What is justifying faith? - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“What is justifying faith? It is the faith that believes what God says in Christ in spite of all I know about myself, my past sins, my present sinfulness, in spite of the fact that I know that I still have an evil nature within me which make me say with Paul, ‘In me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing’. Justifying faith is that which enables a man to believe the Word of God in spite of all that, to believe the Word of God in spite of knowing his own weakness, his own proneness to fall, his own proneness to fail – that is justifying faith…
This is Christian faith. That is justifying faith. It is faith that enables the believer to dare to believe on the bare word of God, that one day he will be ‘faultless & blameless, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing’. Through this faith he can believe ‘that He which hath begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ’ [Philippians 1:6], & can stand confidently & defy everybody & everything. Possessing it he no longer fears death & the grave. Indeed, he no longer fears the final judgement because he knows that he has ‘passed from judgement into life’ in Christ Jesus.”

- D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: An Exposition of Chapters 3.20-4.25 Atonement and Justification

The man who is truly blessed by God - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin." – Romans 4:5-8

“The man who is truly blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven as debt, whose sin is covered up so that God will never look at it again. He is one to whom it is never going to be imputed as a crime. There is the negative aspect. But it goes beyond that; he is also one to whom God reckons this righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is the doctrine of justification by faith. Here are we – all of us – sinners in the sight of God. What does the doctrine tell me? It tells me that as I stand there on trial, my debt is cancelled, my sin is covered. God has cast my sin ‘behind his back’. He will never look at it again; He will never see it again. It is blotted out – out of His sight for all eternity. And I shall never be charged with it as a crime. I’m completely delivered from it. But over and above that, God puts to my account, and reckons to me, this righteousness of Jesus Christ His Son.
What the Apostle has clearly demonstrated is that that has always been God’s way and method of dealing with man in sin. It was what He did to Abraham. David says that He does it…
God took our sins, and instead of imputing them to us and to our account, He put them to His Son’s account. He put them on Him and He punished them in Him. Christ came into the world deliberately in order to do it. This is how we are saved and reconciled to God – instead of reckoning my sins to me God reckoned them to Christ, and punished them in Him…We had no righteousness at all. He has a perfect righteousness. God reckons His righteousness to us.”

- D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: An Exposition of Chapters 3.20-4.25 Atonement and Justification

The promises of God, the power of God, faith and the glory of God – John Calvin

“No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.” - Romans 4:20-21

“All things around us are in opposition to the promises of God: He promises immortality; we are surrounded with mortality and corruption: He declares that he counts us just; we are covered with sins: He testifies that he is propitious and kind to us; outward judgments threaten his wrath. What then is to be done? We must with closed eyes pass by ourselves and all things connected with us, that nothing may hinder or prevent us from believing that God is true…It is hence the chief thing in honoring God, obediently to embrace his promises: and true religion begins with faith…
But we do not sufficiently exalt the power of God, unless we think it to be greater than our weakness. Faith then ought not to regard our weakness, misery, and defects, but to fix wholly its attention on the power of God alone; for if it depends on our righteousness or worthiness, it can never ascend to the consideration of God’s power. And it is a proof of the unbelief, of which he had before spoken, when we mete the Lord’s power with our own measure. For faith does not think that God can do all things, while it leaves him sitting still, but when, on the contrary, it regards his power in continual exercise, and applies it, especially, to the accomplishment of his word: for the hand of God is ever ready to execute whatever he has declared by his mouth.”

- John Calvin

A Sinner and his Saviour - Dora Greenwell

“I sought Thee, weeping, high and low;
I found Thee not; I did not know
I was a sinner; even so
I missed Thee for my Saviour.

I saw Thee sweetly condescend
Of humble men to be the friend;
I chose Thee for my way — my end.
But found not yet my Saviour.

Until upon the cross I saw
My God, who died to meet the law
That man had broken; then I saw
My sin, and then my Saviour.

What seek I longer? let me be
A sinner all my days to Thee
Yet more and more — and Thou to me
Yet more and more my Saviour,

A sinner all my earthly days,
A sinner who believes and prays,
A sinner all his evil ways
Who leaves for his dear Saviour.

Who leaves his evil ways, yet leaves
Not Him to whom his spirit cleaves
More close, that he so often grieves
The soul of his dear Saviour.

