ground of Justification: Christ Alone

The ground is not anything wrought in us or done by us, but only the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. Our works cannot merit salvation; the law demands perfect, perpetual obedience.

I'm going to deal with that negative first. You remember that passage I quoted a little bit earlier, Titus 3 and verse 5: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His own mercy He saved us." And then, of course, the apostle said in Galatians 2 and verse 16,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 2:16

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no man be justified."

And then when you get to Romans 3 and verse 28, he says it like this:

Scripture Reading — Galatians 2:16

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

So I mentioned this to you before, and let me emphasize it now. Our works could never be meritorious. We can never earn salvation. No one has ever been saved by keeping the law. No one will ever be saved by keeping the law. Why? Because the law demands three things of every individual. It demands a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. No one has ever rendered to the law that which it requires except Jesus Christ. So if, for instance, just to show you, let's suppose that each one of us today, from this instance on, became absolutely perfect. We became perfect in thought, word, and deed. We never sinned again from now to the day that we died.

Would that take us into the presence of God? No. For what about those sins we committed before we got perfect? You see what I'm saying? So obviously no one can be saved by the law. A fallen creature, a depraved man, cannot give to the law that which it demands. Our best is absolutely nothing but failure. Why He said in Isaiah 64 and verse 6,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 64:6

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

So obviously it is impossible to be saved by the law. In fact the Apostle Paul said it like this in Galatians 3 and verse 21, "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law that could have given righteousness, then verily—or given life—then verily righteousness would have been by the law." So if there had been a law given that could give life, then righteousness would have been by the law.

If you can be saved by law, any law, then Jesus Christ died in vain. And that's Paul's argument right there. Now, there's another negative in this definition. Not by works done by them or works that are wrought in them. Not for anything wrought in them. Simply stated, we are not justified because of repentance or faith or regeneration or anything that is wrought in us. We're not justified because we believed. It is true that we receive this blessing by faith, but faith is not the ground of our justification. Well, what is the ground of our justification? Listen again: not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. So the ground of our justification is wholly, totally, and completely outside of ourselves. It is found only in the person and work of Jesus Christ. So it is not Christ plus. It is not Christ and. It is Christ alone. It is Jesus Christ period. Now, when we talk about the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, all that refers to is everything about Jesus Christ.

It would refer to His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension in heaven, His intercession. In fact, if you will look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 13, Hebrews chapter 13. And notice if you would beginning there with verse 10. This is a beautiful verse talking about Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13 verse 10: "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." So if you want to go back to the types and emblems, then you have no right to Jesus Christ. Verse 11: "For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp." Now watch: "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." Note if you would: Jesus, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood. Now we are justified and we're declared righteous in view of the fact that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to us in this work. God does not set aside His law. He keeps that law.

He honors that law. That's why in Romans chapter 3 the Bible says that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. So when we're justified, the ground is only the person and work of Jesus Christ. Now here's the question: How does God do that? Because we know that we're sinners, and we know that Jesus Christ is righteous. So how does God do that? That brings me to the next point, the method of justification. Now listen carefully. Justification is an 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. So, how does God justify us? And the answer is by imputation. Now, let me explain something. Let me make a statement. If you don't understand imputation, then you do not understand salvation. If you do not understand imputation, then it is impossible to be sound in the faith. It's just impossible. The word impute, which occurs frequently in our Bible,

The Method of Justification: Imputation

God justifies by imputation: our sins were charged to Christ's account, and His righteousness is credited to ours. This double imputation is the heart of the gospel.

especially in the New Testament, the word impute literally means to credit to someone's account. We use the word impute today in a different sense. So here it is: Lorraine is downtown shopping. She sees this beautiful dress, 200 bucks it cost. She only has 15. She really wants it, but they won't reduce the price. It's only one, just her size. And other women are coming in the store, and so she wants that dress. So what does she do? She reaches in her purse, pulls out that little plastic card and says, "Impute this to my husband's account." Well, she really didn't say that. She just says, "Charge it." When you charge something to someone's account, that is imputation. That is exactly what this word means. Do you remember

in Philippians chapter 1? Onesimus was a runaway slave. He had stolen from Philemon and ran down to Rome, got in trouble, got thrown into the dungeon, and in the providence of God in the same dungeon the Apostle Paul was in, and Paul preached to him and he got converted. And Paul sent him back to Philemon. And in Philemon 1 in verse 18, Paul says to Philemon, "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on my account." What did he just say? Impute it to me. Charge it to me. He said, "I'll pay it when I come again. Put that on my account."

Now, there are only three acts of imputation in the Bible. Only three. First of all, there's the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. Secondly, there's the imputation of believers' sins to Jesus Christ. And thirdly, there's the imputation of Christ's righteousness to believers. Now it's very easy to prove the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. I could quote to you like Romans 5 in verse 18, "Therefore as by one offense judgment came unto many." Or I could go to verse 19, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners."

But I can make it simpler than that. In fact, verse 12 is very simple. Verse 12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." How can I prove to you that Adam's sin was imputed to his posterity? And the answer is because everybody dies. I mean, that should be obvious. That should be very plain.

Now, when it comes to the imputation of believers' sins to Christ and Christ's righteousness to believers, you remember that verse I quoted earlier in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21. In fact, go back there. Look in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Not "wherefore," but notice what the Bible does say in verse 21: "For He—that is God the Father—hath made Him—that is God the Son—to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

Now, before I explain that, let me give you a quote. Listen carefully. "Christ was not made sin by the infusion of depravity, nor are we made righteous by the infusion of holiness. Though personally holy, our surety the Lord Jesus Christ did, by entering our law place, render Himself officially liable to the wrath of God. And so though personally unholy, we are by virtue of our legal identification with Christ entitled to the favor of God. As the consequence of Christ's being made sin for us was that the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all, so the consequence of Christ's obedience being reckoned to our account is that God lays righteousness upon all them that believe. As our sins were the judicial ground for the sufferings of Christ, by which sufferings He satisfied justice, so Christ's righteousness is the judicial ground of our acceptance with God, by which our pardon is an act of justice and in which our justification also is an act of justice." Now when the Bible says, "For He—that is God the Father—hath made Him—God the Son—to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him," this verse teaches imputation. Now remember what I told you earlier, that Jesus Christ is perfect man and perfect God.

Jesus Christ is sinless. Jesus Christ agreed to be our substitute and our surety through the eternal covenant. We were given to Christ. We are identified with Him. So when Christ came in our place, there was a legal, judicial obligation upon Him by assuming suretyship for us and by assuming substitution for us. The way to explain it is this: If Gary tells me he needs to borrow some money, but the bank won't let him have money without a cosigner, and he asked me, would I cosign the note with him? And I said, "Well, yes, I'll do that." So we go down to the bank. Gary signs his name. I sign my name. Guess what? If Gary doesn't pay, who do they come after? Me. Because I became a surety for him. I became a substitute for him. If he cannot pay, I'm still the surety. I'm still the substitute.

