The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 408

JUSTIFICATION

368

justification is effected outside of us, irrespective of

what we

are,

dependent only upon the decision of God, our Judge and Sovereign in such a way that justification precedes sanctification, the latter proceeding from the former as a necessary result. God does not justify us because we are becoming more holy, but when He has justified us we grow in holiness; " Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." There should never be the least doubt regarding this matter. ;

Every

effort to reverse this established order of Scripture

must

This glorious confession, declared with so much power to the souls of men in the days of the Reformation, must continue the precious jewel, to be transmitted intact by us to our posterity as a sacred inheritance. So long as we ourselves earnestly be resisted.

have not yet entered the New Jerusalem, our comfort should never be founded upon our sanctification, but exclusively upon our justiTho our sanctification were ever so far advanced, so long fication. as

we

we remain in our sin and are lost. And if a immediately after his justification is sealed to shout with joy, for, in spite of hell and of Satan,

are not justified

justified sinner die

his soul,

he

is

he

may

sure of his salvation.

The deep

significance of this confession is faintly discernible in

our earthly relations.

In order to do business on the floor of the

exchange, a trader must be an honorable citizen.

If

convicted of

crime, justly or unjustly, he will be expelled from exchange, tho

he be ten times more honest than others whose fraudulent transacAnd how will this dishonored tions have never been discovered. man be restored to his former position.!* On the ground of future honest business transactions?

long as he

is

That

is

out of the question

;

for as

counted dishonorable, he is not allowed to do business Hence he can not prove his honesty by any dealings

on the floor. on exchange or in the market. So in order to start again, he must Then, and not before, can he first be declared an honorable man. set

up

in business

once more.

and this declaration of and the matter will be illus-

Call this doing of business sanctification,

being a

man

of honor justification,

For as this merchant, being declared dishonorable, can not do business so long as he continues in that state, and must be declared honorable before he can begin anew, so a sinner can not do any good work so long as he is counted lost. And so he must first trated.

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