A Fourfold Salvation. 4

II. Salvation from the PENALTY of Sin.

This follows upon our regeneration, which is evidenced by evangelical repentance and sincere faith. Every person who truly puts his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ is then and there, saved from the penalty—the guilt, the wages, the punishment—of sin. When the Apostles said to the penitent jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved," they signified that all his sins would be remitted by God; just as when the Lord said to the poor woman, "your faith has saved you—go in peace" (Luke 7:50). He meant that all her sins were now forgiven her, for forgiveness has to do with the criminality and punishment of sin. To the same effect when we read, "by grace are you saved through faith" (Eph. 2:8), it is to be understood that the Lord has actually "delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:10).

This aspect of our salvation is to be contemplated from two separate viewpoints—the Divine and the human. The Divine side of it is found in the Mediatorial office and work of Christ, who as the Sponsor and Surety of His people, met the requirements of the Law on their behalf, working out for them a perfect righteousness and enduring Himself the curse and condemnation which was due them, consummated at the Cross. It was there that He was, "wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5). It was there that He, judicially, "His own self, bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). It was there that He was, "smitten of God and afflicted" while He was making atonement for the offenses of His people. Because Christ suffered in my place—I go free; because He died—I live; because He was forsaken of God—I am reconciled to Him. This is the great marvel of grace, which will evoke ceaseless praise from the redeemed throughout eternity!

The human side of our salvation from the penalty of sin respects our repentance and faith. Though these possess no merits whatever, and though they in no sense purchase our pardon—yet according to the order which God has appointed, they are (instrumentally) essential, for salvation does not become ours experimentally until they are exercised. Repentance is the hand releasing those filthy objects it had previously clung to so tenaciously. Faith is extending an empty hand to God to receive the gift of His grace. Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin. Faith is accepting God's pardon thereof. Repentance is a crying, "God be merciful to me the sinner." Faith is receiving the sinner's Savior. Repentance is a revulsion of the filth and pollution of sin. Faith is a seeking of cleansing therefrom. Repentance is the sinner covering his mouth and crying, "Unclean, unclean!" Faith is the leper coming to Christ and saying, "Lord, if You will—You can make me clean."

So far from repentance and faith being meritorious graces, they are self-emptying ones. The one who truly repents takes his place as a lost sinner before God, confessing himself to be a guilty wretch deserving nothing but unsparing judgment at the hands of Divine justice. Faith looks away from corrupt and ruined self, and views the amazing provision which God has made for such a Hell-deserving creature. Faith lays hold of the Son of God's love, as a drowning man clutches at a passing oar. Faith surrenders to the Lordship of Christ and gladly owns His rights to reign over him. Faith rests upon the promises of God, setting to its seal that He is true. The moment the soul surrenders itself to the Lordship of Christ and rests upon the merits and efficacy of His sacrifice, his sins are removed from God's sight "as far as the east is from the west"—he is now eternally saved from the wrath to come.

While deliverance from the love of sin has to do entirely with the experimental side of our salvation; remission of the penalty of sin concerns thelegal aspect only, or in other words, the believer's justification. Justification is a forensic term and has to do with the law-courts, for it is the decision or verdict of the judge. Justification is the opposite of condemnation. Condemnation means that a man has been charged with a crime, his guilt is established, and accordingly the law, pronounces upon him sentence of punishment. On the contrary, justification means that the accused is found to be guiltless, the Law has nothing against him, and therefore he is acquitted and exonerated, leaving the court without a stain upon his character. When we read in Scripture that believers are, "justified from all things" (Acts 13:39), it signifies that their case has been tried in the high court of Heaven; and that God, the Judge of all the earth, has acquitted them, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

But to be without condemnation is only the negative side—justification means to declare or pronounce righteous, up to the Law's requirements. Justification implies that the Law has been fulfilled, obeyed, and magnified—for nothing short of this would meet the just demands of God. Hence, as His people, fallen in Adam, were unable to measure up to the Divine standard, God appointed that His own Son should become incarnate, be the Surety of His people, and answer the demands of the Law in their stead.

Here, then, is the sufficient answer which may be made to the two objections which unbelief is ready to raise—How can God acquit the guilty?

How can God declare righteous—one who is devoid of righteousness? Bring in the Lord Jesus and all difficulty disappears! The guilt of our sins was imputed or legally transferred to Him, so that He suffered the full penalty of what was due them; the merits of His obedience is imputed or legally transferred to us—so that we stand before God in all the acceptableness of our Sponsor, Romans 5:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 5:21, etc. Not only has the Law nothing against us—but we are entitled to its reward.

Next Part A Fourfold Salvation. 5

Back to Arthur Pink