Be Thou to me my Lord, my Guide,
My Friend, yea everything beside;
But first, last, best, whate'er betide.
Be Thou to me my Saviour!”

- Dora Greenwell

"But now" - D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it.” – Romans 3:21

“There are no more wonderful words in the whole of the Scripture than just these two words ‘But now’. What vital words these are! These are the words with which the Apostle always introduces the Gospel. He first paints his dark and hopeless picture – and this is not only true of this Apostle but also of the others; but it is especially true of the Apostle Paul and of his particular style. He first of all paints his black and his sombre and his hopeless picture. Then, having done that he says, ‘But now’.
It was because they had understood this teaching and manner that the Puritans, and many of their successors until comparatively recently, always taught that in true evangelism you must always start with a ‘law work’. They said that there should always be a law work before you introduce the Gospel…
Until this point the Apostle has been doing precisely that, and it is only after he has done that that he says, ‘But now’. Having followed him through all that in detail, and having considered every statement that he makes about man under sin and in sin and having seen ourselves as we are by nature and as descendants of Adam, can there be two words which are more blessed and more wonderful for us than just these two word, ‘But now’? To me they provide a very subtle and thorough-going test of our whole position as Christians. Would you like to know for certain at this moment whether you are a Christian or not? I suggest that this is one of the best tests. As I repeat these two words, ‘But now’, is there something within you that makes you say, ‘Thank God!’ Is there a ‘But now’ in your experience?...
These words come to us in a two fold manner. They come as the introduction of the Gospel, but at the same time they come as words that test us. This, to me, is so important that I cannot leave it. Let us examine our experiences.
When the devil attacks you and suggests to you that you are not a Christian, and that you have never been a Christian because of what is still in your heart, or because of what you are still doing, or because of something you once did – when he comes and thus accuses you, what do you say to him? Do you agree with him? Or do you say to him: ‘Yes, that was true, but now…’ Do you hold up these words against him? Or when, perhaps, you feel condemned as you read the Scripture, as you read the Law in the Old Testament, as you read the Sermon on the Mount, and as you feel that you are undone, do you remain lying on the ground in hopelessness, or do you lift up your head and say, ‘But now’? This is the essence of the Christian position; this is how faith answers the accusations of the Law, the accusations of conscience, and everything else that would condemn and depress us. These are indeed very wonderful words, and it is most important that we should lay hold of them and realize their tremendous importance and their significance.”

- D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: An Exposition of Chapters 3.20-4.25 Atonement and Justification

"not in answer to my prayers" - A.W. Pink

“God not only gives, but He “gives to all liberally” (James 1:5). Very often His liberality exceeds not only our deserts but even our desires, bestowing upon us more than we have either wisdom or confidence to ask…
Every Christian already has abundant proof that God can give him & do more for him than he can ask or think, for He has already done so! It was not in answer to my prayers that God elected me & inscribed my name in the book of life, for He chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world. It was not in response to any petition of mine that an all-sufficient Redeemer was provided for my hell-deserving soul, for God sent forth His Son into this world to save His people from their sins nearly two thousand years before I had any historical existence. It was not in return for any eloquent request of mine that the Holy Spirit quickened me into newness of life when I was dead in trespasses and sins, for to pray for life is not a faculty of the unregenerate. Rather the new birth itself capacitates us for living desire and spiritual longing. The new birth imparts life which causes the soul to long for more life. No, God’s people are spiritually dead and far from Him when He regenerates them and thereby fulfills to all of them that word “I am found of them that sought me not” (Isa. 65:1). God’s gracious dealings with us are above even our faith and requests!"

- A.W. Pink, Gleanings from Paul: Studies in the prayers of the Apostle

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Paul/paul_19.htm

"Look thou to Him who hangs on yonder cross" - C.H. Spurgeon

“I do not urge you to look within, to try & see whether this new birth is there. Instead of looking within thyself, look thou to him who hangs on yonder cross, dying the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Fix thou thine eyes on him, and believe in him; & when thou seest in thyself much that is evil, look away to him; and when doubts prevail, look to him; and when thy conscience tells thee of thy past sins, look to him.