Jesus Christ entered into a legal, judicially binding covenant with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. And He came in our place. Now, suppose just for a moment that this pen represents all of our sins. Here we are, unholy, ungodly, condemned under the wrath and under the curse of God, and here is Jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ comes, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those that were under the law. He lived a perfect, holy life. He gave to the law that which it demanded: a personal, perfect, perpetual obedience. He then suffered in our stead and satisfied the wrath and the justice and the holiness of God. Why did Jesus Christ suffer? Because He was personally innocent, but yet He was judicially or legally guilty. Why? Because God took our sins and imputed them to Jesus Christ. He charged them to His account. And then what Christ did, or what God the Father did, was He took this perfect righteousness, which God the Son earned, and now He comes over here and imputes that to our account. So He can forgive our sins because they are paid for, and we can be in the presence of God because we have a perfect righteousness that has been given to us through Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us that this is imputation. In fact the Apostle Paul asked in Romans chapter 4 verse 1, "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?" And the answer is, he found righteousness through imputation. Verse 11 says this: "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also." Romans 4 verse 22: "And therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness." Romans 4 verse 24: "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead." So the framework then of the imputation is that eternal covenant that is spoken of in Hebrews 13 verse 20 that was entered into between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit before the world ever began. Because God the Father gave God the Son a people, the Son agreed to die for those people, to redeem them, and God the Holy Spirit promised to regenerate them and convert them. That is the eternal covenant that is mentioned in Hebrews 13 and verse 20. Now, since you understand imputation, you ought to

understand the poem and the song that was written by Horatius Bonar. Listen to this: "Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I'll stake my whole eternity." Then the second stanza: "Not on my tears which I have shed, not on my sorrows which I have known; another's tears, another's grief, on these I rest and rest alone." So that means our whole focus is upon the person and work of Jesus Christ. The method of justification is by imputation so that God can be just and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus.

The Instrumental Means: Faith Alone

Faith is the hand that receives Christ's righteousness. It is not the ground but the instrument appointed by God. Even weak faith suffices if it apprehends Christ.

Now, I've got one more point, and that is this: the instrumental means of justification. If God does it, how do we receive it? Now listen to this. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardons all 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 Jesus Christ, by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. The one little word "alone" makes the difference between truth and error. Faith alone. Faith alone is the instrumental cause or means of justification. Now listen carefully: a man is justified in faith, through faith, and by faith, but never on account of faith. Because faith is not the grounds of justification. The person and work of Jesus Christ is the ground for justification. So we may be justified in faith, by faith, through faith, but not because of our faith.

Moreover, that's something that is wrought in us. Okay? Faith is neither the ground nor the substance of our justification, but simply the hand that receives the divine gift that is offered to us in the gospel. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3 and verse 9, "And be found in Him, not having a righteousness of mine own, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." And then he said in Romans 3 in verse 22, "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference." And then again, I've already quoted Romans 3:28: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Thomas Goodwin said this—listen carefully and I'm going to explain this momentarily—but he asked the question, "How are we justified by faith?"

Having given a threefold negative answer—and here's the negative answer: not by faith as a joint cause with works, which the Romanists teach; not by faith as an act of grace in us, which the Arminians teach; not by faith that receives the Spirit's witness, as the antinomians teach—he says, "We now turn to the positive answer. Faith justifies only as an instrument which God has appointed to the apprehension and the application of Christ's righteousness. When we say that faith is an instrument of our justification, let it be clearly understood that we do not mean faith is an instrument wherewith God justifies, but the instrument whereby we receive Christ. Christ has merited the righteousness for us, and faith in Christ is that which renders it meet in God's sight that purchased blessings be assigned. Faith unites to Christ, and being united to Him, we are possessed of all that is in Christ, so far as it is consistent with our capacity of receiving and God's appointment in giving. Having been made one with Christ in spirit,

God now considers us one with Him in law." So let me just say this right now: what Thomas Goodwin is saying is this—I'm going to clarify a little bit later—he is saying that we receive our justification, our salvation, by faith alone only because God ordained faith, God appointed faith. If God had not ordained and appointed faith, faith would have been insufficient. It wouldn't have done anything. It would have never worked. Now, the Westminster Larger Catechism asked this question, question number 73: "How does faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?" Here is the answer: "Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works which are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, was imputed to him for his justification, but only as it is an instrument

by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and His righteousness." Again, the Westminster Confession says, "It's only faith that grasps that which God gives." So, you could ask this question: why does the Bible speak of being justified by faith, when you and I both know that faith never travels alone? If God gives you faith, there are a multitude of other graces that always come with faith. But why does the Bible then speak of being justified by faith alone? And the answer is because faith is the only grace that is totally receptive. Faith is nothing more than an outstretched hand saying, "Give, Lord, please give, Lord. Here I am. I'm ready to receive." Faith is the outstretched hand that receives Christ as He is fully and freely offered in the gospel.

Stephen Charnock, another Puritan, said it like this: "And therefore it is observed that our justification by faith is always expressed in the passive and not in the active. We are justified by faith, not that faith justifies us. The efficacy is in Christ's blood. The reception is in our faith." So, literally, what it means is this: we're simply beggars with outstretched hands. The outstretched hand is faith. It's faith that God has ordained that apprehends and applies Jesus Christ. And the only reason faith works is because God ordained that.

Now, let me show you an illustration. It may be a silly illustration, but at least it'll illustrate. Okay. Let's suppose I'm starving to death. I've done without food 39 and a half days. I'm very weak. I'm very emaciated. And here comes David Price and he's bringing a great big heavy bowl full of milk and cereal. He says, "There you go, big boy. Eat up. Help yourself." Well, I'm so weak I can't pick the bowl up and get it to my mouth. And I'm so weak I'm afraid if I fall in it, I can't pick my head up and I might drown. And I'm thinking, what good is that nutrition doing me? I can't get to it. And David said, "Here, here's a spoon. Help yourself." And I take that spoon and I dip into that heavy bowl of cereal and I eat and I'm revived and I live. Would it not be absolutely foolish of me to say the spoon saved my life? The spoon didn't save my life. It was the milk and the cereal that saved my life. The spoon was only a means to get to the life-saving nutrients. Do you follow me?

Faith saves only because faith apprehends Jesus Christ, who is life. Faith is a means to receive Jesus Christ. We know that when God gives us saving faith, that He gives us other graces as well. And we also know that real, genuine saving faith works. See, everybody understands, and most of the time can quote Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." But everybody completely misverses it. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath foreordained that we should walk therein before the foundation of the world." Created unto good works. So, good works always follow real, genuine, saving faith. Now, let me mention one other thing.

When you read the Bible, you're going to find that there are expressions in relationship to faith. There's a great faith. There's a strong faith. There's a little faith. There's a weak faith. How much faith does it take to get saved? Have you ever thought about that? Well, is my faith sufficient? What about it? Is my faith sufficient? Well, let me just show you something. Suppose this phone was a miracle-working phone. Suppose this community had a horrible virus, a terrible virus, and it was a virus that once you caught it, you died. But this phone emanated a certain frequency that if you came in touch with this phone, you would live. And well, here's somebody that's been sick for 40 days. Here's another person been sick for 20 days. Here's another person been sick only for a day. All of them are dying. Here's a man that just has gotten the virus in the last 10 minutes. But everybody knows if they touch this phone, they're going to be saved. They're going to be healed. And so the man that just got the virus in the last 10 minutes, he runs and he grabs that phone and he hugs it like this, and he's healed. Here's the individual that's been sick 40 days that can barely move.

They're so near death. They barely touch it. How many are healed? All of them. It wasn't the force with which you touched it. It was just that you touched it. You remember that woman had the issue of blood. She said, "If I can but touch the hem of His garment, I shall be made whole." That's all it takes. That's all it takes. You remember that serpent in the wilderness: "Whosoever looketh upon the serpent shall live."

Some might could stare for hours. Others might only could take a glance they were so sick. But if you looked, you lived. If you have faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, no matter if it's a great faith, a strong faith, a weak faith, or a little faith, it's still faith. And you apprehend Jesus Christ. You receive Him by faith alone. Justification is an 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 life today: faith alone. Justification is by faith and faith alone. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Justification as a Forensic Declaration

Summary: Justification is a legal pronouncement by God, not an infusion of righteousness, but a declaration of righteous status based on Christ's work.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'I pointed out how justification is indeed a legal, forensic term. It is, in fact, a declaration of the law court.'

