Salvation...Part Four Justification Humans imperfection creates a common desire to do things right and yo make things perfect. Mankind struggles for improvement. This search is a symptom of the sense of imperfection. God alone is perfect and just altogether (Psa 19:9). Righteousness convicts the heart of man. Job said, How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? (Job 25:4 KJV). Justification is the answer! The misunderstanding of this Bible doctrine comes from mans tendency to minimize his own guilt before God. Justification must be considered only in reference to the holiness and perfection of God. Its the essence of salvation. It determines the destiny of the soul of every person. Because justification presumes sin and guilt before God, mankind seeks to justify himself with God. Here are mans arguments and Gods answers: 1. Since people are different, some need religion because they are weak. > But God says (read Rom 3:10-11). 2. If people would obey commandments, that would make them good. > But God says (read Rom 3:11,20). 3. Then God will justify everyone. > But God says (read Rom 2:5-6). 4. So should justify the good and punish the bad. > But God says (read Rom 3:22-23). 5. Then each person should justify himself. > But God says (read Rom 8:33). 6. Since no one can be sure of his salvation, we just hope for the best. > But God says (read Rom 3:24-26). 1. The Need For Justification: Justification is Gods provision for mans unlikeness to God. Every person in short compared to the glory of God and totally lacking in likeness of God. All have sinned (Rom 3:23). No one is righteous (3:10) or profitable (3:12) or respectful (3:12) of God. Nobody can understand Who God is; All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way... (Isaiah 53:6 KJV) Repentance deals with a persons reaction to God. Faith deals with the attitude to God. Justification deals with the approach to God. Since all are apart from God because of sin (Isa 59:2) and the consequence of this is eternal separation from God in judgment, justification by God is the only hope. Other doctrines deal deal with mans reaction to the Gospel. Justification is Gods reaction to man. By the free gift of His grace and through faith in His blood, God is just and becomes the Justifier of those who believe in Him (Rom 4:24-25). Justification, like all aspects of salvation, is not a human effort or endeavor. Always it is the result of Gods grace and mercy, freely given and accepted by faith. Both justification and faith leave no place for boasting or glory from mankind (Rom 3:27. Eph 2:8-9). 2. The Nature of Justification: A. Justification is the sentence of acquittal by God for every believer in a declaration of righteousness and in a deliverance from all guilt before God. The sinner is accused fairly and acquitted freely by justification. 1. Announced judicially by God (read Rom 3:25). 2. Accomplished meritorious by Christ (read Rom 3:24). 3. Accepted freely by faith (read Rom 3:26; 5:1). B. Justification is the result of Gods grace alone (read Rom 3:24), as a gift (5:16) without human merit (3:28) as the expression of Gods patience (3:25). C. Justification is only through The Lord Jesus, the gift of righteousness, by His redemption and in His blood (Rom 3:24-25 and 5:17). God declares all humanity guilty before His standard of excellence, His Son Jesus Christ. His law has been broken; His creation has been violated and His creatures have rebelled against Him. There is no excuse nor is there any explanation to exonerate anyone (read Rom 2:1; 3:19). Being justified through the redemption in Christ Jesus means that the believer is cleared of his guilt. Christ pays the price by his own condemnation, by giving His life as the substitute (read Heb 9:22). But much more in involved. God declares that the forgiven sinner is forever considered perfect in His sight without any record of sin or accusation of guilt (read Rom 3:23-24). This loving act by Christ was once and for all (read Rom 6:10. Heb 9:26,28) D. Justification is given to anyone by faith. Since God declares this work of justification is possible, then in no way could human achievement ever be a factor in mans acceptance by God. Therefore by deeds...no person can be justified in Gods sight (read Rom 3:20. Eph 2:8-9. Tit 3:5). Christ knew no sinn but He became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV) Faith in Christ as the only Savior transfers the condemnation for sin to Christ. The perfection of Christ is transferred to the believer. This aspect of justification is imputation, But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:24, 25 KJV) The Saviors punishment is the price for the sinners pardon. God recognizes trust in Christ by the believer and declares him justified (read Gal 2:16; 3:24). E. Justification is the expression of the grace of God, and is also the experience of the child of God: 1. In Forgiveness - Rom 4:6-7. 2. In Peace - Rom 5:1. 3. In Happiness - Rom 5:2. 4. In Hope - Rom 5:2. 5. In Love - Rom 5:5. 6. In Security - Rom 5:5. 7. In Reconciliation - Rom 5:10. 8. In Deliverance - Rom 8:32-33. F. Justification is finalized because of the resurrection of Jesus our Lord. We believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:24, 25 KJV) Since sin separated mankind from God, resulting in spiritual (Eph 2:1) and physical death (Rom 5:19-21), then the life of the risen Lord makes possible justification; We are saved by His life (Rom 5:10) + May God Bless & Increase You!
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 22:14:34 +0000
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