Justification

The gospel brings justification. We have been focused on what the gospel does. The sin of Adam brought condemnation. The gospel brings justification. 

Romans 4:23-25 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

What is justification? Justification is the forensic declaration of God that a sinner by virtue of the finished work of redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ is declared to have right standing in the very presence of God. It does not make the sinner righteous. That is sanctification. But the forgiven sinner is viewed by God the Father as having right standing in his presence. When the father looks upon a forgiven sinner he sees not the persons sin and guilt. HE sees the sinner standing in his presence wearing the robe of total and complete righteousness purchased by the redemptive work of Christ.

Romans 5:1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

I believe that Romans 3.21-26 stands as one of the most important passages in the entire Bible. Leon Morris calls this passage “possibly the single most important paragraph ever written.” Its shortness is hardly an indication of its value, any more than the brevity of the resurrection accounts in the Gospels truncate the importance of that truth!

In 1.18 through 3.20, Paul got us lost. He first showed that the gentiles were lost. Then he showed that the Jews were lost. “No one does good, not even one.” “No one seeks God, not even one.” All of us are dead because of sin. That is the devastating reality of our spiritual condition before God. Now Paul tells us the good news!

But before he can, he must wrestle with a dilemma: because we are utterly sinful and because God is utterly holy, how is it possible for us to get saved, for us to ever stand in God’s presence without being condemned? The answer to this question is the heart of Romans and is found in 3.21-26.

Thank God for justification by faith. Apart from this we all stand condemned.