THE FAITH BANQUET - JUSTIFICATION IN CHRIST JESUS. PART 2

What is Justification?

Justification [Gr.: Diakaiosis] is the act of God declaring men free from guilt of sins and acceptable to Him and counting them righteous. It is not to make man righteous because of his own actions, but to reckon unto him righteousness worked and achieved by another for him. The one so justified is regarded as if he had never sinned. That is, righteousness is imputed to him through faith in the One, Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:6,’ Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,” There is righteousness imputed and received without works. Righteousness is given to him. Righteousness is a gift from God. Hence, to be justified is to believe in the risen Christ and to receive the gift of righteousness in Him.

Justification of a believer in Christ involves

1. Sin is forgiven. Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon”. Immediately the wicked forsake his way and comes to Christ, he receives forgiveness abundantly. God forgives and forgets his sin, never to be remembered again. Hebrews 8:12, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more”. Also read Psalm 103:3-4.

2. Guilt and punishment of sin is removed. Micah 7:18-19, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea”.

Therefore, righteousness gives the ability to stand in the presence of the Father without sense of guilt and condemnation and inferiority.

3. God forgets all sins. Jeremiah 31:34, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more”. If God does not remember your sin no more, you do not need to remember your sins again. There is no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus.

4. The sinner is considered righteous through the righteousness of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”. When we believe in Christ we were made the righteousness of God in Him.