On the Epistle to the Romans by CS Author:Charles Stanley Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV. We must bear in mind that we are not on the subject here of righteousness before men. On tliat subject we must turn to James. There we should find... more » the question of justification from an entirely different point of view. A man is not justified before his fellow-men by faith, but by works, proving the genuineness of his faith. (See James ii. 18-26.) It may now be fairly asked, If the whole human race has been found guilty before God—Jews and Gentiles—on what principle could any have been justified? Clearly, on the principle of law, that which condemns the guilty, none could have been justified, and two of the most remarkable cases are cited in proof. No less persons than Abraham, the veryfather of the Jews; and David, the sweet singer of Israel. The one was justified four hundred and thirty years before the law was given; the other, about five hundred years after, and that when he had merited its curse by fearful transgression. As to Abraham, if any one could be justified by works, surely lie could ; and if he were before men, as in James, he had to glory, "but not before God." It is still the solemn question of man before God. Well, what saith the scripture aboutthis man, before the law was given, to nny one, even to him ? " Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned untu kirn for righteousness." This is the scripture answer and principle how a man can be justified without the deeds of the law. Abraham believed God, and it (his faith) was reckoned as, not for, righteousness. Very much depends on the true meaning of the word, translated " imputed," "reckoned," and "counted," in this chapter, the same word in the original. It means reckoned as such, or esteemed so ; it is not the word which is used to mean simply imputed, or set to the account of a person; that wor...« less