I have to go through this story almost every day of the year, and sometimes half a dozen times in a day. If there is a despairing soul anywhere within twenty miles, it will find me out, no matter whether I am at home, or at Mentone, or in any other part of the world. It will come from any distance, broken down, despairing, half insane sometimes; and I have no medicine to prescribe except “Christ, Christ, Christ; Jesus Christ and him crucified. Look away from yourselves, and trust in him.” I go over and over and over with this, and never get one jot further. Because I find that this medicine cures all soul sicknesses, while human quackery cures none. Christ alone is the one remedy for sin-sick souls. Receive him; believe on his name. We keep hammering at this. I can sympathize with Luther when he said, “I have preached justification by faith so often, and I feel sometimes that you are so slow to receive it, that I could almost take the Bible, and bang it about your heads…”

One said to me just lately, “Oh, sir, I am the biggest sinner that ever lived!” I replied, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” “But I have not any strength.” “While we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died.” “Oh! But,” he said, “I have been utterly ungodly.” “Christ died for the ungodly.” “But I am lost.” “Yes,” I said, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” “The Son of man has come to save that which was lost.” I said to this man, “You have the brush in your hand, and at every stroke it looks as if you were quoting Scripture. You seem to be making yourself out to be the very man that Christ came to save. If you were to make yourself out to be good and excellent, I should give you this word — Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He did not die for the good, but for the bad. He gave himself for our sins; he never gave himself for our righteousness. He is a Savior. He has not come yet as a Rewarder of the righteous; that will be in his Second Advent. Now he comes as the great Forgiver of the guilty, and the only Savior of the lost. Wilt thou come to him in that way?” “Oh! But,” my friend said, “I have nothing to bring to Christ.” “No,” I said, “I know that you have not; but Christ has everything.” “Sir,” he said, “you do not know me, else you would not talk to me like this;” and I said, “No, and you do not know yourself, and you are worse than you think you are, though you think that you are bad enough in all conscience; but be you as bad as you may, Jesus Christ came on purpose to uplift from the dunghill those whom he sets among princes by his free, rich, sovereign grace.”

C.H. Spurgeon, The Simplicity and Sublimity of Salvation

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2259.htm

"What is the old gospel?" - Charles H. Spurgeon

"What is the old gospel? It is that, seeing you are helpless to save yourself, or bring yourself back to God, Christ came to restore you; that he took those sins of yours, which were enough to sink you to hell, and bore them on the cross, that he might bring you to heaven. If you will but trust him, even now, he will deliver you from the curse of the law; for it is written, "He that believes on him is not condemned." If you will trust him, even now, he will give you a life of blessedness, which will never end; for again it is written, "He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life." Because that gospel is preached, there is hope for you. When there is no hope, there will be no presentation of the gospel. God must, by an edict, suspend the preaching of the gospel ere he can suspend the fulfillment of the gospel promise to every soul that believeth. Since there is a gospel, take it; take it now, even now. God help you to do so!"

- Charles H. Spurgeon

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2249.htm

“O Lamb of God! still keep me near to Thy wounded side" - James George Deck

“O Lamb of God! still keep me
near to Thy wounded side;
'tis only there in safety
and peace I can abide.
What foes and snares surround me!
What lusts and fears within!
The grace that sought and found me
alone can keep me clean.

'Tis only in Thee hiding,
I know my life secure;
only in Thee abiding,
the conflict can endure:
Thine arm the victory gaineth
o'er every hurtful foe;
Thy love my heart sustaineth
in all its cares and woes.

Soon shall my eyes behold Thee
with rapture, face to face;
one half hath not been told me
of all Thy power and grace:
Thy beauty, Lord, and glory,
the wonders of Thy love,s
hall be the endless story
of all Thy saints above.”

- James George Deck

'It is not we, but Jesus Christ who saves' - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“The cross tells me that I am a complete failure, & that I am such a failure that He had to come from heaven, not merely to teach & preach in this world, but to die on that cross. Nothing else could save us. I could not keep His teaching. How could I obey the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, I who cannot live up to my own code, who cannot please other people? It is impossible…He came to save souls, the Saviour of the world, ‘the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.’ ‘For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12). Here is the only one who can encompass the whole world, and all in utter helplessness can look to Him. And this is what is so wonderful about it - it is He who saves. It is not we, but He who saves. It is not even our believing in Him that saves us, it is He who saves us. It is His doing to that cross, & submitting Himself as the Lamb of God, & having our sins put upon Him by His Father, & bearing the stroke, the punishment, for us, that is what saves us. He does it all.”

-Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The Cross: God's Way of Salvation By Martyn Lloyd-Jones