Remarks on Justification and New Creation.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - II Corinthians 5:17.

Luke (Feb. 2014).
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The apostle Paul, in Romans 1 and 2, unequivocally proves how "both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin" (3:9b). In Chapter 3 of the same Epistle, he further shows that all the world is guilty before God. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (v23.) Verses 10 to 20, expose the false pretensions of man, his unrighteousness:  ^"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Romans 3:10-12).

The first man Adam was made in the image and after the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26,27); but when he fell by his disobedience, many were made sinners (Romans 5:19); "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.." (v18); "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Romans 5:12).

But by great contrast, as sin, condemnation and death passed upon all men through Adam, we have by one Man, Jesus Christ our Lord, the abundance of grace, the gift of righteousness and life (see 5:15-21). This great contrast between Adam and Christ is also presented in a most striking manner in I Corinthians 15. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (V 21,22.)

Hence, it is no question at all now, for the philosopher, or the scribe, or the disputer of this age, to consider that whether a man (outside of Christ) can be justified or stand in his own (horrid) righteousness before God. No, the righteousness by which sinners stand justified before a holy and just God, free from the curse and condemnation of the law is that righteousness they find in Jesus Christ alone. "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." I Corinthians 1:30-31.

Man is a fallen sinner, and as such has been found guilty in the sight of God; therefore he needs forgiveness of sins and justification. And, moreover, man has been terribly lost as to his present state; "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way;" (Is. 53:6a) and therefore he needs to get saved (John 3:16,17). But how? Before the first coming of Christ, the law had put man on probation to see if he could walk with God under its legal obligation. But when in due time, the Son of God came into this dark world of sin and misery, testifying of His Father's grace and truth (John 3:16,17), it exposed not only the full evil and darkness of man's heart, but also had fully brought out the extremity of this world's wickedness and hatred against God and His Christ (Psalm 2, John 3:19,20 etc.). And so consequently Christ was despised and rejected of men (Is. 53:3), and was finally crucified and slain (Act 2). So now man has since been found to be doubly guilty before God, as his sin is now not only against the holiness of God concerning which the law thundered "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" but in his open and willful rejection of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father's love, and crucifying the Lord of glory, the whole world has been brought under the terrible condemnation of the cross. The Lord therefore declared, "He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only Begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:18-19). This is the dreadful condition of all those who die in their sins for having refused the great mercy of God in Christ.

The apostle John also toward the end of his first Epistle, asserts: "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have Eternal Life, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God." (I John 5:12,13.)

Now all this was brought to full climax at the cross, although when man under Satan's power, with both earth and hell conjoined to destroy the Son of God, the holy and spotless One, Who hung upon the cross in the stead of sinners, it was God despite of all this, by His own determinate counsel and foreknowledge, was there accomplishing His eternal purpose in Christ - as the apostle Peter's bold declaration reveals (Acts 2:23-24): "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." (v24). Also according to I John 3:8: "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." Colossians 2:14-15 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." See also I Cor. 2:1-8. (v6) "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: (v7) But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (v8) Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

And so in the cross, and no where else, we see the full and absolute demonstration of the whole question of good and evil, the wisdom of God in contrast to that of the world, the perfect love of God for the world (John 3:16), and man's hatred of Him without a cause (John 15:25, Psalm 69:4), and the justice of God against sin, in the condemnation of it in the flesh (Romans 8:3) -all this and infinitely more was brought out. The consequence was that the Man Christ Jesus after having accomplished the great work of redemption was raised from among the dead by the glory of the Father, has ascended on high into the glory of God to sit on the throne of His Father. But a man sitting on the throne of God? How canst it be? Impossible! says unbelief. No, He is not a mere man, but yet fully Man and also fully God - two natures His holy, sinless and perfect humanity and His full, essential and eternal Divinity (John 1, Col. 2:9; Romans 1:3.4 etc.) perfectly blending in His own blessed Person, Jesus the Son of God - as our Great High Priest is passed into the heavens (Hebrews 4:14).

