There are many professing Christians who are not justified. Justification means forgiveness, then all our sins are forgiven, and Jesus gives us the power to overcome every sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12
Justification is a gift from God: we cannot earn it; we can only ask for it. It is our title or passport to heaven. When we are born again, and converted, then we are also justified, and the Holy Spirit enters into our heart. William Miller was born into a Christian family, but he was 33 years old when he said that, now he was finally converted. This kind of experience many Christians have; they are not always converted at the time when they join the church. Justification is righteousness imputed, and now begins the righteousness imparted, which is sanctification. This time we also receive the divine nature which enables us to escape the corruption of the world.
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4
Jesus had a Divine nature and also human nature. When we are justified we can be partakers of the Divine nature. We can overcome as He overcame. Justification is the third angel’s message, which needs to be proclaimed to all the world. , “[Justification] is the third angel’s message in verity.” –Evangelism, p. 190. It is “the sweetest melodies that come from God through human lips—justification by faith, and the righteousness of Christ.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 426
When a sinner, who is condemned to death, hears these precious messages, and accepts and believes them, he is filled with fullness of joy, and the peace of heaven fills his heart. He is now more valuable in the sight of God than all the treasures and riches of the world. But if we do not proclaim these messages of mercy, we are great sinners.
“God has given His ministers the message of truth to proclaim. This the churches are to receive and in every possible way to communicate, catching the first rays of light and diffusing them. Here is our great sin. We are years behind. The ministers have been seeking the hidden treasure and have been opening up the casket and letting the jewels of truth shine forth, but the members of the church have not done a hundredth part of that which God requires of them. What can we expect but deterioration in religious life when the people listen to sermon after sermon and do not put the instruction into practice? The ability God has given, if not exercised, degenerates. More than this, when the churches are left to inactivity Satan sees to it that they are employed. He occupies the field and engages the members in lines of work that absorb their energies, destroy spirituality, and cause them to fall as dead weights upon the church.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 425
“We are not to feel that the work of the gospel depends principally upon the minister. To every man God has given a work to do in connection with His kingdom. Everyone who professes the name of Christ is to be an earnest, disinterested worker, ready to defend the principles of righteousness. Every soul should take an active part in advancing the cause of God. Whatever our calling, as Christians we have a work to do in making Christ known to the world. We are to be missionaries, having for our chief aim the winning of souls to Christ.” –Ibid., p. 427
This was the condition of the church 150 years ago; how careful we must be that we do not fall into this condition today. When we consider all that God has done for us for our salvation, should we not feel gratitude towards Him, and sacrifice our time and means for Him? There are conditions that we must fulfil before we can receive the free gift of justification. “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Romans 2:13
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24. The law is important, it will bring us to Christ, but then we need faith to be justified. The law cannot do it.
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16
“Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.” Exodus 23:7
“Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.” 1 Kings 8:32
Jesus explained further the condition that we must fulfil in order to be justified. “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:37
How careful we must be in speaking, because by the words that we speak we can lose our salvation. If we tell to others the sins that someone has done, this sin will not be forgiven unless there is a public confession. “Have they sowed discord among the brethren and sisters of the church? If these things have been committed they should be confessed before God and the church.” –Counsels on Health, p. 374.
We are justified by faith, but it must be living faith with works. “Genuine faith will be manifested in good works; for good works are the fruits of faith.” –Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 397
“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James 2:24
“No one can believe with the heart unto righteousness, and obtain justification by faith, while continuing the practice of those things which the Word of God forbids, or while neglecting any known duty.” –Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 396
“Was not Abraham over our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” James 2:21–22
When we are justified we are saved; and we must retain justification or we will lose it.
“God requires the entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and in order for man to retain justification, there must be continual obedience, through active, living faith that works by love and purifies the soul.” –Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 366
If we fall into sin after we have been justified, then we must repeat the confession of our sin, and plead for mercy. In order to retain our justification we need to pray without ceasing. “No man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer.” –The Great Controversy, p. 530
We need to read the Bible. “We should study the Bible with humility of heart, never losing sight of our dependence upon God. While we must constantly guard against the devices of Satan, we should pray in faith continually: ‘Lead us not into temptation.’” –Ibid., p. 530
Satan is attacking most those who are justified and being sanctified, to make sure that they will lose their justification. He was successful with Adam and Eve; they lost their justification. One third of the angels in heaven lost their justification, and now after deceiving people for 6000 years, Satan has become very skillful in his deceiving work; therefore without God’s help we cannot save ourselves from his deceptions. But the wonderful promise has been given that it is possible to overcome every sin.
“He who lays hold upon the righteousness of Christ maybe become a perfect man in Christ Jesus.” –Testimonies to Ministers, p. 150
“Clad in the armour of Christ righteousness, the church is to enter upon her final conflict. . . . When we submit ourselves to Christ . . . we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then, as the Lord looks upon us, He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah.” –My Life Today, p. 311
“Exceeding great is our salvation, for ample provision has been made through the righteousness of Christ, that we may be pure, entire, wanting nothing.” –The Review and Herald, February 4, 1890
While a perfect sinless life is possible in Christ, there are many who neglect to take hold of His promises. With a full knowledge of justification, they continue life in a lost condition, because they neglected the opportunities to secure their salvation by good works.
“They had had opportunity, but would not do the work that they could and should have done.
“The names of all who profess the truth were mentioned. Some were reproved for their unbelief, others for having been slothful servants. They had allowed others to do the work in the Master’s vineyard, and to bear the heaviest responsibilities, while they were selfishly serving their own temporal interests. Had they cultivated the abilities God had given them, they could have been reliable burden bearers, working for the interest of the Master. Said the Judge: ‘All will be justified by their faith and judged by their works.’ How vividly then appeared their neglect, and how wise the arrangement of God in giving to every man a work to do to promote the cause and save his fellow men. Each was to demonstrate a living faith in his family and in his neighborhood, by showing kindness to the poor, sympathizing with the afflicted, engaging in missionary labor, and by aiding the cause of God with his means. But, like Meroz, the curse of God rested upon them for what they had not done. They had loved that work which would bring the greatest profit in this life; and opposite their names in the ledger devoted to good works there was a mournful blank.
“The words spoken to these were most solemn: ‘You are weighed in the balances, and found wanting. You have neglected spiritual responsibilities because of busy activity in temporal matters.’
“This class had made self supreme, laboring only for selfish interests. They were not rich toward God, not having responded to His claims upon them. Although professing to be servants of Christ, they brought no souls to Him. Had the cause of God been dependent on their efforts, it would have languished; for they not only withheld the means lent them of God, but they withheld themselves.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 386
May all the members of the church of God wake up to realize the need of justification and add to their faith good works, and we will meet each other in heaven. Amen.
Timo Martin