A. The relation between this article and the preceding.
1. The heading of the article is somewhat misleading, for the doctrine of justification has already been treated rather extensively in Article XXII.
2. But in Article XXII, the Confession emphasized that this justification could only be appropriated by faith; while in this article, our Fathers made clear the all important doctrine that justification is without works.
B. The teaching of this article.
1. In this article, as well as in the preceding, the doctrine of justification is treated only as a subjective blessing of salvation which the church consciously receives.
2. Justification is therefore treated as synonymous with the forgiveness of sins. “We believe that our salvation consists in the remission of our sins for Jesus Christ’s sake, and therein our righteousness before God is implied:”
a. This is indeed true that justification is synonymous with the forgiveness of sins, and is therefore the basic blessing of salvation. If our sins are forgiven, then all the rest of salvation follows without fail.
b. This forgiveness of sins implies necessarily justification without works, for it is only one who has no need of the forgiveness of sins who also has no need of justification. It is foolish to speak of justification by works, for one who can perform good works stands in no need of justification before God.
3. The article goes to considerable length to prove this all important point.
a. It appeals without quoting directly to Ps. 32:1, 2 as well as the apostles teaching in Romans 3 and 4. In 3:28 the apostle says, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” And later in Rom. 11:6 he says, “And if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more work.”
b. This is fundamental, for if justification as the basis for all of salvation is by grace alone, then all of salvation is without our works and based in no sense upon them. It is from grace from its inception to its final end.
4. The fruit.
a. Negatively.
1) The result of this doctrine is that we have nothing to glory in ourselves. “…humbling ourselves before him, and acknowledging ourselves to be such as we are, without presuming to trust in any thing in ourselves, or in any merit of ours…”
2) This doctrine is instrumental in “freeing the conscience of fear, terror and dread, without following the example of our first father, Adam, who, trembling, attempted to cover himself with fig-leaves.”
3) “And verily if we should appear before God, relying on ourselves, or on any other creature, though ever so little, we should, alas! be consumed.”
b. Positively.
1) If we hold fast to this foundation, we will be certain to give glory to God alone.
2) Then and then only are we found “relying and resting upon the obedience of Christ crucified alone, which becomes ours, when we believe in him.”
3) Then also when we approach unto God, we will have confidence knowing that He will certainly hear us.
C. However, it is not superfluous to make a few more observations concerning this all important doctrine of justification.
1. In the first place we may notice that Scripture undeniably teaches justification from eternity.
a. This means that eternally in the counsel of God we stood before God with all the elect as perfectly justified and therefore eternally righteous.
b. This can be shown from Scripture; Num. 23:21, Rom. 8:1.
2. Therefore justification may be more specifically defined than it is in this article.
a. It presupposes a legal relationship in which all men stand before God. When man sins, he incurs a debt with every sin which ho commits. According to the justice of God, this debt can only bo removed by satisfaction. The debt must be paid. While and if it is not paid, man stands in a state of guilt. This is his relationship to God and God’s law.
b. This state is to be distinguished from his condition, the latter having to do with the actual condition of his life and nature.
c. Justification is that act of God etornally performed and accomplished whereby the state of His elect people is changed from one of guilt to one of innocence.
3. Justification, while an eternal reality, is applied to the elect as a conscious blessing of salvation by faith.
4. Justification is finished at that time when all tho elect are publicly justified before the whole world in the day of the final judgment.
5. Justification is accomplished through Christ Who suffered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. Christ paid our debt on the cross by bearing the full wrath of God against sin. When God raised Him from the dead God publicly placed His seal of approval on the finished work of Christ, and the resurrection became the ground for our justification.
6. Thus the blessings of justification are:
a. Forgiveness of sins.
b. Spiritual adoption unto children.
c. The right to everlasting life.
7. This justification can indeed be in no sense of the word based upon our own works. As this article says, we ought to pray with David: “O Lord, enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” Or as Isaiah puts it in another place, Is, 64:6, all our righteousness is but as filthy rags.