Justification

Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here with you all this morning. I love when I am given the opportunity to come up here and encourage, instruct and edify you through the preaching of God’s Word. And I hope that my words to you all today are just that; encouraging and edifying. Today I want to speak to you about a topic, or rather doctrine, that I believe we in the current Christian culture have forgotten, or worse, have largely misunderstood and misrepresented. That is the doctrine of justification. Let’s Pray.

Pray

Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here with you all this morning. I love when I am given the opportunity to come up here and encourage, instruct and edify you through the preaching of God’s Word. And I hope that my words to you all today are just that; encouraging and edifying. Today I want to speak to you about a topic, or rather doctrine, that I believe we in the current Christian culture have forgotten, or worse, have largely misunderstood and misrepresented. That is the doctrine of justification. Let’s Pray.

Ask: “How many of us wake up in the fear of God’s wrath?”

How many of you today woke up in the fear of God’s wrath? Probably none of us here did. Now the fact that none of us woke up in fear of God’s wrath can be, as well as is, both good and bad. The subject of God’s wrath is a topic that we do not discuss any more in our culture, community and even churches.

The topic of the wrath of God has become taboo

How many of you today woke up in the fear of God’s wrath? Probably none of us here did. Now the fact that none of us woke up in fear of God’s wrath can be, as well as is, both good and bad. The subject of God’s wrath is a topic that we do not discuss any more in our culture, community and even churches. The phrase, “God’s Wrath” has become somewhat taboo. “God showing wrath? Isn’t that the God of the Old Testament? Isn’t our New Testament God gracious and kind?” When presented with the question or topic of God’s wrath, we ask ourselves and each other these questions, as if God were double minded and changing.

The phrase, “God’s Wrath” has become somewhat taboo. “God showing wrath? Isn’t that the God of the Old Testament? Isn’t our New Testament God gracious and kind?” When presented with the question or topic of God’s wrath, we ask ourselves and each other these questions, as if God were double minded and changing.

Here in the subject of the wrath of God the inconsistency of lukewarm Christianity exposes itself; lukewarm Christianity wants to believe that God is unchanging, that he never makes up his mind and then changes it when he is presented with new information. This is 100% true. But at the same time the lukewarm Christian will argue that God determined to be harsh and mean in the Old Testament, only to change his nature in the New Testament in the context of Christ salvific work. In other words, once Christ died, God decided to be nice. That is what makes Christianity lukewarm; when we decide to interpret scripture and deal with God in a way that is comfortable given the context of our culture.

This topic exposes our lukewarm Christianity

Here in the subject of the wrath of God the inconsistency of lukewarm Christianity exposes itself; lukewarm Christianity wants to believe that God is unchanging, that he never makes up his mind and then changes it when he is presented with new information. This is 100% true. But at the same time the lukewarm Christian will argue that God determined to be harsh and mean in the Old Testament, only to change his nature in the New Testament in the context of Christ salvific work. In other words, once Christ died, God decided to be nice. That is what makes Christianity lukewarm; when we decide to interpret scripture and deal with God in a way that is comfortable given the context of our culture.

Now I’m not here to argue that each and every one of us believes that about God and his wrath. Such a statement would be wildly fallacious. But I will argue that by and large, the culture, and the church, whether its phrased or worded differently, believes that about God and His wrath; that he is no longer a God who hates, or rather abhors sinners but a God who loves and adorns all things whether good or bad. We have created a God who is incapable of righteous hate.

Our general attitude is that we flinch from the topic. Why?

Our attitude towards the wrath of God begs the question: Why do we shun from it? Why do we spiritually, morally, and emotionally flinch when it is mentioned? Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 6.

Read

Isaiah 6:1–5 ESV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Our knee jerk reaction to Isaiah’s vision is “Awesome!”

Read

If at all possible we must drop our preconceived notions this morning while looking at this text. While this passage, verses 1-7, our very encouraging, verses 1-5 should strike a healthy dose of biblical fear in us. Most of us read that Isaiah sees the Lord and our knee jerk reaction is, “Woohoo!!!!!!! He sees God!!! Awesome!” But note the prophet’s response to the presence of God:

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!

