JUSTIFIED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

"Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." -Romans 5:9 [KJV]

All heresies are founded in pride, and spring from ignorance and unbelief of the Lord’s word. Some strike at the glory of the free grace of God. Others at the divinity of the Son of God. Others at His atonement and righteousness, whereby our sins are pardoned, our persons justified, and final perseverance to eternal glory is secured to every believer. St. Paul, under the influence of that Spirit, who foresaw every heresy which would spring up, divide the church, dishonour Christ, and distress His members, here sets himself against that pernicious heresy, That souls once justified and pardoned by the blood of Christ, may afterwards perish, under the wrath of God. 

(1st.) What is meant by being justified by the blood of Christ? Just the reverse of being condemned for sin by the law. For His blood takes away sin, which is the cause of condemnation. Christ’s blood shed at His death, was the finishing stroke, and includes His whole work, as our Saviour. He made that full satisfaction to law and justice, for which sinners are freed from condemnation by the one, and pronounced just by the other. They are once for all, and for ever, justified in God’s sight. For though God sees sin in them, yet they are for ever justified from it, in His beloved Son. 

(2d.) Who are thus justified? Sinners, who believe on the Son of God, whether they have the sense and comfort of it in their own consciences or not: for they now receive the atonement of Christ into their hearts by faith. Faith urges them to plead, and not rest satisfied, till they find the peace of God in their consciences, flowing from justification in Christ’s blood. 

But, (3d.) May not such perish at last under the wrath of God? No, says St. Paul, that is impossible. Much more, mind those precious words, “being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved,”—as though he had said, what! did the Son of God shed His blood in vain? Has He called us, and justified us before God, through faith in His blood? And has He now no love for us, nor care for us? Will He, after all this grace, leave us to perish under wrath? No. As we are actually justified by His blood, we shall be eternally saved from wrath through Him. 

His precious blood can never lose its efficacy: His gracious heart never abate in love: His almighty arm can never lose its power. As Christ died to redeem from all sin: He lives to save from all wrath. This is the faith of God’s elect. This faith works by love of the truth, and in rejecting all self-righteous errors: and as the soul is comforted by this love, love inspires to all cheerful obedience. 

 

When Jesus on the cross did bleed, 

He represented all His seed; 

And they in Him were justified, 

And this by faith’s to them apply’d.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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