CROYDON, JULY 27TH, 1881

CROYDON, JULY 27TH, 1881

— - As to “justification of life” (Romans 5: 18) it is that justification we have as being alive in Christ; that is, it goes beyond mere forgiveness of sins as in the old man which are put away. It is the clearance of all imputation which we have as alive in Christ. But the passage gives us something more specific, it refers to verses 16 and 17. Verse 16 is “of many offences unto justification,” which of itself goes further than clearing the conscience of sins. Verse 17 further adds that they who have received “abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life.” This, while based on the clearing, brings us into the new place in life and reigning in it. Hence we have “justification of life”: “by one offence towards all men to condemnation ... by one complete righteousness [dikaivwma] towards all men to justification” (verse 18); but then “in life,” a new life in Christ — not merely, that is, the old sins cleared away negatively, but in the new place by a work of Christ which God had fully owned. He had finished the work which His Father had given Him to do, and was in virtue of it in a new place as Man in life. Life (in us) and justification went together.

I do not know if I have made myself plain. It does not go quite so far as the “in Christ,” but it does identify our justification and a new life in Him.
[1881.] Dearest P Gibbs, — The tract⁺ is merely the system of high experimental Baptists, Warburton and Gadsby and company. Indeed I had been the means of the conversion of its last leader when tutor to my nephews. There were godly people among them, but simple faith in the Lord’s work little and seldom known; they looked for Holy Ghost work in themselves — surely necessary, but not faith. But the tract is a moderate expression. The insisting on real exercise about sin for peace I believe to be useful in these days; there is great looseness and carelessness as to it. But there are two decided defects in the tract: the two first parables of Luke 15 are left out in it; and in his system. There, experience is excluded; it is brought in in the third, the only one he refers to; but that, till he meets the Father, is the history of the work in man, of the prodigal, not of the Father; the moment he comes to Him you hear no more of the prodigal. In the two first, all is on the divine side. “For God so loved” is forgotten. All his statement as to being born is drawn from a human illustration which scripture never uses, and not from scripture, and his statement is in the teeth of scripture. He says we are not children till we are sealed; whereas scripture says the Spirit is given to us because we are sons, and that it is when the gospel of salvation has been received by faith that we are sealed for the day of redemption; and we are declared to be sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Christ Himself (only He in His own title) was sealed and anointed by the Holy Ghost come down from heaven. The insisting on reality of repentance I believe to be timely in these days.

Affectionately yours in the Lord.

Croydon, July 27th, 1881.

⁺[Referring to a tract by a high Calvinist on “Life before Faith.”]