QUOTES
"The way for anyone to be justified is by the principle of
faith. Everyone, however, is not willing to be justified that way, and many are
"going about to establish their own righteousness" (Romans 10:3). This is
really an impossibility, if they only knew it, for such an effort betrays an
ignorance of themselves and of God. Of themselves, for such can have no right
sense of their guilt before God. Of God, for they think that He can lower the
standard of His holiness and righteousness to the measure of their supposed
attainment. That He never will."
--C.E. Stuart
"Forgiveness assures
us of immunity from everlasting punishment. Justification, which goes further,
assures us of an indefeasible title to be in God's holy presence."
--C.E.
Stuart
"Yet it is also to be noted that God’s scourge fell
immediately upon the people themselves, for it was against them Jehovah had a
controversy (v. 1). "A solemn time it must have been. Pestilence was walking in
darkness, and destruction was wasting at noonday. The destroying angel was
actively at work, and no man was able to withstand him. Throughout the length
and breath of the land death was claiming its victims. Who would next be struck
no one could tell. No remedy availed to cure the sick. No intercession, however
urgent, succeeded in preserving the life of a beloved one. All joy must have
fled: all energy for ordinary pursuits must have been paralyzed. God was
working, and in power. Of old He had laid bare His arm, and worked in power on
behalf of Israel; now His hand was outstretched, but in this deadly way against
them. Could any charge Him with injustice? No. They deserved the chastisement,
though David’s act in numbering them was the proximate cause for this
visitation. Helpless, how helpless were they all. Their only hope was in the
mercy of God" (C. E. Stuart).