Justification

What does this mean?

“Justification is the article by which the Church stands and falls”, stated Luther. It is the act of God imputing or crediting to our account His righteousness based solely upon Christ’s merit or work not our own. It comes to us not by works of the Law but by faith in Jesus Christ alone. We are justified by grace through faith on account of Christ and not by our own efforts or works so all of our boasting is silenced. Justification is like being in a courtroom where the judge does the unexpected and declares one who is guilty now as innocent. It is an immediate act that is decisive and complete. Though we stand in God’s courtroom completely condemned by our sins, we are now set free on account of Christ. He pronounces us righteous. We are now in right standing with God. God justifies and saves us in spite of our sin and ungodliness. Our eternal destiny depends upon God justifying us even though we are undeserving sinners. Since we are justified, we now have a new relationship with God forgiven our sins freed from guilt, and our death sentence is removed. 

Where can this be found?

Romans 4:5 “However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.”

Romans 4:25 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” 

Romans 5:19 “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” 

2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

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