What is Justification?
Justification is a doctrine that is vital to understand as a Christian. A biblical understanding of justification is needed to understand the gospel that brings us salvation. We could define it as God’s declaration of right legal standing for us. If justified we are no longer condemned, but are counted as righteous. Justification is forgiveness of our sins and us being declared righteous. (Rom. 5:18; 8:33-34)
talking of Abraham’s faith (Romans 4: 24-25) 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
We see here Paul telling the Romans that Jesus Christ was delivered for our sins and raised for our justification. So we know that justification is only by Jesus Christ and his work. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is the reason we can be justified before God. (Rom. 3:24; 4:25; 5:9)
So how is one justified by Jesus Christ’s work on the cross?
Not by Works But by Faith
The bible is very clear on how one obtains salvation and becomes justified, that is by faith.
Galatians 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified (or counted righteous) by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
It is not by works that we can obtain justification. We fail at being righteous because we have all sinned and have “fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). It cannot be by works that we obtain righteousness or the gospel would not be needed. Jesus Christ was crucified and absorbed God’s wrath so that by grace through faith we may be justified or counted as righteous. (Rom. 3:20, 23-24, 28; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:1-29)
We also see that the act of justification is by God. Justification is His declaration of our forgiveness of sins and our righteousness, in response to our faith in Jesus Christ. “he also justified” (Rom. 8:30) “So that He may be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26)
So what does God do when he justifies us due to our faith in Jesus Christ?
Two parts of Justification
essentially there are two parts of justification
1.The Forgiveness of Sins
First our sins are forgiven. All of our sin is wiped clean or expiated.
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
When justified by faith we face no condemnation. This is beautiful! We are no longer counted as sinners. All of our sin has been crucified with Christ. We have no penalty to pay for our sins. This is accounted for all of our sins whether in the past, present, or future. (Rom. 4:6-8; 8:33-34; Psalm 103:12 )
2. Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness.
For our sins to be forgiven is not enough to make us justified. In order to have us counted as righteous, we must not only have our sins washed clean, but we must be declared righteous. We need to have favor (or merit) before God. As discussed previously it is by faith in Jesus Christ that we obtain this righteousness.
Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Because of our faith in Christ we are counted as righteous. But how can this be? How are we made righteous when we are really unrighteous?
Philippians 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
we are counted as righteous because of the Imputation of Jesus Christ’s Righteousness. Imputation is God regarding Christ’s righteousness as our own. This now makes us righteous before God, or in his eyes. We cannot gain this by works, so Christ’s righteousness must be imputed to us, by God, as a result of faith. (1 Cor. 1:30; Rom. 4-6)
Conclusion
This is really the heart of the gospel, to make the sinner justified due to faith in Christ. Without a biblical understanding of this doctrine we cannot understand the gospel. Although brief, I believe it is a biblical, overview of what justification is. If you have any questions or criticism please post below. If I have any grammar or writing problems please also post so I can revise.
Your servant in Christ, Jacob Nieto
