Thank you. He told Job, he said,
God's just. And men are going to get exactly
what is deserved from a just God. And he said, anything that
has happened to you, to your children, you remember how the
Lord was pleased to take Job's children? He said, God is just
and so knowing the advice that had been given Job from I'm sure
a well-meaning friend but it was that which caused Job some
real heartache Job then said in chapter 9 verses 1 and 2,
then Job answered and said I know it is so of a truth but how should
man be just with God? Let's ask the Lord's blessing. Our Father, we come before You
this morning thanking You for the blessed privilege to be able
to assemble ourselves together in Your name. And Lord, we thank
You for the blessed promise that You've also given where two or
three are gathered together in my name. I'm in the midst of
you. Lord, how our hearts are truly made tender knowing that
you're here. Lord, would you have mercy on
us and help us. Help, I pray, the preaching and
Lord, the hearing. and may it be for the glory and
honor of the Lord Jesus Christ and for these, your people. Amen. You know, if there's ever been
a question that every believer wants to hear again, wants to
hear the answer to a question that Job asked after he heard
Bildad, his friend, tell him God's just. God is just. But Job said, I know what you're
saying is right. I agree with you. Our God is
a just God. And He's a Savior. He delights
to show mercy. But here's my question. How? How should man be just? How should man be justified? How should man be right? How
should man be clear with God? I was living in Tennessee 20 plus years ago, 30 years ago
now when this incident happened. And there was a bank robbery. And the robbers were actually
cornered by the police there in the middle of a town just
south of Nashville. And a shootout was going on. I mean, they had them hemmed
up. While the shooting was going
on, a police officer drove up in a police car and didn't know
where all the robbers were. And one of the bank robbers saw
this police officer very close. And when the police officer exited
the vehicle, the robber stood up and was going to execute that
police officer very, very close to him. And when he stood up,
the other police officers just shot him and killed him. I was
listening to the report on the radio concerning what had happened. And a judge had looked at the
case and saw all the circumstances and the report said, and the
judge ruled the shooting justified. When I heard that, I thought
about this passage of scripture. He had looked at all the evidence
And here's what it says, in light of everything that happened,
did the man, was he shot? Yes. Did the police officers
take guns and kill him? Yes. But in the light, in the
sight of the law, the law found no guilt on their part. It was
justified. Now when we say justified, this
is what we're saying. that the law of God has looked
upon the case, everyone found in the Lord Jesus Christ is justified
before the law. Here's what it says, no charge. No charge. No infraction of the
law. No guilt before the law. Job
asked, how? How should a man be just? I know there's coming a time,
Romans 14.10 says, we're going to all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ. In Matthew 25.31-32 says, when
the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and
all the holy angels with Him. Then shall He sit upon the throne
of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations.
And He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth
his sheep from the goats." This is what I know. We're going to
stand before God. We're going to stand before the
Lord. And I know that there's going to be an issue dealt with. God Almighty is going to deal
with this issue of sin in that day of judgment. And whatever
is issued as far as God's judgment, God's right. He's right. And I know this, that in that
day, Almighty God is going to deal fairly. And here's what I know. I know
something of me. I know something of what I am. I don't know the depth of what
I am. I don't know if I could live
with myself if I did. But I know this. I know that
God is holy and He's righteous And He's just and I know. I know from the Scriptures and
I know something of myself. I know I'm a sinner. Isaiah 1,
5 and 6 declares what we are. I know men say that there's a
little good in all men. Well, here's what the Scripture
says. The whole head is sick. and the whole heart faint, from
the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness
in it." There's nothing stable. But wounds and bruises and putrefying
sores, they've not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified
with ointment. So here's a question. How can
he be clean that is born of woman." Now this is a good question.
Job asked a good question. How should man be justified? How should man be just with God?
I know this, having been taught something of the glory of the
Lord Jesus Christ. knowing something about a man
according to these Scriptures. Now this is what with God. What says the Scriptures? It
doesn't matter what somebody else has got to say. I want to
know what God has to say. I know that I cannot justify
myself. Now knowing what the word justify
means, I mean, I can excuse myself and
just say, well, I didn't mean it. That wasn't my intention. That's not the issue. The issue
is the law of God looking at me and saying, Cass, no charge. Well, I know. I know I can't
justify myself. Job said in Job 9.20, if I justify
myself, My own mouth shall condemn me. If I say I'm perfect, it, that
is my mouth, shall also prove me perverse. If I say I can justify
myself, my own mouth is going to show my corruption. It's going
to show my wickedness. If a man or woman thinks that
he can undertake to manage his own state before God. Now there
was a time I thought I could. I thought that I could manage
my state, justify myself. All I had to do was just walk
down the aisle. Well that's what the preacher
told me. Is there anybody here that wants to receive Jesus?
