OUR JUSTIFICATION


A. "THEREFORE AS BY THE OFFENSE OF ONE JUDGMENT CAME UPON ALL MEN TO CONDEMNATION; EVEN SO BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE THE FREE GIFT CAME UPON ALL MEN UNTO JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE." - Rom. 5:18
  1. Meaning of the word JUSTIFICATION:
    1. To declare right or just - Isa. 53:11; Job 27:5
    2. To be free from wrong in what we say or do - Ezek. 14:14, 20
  2. The meaning of the word is the same in both testaments. The Greek word "Dikaioo" means:
    1. To declare righteous or just - Luke 16:15; Rom. 3:30
    2. To make just or upright - Rom. 8:30-32
B. THE WORKING OF OUR JUSTIFICATION
  1. Negatively
    1. No one can be justified by the works of the law because by the law is the knowledge of sin - Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; 3:10
    2. A transgressor of the law is under condemnation, and for that reason cannot be justified by the broken law - Rom. 3:21; 7:7; 1 John 3:4 - EXAMPLES -
      1. The Jews that brought the woman to the Master were guilty of the same sin, and for that reason were under the same condemnation - John 8:1-11
      2. The Pharisee that went to the temple to tell God how good he was, was a sinner as well as the publican, and for that reason was under condemnation as well as the publican - Luke 18:10-14
    3. No one can be justified by his own deeds because all our own righteousness is but filthy rags - Isa. 64:6
  2. Positively:
    1. We are justified by the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord; it is the free gift of God - Rom. 3:36; 4:5; 5:1; Acts 13:39
    2. We are justified by the blood of the Son of God - Rom. 5:9; Tit. 3:7
    3. Only the grace of God will remove condemnation out of our life - Rom. 3:24; Tit. 3:7; Eph. 2:7, 8
C. BLESSINGS OF OUR JUSTIFICATION
  1. Extent of our justification:
    1. It covers us completely - past, present, and future - Compare Acts 13:39 with Rom. 8:1, 33, 34; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9
    2. It brings peace to us; the moment we are justified we are at peace with God the Father through the atonement made by our Lord - Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:11-16
    3. It gives us hope, "And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever" - Ps. 23:6; Tit. 3:7 (R.S.V.)
    4. It saves us from the wrath to come - "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" - Rom. 8:1; "old things are passed away; behold all things are become new" - 2 Cor. 5:17, "and all things are of God" - verse 18
  2. Effect of our justification:
    1. It excludes boasting by man of his own goodness - Rom. 3:27 - "That no flesh should glory in his presence" - 1 Cor. 1:29; "Not of works, lest any man should boast." - Eph. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:9
    2. Our boasting will be in the Lord Jesus Christ, who of God has been made our wisdom, our righteousness, and our sanctification and redemption - 1 Cor. 1:30
    3. The justification by faith in Jesus will give us boldness to come to the throne of grace and commune with our heavenly Father, rejoicing in hope - Heb. 4:15, 16
    4. Such justification will make us feel our need to lean upon the Lord in all that we do and hope for; we lost all confidence in the flesh - Phil. 3:3
  3. Finally, justification:
    1. Will bring a new and glorious experience to the believer; he is a new creature and has a new outlook upon life. The future is as bright as God's wonderful promises; he turns to the Lord and prays, "Remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom."
    2. He will be glorified at the appearing of the Son of God to be glorified in the saints.


Design © John Bryant 2011