“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth."

There are three factors to be considered in this text. (1) Who has the authority to charge? (2) Who is to be charged? (3) Who does the justifying? From the pulpit of America, we hear men charging not only God’s elect, but also all the race of Adam with things they must do to become a child of God, (charge is to make responsible.) The text is asking the question; who has the authority to require anything of God’s elect?

Who are the elect of God? (Elect is one chosen – selected) God made the choice. (I Thes. 1:4) “Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God." When did He make the choice? (Eph. 1:4) “According as He (God) hath (past tense) chosen us (elected) in Him before the foundation of the world, (for what purpose) that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

What condition are you in when you are chosen of God. Jesus told His disciples in (John 15:16) “You have not chosen me but I have chosen you.” You are in a blessed condition seeing He has, in His abundant mercy, chosen you as one of His children and you are heirs to all that heaven holds. (Mat. 25:34) describes it better than I can. “Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” Since God has made choice of a people before the world began and has previously justified them see (Rom. 8:30), then what man could require any more of those God has chosen, justified, and is satisfied with their condition?

I am persuaded, the answer to the question asked in (V33) is: no man has authority to require (charge) God’s elected children because they are already His and He has previously justified them. We have to believe His justification is sufficient since He (God) is satisfied with the work His Son did while here in the world.

We were passive (no active part) in this act of justification. Job reminds us of the consequences when we try to justify ourselves. (Job 9:20) “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.”  God did not choose His people because they were worthy. The only thing we merited was eternal death and the punishment of the wicked. God made choice of a people (a definite and fixed number) because of His electing love and redeemed and justified them by the finished work of His Son. God is now reconciled.

Brethren, if God is satisfied and has reconciled us to Himself by the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (2Cor. 5:18); who has any authority to require anything more? Let us rejoice in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.