It is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33)
Behold the eternal security of the weakest believer in Jesus. The act of justification, once passed under the great seal of the resurrection of Christ, God can never revoke without denying Himself. Here is our safety. Here is the ground of our dauntless challenge, ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God who justifies.’ What can I need more? What more can I ask?
If God, the God of spotless purity, the God of inflexible righteousness, justifies me, ‘who is he that condemns?’ Sin may condemn, but it is God that justifies! The law may alarm, but it is God that justifies! Satan may accuse, but it is God that justifies! Death may terrify, but it is God that justifies! ‘If GOD is for us, who can be against us?’ Who will dare condemn the soul whom He justifies?
How gloriously will this truth shine forth in the great day of judgment! Every accuser will then be dumb. Every tongue will then be silent. Nothing shall be laid to the charge of God’s elect. GOD Himself shall pronounce them fully, and forever justified: ‘And those He justifies, He also glorifies.’
-- Octavius Winslow, Morning Thoughts (February 1)
3 comments:
I think I would be more in step with this if the term "weakest believer" were explained.
I take it to mean someone with mustard seed-sized faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, which is accurate.
But couldn't it easily be misinterpreted as the faith of someone who has fallen on a few of the soils that aren't so good?.....I don't know, it just struck me as something that the easy-believism crowd could latch on to, even though that's not the author's intent.
Yes, this talk can always be construed this way. I like that Lloyd-Jones says that if your talk of the gospel *can't* be construed this way, you're not preaching the gospel. ;-)
But, yes, this isn't about mere mental assent, but mustard seed faith. Thomas Watson's line is good too: "The promises are not made to strong faith but to true."
Beautiful. Sincerely beautiful.
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