Free Grace as the Source

Summary: God's grace is the sole motive for justification, given without any cause in the sinner, as seen in the Greek word dorean (freely, without a cause).

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'They hated me without a cause... the same word that is used in Romans 3, "being justified freely by His grace."'

The Ungodly as Subjects

Summary: God justifies the ungodly—those with no righteousness of their own—not the self-righteous or those who try to earn favor.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'He justifies those that are absolutely destitute of righteousness and have absolutely nothing in themselves.'

Double Imputation

Summary: Our sins were imputed to Christ, and His righteousness is imputed to us, satisfying both God's justice and our need for righteousness.

Evidence: Weaver illustrates, 'God took our sins and imputed them to Jesus Christ... He took this perfect righteousness... and imputes that to our account.'

Faith as Instrument, Not Ground

Summary: Faith is the means by which we receive justification, not the basis of it. It is an empty hand that grasps Christ.

Evidence: Weaver clarifies, 'Faith is neither the ground nor the substance of our justification, but simply the hand that receives the divine gift.'

Sufficiency of Weak Faith

Summary: The efficacy of faith lies not in its strength but in its object, Christ. Even a weak faith that touches Christ saves.

Evidence: Weaver uses the illustration of the healing phone: 'It wasn't the force with which you touched it. It was just that you touched it.'

Key Arguments

Justification is entirely outside of us

Summary: The ground of justification is wholly external, found only in Christ's obedience and satisfaction, not in any internal change or work.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The ground of our justification is wholly, totally, and completely outside of ourselves. It is found only in the person and work of Jesus Christ.'

Forgiveness alone is insufficient for salvation

Summary: Pardon of sins does not grant entrance into God's presence; a positive righteousness is required, which is provided by Christ's imputed righteousness.

Evidence: Weaver argues, 'Forgiveness of sins does not take anyone into heaven... you need an absolute positive righteousness.'

The law cannot justify

Summary: No one can be justified by works of the law because it demands personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, which fallen man cannot render.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'The law demands three things... a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. No one has ever rendered to the law that which it requires except Jesus Christ.'

Imputation is essential to understanding salvation

Summary: Without understanding imputation—the crediting of sin to Christ and righteousness to believers—one cannot be sound in the faith.

Evidence: Weaver asserts, 'If you don't understand imputation, then you do not understand salvation.'

Faith alone is the instrumental cause

Summary: Scripture teaches justification by faith alone, not because faith has merit, but because it is the God-appointed means to receive Christ.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Faith alone is the instrumental cause or means of justification... a man is justified in faith, through faith, and by faith, but never on account of faith.'

Scripture References

Romans 5:1

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

John 15:25

Context: Used to illustrate 'without a cause' (dorean) as the same word for 'freely' in Romans 3:24.

Romans 3:24

Context: Being justified freely by His grace, connected to the concept of 'without a cause.'

Isaiah 43:25

Context: God blots out transgressions for His own sake, not because of anything in us.

Psalm 106:8

Context: God saved them for His name's sake, to make His power known.

Titus 3:3-7

Context: Not by works of righteousness, but according to His mercy He saved us, that being justified by His grace we should be heirs.

Romans 8:33

Context: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.

Ephesians 1:3-4

Context: Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.

2 Timothy 1:8-9

Context: God saved us and called us according to His own purpose and grace given in Christ before the world began.

Acts 13:38-39

Context: By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Romans 4:23-25

Context: Righteousness imputed to us if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Romans 4:5

Context: To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

1 Timothy 1:15

Context: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

Galatians 3:13

Context: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Context: He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Corinthians 1:30

Context: Of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification.

Galatians 2:16

Context: A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:28

Context: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Isaiah 64:6

Context: All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

Galatians 3:21

Context: If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Historical References

Westminster Confession of Faith

Context: Weaver notes that his definition of justification can be found in the Westminster Confession, Philadelphia Baptist Confession, and Old London Confession.

Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith

Context: Mentioned alongside Westminster as containing a similar definition of justification.

Old London Confession of Faith

Context: Also cited as a historical confession with a similar definition.

John Owen

Context: Quoted on Romans 4:5: 'He who worketh not is justified through believing,' emphasizing that works have no influence in justification.

Horatius Bonar

Context: Weaver quotes Bonar's hymn: 'Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I'll stake my whole eternity.'

Thomas Goodwin

Context: Quoted on how faith justifies: not as a joint cause with works, nor as an act of grace in us, but as an instrument to receive Christ.

Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 73

Context: Quoted: 'Faith justifies a sinner... only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and His righteousness.'

Stephen Charnock

Context: Quoted: 'Our justification by faith is always expressed in the passive... The efficacy is in Christ's blood. The reception is in our faith.'

Important Quotes

Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardons all 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 Jesus Christ by faith imputed unto them and received by faith alone.

Significance: This is the full definition Weaver uses throughout the sermon, encapsulating the author, source, subjects, essence, ground, method, and means of justification.

If you don't understand imputation, then you do not understand salvation. If you do not understand imputation, then it is impossible to be sound in the faith.

Significance: Highlights the central importance of imputation for a correct understanding of the gospel.

Faith is neither the ground nor the substance of our justification, but simply the hand that receives the divine gift that is offered to us in the gospel.

Significance: Clarifies the instrumental role of faith, guarding against making faith a meritorious work.

Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I'll stake my whole eternity.

Significance: A poetic summary of the believer's reliance on Christ's substitutionary life and death.

Forgiveness of sins does not take anyone into heaven. Forgiveness of sins does not bring you into the presence of God. Forgiveness of sins may keep you out of punishment, but it wouldn't get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in God's presence, you need more than forgiveness of sins. You need an absolute positive righteousness.

Significance: Emphasizes the necessity of imputed righteousness, not just pardon, for acceptance with God.

It wasn't the force with which you touched it. It was just that you touched it.

Significance: Illustrates that the efficacy of faith lies in its object, Christ, not in the strength of the faith itself.

Discussion Questions

How does understanding justification as a forensic declaration, rather than an infusion of righteousness, affect your assurance of salvation?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that justification is a legal pronouncement by God, not based on internal changes.

Why is it important that God's grace is 'without a cause' in us? How does this protect the freeness of the gospel?

Context: Weaver explains the Greek word dorean, meaning 'freely' or 'without a cause,' as in John 15:25 and Romans 3:24.

What does it mean that God justifies the ungodly? How does this differ from the message of other religions or false gospels?

Context: Weaver contrasts the gospel's offer to the ungodly with systems that require self-righteousness.

Why is forgiveness of sins alone insufficient for salvation? What does the positive aspect of justification (imputed righteousness) add?

Context: Weaver argues that a positive righteousness is needed to enter God's presence, not just pardon.

How does the doctrine of double imputation (our sins to Christ, His righteousness to us) help you understand the justice and mercy of God in salvation?

Context: Weaver explains imputation using the illustration of a cosigner and the transfer of accounts.

In what ways might we be tempted to make faith a work or the ground of our justification? How can we guard against that?

Context: Weaver stresses that faith is only the instrumental means, not the ground, and that even weak faith suffices.

How does the illustration of the spoon and the cereal help clarify the role of faith in justification?

Context: Weaver uses the spoon analogy to show that faith is merely the instrument to receive Christ, not the source of life.

Applications

Rest in Christ's righteousness alone

Summary: Believers should find their assurance not in their own works or feelings, but solely in the perfect obedience and satisfaction of Christ imputed to them.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Our whole focus is upon the person and work of Jesus Christ.'

Reject self-righteousness

Summary: Since God justifies the ungodly, we must abandon any reliance on our own morality or efforts and come to Christ as sinners.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'He does not justify those that try their best. He does not justify those who are moral and upright and self-righteous.'

