Justification
the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Martin Luther a German Professor and Monk from the 16th Century Lead what we refer to as “The Protestant Reformation” . He taught that we are JUSTIFIED by Grace, not works
The term is a translation of the Greek dikaiōsis (Latin justificatio), originally a technical legal term derived from the verb “to make [someone] righteous.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Chris Tomlin “Jesus Messiah” – Verse two “He became sin, who knew no sin, that we might become, His righteousness”.
So first, we experience Regeneration – after Conviction has been felt –and we receive Salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus of Calvary which leads to Justification.
John Wesley explained it like this: The porch of the house is Conviction.
Inside the house Salvation
The door of the house is Justification
What is does it mean, to become Righteous – through Justification?
The Bible defines righteousness as “Morally good”.
- If you are saved, you should have good morals. Honesty. Integrity. Character .
JUST - AS - IF – I’D - Never - Sinned
Jentezen Franklin said, “You can’t get good to get God - You must get God to get good.”
Romans 3:22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Just as if I never sinned.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
,2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
“Hope All my hope is in Jesus” – Our “Hope” is through Justification. Just as if I never sinned.
Salvation is receiving the Grace of God, for the sins we’ve committed; while Justification is when the sinner is declared Righteous.
It’s not who WE are – It’s who HE is!
Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
- The movie – Gladiator – The scene where the maggots eat the infection in his arm. The rag they use to clean it off, that’s what he was referring to.
- OUR self-righteousness is nasty! But through HIM, we are Righteous!
We have been Justified!
Romans 5: 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
Titus 3:7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Galatians 2:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
We manipulate “Justification”
We try to Justify our sins.
Well I didn’t have a daddy.
Well she broke my heart.
Well they hurt me.
I can’t help it. Poor me.
So we receive SALVATION – REGENERATION happens. We die to our flesh.
Then, Justification happens, we become the righteousness (morally good) of God.
Just as if I never sinned.
You have been justified.
- In Revelation 12, Satan is referred to as the accuser of the brethren.
- When he brings up your past JUSTIFIED
- When thoughts come in your mind, reminding you JUSTIFIED
Acts 13:39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
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