Isaiah was not excited or happy about seeing the Lord

If at all possible we must drop our preconceived notions this morning while looking at this text. While this passage as a whole (verses 1-7) our very encouraging, verses 1-5 should strike a healthy dose of biblical fear in us. Most of us read that Isaiah sees the Lord and our knee jerk reaction is, “Woohoo!!!!!!! He sees Jesus!!! Awesome!” But note the prophet’s response to the presence of God:

Does that sound like an exciting moment for him? In our ESV we read Isaiah proclaiming he is lost. Other translations render this word as ruined, or destroyed. In verse 5, Isaiah is brought to the realization of his own sinfulness, even more, his sin nature, further still the wickedness of his own people. But what has brought the prophet to this realization? It always troubles me when I hear other Christians say, “I wish I could see God.” Or “I wish I could be in the physical presence of God, that would just be so awesome.” And I can’t help but laugh and think to myself, “Surely these people have not read scripture,” because every time we read in scripture of an individual encountering the very presence of God (shakina glory), it doesn’t go well for them and they are not overly excited about it.

I should have said, “Blessed art thou, who hast been thus highly favoured, highly honoured, and dignified, for a time, with the privilege of those glorious beings that always behold the face of our Father. Blessed were those eyes which saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and those ears which heard the angels’ praises.” And, one would think, he should have said, “Happy am I, for ever happy; nothing now shall trouble me, nothing make me blush or tremble;” but, on the contrary, he cries out, “Woe is me! for I am undone. Alas for me! I am a gone man; I shall surely die (; ); I am silenced; I am struck dumb, struck dead.” Thus Daniel, when he heard the words of the angel, became dumb, and there was no strength, no breath, left in him, , .

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!

He, along with other (; ) are rendered speechless, powerless, etc. in the presence of God

Matthew Henry’s commentary sums it up this way: he says,

I should have said, “Blessed art thou, who hast been thus highly favoured, highly honoured, and dignified, for a time, with the privilege of those glorious beings that always behold the face of our Father. Blessed were those eyes which saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and those ears which heard the angels’ praises.” And, one would think, he should have said, “Happy am I, for ever happy; nothing now shall trouble me, nothing make me blush or tremble;” but, on the contrary, he cries out, “Woe is me! for I am undone. Alas for me! I am a gone man; I shall surely die (; ); I am silenced; I am struck dumb, struck dead.” Thus Daniel, when he heard the words of the angel, became dumb, and there was no strength, no breath, left in him, , .

Why?

Does that sound like an exciting moment for him? In our ESV we read Isaiah proclaiming he is lost. Other translations render this word more explicitly as ruined, or destroyed. In verse 5, Isaiah is brought to the realization of his own sinfulness, even more, his sin nature, further still the wickedness of his own people. But what has brought the prophet to this realization?

We press the question more in light of this. What make the prophet cry out “Woe is me, I am wretched!” What makes Manoah in Judges proclaim to his wife, “We shall surely die for we have seen God.” What is it that leaves Daniel exhausted, powerless and speechless? We have come to figure out that this happens in the presence of God, but why? What about God’s presence renders us human beings speechless, powerless, even dead?

It always troubles me when I hear other Christians say, “I wish I could see God.” Or “I wish I could be in the physical presence of God, that would just be so awesome.” And I can’t help but laugh and think to myself, “Surely these people have not read scripture,” because every time we read in scripture of an individual encountering the very presence of God (shakina glory), it doesn’t go well for them and they are not overly excited about it. Matthew Henry’s commentary sums it up this way explaining how we would respond in contrast to those who actually see the Lord: he says,

I should have said, “Blessed art thou, who hast been thus highly favoured, highly honoured, and dignified, for a time, with the privilege of those glorious beings that always behold the face of our Father. Blessed were those eyes which saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and those ears which heard the angels’ praises.” And, one would think, he should have said, “Happy am I, for ever happy; nothing now shall trouble me, nothing make me blush or tremble;” but, on the contrary, he cries out, “Woe is me! for I am undone. Alas for me! I am a gone man; I shall surely die (; ); I am silenced; I am struck dumb, struck dead.” Thus Daniel, when he heard the words of the angel, became dumb, and there was no strength, no breath, left in him, , .