The sin, the curse and condemnation of the law, the death and judgment, the extremity of man's evil, and the power of Satan etc. - overcoming all and settling the great question of sin, and in the very place where Christ, Who knew no sin was made sin for us, that same Jesus, Who is the Christ of God has perfectly glorified God, vindicating His righteousness, His holiness (Psalm 22) and making full satisfaction for sin by His own - once for all -eternal sacrifice, by which satisfying all the just claims of God against sin, Jesus, as Man heard from the horns of the unicorns (Psalm 22:21) has entered in and sat down in the throne of God, highly exalted by God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11.) Here and here alone, we get the one blessed foundation for all that is new. "...when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Heb. 1:3b.

Whatever has been ruined by Adam's fall, belongs to the old creation. But now, in Christ Jesus, the believers get entirely a new ground, a new place, and a perfect standing before God; God has set aside Adam (and his posterity- all of which belonging to the old creation has been condemned at the cross), to bring in Christ, the Lord from heaven, Who is also the Second Man, and the Last Adam - a quickening Spirit (I Cor. 15:45), the Beginning of the (new) creation of God (Rev. 3:14), the Beginning, and the Firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18) etc., to change the whole system and order of old things, in accordance to His eternal counsels and purposes, and in virtue of that all glorious all surpassing and incomprehensible work of the cross, to glorify Jesus as Lord, Christ and Head over all things, and even exalt Him to be the Head of His Body, the Church. See Ephesians 1:17-23; John 5; Colossians 1:12-20 etc.

So in striking contrast to the world, we get a system (Christianity) which is an entirely a new thing on earth. Adam innocent was once placed in a paradise on earth, and yet when he fell by sin, and ruined himself, "many were made sinners" (see Romans 5 ); but thanks be to God: Jesus Christ the Righteous One, Who knew no sin and Who did no sin - the eternal Son of God, Who loved righteousness and hated iniquity (Heb 1:9) has perfectly glorified God as regarding the great question of sin, and that, moreover, it was in the very place of sin and utter ruin, and thus therefore, He was glorified by God (John 14) and has been made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36); "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church, Which is His Body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1:19-23.) (See also 1 Corinthians 15.)

Now therefore, in Romans 3:20-28, the apostle declares: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be Just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Also, according to Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

In Romans 4, the apostle continues to demonstrate how faith in the blessed work of Christ justifies sinners: (v5) "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." V24 "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; v25 "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." And the blessed effects and glorious accompaniments and privileges of justification are immediately shown in Chapter 5 and onwards. Verses 1-6: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." etc.

Hence, we find that the cross to the Christian, is a passage from the old creation to the new creation. The cross separates the believers from the world and sets them in the glorious and incomparable new creation, where Satan has no power or dominion. Colossians 1:13: "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son (the Son of His love):" And according to I John 3:9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." So also, Paul says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20. (See also Romans 6:6 etc.)

Now, although we are saved, the body yet belongs to the old creation and therefore, "even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23.); but as regards to our spiritual condition, we already belong to the Christ in heaven - in the new creation. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - II Corinthians 5:17. And because, Christ "died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God." "Likewise", says the apostle, "reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." See Romans 6. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The Christian, therefore, stands in great contrast to the world. He is separated from the world of sin unto God. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Eph. 1:3.) It is not because of any merit or worth of our own, but it is: (v4) "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: (v5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, (v6) To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved." "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10. The Christian, therefore, is a new creation in Christ Jesus. It is indeed so blessedly true that of old, all things are made - by God the Son (Gen. 1, John 1, Colossians 1, Hebrews 1); but in an infinitely more glorious and astonishing contrast, we are told that the new creation is created in Him - "in Christ Jesus" - Who is not only Lord over all, but "God blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 9:5b.)

Behold, then, what a wondrous fact is before those that are in Christ, and in Whom they have their redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins! (Eph. 1:7). What a blessed and glorious heavenly scene that the saints have been introduced into, in virtue of the great redemption that Christ has accomplished on the cross!

Therefore, beloved friends, let us heed the apostle's exhortation when he says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3.)

Oh, what a blessed consolation! What a glorious prospect awaits the sojourning believers passing through this world below! For indeed they have been "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." I Thessalonians 9b-10.


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