Credits The article below, and the next few articles on Fundamental Faith, will be from a book which was published in 1971 by Elder Wiley W. Sammons, in his book titled: “IDENTITY OF THE TRUE BAPTIST CHURCH, Doctrine Precept & Practice, From 1701 – 1971, In West Tennessee, North Carolina and Alabama. The five Primitive Baptist Elders who contributed to this effort were: Wiley W. Sammons of Tennessee, C.M. Mills of North Carolina, Guy Hunt of Alabama, T.L. Webb Jr. of Arkansas, and E.B. Watts of Alabama.

While we will only publish a few of the well-crafted articles from this book, we want to take all care in giving credit to these men who labored to produce such a work. Fundamental of Faith is so very important for the child of God to be well-grounded in the “rudiments of truth,” and we commend these good brethren for their efforts to furnish the generations of the Lord's people with sound fundamental teachings.

This book would be a great addition to the library of every “Old School Primitive Baptist,” with a desire to seek after the truth.

Elder John P. Young – Editor

Justification "In Three Phases"
By Elders Wiley W. Sammons (dec.)

Man violated God's law; and God being a just God required that the penalty be paid. Jesus Christ paid the penalty by making the atonement. "Who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." (Romans 8:33)         

We realize that there are several phases of justification taught in the scriptures and we will give some thought to three of them, namely, Justification by Blood, Justification by Faith, and Justification by Work. All of these are by grace.

Justification By Blood:

Justification, that was acceptable before God, was made by the atonement through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, when he laid his life down and shed his blood to redeem his people. When Christ wrought this work solely by himself, he satisfied the broken law and divine justice, and all things necessary to completely and freely justify all that he represented, "Who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that Justifieth." (Romans 8:33).

This was clearly manifest by the Lord being raised out of the grave. Therefore, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Romans 3:24) Justification cannot be through any condition or source other than through the only begotten son of God. "God is just and the justifier." God promised to accomplish this through the obedience of his Son, and not anything on the part of man. This was in full and not in part. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even on the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8-34) God's love for his people was the moving cause of his justifying them, and of course this will stand forever because it was done by his Son, a work of perfection because Christ was perfect.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans (8:38-39) In Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love  toward us, in that, while We were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Verse 9;"Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." This shows that we are justified by his grace, through his blood. His people were not only justified, but they were bought back through his satisfying and atoning blood that purchased them. He re­deemed them that were under the law of sin and death. Redemption would not have been complete if it had not fully and completely satis­fied justice and the broken law. God's word said that he did justify his people, so it is settled.

Justification is so broad in its scope it would take many pages to even make a start in discussing this great and glorious subject, but space in this volume will not allow this. The purpose of this book is not to go into detail, but to make the writings brief and as simple as possible so as to encourage and stimulate more reading of the Bible.

Justification By Faith:

As we begin to think of justification, in the manner of his people having some knowledge and experience in it, we recognize that there are two other phases of it mentioned before. They are justification by faith and justification by works. The first knowledge the creature has comes in the new birth, when they arc quickened by the Spirit and given eternal life. God gives faith and hope by his grace, as afore stated, and justification is by grace. The person is given a heart of feeling and a desire for spiritual things. Through the benefits of what the Lord accomplished they can, by faith, view the great works of Jesus Christ, their redeemer. It is by faith that we are enabled to view the benefits and wonderful works of Christ and what was accomplished in the atonement that makes us at "onement" with him. Also that we have been redeemed so that we are not under the law of sin and death, having been made free from it through the work of Christ. Not only are these things viewed by faith, but it is by faith that we can go forward, believing that God will do what he promised. Of course we arc to keep the eye of faith centered in Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, as Abraham did.

Some people think that God's way, which he set forth, for his people to worship him in church service is foolish, This should not be looked on lightly or as a small thing, but sacred, because it is authorized by our Savior. As this is viewed in a natural or worldly way, we cannot see anything in it, but every time we enter into the worship service by looking by faith (and not in natural appearances) we find the great blessings he promised. We are justified by faith, before the church and his people that believe that his promises are sure every time we walk by faith. When we partake of the ordinances in the church at communion time there aren't any benefits in it except we view the merits of Christ's broken body and shed blood by faith. That is why we are commanded to discern the Lord's body. As we view this by faith, of course, all the merit goes to God through Christ. If we didn't have this revealed to us by faith in the sense we embrace it, and feel to actually be embraced in it ourselves, there wouldn't be any such thing as the realization of justification, but faith enables us to view that Christ justified us, and he is our Justification. It is by faith that we believe and trust in Christ. We are justified by works when we become willing to do what God has required of us, and engage in this work no matter how it might look to others, and be viewed by them in the estimation of men or society. These are not the things that the world would love, because the world (the worldly minded people) cannot see the true church. They are looking for pomp and splendor, society, and worldly things which cannot supply any spiritual food and strength.

If the Lord's people are to experience peace and joy, and have their hungry souls satisfied, they must go forward by faith, which God has given them, and do the good works commanded in the New Testament. When the individual obeys the Lord's commands and exercises faith and walks by faith, he is justified by works and justified before the church and the Lord's people who believe. Though they are the partakers of the benefits of faith and participate in the works, they know that justification by faith and works are by the enabling grace of God and not by themselves. The person who does the actual walking knows that it is done not without faith but by faith which the Bible says is the gift of God. Many have viewed it but they do not enjoy it because they have not done the works and are not willing to give up the things necessary in order to walk by faith, but they have seen it by faith.

Justification By Works:

In Second Peter, 1st Chapter, 5th-8th verses: "And beside this giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Then Peter continues in the following verses to tell us that we are blind and cannot see afar off for we have forgotten that we have been purged from our old sins when we fail to add to our faith the things commanded above. These are all added through the exercise of faith when we walk by it and perform the works required. We are justified by works.

This phase which is by works, can only be carried out by faith and because of the benefits of the shed blood of Christ so the individual does the work but not without faith but through faith. Let us go to a Bible example to prove this. The scripture tells us that Abraham was justified by works when offered he his son, Isaac, on the altar. This was done by walking by faith. 3ames 2:21: "Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had offered Isaac, his son, upon the altar? 22: Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for right­eousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24: Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." If the individual will take the Bible order of things, the child of God can understand and have some knowledge and experience in the different phases of justification, but all the honor and glory is given to God through his only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who is our Justification.

The final issue of these Fundamentals of the Faith from these writings, will be on “Predestination.” This article is ably written and should be quite beneficial.

There are a few of these books which can still be found, but it is difficult to find Volumes I & II together. We have only begun to touch the information these volumes provide for those who thirst after the truth as it is in Christ.  Editor