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Brother Love
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« on: August 16, 2004, 12:06:44 PM »

Justification


Job asked the question "how should man be just with God?"  (Job 9: 2) In 1515 and Augustine Monk studying the book of Romans saw  Romans 1: 17 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith."  This was the beginning of change in Martin Luther's life and the beginning of the Reformation.

Propitiation means that God is just in justifying the sinner.  He is satisfied with Christ's sacrifice for sin on our behalf.  Justification means that up on the basis of the justice of God, man can be justified.  How can man  be  just before God? " There- fore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through or Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1)

Justification is the gracious act of God declaring righteous the sinner who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Note the following:

    *Justification is an act, not a process.  No one believer is more justified in God's sight than any other.  Justification has to  with standing, not state -- with position  and not condition.  Upon believing a person is instantly  given a righteous standing before God.  It has nothing to do with what we have done or who we are.  No amount of self - effort or good works could ever bring a person to justification.  We do not justify ourselves, it is God who justifies us
    *Justification is unchanging.  Once God declares that we are righteous  through the Lord Jesus Christ, the sin question is settled once for all.
     *Justification is not the same as regeneration.  Regeneration gives a new life.  Justification gives a new standing before God.
    *Justification is not the same as forgiveness.  If I am forgiven, I am still guilty.   Being justified means I am declared not guilty.
     *Justification is not the same as being pardoned. A pardoned criminal is still a criminal.  Justification removes the quilt.

In summary, justification means a change in standing before God.  This sounds remarkable, but is true.  Justification means not only does God forget my sin, but he forgets that I am a sinner.  We are not pardoned criminals.  We are not people who have been merely forgiven.  Pardon and forgiveness are a part of the believer's life, but justification deals with the same problem once for all.  Justification gives us a right standing before God

How can a holy God justify wretched sinners?

How can a holy God overlook sin?  The fact is, God does not overlook sin.  He deals with it in a judicious manner.  There are four aspects of justification found in the book of Romans:

     *Romans 3:24 states that we have being "jufied freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.  How is God able to justify us?  He justifies freely by His grace.  It is not by merit,  but by grace.  The word freely means without a cause  or cost (to us).  We are justified without a cause by His grace.  There is nothing in us that makes God want to justify us.  Justification is purely an act of God's grace. Remember, grace is receiving from God that which we do not deserves.
     *Romans: for 4: 5 states that "But to him that worketh not, but believeth  on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Got justifies the ungodly.  In the Old Testament God warned all the judges that they should justify the righteous and con- demn the wicked.  If God did this to you and me, we would all be condemned forever.  Why is it that God justifies the ungodly?  For the simple reason that there are no godly.  "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  
  *Romans 3:28 states "that a man is justified by faith without of the deeds of the law."  Not only are we justified by grace, but we appropriate that justification by faith.  When there is grace there must be faith to accept it. When there is law there are works required to fulfill it.  The scripture makes it plain that a person cannot be justified by keeping the law. "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight:" (Romans 3:20).   We are justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Faith is  only as good as the object of that faith.  Whatever we believe in might be wrong; no matter  how sincere we are.  Faith in a lie is false security.  Faith  in the truth, is true saving  faith.  Christ  said "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto  the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).  We are justified by faith, not works. We are justified by grace, not human merit.
     *Romans 5: 9 states that we have been "justified by His blood".  Not only are we justified by His grace, through faith, but we are justified through the instrument of His blood.  The price for sin had to be paid.  In order for us to be justified by faith,  there has to be a Saviour in which to believe.  We are justified by His blood shed on our behalf. "Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for justification" (Romans 4:25).  Christ died on the cross for our sins.  He bore the penalty that was rightfully ours.  Now God can be just and the justifier of those who believe in Christ.
     *Romans 5:18 states "Therefore as by the offence of one  judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one to free gift came up on all men unto justification of life"  ( Romans 5:18). What a marvelous statement -- "justification unto life."  Just-ification is not something God does only on His books.  Justification results in a new standing and new life.  In myself I am dead and condemned.  In Christ I am alive and justified.

What are the marks of justification in the believer's life?

     *Peace with God (Romans 5:1).  When we were unsaved, we were at war with God, alienated. (Romans 5:10) We cannot have peace until we have righteous-ness. Justicication has to do with righteousness. Be-cause Christ died on the cross and rose again, we can have righteousness.  "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the right-eousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).  As sinners we have no righteousness of our own.  When we trust in Christ and His finished work on our behalf, righteousness is placed on our account.  We are justified,  therefore, we have peace with God.  

   *Access to God. (Romans 5:2).  Not only is there peace with God, but there is access to God. We have a new standing before God.  We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith.  The unsaved person has no access to God, because he has no standing before God.  Those who have been justified by faith, have a standing and access through the Lord Jesus Christ. This access is unto grace.  Our standing before God is one of grace and not of merit.  It is  marvelous to know that we are living by grace, not by works.  We are living not by our merit or our own ability, but rather by the grace of God that is all sufficient.
     *Hope in the glory of God  (Romans 5:2).  We not only have peace with God and access to God but we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. The unsaved have no hope.  They have no  future about which to rejoice.  Look around.  Do you see any  unsaved rejoicing in the future outlook?  When you trust Christ as your Saviour, you have a standing in grace and can rejoice in hope.   You have a bright future ahead, because you are justified.  When you become a believer, you are justified by faith, and can rejoice  in the hope  of the glory of God.  You have peace with God, access to God, a standing in grace, and hope of the glory of God

We are justified by grace -- not human merit.

We are justified by faith -- not works.

We are justified by His blood -- because Christ died for us.  

We are justified unto life -- and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.


By John Baker

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Brother Love
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« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2004, 04:14:40 AM »

Justification is the gracious act of God declaring righteous the sinner who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.


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