The issue of sin is settled once and for all for the believer in Christ

The issue of sin is settled once and for all for the believer in Christ

What does “Justification” mean?

Justification is a legal word dealing with one’s judicial standing before God, the Judge. Biblical justification equates to being declared righteous, blameless, and innocent. A good way to remember the meaning of justification is the phrase, “Just as if I never sinned”, since that is exactly what you are, as a believer under grace.

Justification doesn't deal with your WALK, or how you LIVE, even after you're saved. It doesn't deal with your SANCTIFICATION, your THOUGHTS, or your WORKS in the flesh or the spirit! None of these! In other words, justification is not your work or effort to appease God. Justification is God’s work. Your justified status before God is based on what He has done for you, and declared over you, because of your faith in His Son.

In our human courts, we are JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW. No grace is involved, else one could say that the judge was unfair, or biased. In contrast, in God’s system, justification is NOT BASED ON THE LAW, but on grace. We are all guilty anyways! That’s why it’s not based on what the law says, else we would all be cast into hell. God’s system does not use the law, but grace.

Rom_3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Rom_3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Rom_5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

How could God declare you, a sinner, to be righteous?

God is absolutely just and righteous. So, how could God declare you to be righteous without forfeiting His own righteousness? The answer is because justification is not based on your works. It’s based on the life of God’s Son.

Rom.3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:

• Before we continue to answer our question, I’d like to draw your attention to a VERY import two-letter word. Did you notice that righteousness is made available by the faith OF Jesus Christ. Modern translations have twisted it to read “through faith IN Jesus Christ”. This translates to the fact that righteousness is dependent on your faith. Do you have enough faith? What is enough faith? Well, this is not the right translation. The trusted King James version has the phrase, “by faith OF Jesus Christ”. The word “of” provides a totally different outcome than “in”. It means that righteousness is not dependent on your faith at all. This two-letter word is of great comfort and value. We cannot trust in our own faith, but we can certainly trust in the faith OF Christ.

Now, back to our question on how God can declare sinners as righteous. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus paid the price for sin, providing God the ability to declare a person righteous by imputing His Son’s righteousness upon that person who believe in Christ, and in so doing, maintaining His righteousness. Your redemption is thus paid for by the righteousness of Christ and is freely given to the person that believes in Christ.

What is Remission of sins that are past, and do I need it?

Rom.3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Under Israel’s dispensation, there was ‘remission’ of sins. The word ‘remission’ informs us that it was a recurring forgiveness, because the sins of the nation was never completely wiped out. Just like a cancer that is in remission, there is always a chance that it can come back again. Similarly, the sins of the nation could not be totally removed by the blood of bulls and goats, but God had to forebear these sins year by year through the system of Jewish sacrifice until the time that the perfect sacrifice could be made.

However, at this time, in our present, we have the blood of the perfect sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ. His blood has redeemed us, and our sins are not in remission, but completely vanquished, completely wiped out. The righteousness of Christ now lets God remain just (in forgiving us) and lets Him be the Justifier of the one who believes in Christ.

Is there something I must or can do to settle its finality?

The work of justification has got NOTHING to do with you. The work of justification is God’s work. It is grounded in the faith OF Christ. It is based on His righteousness. His death and resurrection has settled the price of our sins. God has created a means to provide us a righteousness that can never be tainted. He remains just in providing it and He freely provides it to the one who believes in His Son. Since it is a gift, it is never revoked, and a person can never lose, or destroy that righteousness, because it is not based on their works, or goodness, but is based on the completed cross-work of Jesus Christ.

The issue of sin is settled once and for all for the believer in Christ. It settles with surety your right standing before God, the Judge.

So, what now? Now that a believer is pronounced innocent, where to now? Well, there is MUCH more to the complete salvation package than only being justified. Justification is the FIRST STEP in your walk with God. God seeks much more from you. Paul, in the rest of Romans, and in his other epistles, provides instruction for us to learn and apply as we work out our own salvation before God, and grow in the knowledge and wisdom of His Word and in His Son.