Anybody here Not want to go to hell. Well, I didn't want to
go to hell. Well, then come down the aisle and pray this prayer. He even told me what to pray.
I mean, I didn't even have to think about it. He said, just
say these words, repeat after me. Did you mean them? Well, yeah, I meant them. I didn't
want to go to hell. I wanted to go to heaven. I wanted
to live in heaven. And so all I had to do is just
walk down the aisle and pray the sinner's prayer. And now
the question would be asked to me, now, don't you believe God? Well, sure I'm not going to say
I don't believe God. I believe God. Well, don't you believe that
God wants to save you? Well, surely He wants to save
me because He wants to save people that are sinners. So, I'm saved. And don't let Satan cause you
to doubt. If you start feeling doubtful
or anything like this, just remember that God loves you and wants
to save you. And you've done the right thing. You let the light of the glory
of God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ shine in your heart.
God teach you something about who God is and who you are. And
you're going to know this, if I justify myself, my own mouth
is going to condemn me. I know that according to Romans
3.20, therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh
be justified." What does that mean? That means that there's
not anything that I can do of myself, of my works, of my will,
of my choice. There's nothing that I can do
to be able to actually be found without guilt before God's law. I was conceived in sin. I came forth from my mother's
womb speaking lies. I was done when I was born and
I couldn't change it. How, as I said a while ago, how
can he be clean that's born of woman? We come forth from my
mother's womb lost. can't change it. It means that
there's no act of man's ability that will be considered by God
to be profitable in man's salvation. Why? Because as Isaiah said,
from the sole of my foot to the crown of my head, I'm lost. I'm undone. Job 14, for who can
bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Then the Spirit of God
gave Job two words to answer it, not one. Who can do that? Nobody. Not being able to justify myself,
not looking to my own works of righteousness that I can do for
Salvation, that leaves a man, leaves a woman in themselves
hopelessly lost, left to ourselves. But whenever the Lord has been
pleased to shine, as I said a while ago, And the heart shined in
our heart to give the light, the knowledge of glory of God.
Before Paul was converted, Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus.
You remember how much he trusted in himself. He was a Pharisee. Turn over to Philippians. You've
read this. I know Brother Kevin's brought it up many, many times. Listen to what the Spirit of
God moved upon Paul to admit. Now you talk about coming to
a point to where a man's going to have to just be honest. God
makes men, makes women honest about themselves. Paul said in
Philippians 3, verse 4 following, he said, though I might also
have confidence in the flesh, If any other man thinketh that
he hath whereof, he might trust in the flesh, I more." Paul said,
listen, if anybody thought that they had something to brag on,
if you thought you had some bragging rights, he said, you didn't have
any bragging rights. He said, I had bragging rights.
If you thought you had something, he said, I more. He said, I was
circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel. He said, I wasn't like Ishmael
that was circumcised. He was a teenager when he was
circumcised. Paul said, I was circumcised
on the eighth day, on exactly the right day of the stock of
Israel. He said, I became my descent
He said, that one that wrestled with God, the one, the Lord, as the man,
but it was the Lord that Jacob was wrestling with. And the Lord
said to him, let me go. Jacob said, I won't let you go
until you bless me. And he said, what's your name?
He said, my name is Jacob, supplanter, liar, trickster, huckster, cheat. He said, not anymore. He said,
you're Israel, a prince with God. Paul said, you think you
got something to brag on? He said, I came from him, my
lineage, from the stock of Israel, the
tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of Hebrews. He said, my mom and
daddy, they weren't proselytes. They were true Hebrews. They
wouldn't convert it over. As touching the law, I was of
the strictest sect. He said we were law keepers,
law preachers and law keepers. Concerning zeal, he said this
group of people that was going around and talking, saying that
by the deeds of the law shall no man be justified in his sight,
that salvation was by grace through faith and that not of itself.
