Every one who believes in Him is justified. “Being justified by faith;” i.e. we are by faith accounted righteous before God, righteous in Christ; for God “made Him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. v. 21.) This is much more than cleansing from guilt, or pardon of sins, because we have in justification a positive righteousness which fits us for the presence of God. The blood of Christ, as we have seen, is the meritorious cause of this, it being on our behalf of such infinite value, having so glorified God in expiating our sins, that He righteously—in righteousness to His Son—receives, pardons, justifies, and brings us into the very place where Christ Himself is.

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