We press the question more in light of this. What make the prophet cry out “Woe is me, I am wretched!” What makes Manoah in Judges proclaim to his wife, “We shall surely die for we have seen God.” What is it that leaves Daniel exhausted, powerless and speechless? We have come to figure out that this happens in the presence of God, but why? What about God’s presence renders us human beings speechless, powerless, to the point of expecting death?

I would submit to you that the answer is two fold.

The first reason or point that I will present is this: God’s holiness renders us speechless and powerless. John Calvin in his book, Institutes of the Christian Religion notes,

"Thus it comes about that we see men who in [God’s] absence normally remained firm and constant, but who, when he manifests his glory, are so shaken and struck dumb as to be laid low by the dread of death—are in fact overwhelmed by it and almost annihilated.”

Thus it comes about that we see men who in his absence normally remained firm and constant, but who, when he manifests his glory, are so shaken and struck dumb as to be laid low by the dread of death—are in fact overwhelmed by it and almost annihilated.” Understand this, I don’t mean speechless in the sense of, “How he’s so beautiful, oh he takes my breath away.” This isn’t a “Jesus is my boyfriend” holiness. The holiness of God doesn’t leave me speechless in the same way that the beauty and magnificence of my wife does. I stand in awe before Christina, but her being is nothing in comparison to the infinite holiness of God.

And Louis Berkhof in his Systematic Theology,

“ [God’s holiness] awakens in man a sense of absolute nothingness, a “creature-consciousness” or “creature-feeling,” leading to absolute self-abasement.”

[God’s holiness] awakens in man a sense of absolute nothingness, a “creature-consciousness” or “creature-feeling,” leading to absolute self-abasement.”

Berkhof, L. (1938). Systematic theology (p. 73). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans publishing co.

Understand this, I don’t mean speechless in the sense of, “Oh he’s so beautiful, oh he takes my breath away.” This isn’t a “Jesus is my boyfriend” holiness. The holiness of God doesn’t leave me speechless in the same way that the beauty and magnificence of my wife does. I stand in awe before Christina, but her being, her majesty, is nothing in comparison to the infinite holiness of God. And that comparison of a degree of holiness is what gives those who encounter the presence of God a “creature-consciousness.”

Calvin, J. (2011). Institutes of the Christian Religion & 2. (J. T. McNeill, Ed., F. L. Battles, Trans.) (Vol. 1, p. 39). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. Understand this, I don’t mean speechless in the sense of, “How he’s so beautiful, oh he takes my breath away.” This isn’t a “Jesus is my boyfriend” holiness. The holiness of God doesn’t leave me speechless in the same way that the beauty and magnificence of my wife does. I stand in awe before Christina, but her being is nothing in comparison to the infinite holiness of God.

We know from scripture that God can have no communion with sin. Being in communion with sin is much different than being in the presence of sin. I believe all of us here are raised with the teaching that God cannot be in the presence of sin and this is simply untrue. If it were so, it would be impossible for him to be omniscient. Though God can and essentially is in the presence of sin, he cannot have communion with it. He cannot approve of sin as the prophet Habakkuk tells us ().

And that comparison of a degree of holiness is what gives those who encounter the presence of God a “creature-consciousness.” We know from scripture that God can have no communion with sin.

God’s holiness always results in a separation from sin. He is infinitely separate from sin. The separation from sin is what gives us that creature consciousness. When we behold God in all his majesty, we recognize the chasm set before us. We see how high he is an how low we are. Man is never sufficiently aware of his depravity until he has compared himself to the holiness of God (Institutes I, i, 3).

Secondly, this separation we experience also makes us aware that our sin cannot go unpunished.

Justification

Introduction

The Wrath of God

I. The Wrath of God

Our Response To God’s Wrath

A. Our Response to His Presence

1. The Holiness of God

2. The Wrath of God