Believe.
A prison-keeper inquired of Paul and Silas: “Sirs, [pg 068] what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:30, 31. At this point Satan has succeeded in confusing many an honest soul. They have forsaken all to follow Jesus, but have not that perfect confidence that God forgives and accepts them. Satan will allow them to believe that God will save them in some future time, but struggles hard to prevent their believing that Jesus saves them now. The apostle says, “By grace are ye saved through faith.” Eph. 2:8. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” 1 John 5:1. “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. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God.” Rom. 5:1. It is not by enthusiasm or excitement that we are saved, but “by grace through faith.”
Jesus on one occasion said, “Which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it.” Luke 14:28. He uses this illustration to teach us the manner in which we should come to him. The cost is “a death to sin and the world.” The prize is heaven and eternal glory. When you have carefully counted the cost and deliberately decided in your soul to follow Jesus, then believe on his name, “and thou shalt be saved.”
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Justification.
The term justification is used both in the Old Testament and the New. There is a difference between the justification under the law and the justification by grace. The one was obtained by the blood of animals and the other by the blood of Jesus. Since we are writing upon the glorious themes of the New Testament we shall say but little of the justification by the sacrifices of animals.
Justification implies a forgiveness of sins. The sense of guilt resulting from a transgression of God's law is removed. The justified therefore experience a safety, a peace and rest. Fears and uncertainties are banished, and the soul is filled with confidence and hope. “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God.” Rom. 5:1. Peace is the natural result of justification. It is sin that destroys the happiness of man. Before sin entered into this world man lived in a delightful Eden. His heart was open and frank before God, and he rejoiced in his presence. Sin brought a sense of shame and guilt, and he hid from the presence of God. All men admire the innocency of childhood. The peaceful countenance of an infant, its freedom from care, anxieties and unrest but remind us of the peacefulness of pardon.
There was a justification by the law, but the law day has passed away. We have come to the gospel day in which no flesh shall be justified by the works of the law, but by “the faith of Jesus Christ.” Gal. 2:16; [pg 070] 3:11. The Bible promises nothing more in justification than a full pardon of all transgression and restoration to childhood innocency. “And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Mat. 18:2, 3. A justified man is as innocent and free from transgression as a little child. Is it not a just cause of surprise that men will teach the forgiveness of sins necessary to the experience of justification, and yet teach that the justified commit sin? “O Consistency, thou art a jewel.”
It occurs to our mind that if men would use consideration, mingled with reason and judgment, they would see the inconsistency of the above teaching. Should a man who had used abusive language to you come and penitently ask your forgiveness, you would forgive, but that does not give him liberty to continue his abuse. When the penitent comes to God he will pardon, but this does not give him liberty to continue in sin. God created man with an intelligence, a reason and common sense. The ravages of sin have greatly impaired these qualities of the mind that believes that justification necessitates a forgiveness of sins, yet the experience can be retained while committing sin. A sound writer has said, “Common sense is a quality of mind not so common as the words imply. Many claim it who have no right to its possession. It [pg 071] is a high standard of mental worth. The brain coin that bears its imprint has a par value wherever man is governed by pure reason.” No true Christian believes he can live in sin and be a Christian. Even those who are governed by pure reason do not believe such. By the blood of Jesus “all that believe are justified from all things.” Acts 13:39.
Regeneration.
Justification by grace through faith in Jesus does not end with a forgiveness of past transgressions only, but includes the impartation of the divine, or eternal life to the soul. The blood of animals offered for sins in the Jewish economy was unable to impart this life to the offerer of the sacrifice. Jesus says, “I am come that ye might have life.” “Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” “He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” “God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
The process by which man enters the natural life is termed a birth or generation. The process by which man enters the spiritual life is expressed by the words, “being born again,” or “regeneration.” With the words “being born again” we naturally associate life. When Nicodemus heard the words he thought the process of bringing into physical life was to be repeated. The Savior told him, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of [pg 072] the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6. In life there is activity and power. Not only are the transgressions forgiven, but by regeneration life and power come into the soul, which gives man strength to resist sin. The Israelite only hoped for a forgiveness of his past sin through his offering. That beautiful hope of constant victory over sin was not his to enjoy. He knew the power of sin and the weakness of his offering; consequently he expected naught else but to offer his sacrifices over and over, day by day, and year by year continually. He who to-day comes to God pleading for forgiveness of his sins through the offering of the eternal Son and expects to still continue in sin enjoys no better hope than a Jew. He dishonors the great sacrifice of God's Son by counting it no more than the sacrifice of animals.
In regeneration the holy, pure, divine life comes into the soul. Man passes from “death unto life.” The dominion of sin has come to an end. Sin is dethroned and its kingdom destroyed. Regenerated man is crowned a king. The royal robes of white enshroud him. The scepter of righteousness he sways triumphantly and reigns a mighty conqueror, “a king and priest unto God.” Praise and honor to his name!
This new life within man's soul finds expression in a new life without. Since the new life within is holy and pure the new life without is holy and pure. [pg 073] “Make the inside of the cup and platter clean and the outside will be clean also.” The apostle John tells us the manner of life that follows “being born again.” “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” 1 John 5:18. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him: and he can not sin, because he is born of God.” 1 John 3:9. This text does not teach the impossibility of committing sin as some have supposed, but the impossibility of committing sin and retaining the spiritual birth. In 1 John 2:29 we are clearly taught that righteousness of life succeeds the regeneration of man. Sin belongs only to Satan and sinners. It is not found in the life of God, nor of the angels, nor of Christ, nor of the Christians.
Adoption.
The term “adoption” is a few times used in the New Testament. It is