JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama)

March 1, 2016

----This was written by Adam Clark in the late 1700’s.

----The doctrine of justification by faith, which is so nobly proved in the preceding chapter, (Romans 4) is one of the grandest displays of the mercy of God to mankind. It is so very plain that all may comprehend it; and so free that all may attain it. What more simple than this? Thou art a sinner, in consequence condemned to perdition, and utterly unable to save thy own soul. All are in the same state with thyself, and no man can give a ransom for the soul of his neighbor. God, in his mercy, has provided a Savior for thee. As thy life was forfeited to death because of thy transgressions, Jesus Christ has redeemed thy life by giving up his own; he died in thy stead, and has made an atonement to God for thy transgressions; and offers thee the pardon he has thus purchased, on the simple condition, that thou believe that his death is a sufficient sacrifice, ransom, and oblation for thy sin; and that thou bring it as such, by confident faith, to the throne of God, and plead it in thy own behalf there. When thou dost so, thy faith in that sacrifice shall be imputed to thee for righteousness; i.e. it shall be the means of receiving that salvation which Christ has bought by his blood.

----How wonderfully clear and simple is this! This is the way the old writers and saints of God wrote years ago. They understood the cross and salvation much better than most of the present age writers and saints.