Churchman Article: Justification Defined, by Guy Prentiss Waters

Many people today, even people in the church, look at most human beings as basically good people who sometimes do bad things. Some of us, they say, do more bad things than others. Those of us whose good works outnumber or outweigh our bad works will enjoy the favour of the Deity. Those of us whose bad works outweigh our good works will suffer the displeasure of the Deity. Of course, most people believe that they are good. They believe that their track record of performance is good enough to receive the blessing of God. To be sure, there are some who will fall short. Those who will meet the divine displeasure, however, are notoriously wicked criminals and tyrants—the kind of people we read about in the newspapers and see on the evening news.  --Guy Prentiss Waters

[The following excerpt is from the Churchman and is written by the Presbyterian minister, Guy Prentiss Waters.]

Justification Defined

Guy Prentiss Waters

Introduction

What does the Bible say about justification? To answer that question we will look at three aspects of the Scripture’s teaching about justification. First, we will examine the problem that occasions justification. Then, we will consider justification itself.

The Problem

Why Begin Here?

The problem that occasions justification is sin. Why, one may ask, should a treatment of justification begin with sin? What does sin have to do with justification? Could we not skip over sin and simply begin discussing justification? The nineteenth century Reformed author J. C. Ryle addresses precisely this issue in the opening lines of his classic work, Holiness.

The plain truth is that a right knowledge of sin lies at the root of all saving Christianity. Without it such doctrines as justification, conversion, sanctification, are ‘words and names’ which convey no meaning to the mind… Dim or indistinct views of sin are the origin of most of the errors, heresies, and false doctrines of the present day. If a man does not realize the dangerous nature of his soul’s disease, you cannot wonder if he is content with false or imperfect remedies. I believe that one of the chief wants of the Church in the nineteenth century has been, and is, clearer, fuller teaching about sin.2

Many people today, even people in the church, look at most human beings as basically good people who sometimes do bad things. Some of us, they say, do more bad things than others. Those of us whose good works outnumber or outweigh our bad works will enjoy the favour of the Deity. Those of us whose bad works outweigh our good works will suffer the displeasure of the Deity. Of course, most people believe that they are good. They believe that their track record of performance is good enough to receive the blessing of God. To be sure, there are some who will fall short. Those who will meet the divine displeasure, however, are notoriously wicked criminals and tyrants—the kind of people we read about in the newspapers and see on the evening news.

[To read the rest of the article click on Justification Defined.]

Charlie

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