Justified by Faith
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
Romans 5:1-2
The apostle Paul addresses the crucial question as to how we can be justified before a perfect and holy God, since “there is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). For God must hold us accountable for our actions according to His law, and without justification we can never be acquitted for our sins. “No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (verse 20).
The Word of God declares that we have missed the mark of God’s standard for holiness. We are all sinful by nature and can never do enough good works to gain acquittal. We cannot render judgment on ourselves because we are always guilty, and a just God cannot render us just by our works. This is the dilemma of all humanity! The atonement of Christ is the answer. In Him alone we receive justification.
The word “justification” means “to make righteous” or “to do righteousness.” It is the righteousness of God that justifies us, not our own “personal” righteousness. As Paul states, “Righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. . . . A person is justified by faith apart from observing the law” (verses 22,28). This does not mean that God overlooks our sin or fails to judge us as sinners, for doing so would deny the integrity of God and destroy the concept of justification. God’s justice and holiness demands payment for sin, and Jesus paid that penalty at the cross. By allowing Christ to die in our place for our transgressions, God maintained His justice and enabled us to be saved from our sins (see verse 26).
In the Old Testament, the people made blood sacrifices to God to atone or wipe away their sins. In this way, it was possible for them to temporarily reconcile with God. When Jesus came to earth, He offered His life as a blood sacrifice once and for all to cover, or take away, the sins of all humankind. As Paul wrote, “The death he died, he died to sin once for all” (Romans 6:10).
Note that justification does not mean universal salvation, but rather universal grace and forgiveness. God pronounced that all can be forgiven in Christ, but not everyone will receive this gift of salvation (see Romans 10:14-17). There are only two unforgiveable sins. The first is the denial of sin, because, by its nature, there is nothing to forgive. The second is the denial of Christ. Jesus said, “Unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24, NLT).
God justifies and forgives all people the moment they put their faith in Him. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:1-2). Our faith in Jesus joins us together with God, and He clothes us in His righteousness. When that occurs, “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
questions to consider:
Read Romans 3:19-26. What does God’s law reveal to us?
Why couldn’t God just choose to forgive us, and the matter would be settled?
Why could the sacrifice of Jesus atone for our sin, but no effort on our part could?
How would your life (and the lives of others) be impacted if you knew for certain that you were totally justified before God and all your sins were forgiven?
You may never have access to the leadership of countries and companies, but you have access to Almighty God. What does that incredible privilege mean to you?