Embrace the freeness of grace

Summary: Recognize that God's grace is given without any cause in us, which should lead to humility and gratitude.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'There's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the free grace of God.'

Use faith as the empty hand

Summary: Approach God not with a list of accomplishments, but with an outstretched hand of faith, receiving Christ as He is offered in the gospel.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Faith is nothing more than an outstretched hand saying, "Give, Lord, please give, Lord."'

Do not despise weak faith

Summary: Encourage those with weak faith that it is not the strength of faith but the object of faith that saves; even a touch of Christ heals.

Evidence: Weaver illustrates, 'It wasn't the force with which you touched it. It was just that you touched it.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:23:24Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T02:45:53Z

Clean Transcript

Sola Fide And Justification - Part 2 of 2

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

Let's begin by looking at Romans 5 and verse 1. And this is so lofty: that it is faith alone and justification. Romans 5 verse 1 says, "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
#1 | 0:12 to 0:36 | cleaned
Now, let me take just a few moments and review last week's message on part one. I pointed out how justification is indeed a legal, forensic term. It is, in fact, a declaration of the law court. It is the declaration of a judge. I also pointed out from Deuteronomy, Proverbs 17, Luke 6, Luke 16, how that it is simply a pronunciation. It is a declaration. And I showed how that even used in human terms, it is still just simply a declaration.
#2 | 0:37 to 1:21 | cleaned
It has nothing to do with infusing righteousness into anyone. It is a term of the law courts. I also pointed out that there is no such thing as a justified unregenerate or unsanctified person. It is true that justification, regeneration, and sanctification differ, but all those who are justified have been regenerated and sanctified as well. Those things always go together, although they are separate and different.
#3 | 1:21 to 1:51 | cleaned
Now, the definition that I've tried to give you is a very simple one, yet this definition can be found in the Bible. It could also be found basically in the Westminster Confession of Faith, in the Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith, the Old London Confession of Faith. All you have to do is look up justification by faith and you're going to find something similar. Sometimes it might be more extensive, but it's going to say, in essence, the same thing. So here it is.
#4 | 1:51 to 2:22 | cleaned
Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardons all 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 Jesus Christ by faith imputed unto them and received by faith alone. Or by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. So this definition then basically summarizes justification by faith.
#5 | 2:23 to 3:00 | cleaned
Now last week we only looked at two points. We saw first of all the author of justification. Justification is an act of God. I pointed out how that justification is ascribed in the Bible to all three persons of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. God the Father justifies us by declaring, by pronouncing us justified. God the Son does so by imputing His righteousness, and God the Holy Spirit does so by sealing us up and sealing our lives unto the day of redemption. So all three persons in the Godhead are given here the act of justification. Then I pointed out that justification is an act of God's free grace. So that was the source of justification. It is free grace. And I pointed out that free does not just simply mean it doesn't cost us anything or that it is a gift. It means far more than that.
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For in John 15 verse 25, our Lord said, "They hated me without a cause." And the Greek word there is dorean. And it's the same word that is used in Romans 3, "being justified freely by His grace." So since Jesus Christ is God, He is perfect, He is sinless. There was nothing in Him that drew forth or merited their hatred. They hated Him freely. Likewise, when it comes to justification, there's nothing in us that drew forth or merited the free grace of God. We didn't earn it. We didn't merit it. It's not that we just needed it. God just instantly gave it to us.
#7 | 4:03 to 4:44 | cleaned
In fact, the Bible tells us that we have everything to our demerit. We were sinners. We were vile. We were wicked. We were undone. And so obviously in 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 10, God is called the God of all grace. And when God comes to us in grace, it has absolutely nothing to do with what we are in and of ourselves, or what we have, or what we have done. In fact, the Bible says in Isaiah 43 and verse 25, God said, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out all thy transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." When you get to Psalm 106 and verse 8, the Bible says, "Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known." So God saved us for His name's sake.
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So we cannot look for one moment for anything in us or anything around us. The only thing that we can look for is actually the free grace of God. It is the only reason, it is the only motive that He should ever save us or take even notice of us at all. So we're justified freely by His grace, even without a cause. God did not justify us. God did not save us because we needed saving. Someone says, "Why did God save you?" "Well, I needed to be saved." Well, there are a lot of people that need to be saved that aren't saved. So we have to look only to the grace of God.
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In Titus 3 verses 3 and 5, Paul wrote and said, "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after the kindness and love of God our Savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His own mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ."
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Now listen to this next verse: "That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." So even all that we were, we're justified by grace. So today I want to continue our study and work our way through this definition. So let me give you the next point. When you remember the definition of justification, justification is an act of God. There's the author. It is an act of God's free grace. There's the source.
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Now, the third one is the subjects. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners. So you have to ask this question: Who is it that God justifies? Well, let me try to answer that question for you from three different perspectives or from three different standpoints. Since you're in the book of Romans, if you look in Romans 8 and verse 33, very quickly, the Bible asks, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies." So then, from the standpoint of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are His elect. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? And God's elect are those whom He chose in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world. He said very clearly in Ephesians 1 verses 3 and 4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we
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should be holy and without blame before Him in love." So He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. If you would turn in your Bibles—hold Romans—but turn in your Bibles to the book of 2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1. Look at what Paul tells Timothy, verse 8. Paul is in prison and he says this, 2 Timothy 1 verse 8: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God." Now watch, if you would, verse 9: "According to the power of God, that is God in His power, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our own works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." So from the standpoint then of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are His elect, those whom He gave grace in Christ Jesus before the world ever began. Now if you will go back in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 13. Here's the second statement. Acts chapter 13. From the standpoint or from the perspective of the effects produced by the work of the Holy Spirit, those whom He justifies
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are those who believe. So look in Acts 13 verse 38 and 39: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man—that is Jesus Christ—is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses." So then, from the standpoint of God's eternal decree, those whom He justifies are the elect. From the standpoint of the quickening of the Holy Spirit, those whom He justifies are those who believe. The Bible says concerning Abraham in Romans 4, if you will go back there and look at it, in Romans chapter 4 verses 23-25. Romans 4 verse 23: "Now it was not written for his sake alone—that is for Abraham's sake alone—that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification." So then from the standpoint of the ministry and the work of the Holy Spirit,
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those whom God justifies are those who believe. Now thirdly, from the perspective and the standpoint of what we are in and of ourselves, look in Romans 4 in verse 5: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness." Now, I want you to note in this verse, God justifies the ungodly. He does not justify those that try their best. He does not justify those who are moral and upright and self-righteous. He does not justify those who try to get their good works to outweigh their bad works. No. He justifies those that are absolutely destitute of righteousness and have absolutely nothing in themselves. They have no acceptable works. They have no good deeds. They have nothing to recommend them. They are nothing but pure, unadulterated sinners. Now, if you'll look back to verse 5 again, he says, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
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Now John Owen, in commenting on this verse, made this statement. He said, "To say, 'He who worketh not is justified through believing,' is to say that his works, whatever they may be, have no influence in his justification, nor hath God in justifying him in respect to them. Wherefore he alone who worketh not is the subject of justification, the person to be justified. That is, God considers no man's works, no man's duties of obedience in his justification, seeing we are justified freely by His grace." So obviously then he is saying that He justifies the ungodly.
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And if I had time to go over Romans chapter 4, there are two wonderful illustrations in this chapter, that of Abraham and that of David. Do you remember where Abraham was when God found him and saved him? He was in Ur of the Chaldees. He was an idolater. He was not seeking after God. God sought him. And what about David? David was a whoremonger, an adulterer, a murderer. And God saved him and justified him. So here in Romans chapter 4 is basically what you and I would call a divine miracle.
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Here is the very heart of the gospel. Here God justifies the ungodly and He allows the ungodly to enter into a new and blessed relationship with Himself. The Apostle Paul said it like this in 1 Timothy chapter 1 in verse 15. He said, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." So I want you to think about this for a moment. The gospel of Jesus Christ and the mercy that God shows us through Jesus Christ differs from all other false gospels and all other religious systems. The gospel of Jesus Christ does not hold out hope for the self-righteous. It does not hold out hope for those who do their best. It does not hold out hope for the Pharisee. It holds out hope for the vilest and the most despicable sinner. All these other religions, you know, if you do this and you do that, well, you have hope. No, no, no. The message in the gospel of Jesus Christ: there's hope only for sinners. There's a beautiful hymn.
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We used to sing it all the time in our church. The title of it is "Come, Ye Sinners." Let me give you the stanzas. Listen carefully. I'm going to just repeat the chorus one time. But here's the first stanza: "Come, ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore; Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity joined with power." Now the chorus would be this: "I will arise and go to Jesus, He will embrace me in
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His arms; in the arms of my dear Savior, O there are ten thousand charms." So here's the second stanza: "Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify; true belief and true repentance, every grace that brings you nigh." Third stanza: "Come, ye weary, heavy laden, lost and ruined by the fall; if you tarry till you're better, you will not come at all. Let not conscience make you linger, nor fitness fondly dream; all the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him." And that's true.
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Jesus Christ came to save sinners. So who then are the subjects of justification? And the answer is sinners, the ungodly. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners.
