Justification by Faith

IV

There are two questions which here call for notice: one, which has greatly agitated the theological world; the other, which may not be often asked (though it has been), but is often woven into the thoughts of a certain class of professors concerning the future. JBF 22.1

1. Is justification by faith of such a nature that we necessarily remain justified, or may we lose it by unfaithfulness? JBF 22.2

The points involved in this question are quite too numerous to be noticed in all their bearings in this brief examination; and yet we believe we may arrive at a satisfactory solution of the subject. On all questions of doctrine there may be found some positive declarations of Scripture, which cannot easily be misunderstood; these are decisive, and must control us in our investigations. If we disregard these, and rest our judgment on inferences drawn from texts not so decisive, we can hardly fail to go astray. Inferences may be found on both sides of any question, but positive declarations cannot be found on both sides of any Bible doctrine. JBF 22.3

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” This is a figure, it is true, but it is one which cannot be misunderstood; one which is often used in the Scriptures. We cannot say that all mankind are branches of this vine; all do not bear this relation to Jesus. In Revelation 14:18, 19, we read of “the vine of the earth,” whose clusters are to be cast into the wine-press of the wrath of God. Inasmuch as it is said to all, “Ye must be born again,” and all are alike “by nature the children of wrath,” it is only by being grafted that any of the sons of Adam can become connected with the heavenly vine. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away.” What can this mean? There are no branches in him by nature. Can and will unfruitful branches be removed from their connection with this vine? Hear the Saviour again: “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” JBF 23.1

We cannot mistake the import of this language. Paul said: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” The same necessity rests upon all, to be baptized into Christ, to put him on, by repentance, faith, and obedience. Will any affirm that we are in Christ, that we have put on Christ before, or without, repentance, faith, and obedience to him? Can we be Christ’s, be in him, and be the children of wrath at the same time? We surely cannot, We are not in him by nature. Justification by faith brings us into him. And he says that he who is in him, if he bear not fruit, will be taken away. If a man abide not in him, he is cast forth as a withered branch, to be burned. JBF 23.2

But, it is objected, Jesus said his sheep shall not perish, nor shall any pluck them out of his hand. That is beyond all doubt. He will surely save his faithful ones. But the promise of their salvation is not without a condition. They must continue patient in well-doing; they must abide in him and bear fruit. There is no power in the universe, outside of ourselves, that can separate us from Christ, or pluck us out of his hand. Here again we ask the question, Are we on probation, or are we not? Paul says we are the house of Christ, “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Hebrews 3:6. And Peter exhorts us to make our calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1:10. On this text we shall speak hereafter. JBF 24.1

All are yet on probation; the present is a state of trial. The decision of the coming Judgment depends upon our manner of life; our diligence or our neglect; our bringing forth fruit or our being unfruitful. Paul warns the converts from the Gentiles by the example of the Jews who were rejected. He says: “Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.” Romans 11:20, 21. JBF 24.2

Is this inconsistent with grace? No; it is free grace that has opened the way for our escape from eternal ruin. Grace has made our salvation possible. Grace guides and assists us every step on the way. Grace opens the way and assists us, but grace does not insure our salvation without our availing ourselves of its provisions, any more than favor and good will would prevent a man starving if he refused to eat the food which was freely provided for him, and freely offered to him. Grace does not destroy the power of choice, nor release us from the duty and necessity of choosing. Grace will assist us in the work of overcoming, but grace will not release us from the necessity of overcoming. Grace will clothe us with an invincible armor; but grace will not fight our battles for us if we sit still and do nothing. It is now as of old: “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.” Grace threw down the walls of Jericho; but they would not have fallen if the children of Israel had neglected to compass the city as they were commanded to do. Grace saved Noah from the flood but it would not if he had not built an ark. God has done and will do all that is necessary to make full provision for our salvation. He will fulfill all his promises, if we will fulfill their conditions. But he will never do for us that which he has commanded us to do. Grace encourages trust; it does not tolerate presumption. JBF 25.1

When the Lord sent Moses to the children of Israel, it was with this message: “Say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which was done to you in Egypt; and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” Exodus 3:16, 17. Again he said to them: “And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burden of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for an heritage; I am the Lord.” Exodus 6:7, 8. Yet, direct and positive as this promise was, the Lord did not bring them into that land, but destroyed them for their disobedience. JBF 25.2

Again, it was said to Pharaoh: “Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first-born. And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy first-born.” Exodus 4:22, 23. The first-born was the highly-prized and beloved. Yet on the institution of the Passover they would have been destroyed with the firstborn of Egypt, if they had not remained in their houses and sprinkled the blood on their doorposts; and were afterwards destroyed as noticed above. This teaches us that God’s chosen, his first-born, will continue to enjoy his favor only on condition of continued obedience. The conditional nature of his gracious promises is shown by his word through Jeremiah, wherein he commanded Israel to obey him, saying: “That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers.” Jeremiah 11:3-5. And again, where he has shown the fixed principle upon which he fulfills his promises and threatenings: “At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy; if that nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them.” Jeremiah 18:7-10. And this is true not only of nations, but of individuals. Thus the Lord said to Eli: “I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me forever; but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” 1 Samuel 2:30. JBF 26.1

The Jews had the same false confidence that many Christians now entertain. God had said, “Israel is my son, even my first-born.” They were the children of the covenants, and theirs were the promises. Romans 9:4, 5. They were the especial subjects of God’s grace, and they, too, thought, “Once in grace, always in grace.” But the very ones of whom he said they were his first-born, whom he promised to bring into the land of promise, fell in the wilderness because of their unfaithfulness. We need to consider well these facts in order to appreciate the apostle’s warning in Romans 11:20, 21. JBF 27.1