Those that were talking down the law of God, those Christians,
concerning zeal, I persecuted the church. They
were deserving of persecution. Touching righteousness, which
is In the law, now listen to this one, he said, I was blameless. You couldn't find anything, anything
that I had done contrary to the revelation of that law. All of
those, that law was given, you know. But he said, but what things
were gained to me? Those I counted lost. for Christ. Yea, doubtless I
count all things that I trusted in but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I've suffered
the loss of all things and do count them but done that I may
win Christ and be found in Him not having mine own righteousness
which is of the law." Boy, there's a declaration of a man and woman
that's been set free. but that which is through the
faith of Christ. The righteousness which is of
God by faith. It wasn't my righteousness, it
was His imputed righteousness. There's my hope before God. So
He said, those things that were gained to me. So I know this,
how should man be just with God? I can't justify myself. Secondly,
I know this, God alone justifies the ungodly. Romans 8.33, Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Okay, I can't justify myself. God Almighty must justify, and
I know, again, based on what the definition of justification
is, that it is to be blameless. Not any charge If you've ever
heard this statement, justification means just as if I had never
sinned, well then throw that out and don't say that anymore. It's not just as if I'd never
sinned, like one of my kids has done something. I'm going to
just, you know, just pretend like they just didn't do it.
I know they did it, but I'm just going to pretend like, no sir,
How should man be just with God? How should man that is born of
woman, how can he be without charge, without blame? I can't do it myself and God
must do it. Romans 3.24 says, "...being justified
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus." Alright, now I know from that
scripture right there, it's through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. Man has no hand in the pronouncement
of righteousness and justness or cleanness before God. I know that. Here's my third
and last point. Well, here's the question. This
point is in the form of a question. I can't justify myself. God must
do it. Now, here's a question. How? How? How? How should man be just with God? Well, I've got some good news. Now, here's the Gospel. You'll hear the gospel is not
an offer. I'm not offering you anything.
I'm going to declare unto you the gospel. This is how God justifies
His people, how He has justified them. Let me say it like that. I know that Almighty God must
have been the one who willed to justify a sinner. I know that. I've never talked
God into anything. Moses asked the Lord in Exodus
33, 19. He said, show me your glory. Show me your glory. And here was the Lord's answer.
Turn over there with me. You know, you say, well, I've
read that before. That's good. Turn back. Exodus 33. The Lord said in verse 17, the Lord
said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken,
for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by
name. Boy, don't those words just thrill
your heart. You found grace in my sight. God looked, Scripture
says in Genesis 6, 5, He looked and saw that every imagination
of the thought of men was only evil continually. You know who
that includes? All of us. But Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. The Lord told Moses, I will do
this also that thou hast spoken, for thou hast found grace in
my sight. And I know thee by name. And
Moses said, he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And here's the glory of the Lord
revealed. Verse 19, He said, I will make
all My goodness pass before Thee, and I will proclaim the name
of the Lord before Thee, and I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show
mercy. The Lord has revealed that His
glory is shown sinners when God is pleased to show mercy and
compassion to whomsoever He will. God Almighty, in His justification
of His people, turn with me to Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1. The justification of His people
did not begin in time. If you want to have something
that will really help you, this was a help to me. Remember this truth that was
set forth by the Spirit of God through the prophet Malachi. I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob
are not consumed." Now, when the Lord said that He does not
change, what that means is this. He doesn't change. He has never
changed. If Almighty God looks upon any
sinner, in Christ, in mercy and compassion. He's always looked
upon them in mercy and compassion. How do you know? I don't change,
He said. He doesn't change. There's no
shadow of turning with the Lord. So if you want to know what Almighty
God has eternally thought, willed, purposed. What has he revealed
right now that he thinks? He doesn't change. So, the justification
of a sinner was not something that began in time. It didn't
begin in time. It wasn't that the Lord looked
upon them in an unjustified state He saw the Lamb slain for the
foundation of the world. Christ came into this world in
time. In time, He did. And laid down
His life for the sheep. That's who He died for. When
did God see it? Before the foundation of the
world. So if you want to know about this not beginning in time,
Listen to what the Spirit of God moved upon the Apostle Paul
to write, Ephesians chapter 1, starting verse 1, Paul, an apostle
of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints which are
at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. I had someone
tell, a friend of mine, My friend, who was a believer, was telling
him about the first chapter of Ephesians, talking about God's
electing grace. And this well-meaning, but wrong,
fellow that was going to correct him, he said, oh, you're going
to talk about election. He said, so you're from Ephesus? From
Ephesus then, huh? He said, that's who that was
written to, that wasn't. I said, no, no, he just missed
the first verse, that's all he did. Paul, an apostle of Jesus
Christ by the will of God to the saints which are at Ephesus
and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. You know who that encompasses?