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Now, here's the fourth point. The essence of justification. So when you talk about justification and the essence, you're talking about that which justification consists, that which makes it up. So I want you to listen to this definition. Justification is the act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight. So in this definition, you now have a negative and a positive. The negative would be He pardons all of our sins because our sins were against Him and against His law. And the positive would be that He accepts and accounts our persons righteous in His sight.
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Now, I've often heard preachers ask this question. I've also heard well-meaning Christians ask this question to those to whom they're witnessing, sometimes of their own family, sometimes their friends. And the question is asked something like this: "Do not you want your sins forgiven so that you may go to heaven?" And if you stop and think about that, forgiveness of sins does not take anyone into heaven. Forgiveness of sins does not bring you into the presence of God. Forgiveness of sins may keep you out of punishment, but it wouldn't get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in God's presence, you need more than forgiveness of sins. You need an absolute positive righteousness.
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Now, the justified sinner sustained a twofold relation to God. First, he was a responsible creature born under the law. And second, he was a guilty criminal having transgressed that law, violated that law. The very fact that he violated God's law and the very fact that he's a criminal does not cancel out his responsibilities. And it's another sermon—I'm not going to preach it now—but there's a vast difference between responsibility and ability. And it is true in the fall that man lost his ability to please God, but he did not lose his responsibility. So remember now, man was made under the law. Therefore, he has responsibility. He's a sinner. Therefore, he has sins. He's a criminal.
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So justification now answers these things. Because in justification, we are made free from all of our guilt and condemnation through the work of Jesus Christ. Galatians 3 verse 13 tells us, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for as it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree." So the curse that we were under has now been removed by the person and work of Jesus Christ. So that means He washed away our sins, He removed our guilt, He removed our condemnation. The second thing is this: in justification there is now a reception into God's favor. So the essence of justification is not that just He pardons all of our sins, but now He accepts and accounts us righteous in His sight.
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Now, I'll explain this verse a little bit later. But in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21, the Bible says, "For He—that is God the Father—hath made Him—that is God the Son—to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." And when you get to 1 Corinthians 1 in verse 30, "But of Him—that is of God the Father—of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification."
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So here's the point I'm trying to make. Jesus Christ in His person and work has paid all of my debts. But He hasn't only paid my debts. He has discharged my responsibilities fully as well. So my lawgiver is my law fulfiller. So God then can righteously be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Christ, because in justification, He not only pardons our transgressions, He accepts and accounts us righteous in Jesus Christ. Now, how can God do this? How can God do that when we know, not only the Scripture tells us, but we know from experience that we're ungodly and wicked in and of ourselves? Well, let's come to the ground of justification. Listen, if you would. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners in which He pardons all their sins, accepts and accounts their persons righteous in His sight. Now, here's the ground: not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. So you have a negative and a positive. The negative is not for anything wrought in us or done by us.
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I'm going to deal with that negative first. You remember that passage I quoted a little bit earlier, Titus 3 and verse 5: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His own mercy He saved us." And then, of course, the apostle said in Galatians 2 and verse 16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no man be justified." And then when you get to Romans 3 and verse 28, he says it like this: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
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So I mentioned this to you before, and let me emphasize it now. Our works could never be meritorious. We can never earn salvation. No one has ever been saved by keeping the law. No one will ever be saved by keeping the law. Why? Because the law demands three things of every individual. It demands a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. No one has ever rendered to the law that which it requires except Jesus Christ. So if, for instance, just to show you, let's suppose that each one of us today, from this instance on, became absolutely perfect. We became perfect in thought, word, and deed. We never sinned again from now to the day that we died.
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Would that take us into the presence of God? No. For what about those sins we committed before we got perfect? You see what I'm saying? So obviously no one can be saved by the law. A fallen creature, a depraved man, cannot give to the law that which it demands. Our best is absolutely nothing but failure. Why He said in Isaiah 64 and verse 6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." So obviously it is impossible to be saved by the law. In fact the Apostle Paul said it like this in Galatians 3 and verse 21, "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law that could have given righteousness, then verily—or given life—then verily righteousness would have been by the law." So if there had been a law given that could give life, then righteousness would have been by the law.
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If you can be saved by law, any law, then Jesus Christ died in vain. And that's Paul's argument right there.
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Now, there's another negative in this definition. Not by works done by them or works that are wrought in them. Not for anything wrought in them. Simply stated, we are not justified because of repentance or faith or regeneration or anything that is wrought in us. We're not justified because we believed. It is true that we receive this blessing by faith, but faith is not the ground of our justification. Well, what is the ground of our justification? Listen again: not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. So the ground of our justification is wholly, totally, and completely outside of ourselves. It is found only in the person and work of Jesus Christ. So it is not Christ plus. It is not Christ and. It is Christ alone. It is Jesus Christ period. Now, when we talk about the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, all that refers to is everything about Jesus Christ.
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It would refer to His virgin birth, His sinless life, His death, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension in heaven, His intercession. In fact, if you will look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 13, Hebrews chapter 13. And notice if you would beginning there with verse 10. This is a beautiful verse talking about Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13 verse 10: "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." So if you want to go back to the types and emblems, then you have no right to Jesus Christ. Verse 11: "For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp." Now watch: "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." Note if you would: Jesus, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood. Now we are justified and we're declared righteous in view of the fact that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to us in this work. God does not set aside His law. He keeps that law.
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He honors that law. That's why in Romans chapter 3 the Bible says that He might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. So when we're justified, the ground is only the person and work of Jesus Christ. Now here's the question: How does God do that? Because we know that we're sinners, and we know that Jesus Christ is righteous. So how does God do that?
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That brings me to the next point, the method of justification. Now listen carefully. Justification is an 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. So, how does God justify us? And the answer is by imputation. Now, let me explain something. Let me make a statement. If you don't understand imputation, then you do not understand salvation. If you do not understand imputation, then it is impossible to be sound in the faith. It's just impossible. The word impute, which occurs frequently in our Bible,
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especially in the New Testament, the word impute literally means to credit to someone's account. We use the word impute today in a different sense. So here it is: Lorraine is downtown shopping. She sees this beautiful dress, 200 bucks it cost. She only has 15. She really wants it, but they won't reduce the price. It's only one, just her size. And other women are coming in the store, and so she wants that dress. So what does she do? She reaches in her purse, pulls out that little plastic card and says, "Impute this to my husband's account." Well, she really didn't say that. She just says, "Charge it." When you charge something to someone's account, that is imputation. That is exactly what this word means. Do you remember
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in Philippians chapter 1? Onesimus was a runaway slave. He had stolen from Philemon and ran down to Rome, got in trouble, got thrown into the dungeon, and in the providence of God in the same dungeon the Apostle Paul was in, and Paul preached to him and he got converted. And Paul sent him back to Philemon. And in Philemon 1 in verse 18, Paul says to Philemon, "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that on my account."
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What did he just say? Impute it to me. Charge it to me. He said, "I'll pay it when I come again. Put that on my account."
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Now, there are only three acts of imputation in the Bible. Only three. First of all, there's the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. Secondly, there's the imputation of believers' sins to Jesus Christ. And thirdly, there's the imputation of Christ's righteousness to believers. Now it's very easy to prove the imputation of Adam's sin to his posterity. I could quote to you like Romans 5 in verse 18, "Therefore as by one offense judgment came unto many." Or I could go to verse 19, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners."
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But I can make it simpler than that. In fact, verse 12 is very simple. Verse 12 says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." How can I prove to you that Adam's sin was imputed to his posterity? And the answer is because everybody dies. I mean, that should be obvious. That should be very plain.
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Now, when it comes to the imputation of believers' sins to Christ and Christ's righteousness to believers, you remember that verse I quoted earlier in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21. In fact, go back there. Look in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Not "wherefore," but notice what the Bible does say in verse 21: "For He—that is God the Father—hath made Him—that is God the Son—to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
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Now, before I explain that, let me give you a quote. Listen carefully. "Christ was not made sin by the infusion of depravity, nor are we made righteous by the infusion of holiness. Though personally holy, our surety the Lord Jesus Christ did, by entering our law place, render Himself officially liable to the wrath of God. And so though personally unholy, we are by virtue of our legal identification with Christ entitled to the favor of God. As the consequence of Christ's being made sin for us was that the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all, so the consequence of Christ's obedience being reckoned to our account is that God lays righteousness upon all them that believe. As our sins were the judicial ground for the sufferings of Christ, by which sufferings He satisfied justice, so Christ's righteousness is the judicial ground of our acceptance with God, by which our pardon is an act of justice and in which our justification also is an act of justice." Now when the Bible says, "For He—that is God the Father—hath made Him—God the Son—to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him," this verse teaches imputation. Now remember what I told you earlier, that Jesus Christ is perfect man and perfect God.
