CHAPTER 1
Justification
Justification is a term used to describe a spiritual condition of the heartwhen one believes on the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remissionof sins. Other terms are born again and saved. We are "saved from oursins." We are "justified" before God because of the transforming graceof the Lord Jesus Christ.
Biblical references to justification can be found in the following passages:
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up somuch as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast,saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this manwent down to his house justified rather than the other: forevery one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he thathumbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 18:13-14).
"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but thedoers of the law shall be justified" (Romans 2:13).
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh bejustified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin"(Romans 3:20).
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemptionthat is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:20).
We can see by the above scriptures that justification is the transformingwork of the redeeming grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. No man isjustified by the "works of the law." In the scripture referenced above,the "works of the law" relate to the Old Testament rules, regulations,rites, and ordinances. In the New Testament dispensation, the "worksof the law" would be regulations, procedures, and rituals imposed onpeople by men and organizations. Some religious bodies will admitmembers who agree to honor the tenets of the organization and supportit with attendance and money. Others will admit members who followsome procedure or ritual. Some require a contract, and others demanda course of education. All such requirements are things the applicantcan do. I can sign a contract. I can submit to baptism. I can attendan indoctrination course. I can support with attendance and money.There is no miracle in any of the aforementioned "works," and theytherefore are not in any sense related to the experience of justification.There is nothing we can "do" to be "saved."
Being "saved" or "born again" is a divine work wrought in the heart byGod through the exercising of faith in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.It is a renewing, a transformation, and a re-creation of the human heartwith the purpose of restoring it to the condition intended by God inthe creation of the human race. God created man in "His own image,"holy, sinless, eternal, and much more. God endowed Adam with Hisown attributes. When Adam sinned, he gave up the godly attributes andtook on himself carnal or sinful attributes. God, not being willing forman to perish without hope, prepared the means for man's restorationto the "image of God." The plan of God was to first, remove the sin andsecond, reintroduce His Spirit into the human heart. Jesus establishedthe first step by taking the guilt of man's committed sins on Himselfand dying on the cross with them and thereby rendering the believerguiltless, since his sins died on the cross with Christ. The believer isnow justified by his faith in the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Thesecond part will be treated in the section on sanctification.
First Peter 1:18-19 says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were notredeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from yourvain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But withthe precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish andwithout spot."
Jesus is identified as the "lamb of God." We need to understand thatsin is the reason Adam lost his salvation in the beginning. We are alsotold that because of that sin, all mankind take on the attributes of theirfather, Adam, with his sinful and carnal nature. "For all have sinnedand come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
No man can deny his guilt. These hands did the deed. This eye lookedand this mind dwelled on the lust. No honest man can say, "I havenever sinned." Consequently, we all need God's intervention for ourjustification before Him. Since the Word of God declares that "allhave sinned" and that the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23),we comprehend that man is under the judgment of death. God hasdeclared that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die," according to Ezekiel18:4. Consequently, all men are under the judgment and penalty ofdeath for sin.
Since this judgment is the judgment of God and the Word of God isimmutable, God has no choice but to execute His judgments againstthe sinner: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." The only way thatGod's Word can be honored is for the sinner to die. There is no otheroption. By God's love and mercy, God sent Jesus to be the propitiationfor the sins of mankind.
First John 4:10 says, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but thathe loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Romans 3:25 says, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiationthrough faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remissionof sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."
God in His great...
