How Then Can Man Be Just With God?
Man can be just with God through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, received by faith.
F.B. Meyer addresses the profound question of how man can be justified before God, emphasizing humanity's inherent sinfulness and the futility of self-righteousness. He explains that despite our failures and the weight of the law, Jesus Christ fulfills the law's demands and offers us everlasting righteousness. Through faith in Christ, we are justified freely by God's grace, and it is this faith that transforms our hearts and produces a holy character. Meyer highlights that true belief is not merely intellectual but a heartfelt trust in Jesus, who is our Justifier and source of peace with God.
Text
How then can man be just with God? Job xxv. 4 (R.V.).
THIS is the question of the ages. Man knows that he is as a worm, and worse. For no animal, however humble, has consciously and determinedly broken the law of God, and defiled its nature.
Our first effort is to go about to establish a righteousness of our own. Repeated failure only aggravates our misery and chagrin, till we fall helpless at the foot of Sinai. Our vows are broken, the law of God lies shivered around us, the thunders and lightnings make us afraid. Then God in the Person of Jesus comes to our help. First, He meets and satisfies the demands of the broken law, so that it can ask no more. With his own hands He works out, and brings in, everlasting righteousness. And finally, He produces in us that faith by which his finished work is applied to our conscience and heart.
By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation. God is Himself the Justifier of the ungodly. "Whom He called, them He also justified." He takes off the filthy garments, and clothes us in change of raiment.
But the condition is faith. We must believe in Him who justifieth the ungodly. They who believe are justified from all things. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are not saved by believing about his work, but in Himself. The Greek of John iii. 16 might be rendered, Whosoever even believeth into Him. The motion of faith is ever towards the heart of Him who died, and rose, and lives. Then through our faith the Spirit produces a holy character.
Sermon Outline
- I. Man's Effort to Establish a Righteousness of His Own
- A. Repeated failure and misery
- B. Helplessness at the foot of Sinai
- II. God's Provision of Righteousness Through Jesus
- A. Satisfaction of the demands of the broken law
- B. Production of faith in the believer
- III. The Condition of Faith
- A. Believing in Him who justifies the ungodly
- B. Justification from all things
- IV. The Result of Faith
- A. Peace with God through Jesus Christ
- B. Production of a holy character
Key Quotes
“By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” — F.B. Meyer
“God is Himself the Justifier of the ungodly.” — F.B. Meyer
“Whosoever even believeth into Him.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- We must acknowledge our inability to establish a righteousness of our own and rely on God's provision through Jesus Christ.
- Faith in Jesus Christ is the condition of justification and the means by which we receive peace with God.
- The Spirit produces a holy character in us as we trust in Jesus Christ.