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Jesus Christ is sinless. Jesus Christ agreed to be our substitute and our surety through the eternal covenant. We were given to Christ. We are identified with Him. So when Christ came in our place, there was a legal, judicial obligation upon Him by assuming suretyship for us and by assuming substitution for us. The way to explain it is this: If Gary tells me he needs to borrow some money, but the bank won't let him have money without a cosigner,
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and he asked me, would I cosign the note with him? And I said, "Well, yes, I'll do that." So we go down to the bank. Gary signs his name. I sign my name. Guess what? If Gary doesn't pay, who do they come after? Me. Because I became a surety for him. I became a substitute for him. If he cannot pay, I'm still the surety. I'm still the substitute.
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Jesus Christ entered into a legal, judicially binding covenant with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. And He came in our place.
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Now, suppose just for a moment that this pen represents all of our sins. Here we are, unholy, ungodly, condemned under the wrath and under the curse of God, and here is Jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ comes, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those that were under the law. He lived a perfect, holy life. He gave to the law that which it demanded: a personal, perfect, perpetual obedience. He then suffered in our stead and satisfied the wrath and the justice and the holiness of God. Why did Jesus Christ suffer? Because He was personally innocent, but yet He was judicially or legally guilty. Why? Because God took our sins and imputed them to Jesus Christ. He charged them to His account. And then what Christ did, or what God the Father did, was He took this perfect righteousness, which God the Son earned, and now He comes over here and imputes that to our account. So He can forgive our sins because they are paid for, and we can be in the presence of God because we have a perfect righteousness that has been given to us through Jesus Christ.
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The Bible tells us that this is imputation. In fact the Apostle Paul asked in Romans chapter 4 verse 1, "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?" And the answer is, he found righteousness through imputation. Verse 11 says this: "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also." Romans 4 verse 22: "And therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness." Romans 4 verse 24: "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead." So the framework then of the imputation is that eternal covenant that is spoken of in Hebrews 13 verse 20 that was entered into between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit before the world ever began. Because God the Father gave God the Son a people, the Son agreed to die for those people, to redeem them, and God the Holy Spirit promised to regenerate them and convert them. That is the eternal covenant that is mentioned in Hebrews 13 and verse 20. Now, since you understand imputation, you ought to
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understand the poem and the song that was written by Horatius Bonar. Listen to this: "Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I'll stake my whole eternity." Then the second stanza: "Not on my tears which I have shed, not on my sorrows which I have known; another's tears, another's grief, on these I rest and rest alone." So that means our whole focus is upon the person and work of Jesus Christ. The method of justification is by imputation so that God can be just and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus.
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Now, I've got one more point, and that is this: the instrumental means of justification. If God does it, how do we receive it? Now listen to this. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardons all 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 Jesus Christ, by God imputed unto them and received by faith alone. The one little word "alone" makes the difference between truth and error. Faith alone. Faith alone is the instrumental cause or means of justification. Now listen carefully: a man is justified in faith, through faith, and by faith, but never on account of faith. Because faith is not the grounds of justification. The person and work of Jesus Christ is the ground for justification. So we may be justified in faith, by faith, through faith, but not because of our faith.
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Moreover, that's something that is wrought in us. Okay? Faith is neither the ground nor the substance of our justification, but simply the hand that receives the divine gift that is offered to us in the gospel. The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3 and verse 9, "And be found in Him, not having a righteousness of mine own, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." And then he said in Romans 3 in verse 22, "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference." And then again, I've already quoted Romans 3:28: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Thomas Goodwin said this—listen carefully and I'm going to explain this momentarily—but he asked the question, "How are we justified by faith?"
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Having given a threefold negative answer—and here's the negative answer: not by faith as a joint cause with works, which the Romanists teach; not by faith as an act of grace in us, which the Arminians teach; not by faith that receives the Spirit's witness, as the antinomians teach—he says, "We now turn to the positive answer. Faith justifies only as an instrument which God has appointed to the apprehension and the application of Christ's righteousness. When we say that faith is an instrument of our justification, let it be clearly understood that we do not mean faith is an instrument wherewith God justifies, but the instrument whereby we receive Christ. Christ has merited the righteousness for us, and faith in Christ is that which renders it meet in God's sight that purchased blessings be assigned. Faith unites to Christ, and being united to Him, we are possessed of all that is in Christ, so far as it is consistent with our capacity of receiving and God's appointment in giving. Having been made one with Christ in spirit,
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God now considers us one with Him in law." So let me just say this right now: what Thomas Goodwin is saying is this—I'm going to clarify a little bit later—he is saying that we receive our justification, our salvation, by faith alone only because God ordained faith, God appointed faith. If God had not ordained and appointed faith, faith would have been insufficient. It wouldn't have done anything.
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It would have never worked. Now, the Westminster Larger Catechism asked this question, question number 73: "How does faith justify a sinner in the sight of God?" Here is the answer: "Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works which are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, was imputed to him for his justification, but only as it is an instrument
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by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and His righteousness." Again, the Westminster Confession says, "It's only faith that grasps that which God gives." So, you could ask this question: why does the Bible speak of being justified by faith, when you and I both know that faith never travels alone? If God gives you faith, there are a multitude of other graces that always come with faith. But why does the Bible then speak of being justified by faith alone? And the answer is because faith is the only grace that is totally receptive. Faith is nothing more than an outstretched hand saying, "Give, Lord, please give, Lord. Here I am. I'm ready to receive." Faith is the outstretched hand that receives Christ as He is fully and freely offered in the gospel.
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Stephen Charnock, another Puritan, said it like this: "And therefore it is observed that our justification by faith is always expressed in the passive and not in the active. We are justified by faith, not that faith justifies us. The efficacy is in Christ's blood. The reception is in our faith." So, literally, what it means is this: we're simply beggars with outstretched hands. The outstretched hand is faith. It's faith that God has ordained that apprehends and applies Jesus Christ. And the only reason faith works is because God ordained that.
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Now, let me show you an illustration. It may be a silly illustration, but at least it'll illustrate. Okay. Let's suppose I'm starving to death. I've done without food 39 and a half days. I'm very weak. I'm very emaciated. And here comes David Price and he's bringing a great big heavy bowl full of milk and cereal. He says, "There you go, big boy. Eat up. Help yourself." Well, I'm so weak I can't pick the bowl up and get it to my mouth. And I'm so weak I'm afraid if I fall in it, I can't pick my head up and I might drown. And I'm thinking, what good is that nutrition doing me? I can't get to it. And David said, "Here, here's a spoon. Help yourself." And I take that spoon and I dip into that heavy bowl of cereal and I eat and I'm revived and I live. Would it not be absolutely foolish of me to say the spoon saved my life? The spoon didn't save my life. It was the milk and the cereal that saved my life. The spoon was only a means to get to the life-saving nutrients. Do you follow me?
#56 | 51:14 to 52:46 | cleaned
Faith saves only because faith apprehends Jesus Christ, who is life. Faith is a means to receive Jesus Christ. We know that when God gives us saving faith, that He gives us other graces as well. And we also know that real, genuine saving faith works. See, everybody understands, and most of the time can quote Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." But everybody completely misverses it. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath foreordained that we should walk therein before the foundation of the world." Created unto good works. So, good works always follow real, genuine, saving faith. Now, let me mention one other thing.
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When you read the Bible, you're going to find that there are expressions in relationship to faith. There's a great faith. There's a strong faith. There's a little faith. There's a weak faith. How much faith does it take to get saved? Have you ever thought about that? Well, is my faith sufficient? What about it? Is my faith sufficient? Well, let me just show you something. Suppose this phone was a miracle-working phone. Suppose this community had a horrible virus, a terrible virus, and it was a virus that once you caught it, you died. But this phone emanated a certain frequency that if you came in touch with this phone, you would live. And well, here's somebody that's been sick for 40 days. Here's another person been sick for 20 days. Here's another person been sick only for a day. All of them are dying. Here's a man that just has gotten the virus in the last 10 minutes. But everybody knows if they touch this phone, they're going to be saved. They're going to be healed. And so the man that just got the virus in the last 10 minutes, he runs and he grabs that phone and he hugs it like this, and he's healed. Here's the individual that's been sick 40 days that can barely move.
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They're so near death. They barely touch it. How many are healed? All of them. It wasn't the force with which you touched it. It was just that you touched it. You remember that woman had the issue of blood. She said, "If I can but touch the hem of His garment, I shall be made whole." That's all it takes. That's all it takes. You remember that serpent in the wilderness: "Whosoever looketh upon the serpent shall live."
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Some might could stare for hours. Others might only could take a glance they were so sick. But if you looked, you lived. If you have faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, no matter if it's a great faith, a strong faith, a weak faith, or a little faith, it's still faith. And you apprehend Jesus Christ. You receive Him by faith alone. Justification is an 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 life today: faith alone. Justification is by faith and faith alone. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee.
#60 | 56:18 to 57:33 | cleaned
We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You for justifying faith. We thank You for Your so great salvation. And Lord, we do pray for these on the prayer list. We remember also James and Effie as they travel, and we remember, Lord, Jeff Heath. We remember, Lord, Franklin Sanders' family and Cindy's family. We think of Dan Miller's family and Jack Gordon's family. And for each one, Lord, that's suffering, we just ask Your blessing and help. Give us grace now, Lord, that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen.
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so so
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:23:24Z

