One of the most glorious truths for the sinner saved by grace is the reality of JUSTIFICATION before God, meaning, He reckons the sinner as never having sinned. To justify means to declare one not guilty, righteous and just. To be forgiven is one thing. To be declared just before God is another.
Man cannot justify himself before a holy God because man is a sinner who commits sins. He sins in his thoughts, his words and his deeds. It is unfathomable that before a holy God, "all that believe are justified from all things" (Acts 13:39). And let it be said from the outset that the justification of the sinner is totally a gift of God "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom 3:24). Scripture clearly states,
Rom 4:23 "Now it was not written for his [Abraham's] sake alone, that it [his faith unto righteousnes] was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."
THE FUTURE HOPE OF JUSTIFICATION
The result of that justification and its future hope is given in Romans 5:1:
"5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
JUSTIFICATION IS NOT A FEELING
One thing the Christian has to watch out for are the times when he doesn't feel forgiven or just before God, but justification is not a feeling, but a fact. It is the same with forgiveness. Often we confess our sins, but don't feel forgiven, yet God has declared us forgiven and justified in His sight because it is God who is "the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus" (Rom 3:26).
FIVE MEANS OF JUSTIFICATION GIVEN IN THE SCRIPTURES
We need to realize five means of justification in the Scriptures:
- We are freely justified by God's grace
Rom 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
- We are justified by our faith in Christ and His finished work
Rom 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
- We are justified by the shed blood of Jesus
Rom 5:9 "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."
- We are justified by faith in Jesus' resurrection
Rom 4:25 "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."
- We are justified [before men] by works
James 2:24 "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
This verse has brought much controvery into the church, the debate being that man must contribute works to God's grace to obtain salvation, but this is speaking about being justified before men that our faith is real. The works James speaks of here do not lead to salvation, but are a result of our salvation.
THE ASSURANCE OF JUSTIFICATION
Our assurance that we are justified before God lies in the fact that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead:
Rom 4:25 "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."
1 Cor 15:17 "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."
Jesus Christ is all things to us as believers. As Paul said,
1 Cor 1:30 "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
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