Romans 3:24
Being justified freely by his grace…
The matter of
justification is before expressed, and the persons that share in this
blessing are described; here the several causes of it are mentioned.
The moving cause of it is the free grace of God; for by "the grace of
God" here, is not meant the Gospel, or what some men call the terms of
the Gospel, and the constitution of it; nor the grace of God infused
into the heart; but the free love and favour of God, as it is in his
heart; which is wonderfully displayed in the business of a sinner's
justification before him: it appears in his resolving upon the
justification of his chosen ones in Christ; in fixing on the method of
doing it; in setting forth and pre-ordaining Christ to be the ransom;
in calling Christ to engage herein; in Christ's engaging as a surety
for his people, and in the Father's sending him to bring in everlasting
righteousness; in Christ's coming to do it, and in the gracious manner
in which he wrought it out; in the Father's gracious acceptation,
imputation, and donation of it; in the free gift of the grace of faith,
to apprehend and receive it; and in the persons that partake of it, who
are of themselves sinners and ungodly. The meritorious cause of
justification is,
the redemption that is in Jesus Christ:
redemption supposes a former
state of captivity to sin, Satan, and the law, in which God's elect
were by nature, and is a deliverance from it; it is of a spiritual
nature, chiefly respects the soul, and is plenteous, complete, and
eternal: this is in and by Christ; he was called unto it, was sent to
effect it, had a right unto it, as being the near kinsman; and was
every way fit for it, being both God and man; and has by his sufferings
and death obtained it: now, as all the blessings of grace come through
redemption by Christ, so does this of justification, and after this
manner; Christ, as a Redeemer, had the sins of his people laid on him,
and they were bore by him, and took away; the sentence of the law's
condemnation was executed on him, as standing in their legal place and
stead; and satisfaction was made by him for all offences committed by
them, which was necessary, that God might appear to be just, in
justifying all them that believe: nor is this any objection or
contradiction to the free grace of God, in a sinner's justification;
since it was grace in God to provide, send, and part with his Son as a
Redeemer, and to work out righteousness; it was grace in Christ, to
come and give himself a sacrifice, and obtain salvation and
righteousness, not for angels, but for men, and for some of them, and
not all; and whatever this righteousness, salvation, and redemption
cost Christ, they are all free to men.
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