all of God's sheep, all of God's people. Grace be to you and peace
from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ
according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation
of the world. that we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good
pleasure of His will to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein
He hath made us accepted." Accepted. Now when was this? Before the foundation of the
world. accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom
and prudence." Listen to this merciful. He told us about it. That's what verse 9 says, "...having
made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His
good pleasure, which He has purposed in Himself." So I know this. Justification for God's people
didn't start in time. The church, God's people, His
sheep, the elect. Jeremiah 31.3 says, I've loved
you with an everlasting love. I've always loved you. I've always
loved you. Their names, Revelation 17.8. When were their names written
in the Lamb's Book of Life? I tell you, when I was told that
they were written, you remember me telling you a while ago about
me walking down the aisle? I always heard that there was
a recording angel, and there was a Lamb's Book of Life, and
it had a lot of blank pages yet to be filled. But when I gave
my heart to Jesus, Marvin Stoniker, Marvin Stoniker wrote my name
in. That's not what Scripture says. The Scripture declares
that their names were written in the Book of Life from the
foundation of the world. You think God's always known
His people? Always been considered in the
person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Betrothed. I betrothed you to
myself. Everlastingly. Always. Always. That covenant of marriage between
Christ and His bride. Eternally. Eternally established. You know, I can't even think
eternally. You try to think eternally. That
which never had a beginning. As far as your mind can go back,
I mean, it just ain't far enough. Just keep going. Just keep going.
And it never ends. As far as I can think, but even
when I get to the, as far as I can think, it just don't stop. Betrothed. Everlastingly. Loved you. Everlastingly. I can't justify myself. God must
do it. But how? How? How? Man be just with God. God that
has revealed that he will by no means clear or hold guiltless
the guilty. Well, here it is. It's going
to come right down to it. The Lord Jesus Christ said, I
am the way. I am the way. I'm the truth.
I'm the life. The Spirit of God moved upon
Job to write in Job 33.29, deliver him from going down to the pit.
I found a ransom. When did he find the ransom?
God never changes. Now when did he find it? He's
always found it. Always found it. I want you to
turn to 2 Corinthians 5.21 and I'm going to stop on this right
here. How should man be just with God?
Here it is. Look at verse 20 and 21. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ. As though God did beseech you
by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be you reconciled to God. Now this next verse of Scripture
is a passage, and I've said this so many times. Let me preface
what I'm getting ready to say. I'm going to end it, this first
message with this, after I make some comments on that. I don't
know how many of you have ever heard of Brother Scott Richardson.
Brother Scott Richardson pastored Katie Baptist Church that I pastor
at now. Brother Scott was there for 50
years. There were two men that I so
highly appreciated, loved and esteemed. Brother Scott Richardson
and Brother Henry Mahan. And the Lord was pleased to allow
me the blessed privilege to be very, very dear friends with
both of them. I consider myself to be dear
friends to them. I don't know if they were to
me. If they were to me, I don't know if I were to them. But no,
they were. They were. But Brother Scott, on this passage of Scripture
right here, because what I'm about to tell you, I've said
so many times, I hold my breath when I say what I'm about to
say. But Brother Scott, Not long before he passed away, I was
there at Katie for seven years before the Lord was pleased to
take him. He was my pastor, Scott Richardson. Brother Scott told
me this one time concerning this passage of scripture. He said,
Marvin, don't you ever try to tiptoe through the tulips. Don't
you ever try to walk on thin ice when it comes to what our
glorious Savior did for His people. Don't you ever back up from what
this scripture says right here. Never back up from this. He said,
if what this scripture is saying, if it's not saying what I know
it's saying, and He said, I don't have any hope. How should man
be just with God? Is man a sinner? Yes. Is he chargeable with that
sin? Is he worthy of being charged?
Let me say this. Yes, he's worthy of being charged.
