Justification
Lent 2: Genesis 17.1-7, 15,16; Romans 4.13–25; Mark 8.31-38,
“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Rom 5.1 (The words of the pax, the peace today.)
Occasionally, when I used to teach maths, I would give the class a test and tell them that I would give everybody the same mark as the one who scored highest. Invariably Stephen (who went on to be a Wrangler at Cambridge) got everything right, and the whole class were duly awarded 10 out of 10.
It was fascinating to see different pupil’s approaches to this kind of test.
There were those who generally never bothered much, who would sit and write me amusing messages on the test paper – at least the messages were what 14 year-olds think is amusing. I still remember: “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, he wants you for a lampshade.”
There were those who tried very hard and who were disappointed that their own efforts were being overlooked, albeit that they were going to be given top marks anyway.
Some even complained to their housemaster that this whole business was ‘not fair’.
Then a few suspected that there was a trick in this, and that they would somehow get punished if they didn’t make a good stab at it.
Quite a few were hopeless at maths, but tried their hardest anyway because they knew that was what they were supposed to do. They were the ones who were tickled pink that they had been awarded ten out of ten – a first for them!
And others, like Stephen, loved maths and did the test for the sheer joy of it.
Of course, most of the boys never realised that in a busy week, this technique excused me from the chore of ‘marking’. I only had to mark Stephen’s paper.
The staggering doctrine of ‘justification by faith’, which Paul underlines in today’s epistle, has caused similar reactions amongst both the faithful and the faithless.
We looked at justification from a different perspective a few moths ago. Perhaps you remember the simple Sunday School definition: “Justified means God looks on me just-as-if-I’d never sinned. Justified.”
This was the cornerstone of Reformation theology. “This one and firm rock”, said Martin Luther, “ which we call the doctrine of justification is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine, which comprehends the understanding of all godliness.” (Commentary on Galatians.)
So it is hardly surprising that it’s in the 39 Articles of Religion published in the Book of Common Prayer as the reformation foundations of the Church of England. Article 11 puts it this way:
We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith is a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.In today’s epistle, Paul sums it up, and indeed the whole Gospel, in the closing verses:
Righteousness... will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.”(Rom 4.24f)How do people react today then to this teaching of the church; to what has sometimes been called ‘the outrage of grace’?
Many want to fall back into what Paul describes as ‘the slavery of law’, good works, which at least give us the security of self-satisfaction. John Stott reminds us that this is not the Christian way of believing: “Faith’s exclusive function is humbly to receive what grace offers.” (BST: 131)
Paul gives the example of the revered patriarch, Abraham. He was saved by simple faith, not by obeying the law. And this was ‘reckoned to him for righteousness’.
In other words, he wasn’t righteous – you only have to read Genesis to see that – but he believed in God; and so he was justified: righteousness was reckoned to him.
As with those boys in the maths class, there is something very unsettling about this doctrine. So we make some pathetic stab at our maths questions, or at living a Christian life, and God awards us top marks?!
Well it’s supposed to be unsettling, and of course, it’s not quite like that.
The Gospel passage today is a great endorsement of the full humanity of Christ. Even given Peter’s impetuous nature, for Peter to feel able to rebuke Jesus, to correct his game plan, to speak to the boss on behalf of the lads, the shop steward – presumably this is why Jesus turns to look at all the disciples when he rebukes Peter (33) - this shows that the disciples treated Jesus as a fallible man like themselves. They could not yet conceive the inconceivable.
In his inspired assertion that Jesus was the Christ (29), Peter had only grasped a half-truth. He had not understood that this Christ was also to be the suffering servant. He was utterly righteous in himself, in no need of justification, and yet he would suffer and die.
And this is the downside, if you like, of the doctrine of justification. Although we may be justified by faith, pursuing that faith, following and loving Jesus, is unlikely to be a bed of roses. Indeed Jesus likens it to ‘taking up our cross’.
Let’s go back to school days again. If you were like me at school, the best work you produced was often for teachers that you liked; whom you wanted to please.
Indeed, I can still remember how much I disappointed my maths master when I forgot to turn over an exam paper and consequently only answered half the questions.
Our obedience to God, our ‘wanting to please’, stems from a realisation of how much he has done for us. When we come to worship, we do not go away and want to lead better lives for fear of punishment – we are justified by faith in Christ. ‘There is now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus’.
No, we want to lead better lives because we love God and know the comfort and assurance of being accepted and loved by him.
This was the experience of the godly priest-poet George Herbert, who we remembered in the church calendar last week. He felt all unworthy to come to the altar, to the Table of the Lord, and had to be reminded of the Love of Christ, Love himself, who had born the blame and justified him through faith, and who welcomed him at the Table.
Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.
A guest, I answer'd, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?
Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not," says Love, who bore the blame?
My dear, then I will serve.
You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat.
So I did sit and eat.
