THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION EXPLAINED:
CHARLES E. WHISNANT – PASTOR/TEACHER
I. WHAT IT IS TO JUSTIFY A SINNER.
A. JUSTIFICATION IS A LAW TERM TAKEN FROM COURTS OF JUDICATURE, (Judge’s Office) WHEREIN A PERSON IS ACCUSED, TRIED, AND, AFTER TRIAL, ABSOLVED. THUS, IT IS OPPOSED TO ACCUSATION AND CONDEMNATION. (ROMANS 8:1)
B. SO IT IS DECLARED TO BE A SIN TO JUSTIFY THE WICKED (PROV. 17:15), NOT TO MAKE THEM RIGHTEOUS BUT TO PRONOUCE THEM RIGHTEOUS. HENCE IT FOLLOWS THAT JUSTIFICATION:
1. IT IS NOT A REAL BUT A RELATIVE CHANGE OF THE SINNER’S STATE.
2. IS AN ACT DONE AND PASSED IN AN INSTANT IN THE COURT OF HEAVEN, AS SOON AS THE SINNER BELIEVES IN CHRIST, AND NOT A WORK CARRIED ON BY DEGREES.
II. THE PATH OF JUSTIFICATION:
A. That we may the more clearly take up this matter, we must view the process of a sinners’ justification.
1. God Himself sits Judge in this process. He gave the Law; and as He is the Lawgiver so He is the Judge. And He only can justify authoritatively and irreversibly. For:
a) He only is the Lawgiver, and He only has power to save or to destroy, and therefore the judgment must be left to Him. (James 4:12)
b) Against Him the crime is committed, and He only can pardon it.
2. The sinner is cited to answer before God’s judgment-seat by the messengers of God, the preachers of the gospel. (Malachi 2:1). Every sermon is a summons put into the sinner’s hand to answer for his sin. But, sinners are so secure that they slight the summons and will not appear. Some keep themselves out of the preacher’s way; some never read the summons; other’s tear it in pieces, or affront the preacher. (Matthew 22:6). And so they act till Death bring them under his black rod before the tribunal in another world, where there is no access to justification.
3. The Judge sends out other messengers who apprehend the sinner to carry him before the judgment-seat. And these are the spirit of bondage and an awakened conscience. (John 16:8-9, Proverbs 20:27. Jeremiah 2:2:27). They apprehended Paul, and left him not till he appeared and submitted himself. Others strive against the Spirit and their own consciences (Acts 7:51).
4. When at length the prisoner, in chain of guilt is brought to the bar (Acts 26:29-30), where fear and sorrow seize him while he sees a just Judge on the throne, a strict law laid before him, and a guilty conscience within.
5. Then the indictment is read, and the sinner is speechless. (Romans 2:10-19). And sentence is demanded agreeable to the law. (Galatians 3:10).
6. Then the sinner must plead guilty or not. If he were innocent he might plead not guilty, and thereupon he would be justified. But his plea is not for us. For :
a) It is utterly false. (Romans 3:10. Eccles 7:20; James 3:2).
b) Falsehood can never bear out before God’s judgment-seat. There is no want of evidence. Conscience is as a thousand witnesses, and the Judge is omniscient. The sinner then must needs plead guilty
7. The sinner being convicted is put to it to plead, why the sentence should not pass against him. Shall he plead mercy for mere mercy’s sake? Justice interposes that the Judge of all the earth must do right. The truth of God interposes that the word already gone out must be accomplished. – That without shedding of blood there is no remission. Whither shall the sinner turn now? Both saints and angels are helpless. So
8. The despised Mediator, the Advocate at this court, who takes the desperate causes of sinners in hand, offers Himself now, with His perfect righteousness, and all His salvation. The sinner by faith lays hold on Him, renounces all other claims, and takes himself to His alone merits and suretyship. Now has the sinner a plea that will infallibly bring him off. He pleads, he is guilty indeed; yet he must not die, for Christ has died for him. The law’s demands were just, but they are all answered already.
9. Hereupon the judge sustaining the plea passes the sentence of justification on the sinner, according to the everlasting agreement. (Isaiah 53:11) “Who is not set beyond the reach of condemnation (Isaiah 8:1).
B. THIS GREAT BENEFIT CONSISTS OF:
1. The pardon of sin: (cts 8:38-39). Here we show
a) What pardon is? It is not the taking away the nature of sin; God justifies the sinner, but will never justify his sin. Nor is it the removing of the intrinsic demerit of sin; it still deserves condemnation. Nor is it the removing of the intrinsic (built in) punishment; a reprieve is no pardon.
(1) There are four things in sin;
(a) Its power, which is broken in regeneration. (Romans 4:14)
(b) Its blot and stain, which is taken away in sanctification. (1 Corinthians 6:11).
(c) Its indwelling, which is removed in glorification.(Hebrews 12:23)
(d) Its guilt.
(2) Now pardon is the taking away of guilt, the dreadful obligation to punishment. Pardon cuts the knot whereby guilt ties sin and wrath together, cancels the bond obliging the sinner to pay his debt, and puts him out of law’s reach.
b) Its properties – full. (Micah 7:19; Colossians 2:13; ) free; irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)
c) Its names discovering its nature.
(1) It is a blotting out of sin. (Isaiah 45:25.)
(2) An allusion to a creditor who, when he discharges a metaphor from merchants, who, when a rich friend undertakes for one of their poor debtors, charge their account no more upon him;
(3) a taking of the burden of sin from off the sinner. (Psalms 32:1; Hosea 14:2).
(4) a washing of him. (I Corinthians 6:11; Psalms 51:2; Isaiah 1:18; I John 1;7; )
(5) a dismissing or remission of sin. (Matthew 6:12; Romans 3:25). As the sheep-goat bore away the iniquities of the people; the displaying of a thick cloud. (Isaiah 44:22,) which pardon, like the shining sun, behind the Lord’s back (Isaiah 38:17;
(6) a casting it into the depth of the sea. Micah 7:19;
(7) a covering of sin. Psalms 32:1;
(8) a not remembering of sin. Jeremiah 31:34
2. The acceptation of the person as righteous in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians5:21; Romans 4:6, 5:19.) There is a twofold acceptation which must be carefully distinguished.
a) First, of a man’s works as righteous. (Galatians 3:12). Works in a full conformity to the law are thus accepted. But since God’s judgment is according to truth, He cannot account things to be what really they are not; it is evidence that even a believer’s works are not righteous in the eye of the law. So that this acceptation has no place in our justification..
b) Secondly, of a man’s person as righteous.( Ephesians 1:6). This may be done, and is done, to the believer. This is an unspeakable benefit; for thereby
(1) The bar in the way of abounding mercy is taken away, so that the rivers of compassion may flow towards him.( Romans 5:1; Job 33:3,24).
(2) He is adjusted to eternal life. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7. Acts 27:18)
(3) The accusations of Satan and the shout of evil conscience are hereby to be stilled. (Romans 8:33,34).
III. NONE
Please don’t get the idea I will do this again for awhile. This outline form is hard work, Kindra and Bob Temple, Sr.
What I have learned that I do is give sermon notes, not necessarily outlines. But the outline formats I do use are my own making up. But as you note I am not consistent in the style that I use. Generally I type the outline after the message is written. Therefore, sometimes I put in extra comments that were not in my manuscript in the first place. I hope the notes will help you in your study of the Word of God. And I hope you will apply the Word into your life