Sola Fide And Justification - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver continues his study on justification by faith alone, reviewing its definition and unpacking its key components. He explains that justification is an act of God's free grace toward sinners, consisting of both the pardon of sins and the imputation of Christ's perfect righteousness. The ground of justification is solely the person and work of Jesus Christ, not any works or inherent righteousness in the believer. The method is imputation: our sins were credited to Christ, and His righteousness is credited to us. Faith is the instrumental means by which we receive this gift, not the ground of justification. Weaver emphasizes that faith alone, apart from works, unites us to Christ and appropriates His righteousness.

Introduction and Review

Weaver opens with Romans 5:1 and reviews part one, emphasizing justification as a legal, forensic declaration, distinct from regeneration and sanctification but always accompanying them.

Let's begin by looking at Romans 5 and verse 1. And this is so lofty: that it is faith alone and justification. Romans 5 verse 1 says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 5:1

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

Definition of Justification

The Author and Source of Justification

Reviewing the first two points: God is the author (all three persons of the Trinity), and the source is God's free grace, meaning without any cause in us.

For in John 15 verse 25, our Lord said,

Scripture Reading — John 15:25

"They hated me without a cause."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 43:25

"I, even I, am he that blotteth out all thy transgression for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

When you get to Psalm 106 and verse 8, the Bible says, "Nevertheless He saved them for His name's sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known." So God saved us for His name's sake.

The Subjects of Justification: Sinners

God justifies the elect from eternity, those who believe from the Spirit's work, and the ungodly in themselves—those destitute of righteousness.

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:33

"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies."

should be holy and without blame before Him in love.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 1:3-4

" So He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. If you would turn in your Bibles—hold Romans—but turn in your Bibles to the book of 2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1. Look at what Paul tells Timothy, verse 8. Paul is in prison and he says this, 2 Timothy 1 verse 8: "

are those who believe. So look in Acts 13 verse 38 and 39:

Scripture Reading — Acts 13:38-39

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

Scripture Reading — Romans 4:23-25

those whom God justifies are those who believe. Now thirdly, from the perspective and the standpoint of what we are in and of ourselves, look in Romans 4 in verse 5: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted to him for righteousness." Now, I want you to note in this verse, God justifies the ungodly. He does not justify those that try their best. He does not justify those who are moral and upright and self-righteous. He does not justify those who try to get their good works to outweigh their bad works. No. He justifies those that are absolutely destitute of righteousness and have absolutely nothing in themselves. They have no acceptable works. They have no good deeds. They have nothing to recommend them. They are nothing but pure, unadulterated sinners. Now, if you'll look back to verse 5 again, he says, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 1:15

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

Jesus Christ came to save sinners. So who then are the subjects of justification? And the answer is sinners, the ungodly. Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners.

The Essence of Justification: Pardon and Imputed Righteousness

Justification consists of both the negative (pardon of sins) and the positive (acceptance and accounting as righteous). Forgiveness alone is insufficient; a positive righteousness is required.

So justification now answers these things. Because in justification, we are made free from all of our guilt and condemnation through the work of Jesus Christ. Galatians 3 verse 13 tells us,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:13

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for as it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree."

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 1:30

"But of Him—that is of God the Father—of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification."

The Ground of Justification: Christ Alone

The ground is not anything wrought in us or done by us, but only the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. Our works cannot merit salvation; the law demands perfect, perpetual obedience.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 2:16

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no man be justified."

