“NOW the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.1

And “now righteousness of God is made known.” “Now” is it at this very moment, even while you read. At this very moment, then, the righteousness of God is manifested “unto all, and upon all them that believe.” Do you believe in Jesus Christ “now,” at this moment? Do you? If you say, Yes, then “now,” at this very moment, the righteousness of God is made known to you and upon you. Do you believe it? The Word of God says that it is; do you say that it is?PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.2

The Lord wants you to say that what He says is so; that it is so “now,” at this moment; and that it is so to you and in you. “A new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you.” When the Lord says a thing, it is true, even though nobody in the world ever believes it. It would be true in Him, but not in them. But He wants it to be true in you as well as in Himself. And when you acknowledge that what He says is true to you “now,” at this moment, then that thing is true in Him and in you.PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.3

Many people are ready to admit, in a general way, that what the Lord says is so; they will admit that it may be so to other people; but that it is so to themselves, just now, they will not say, If you do not have faith for yourself, faith of your own, you do not have faith at all, for as you are not living yesterday nor to-morrow, but just now, while it is “now,” so if you do not believe “now,” you do not believe at all. Therefore the word of God is that “now” is the accepted time.PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.4

Do you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour “now?” You can answer that in one moment; you know that you do. Then this moment thank the Lord that his righteousness is manifested unto you and upon you. He not only says it, but he gives you witnesses to the fact,—it is witnessed by the law and the prophets. That law which you have transgressed, that law that has shown you guilty before God, that very law “now,” in view of the manifestation of the righteousness of God, witnesses that you have a just claim to this righteousness, and that you are thereby justified through the faith of Jesus Christ.PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.5

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Would you rather have the righteousness of God “now” than to have your sins? You say, Yes. Very good. God has “now” set forth Christ Jesus “to declare” to you “His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.” Will you let the sins go “now,” this moment; and take the righteousness which He is set forth purposely to give, and which He “now,” this moment, freely gives? “Being justified freely.” “Being” is present tense. “Was” is past; “shall be” is future; but “being” is present. Therefore the Lord says to you and of you who believe in Jesus, “Being [now, at this moment] justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ... through the forbearance of God.”PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.6

But the Lord does not drop the subject yet. He emphasises the present power and blessing of this infinite fact. “To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness.” First He says that it is “now” that the righteousness of God is manifested unto all and upon all them that believe; then He speaks of all such as “being justified freely;” and next He emphasises it all thus: “To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness.” Oh, poor, trembling, doubting soul, is not this assurance enough that “now,” at this moment, the righteousness of God is yours? that “now” you are being justified freely by his grace? “at this time,” righteousness is declared to you for the remission of all your sins that are past?PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.7

Is not this enough? It is enough to satisfy the Lord; for He says, “To declare, I say, at this time, His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” Then as it is all-sufficient to satisfy the Lord, is it not enough to satisfy you? Will you “now” take the fulness of this blessed “gift of righteousness,” which is life, so that the Lord, by seeing the fruit of the travail of His soul, shall be satisfied again, and so, by your rejoicing, be doubly satisfied? This is all He asks of you. For “to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.8

Here is the word of God, the word of righteousness, the word of life, to you, “at this time.” Will you be made righteous by it “now?” Will you live by it “now?” This is justification by faith. This is righteousness by faith. It is the simplest thing in the world. It is simply whether the word of God shall be true in you “now” or not. God spoke to Abraham, “Tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: ... So shall thy seed be.” And “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” “Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.9

“Now,” “at this time,” it is true; it is true in Him. Now, at this time, let it be true in you.PTUK January 21, 1897, page 35.10

A. T. JONES.

January 7, 1897

January 28, 1897