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We have here —

I. A STATE OR CONDITION — "justified." This implies —

1. Previous dishonour. A truly righteous character needs no justification.

2. Complete satisfaction. A man who owes a debt can only be justified when that debt is paid; although it need not be paid by himself.

3. Perfect restoration — to all rights, privileges, position, etc. Justification does not mean righteousness. A man is justified although he is defiled in sin. The justification of man by God is His counting man as righteous.

II. A MEANS OR METHOD — "faith." Faith is that principle which unites a man with Christ, and so enables him to appropriate all the Saviour's merits and righteousness. Substitution, to be effectual, not only requires its acceptance by the judge, but the acceptance of the Saviour by the sinner as his Substitute. Faith is that acceptance by the sinner. Notice —

1. That this act is difficult. It is contrary to human nature — men would rather trust themselves than God. Hence they add rites and ceremonies.

2. It includes acts as well as conviction and trust. "Faith without works is dead," and a dead principle has no existence.

III. A RESULT ATTAINED — peace with God. Peace is desirable with man, much more with God. True peace can be obtained in no other way but this. There is a state which is often mistaken for it, such as indifference, a numbed conscience. Gratuitous pardon without justification by atonement would not be able to give peace, but pardon through satisfied justice can. Nothing can satisfy the sense of justice but trust in the justice-satisfying Saviour.

(Homilist.)

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KJV: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

WEB: Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;