And then when you get to Romans 3 and verse 28, he says it like this:

Scripture Reading — Galatians 2:16

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 64:6

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

The Method of Justification: Imputation

God justifies by imputation: our sins were charged to Christ's account, and His righteousness is credited to ours. This double imputation is the heart of the gospel.

The Instrumental Means: Faith Alone

Faith is the hand that receives Christ's righteousness. It is not the ground but the instrument appointed by God. Even weak faith suffices if it apprehends Christ.

Sola Fide And Justification - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	WnSBXbjSTDI
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Sola Fide And Justification
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-11-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 174: Sola Fide And Justification — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	62

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver opens with Romans 5:1 and reviews part one, emphasizing justification as a legal, forensic declaration, distinct from regeneration and sanctification but always accompanying them.
Definition of Justification: He restates the definition: justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, pardoning sins and accounting them righteous solely through Christ's obedience and satisfaction, received by faith alone.
The Author and Source of Justification: Reviewing the first two points: God is the author (all three persons of the Trinity), and the source is God's free grace, meaning without any cause in us.
The Subjects of Justification: Sinners: God justifies the elect from eternity, those who believe from the Spirit's work, and the ungodly in themselves—those destitute of righteousness.
The Essence of Justification: Pardon and Imputed Righteousness: Justification consists of both the negative (pardon of sins) and the positive (acceptance and accounting as righteous). Forgiveness alone is insufficient; a positive righteousness is required.
The Ground of Justification: Christ Alone: The ground is not anything wrought in us or done by us, but only the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ. Our works cannot merit salvation; the law demands perfect, perpetual obedience.
The Method of Justification: Imputation: God justifies by imputation: our sins were charged to Christ's account, and His righteousness is credited to ours. This double imputation is the heart of the gospel.
The Instrumental Means: Faith Alone: Faith is the hand that receives Christ's righteousness. It is not the ground but the instrument appointed by God. Even weak faith suffices if it apprehends Christ.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Justification is entirely outside of us

The ground of justification is wholly external, found only in Christ's obedience and satisfaction, not in any internal change or work.

Weaver states, 'The ground of our justification is wholly, totally, and completely outside of ourselves. It is found only in the person and work of Jesus Christ.'

Forgiveness alone is insufficient for salvation

Pardon of sins does not grant entrance into God's presence; a positive righteousness is required, which is provided by Christ's imputed righteousness.

Weaver argues, 'Forgiveness of sins does not take anyone into heaven... you need an absolute positive righteousness.'

The law cannot justify

No one can be justified by works of the law because it demands personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, which fallen man cannot render.

Weaver explains, 'The law demands three things... a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. No one has ever rendered to the law that which it requires except Jesus Christ.'

Imputation is essential to understanding salvation

Without understanding imputation—the crediting of sin to Christ and righteousness to believers—one cannot be sound in the faith.

Weaver asserts, 'If you don't understand imputation, then you do not understand salvation.'

Faith alone is the instrumental cause

Scripture teaches justification by faith alone, not because faith has merit, but because it is the God-appointed means to receive Christ.

Weaver says, 'Faith alone is the instrumental cause or means of justification... a man is justified in faith, through faith, and by faith, but never on account of faith.'

Scripture References

Romans 5:1: Opening verse: 'Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.'
John 15:25: Used to illustrate 'without a cause' (dorean) as the same word for 'freely' in Romans 3:24.
Romans 3:24: Being justified freely by His grace, connected to the concept of 'without a cause.'
Isaiah 43:25: God blots out transgressions for His own sake, not because of anything in us.
Psalm 106:8: God saved them for His name's sake, to make His power known.
Titus 3:3-7: Not by works of righteousness, but according to His mercy He saved us, that being justified by His grace we should be heirs.
Romans 8:33: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
Ephesians 1:3-4: Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
2 Timothy 1:8-9: God saved us and called us according to His own purpose and grace given in Christ before the world began.
Acts 13:38-39: By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Romans 4:23-25: Righteousness imputed to us if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Romans 4:5: To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
1 Timothy 1:15: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.
2 Corinthians 5:21: He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
1 Corinthians 1:30: Of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification.
Galatians 2:16: A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:28: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Isaiah 64:6: All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
Galatians 3:21: If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Historical References

Westminster Confession of Faith: Weaver notes that his definition of justification can be found in the Westminster Confession, Philadelphia Baptist Confession, and Old London Confession.
Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith: Mentioned alongside Westminster as containing a similar definition of justification.
Old London Confession of Faith: Also cited as a historical confession with a similar definition.
John Owen: Quoted on Romans 4:5: 'He who worketh not is justified through believing,' emphasizing that works have no influence in justification.
Horatius Bonar: Weaver quotes Bonar's hymn: 'Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I'll stake my whole eternity.'
Thomas Goodwin: Quoted on how faith justifies: not as a joint cause with works, nor as an act of grace in us, but as an instrument to receive Christ.
Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 73: Quoted: 'Faith justifies a sinner... only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and His righteousness.'
Stephen Charnock: Quoted: 'Our justification by faith is always expressed in the passive... The efficacy is in Christ's blood. The reception is in our faith.'

Important Quotes

Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which He pardons all 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 Jesus Christ by faith imputed unto them and received by faith alone.

This is the full definition Weaver uses throughout the sermon, encapsulating the author, source, subjects, essence, ground, method, and means of justification.

If you don't understand imputation, then you do not understand salvation. If you do not understand imputation, then it is impossible to be sound in the faith.

Highlights the central importance of imputation for a correct understanding of the gospel.

Faith is neither the ground nor the substance of our justification, but simply the hand that receives the divine gift that is offered to us in the gospel.

Clarifies the instrumental role of faith, guarding against making faith a meritorious work.

Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another's life, another's death, I'll stake my whole eternity.

A poetic summary of the believer's reliance on Christ's substitutionary life and death.

Forgiveness of sins does not take anyone into heaven. Forgiveness of sins does not bring you into the presence of God. Forgiveness of sins may keep you out of punishment, but it wouldn't get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in God's presence, you need more than forgiveness of sins. You need an absolute positive righteousness.

Emphasizes the necessity of imputed righteousness, not just pardon, for acceptance with God.

It wasn't the force with which you touched it. It was just that you touched it.

Illustrates that the efficacy of faith lies in its object, Christ, not in the strength of the faith itself.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does understanding justification as a forensic declaration, rather than an infusion of righteousness, affect your assurance of salvation?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that justification is a legal pronouncement by God, not based on internal changes.

[Question]

Why is it important that God's grace is 'without a cause' in us? How does this protect the freeness of the gospel?

[Context]

Weaver explains the Greek word dorean, meaning 'freely' or 'without a cause,' as in John 15:25 and Romans 3:24.

[Question]

What does it mean that God justifies the ungodly? How does this differ from the message of other religions or false gospels?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts the gospel's offer to the ungodly with systems that require self-righteousness.

[Question]

Why is forgiveness of sins alone insufficient for salvation? What does the positive aspect of justification (imputed righteousness) add?

[Context]

Weaver argues that a positive righteousness is needed to enter God's presence, not just pardon.

[Question]

How does the doctrine of double imputation (our sins to Christ, His righteousness to us) help you understand the justice and mercy of God in salvation?

[Context]

Weaver explains imputation using the illustration of a cosigner and the transfer of accounts.

[Question]

In what ways might we be tempted to make faith a work or the ground of our justification? How can we guard against that?

[Context]

Weaver stresses that faith is only the instrumental means, not the ground, and that even weak faith suffices.

[Question]

How does the illustration of the spoon and the cereal help clarify the role of faith in justification?

[Context]

Weaver uses the spoon analogy to show that faith is merely the instrument to receive Christ, not the source of life.

Applications

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