Justified From All Things From Which We Could Not Be Justified by the Law

Justified From All Things From Which We Could Not Be Justified by the Law

The forgiveness of sins (being pardoned) mentioned in verse 38, is point #1 in this justification process; it is being justified from perdition. After that, sanctification begins, which is a step by step, from one degree to another, justification from sin.

You are only justified from debt after you have finished paying it off; then, when you are finished with it, you have fulfilled your obligation. In the same way we are justified from wrath and the love of money when we are finished with them.

This kind of justification is usually not known among God’s people. Normally they only know of justification in the sense of “pardoning.” They are ignorant of the actual greatness and richness we can gain through the gospel—that by faith we can be personally righteous (or partake of divine nature).

The rich young man had kept all the commandments of the Mosaic Law from his youth. Matt. 19:20. He was therefore justified from all the things from which he could be justified by the Law of Moses. But it did not help him much; he was not justified from the love of money. When Jesus wanted to help him, he went away sorrowful because of his love of money. The Law of Moses did not illuminate this sufficiently. It was only a shadow of perfection; therefore, there was no possibility of being justified from the love of money.

The old covenant claimed one-tenth of your earthly goods, and the rich young man had tithed conscientiously without fail. However, he had nine-tenths left; and since he was rich, this amounted to quite a lot, so that love of money, greed, affectation, and wanton living was able to prosper and continue to live.

Paul was also righteous according to the Law of Moses. He was justified from everything from which he could be justified by the Law of Moses. Nevertheless, he was full of darkness so that he erred disastrously, and being full of hatred and rage, he agreed to the killing of the blessed man of God, Stephen. So justification was insufficient. However, by faith in Jesus Christ, Paul became justified from all the evil from which he had not previously been justified—by a faith that made him a partaker of the death of Christ and of the life of Christ so that he no longer lived for himself.

The Law of Moses prosecuted adultery in general, but it left people alone when it concerned their thoughts and glances. However, Jesus said, “Whoever looks at a woman . . . .” Jesus’ law penetrates to the innermost parts.

The law concerning the Sabbath is also a striking example. Isa. 58:13. By this law you could be justified from carrying on your own business, your own works, and speaking your own words every Sabbath or Saturday; but then you could, after having rested on Saturday, seek your own to the fullest during the other six days of the week. So the Sabbath law was only a reminder that they ought not to seek their own, but it was not salvation from it. When the Sabbath was over, they started doing their own thing with renewed strength.

However, now we can be justified by faith in Christ Jesus from all the self-love from which the Law of Moses could not justify us. Through this faith we are crucified with Christ so that we die to seeking our own on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and all the other days. In this manner our earthly business does not become our business. This is realized when we do not seek to amass money by it, do not seek a salary for the purpose of buying tastier food and finer clothes, etc., but we only seek to discharge our duty by contributing our fair share to work and labor in this world, and having something to give to those in need. Thus the sinful desires fall away, and we are filled with the love of Christ for our neighbor, and a desire to be righteousness and merciful.

This is how the Sabbath is realized in spirit and in truth, so that we experience true rest in our inner being each of the seven days of the week, instead of only a reminder about it every seventh day. Self-love is put to death every day, instead of being reminded every seventh day that it is not pleasing to God.

How blessedly great and powerful and rich and glorious the laws of the new covenant are! What an unspeakably great opportunity for salvation!!!