Does God charge him with it? Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin. Won't charge him with it. That's
a blessed man. What happened? What happened? How? How should
man be just with God? God who is just. How? God who
will in no wise clear the guilty. Here's what happened. For He,
that is the Father, hath made Him, and to be is in italics,
so it's just added, but here's what it says, for He made Him
sin for us. Now listen to exactly what I'm
saying, in case anybody ever tells you. I know what Marvin
said. Marvin said that Christ was made a sinner. Marvin never
said Christ was made a sinner. You know what a sinner is? A
disobedient one. By one man's disobedience. What is sin? It's transgression
of the law. He's disobedient. Christ was
never disobedient. He was made sin for us. Whenever the Lord Jesus Christ
went to the cross, whose sin was He bearing? He bore our sins
in His own body. Who did He lay down His life
for? The Lord said. And let God be true and let everybody
else be a liar. John 10, 15. I lay down my life
for the sheep. Well, aren't everybody really
sheep? Turn over to John 10 for a minute. John 10. John chapter 10. John chapter 10 and verse 15
is where the Lord said, John 10, 15, As the Father knoweth
me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the
sheep. Who are the sheep? Well, they're
His elect. They're chosen. Let me show you how the Spirit
of God has distinguished the sheep. In John 10.22, it was
at Jerusalem, the Feast of the Dedication, it was winter. And
Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the
Jews round about Him and said unto Him, How long dost Thou
make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and ye believe not the works that I do in my Father's name.
They bear witness of me, but ye believe not, because ye are
not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me, and I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand." For whom did Christ die? He died for those
given Him by the Father. in electing grace. That's who
He died for. He died for them. Died for them.
Did He die for the sins of everybody without exception? No. I laid
down my life for the sheep. 2 Corinthians 5.21. He had made
Him sin for us. What does that mean? That means
that what we are by nature, We who miss the mark, we who are the guiltiness, Christ
was made what we are. And hanging upon that cross, now I'm going to take again,
I'm going to take a big deep breath. Hanging on that cross
before God, before the Law of God. Christ, the Holy, Harmless Lamb
of God. He who knew no sin Himself. He wasn't a sinner. He was an
obedient substitute for His people. He was an obedient Redeemer of
His people. He laid down His life for His
people, His sheep. And hanging upon that cross was
exactly what we are. That's where I told Brother Scott,
I said, Brother Scott, I know what you're going to say. He
said, you want to be respectful and I know that. But if Christ
didn't become what I am and God Almighty in absolute justice
forsook Him. My God, my God. Thou forsaken me. You know what
the next verse is? For Thou art holy. You're holy. You're holy. He bearing the guilt
of His people being made sin. He hath made Him sin for us who
knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God
in Him. Not in ourselves. How should a man be just with God? I can tell you what's going to
happen. Almighty God, the Lord Jesus
Christ, was made what I am, and He bore all of my sin, and not
only mine, but for all that the Father had given Him. Past, present,
future. You mean He died for what I'm
gonna do tomorrow? Well, if He doesn't take me home
today, what I'm gonna do tomorrow? Yeah, He bore it. And paid the
debt of it. God is a just God. And He paid the debt of it. And put it away. Put away the
sin. Put it away. How far? As far as the East is from the
West. behind the back of God. I don't know where it went. Into
a far country. A scapegoat. But he bore it away. And right now, Romans 8.1 says
this. There is therefore no condemnation. There's no condemnation. There's no condemnation to them
which be in Christ Jesus, which walk not after the flesh but
after the Spirit. How should a man be just with
God? I've got to have my debt before God's law put away. I've got to have Almighty God
do something for me that I can't do for myself. He's got to deal with my sin
because He's just. And then, He must robe me in
His righteousness. I have, in Christ, I have no
debt to answer for. He paid the debt. Are you saying,
Marvin, you're not a sinner? No, I'm not saying I'm not a
sinner. I say I'm without sin. I made God a liar. But I'll tell
you this, I have no debt of it. I have nothing to pay for before
God's law. Why? Christ bore it. Whenever
Satan wants to come to me and accuse me, I can say, well, according
to these Scriptures, he bore my debt. And he robed me in his
righteousness. How can I know that I have any
part in this? How can I know I have any part
in this? I know what scripture says, you
know. Here's the answer. He that believeth on the Son,
he that believeth not in himself, but he that believeth on the
Son, hath life. He that believeth not the Son,
hath not life. And the wrath of God abideth
on him. How should a man be just with God? God's going to have
to deal with his sin and robe him in the righteousness of Christ.
And that's good news. I pray God bless this to our
heart today, for Christ's sake. Amen.