STUDY ONE

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
Text: Romans 5:1-21

 Justification is one of the major teaching of the Bible. In a legal sense, it means to declare just or righteous. It is to be acquainted through atonement or redemption on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to save us from sin. It is not the same as repentance. whereas repentance is the act of sinner who seeks God's mercy and pardon for his sins, justification is God's act of declaring the repentant sinner free, pardoned and guiltless. He becomes free from sin and its consequences (Romans 4:5-8; 5:18-19; 8:33-34; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Acts 13:38-39; Romans3:24-26.

           The bible described sins as"the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). When a person sins, he becomes guilty for breaking God's law, and is condemned to face the penalty of sin. But when a sinner repents, God forgives him.

WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS ABOUT JUSTIFICATION

The law of God states that death is the punishment for sin (Romans 5:12; 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4; Amos 9:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Hebrews 2:3). The law of God is just and impartial. It is therefore part of His faithfulness to punish the wicked and reward the righteous.

WHY DO WE NEED JUSTIFICATION

Everyone on earth is born in sin, and none can save himself nor save others; for no man is morally good (or holy) enough to fulfill God's expectation of righteousness. To be declared guiltless, free and justified we all need someone who himself is free from sin to save us. This is why God gave us Jesus Christ - the sinless One (Romans 3:26; 8:3; Galatians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; Mathew 10:41; 1 Timothy 1:19)

WHAT JUSTIFICATION DOES FOR US

i. Remission of Punishment: By the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. He paid or remitted the entire price for our sins. Anyone who believes in Him needs no more to suffer punishment for sin (Romans 4:5; 6:7). God declares him free and guiltless.

ii. Restoration to Favour: A sinner is a condemned criminal before God (John 3:18). But when he repents of all sins, God forgives and saves him. But beyond God's declaring the believer as free and guiltless, He also declares him righteous, as though he had never sinned (Galatians 3:6). This is what justification means. It is God's mark of approval or promotion of the repentant sinner to saint.

iii. Righteousness of God is imputed: The righteousness which the believer now has is not on the basis of his own deeds; it is God's righteousness which He gives or imputes on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour (Romans 3:25-26; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 3:9).

iv. Promise of Justification: Jesus Christ is righteous. When we receive Him by faith, we also receive His righteousness. One way of understanding this kind of faith is to see it as the response of the soul to God's offer of mercy and salvation. It is by grace. We do not work for it (Romans 3:24, 28; 5:19; 8:1; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 6:11; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 2:8-9).