Beloved radio friends, greetings in the precious name of the Lord Jesus our Savior, with a warm welcome and an invitation that you will profit with us today from God's precious word. We continue upon that blessed theme, the glory of the cross. We very little realize, we very little appreciate the wondrous fact that the greatest work that God has ever done the magnitude of his power and the expression of his love. It was done when his dearly beloved son died upon the cross at Calvary. Will you drink into your heart? Will you not only take into your intellect, mind and heart, that the work of Christ's redemption far exceeds the great work of creation? And beyond comprehension, yet there are spiritual and eternal blessings that we can know if we will learn from God's word and say with the Apostle Paul, God forbid that I should glory in the cross of our, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians six in verse fourteen. We have mentioned, we have meditated upon one theme, the forgiveness of sins, which is undoubtedly the first essential benefit that a guilty but believing sinner will receive when he or she trusts the Savior and his finished work of the cross. There is another blessing found in the Word of God for those who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive him as their Savior. It is the blessing of justification. In our preceding subject of forgiveness we found the need of this was necessary because of our guilt. We were guilty sinners before the Holy God, for the opposite to forgiveness is guilt. Now, what is the opposite meaning to the word justification? Well, the opposite meaning is condemnation. We are condemned by God as well as guilty before Him, but it is the work of Christ in His redeeming death that not only removes the guilt of sin when we trust the Savior, Yet at the very same time, for the very same reason, God removes the condemnation of sin when we trust the Savior. Now let us consider this condemnation and the reason for it. Let me try to point out from Scripture three sources of condemnation. First, God condemns sinners because of His righteous law. I am fully aware that there are many people who would place themselves under the law and seek to reach salvation. What a great mistake this is, for salvation is not by the law. It is by grace alone. It is not of works. The law cannot save you. The law can only condemn you and me. Now if you are trying to achieve salvation, for your soul by the works of the law. Now listen. Here is a verse from God's word in Galatians chapter three, verse ten, and it will condemn you. Reading the word of God, Paul, by the Spirit writes, For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not, in all things. which are written in the book of the law to do them. This does not mean just keeping the Ten Commandments as some may think, but please note, you must do all the things that are written by Moses. Now have you done that? Has anyone? What does the law say? Cursed is everyone who does not do this. Therefore, my friend, We need to be delivered from the condemnation of the law, for all of us have sinned, and the righteous law of God condemns us. But second, no, not only does the law condemn us, because you might be surprised to learn that Satan condemns us too. You may ask, well, what has he got to do with all this? Well, let me read an example for you. In Zechariah chapter three and verse one, We find God writing by the Spirit through the prophet to say, And he showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan, standing at his right hand to resist him. Meaning Satan was an adversary, accusing Joshua, the high priest of Israel, of being unclean, filthy, covered with the filthy garments of sin. And may I say, how delighted is Satan when he can and when he does accuse us for our sins? Now, if you don't believe that God, that Satan, does this, you get your Bible. Read the first two chapters in the book of Job. And you will learn how Satan did his best to accuse and to condemn one of God's righteous upright servants, even Job. And Satan is described as accusing us before our God day and night. I want to tell you he's a very busy fellow, but he carries on his business not only on earth but also in heaven, as the Word of God tells us so. Don't you disbelieve this, my friend. The devil keeps close tabs on you and me in order to tell God what kind of sinners we are and to make sure if he can that God hears his condemnation of even his children whenever it's possible. But now in addition to the law, in addition to Satan, our own conscience condemns us. May I read to you what God says about the heathen, who may know nothing of the law, they may not even know anything about the devil either, but here are God's words. And I quote them from Romans chapter two, verses fourteen and fifteen. Paul writing to say, For when the Gentiles, meaning the heathen, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, in other words, if their common sense tells them what they should do and what they should not do, these having not the law are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience, also bearing witness, and their thoughts, the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing, one another. Now listen carefully, my friend. Every human person is a conscience, and the voice of conscience works, whether you know the law or whether you don't. For in the human heart and to the human soul, the conscience speaks, telling us when we have done wrong, and even when we have done right. And you will find that God's word has much to say about the conscience, particularly in the New Testament. But surely you don't need to prove it, do you? Is it not true that many times, when you have sinned, and when I have sinned, the conscience condemned to sin, you did wrong? I think of the words of an Indian convert, when he described the conscience. He said it was a triangular thing that was inside his heart. And when he did wrong, it turned and it hurt. Yes, the conscience can speak. Now let us summarize this study as far as we've gone. God proves from his word that righteously we are condemned because we've broken the holy law. Second, Satan, a real live adversary, condemns us with great delight. Third, the conscience. Our own conscience condemns us. Therefore, we need to have the free folk condemnation removed. But who can remove that condemnation? Only God is able to do this. He can, and he does it, through the gospel message and the work of our Savior upon the cross. Now let me explain the meaning of the word justification. For it means, and I quote, It means to be justified, and it is to be cleared from every charge of sin that can be brought against us." Now we have found that God charges us of sinning, and he must condemn us. We have learned that even Satan is glad to condemn us. We also have read, our own conscience condemns us. Now what we need is to have this threefold condemnation removed, is it not? Now, beloved, only the Lord Jesus can remove it, and that by the work of his cross. Now, before we close, let me quote the words of the beloved Apostle Paul when he preached the Gospel in a synagogue long ago. In his audience there were both Jews and Gentiles, and speaking of Jesus, to them he said, Be it known unto you men and brethren that through this man, meaning Jesus, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him. All that believe are justified. They are justified, meaning they are cleared from all charges, from all things, from which he could never be justified or cleared by the law of Moses. To close our message today, and until we complete this same truth in the next broadcast, Let me point out that the law can never remove the condemnation. The devil can never remove his condemnation. And your conscience can never remove the condemnation. But the gospel and the message of the cross declares, All who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? Will you note those words? All that believe, and on the ground of faith alone, they are cleared from all things against them. Whether they are condemned by the Lord, whether they are condemned by Satan or by conscience. All through the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and his work there. We ask, my friend, have you believed? If not, would you not say today I do believe? I now believe that Jesus died for me, that on the cross he shed his blood from sin to set me free. For the blessings sanctify the truth. in the power of the Holy Spirit to save precious souls and bring joy to the hearts of thy people. Amen.