GOD THE JUSTIFIER

One great object of the gospel is to enlighten men as to the true character of God, as He has been revealed in Christ, and this in order that men may be encouraged to turn to God. The apostle Paul preached everywhere that men should repent and turn to God. Conversion means turning to God. In turning to God men receive grace and blessing because He is the God of all grace, and One who delights to bless. There is no blessing for men apart from God. God is the source of all good. The work of the devil has been to deceive man, to instil into his mind evil thoughts about God, and thus to alienate him from God. His great object is to keep man away from God, and in order to this, he uses all kinds of means to keep him in the dark. He blinds the minds of those who do not believe. In Christ God has been pleased to reveal Himself: the light of the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ. He is the image of God, that is, He represents God to us. In the ministry, death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus to glory, everything of God has been revealed, and is now presented to men in the preaching of the gospel. Paul was told to open the eyes of men, that is to enlighten them as to the true character of God, in order that they might turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. Whoever turns to God receives forgiveness of his sins, and an inheritance, a heavenly and eternal one, Acts 26: 18. The effect of his preaching was seen in the Thessalonians, of whom it is said they “turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” (1 Thess 1: 9), instead of serving dead idols.

There is nothing now to hinder a sinful man turning to God, because He has appointed a Mediator, One who gave Himself a ransom for all. In Christ Jesus God can meet man as a sinner, and in Him the sinner can meet God. The blood has been sprinkled on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. In virtue of the blood of Jesus, God’s throne has become a mercy seat; nothing but mercy issues from it at the present time. The way is open, and God is saying “Come”.

Now one character in which God is now revealed is that of a Justifier, the One who justifies the ungodly. On the ground of the death of Jesus, God is able to present Himself in this character to all men. Redemption has been accomplished, the death of Jesus has displayed and vindicated God’s righteousness. In Jesus dying for us, God has judged sin as it deserved to be judged. He has not winked at it; not overlooked it; He has righteously judged it. “It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin”, &c., Isa 53: 10. All that the righteousness of God required has been accomplished in the death of Jesus. All the claims of His glory have been perfectly satisfied; and God has given proof of this, in that He has raised up Jesus from the dead and given Him glory.

The consequence of this is that God can now proclaim Himself as a just God, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. He can justify the ungodly, and in doing so is not only merciful but just. It is a righteous act on the part of God to justify the one who comes to Him by Jesus. The one who thus comes, instead of seeking to be justified in his own righteousness, is justified in God’s righteousness. This righteousness of God is toward all; that is, it is presented to all men as the only possible ground on which sinful men can be justified. It is upon all who believe; that is, every true believer is justified in God’s righteousness, “In him every one that believes is justified”, Acts 13: 39. Thus it is on the ground of God’s righteousness that the believer stands. What solid ground this is! It is surely a rock which nothing can shake.

This makes it perfectly clear that in the present day, save for the rejectors of His grace, God is not presented to men in the character of a Judge, but as a Justifier. Therefore whoever turns to God meets a Justifier, not a Judge. This we see illustrated in the case of the publican (Luke 18: 13, 14); in turning to God he met the Justifier and was justified. The common and erroneous thought in men’s minds is that God is now acting as a judge. While this thought remains in the mind, no man would think of turning to God. How could a guilty sinner turn to a judge? To do so would be only to receive the judgment he so well deserves. Satan is ever seeking to keep up this thought in the mind of man, to prevent him turning to God. Through the gospel God has given the lie to the devil, by presenting Himself as a Justifier, thus seeking to encourage men to turn to Him. If, after this proclamation, He refused to justify a sinner who turns to Him, He would deny Himself, which is impossible. “He cannot deny himself”, 2 Tim 2: 13. His word is “Come!” “Look unto me”, Isa 1: 18; 45: 22. He welcomes, receives with open arms, every one who does come, Luke 15: 20.