Monday, March 4, 2013

Justification

Early on in my Christian life, and even before I was a believer, I heard this term used often in church. The impression I got was that when one accepted Christ as Substitute for his/her sin, they were viewed by God as though they had never sinned. After further study, I came to understand this was not the full meaning of a sinner’s justification.

To be justified means much more than to be viewed by God as though we had never sinned. A more exact meaning is that at the time of faith in Christ alone the sinner is declared or announced to be righteous. So the believing sinner is not simply viewed as though he had never sinned, but he is declared to be righteous before a holy God even though all have sinned and come short of God’s glory. Imagine it, in the courts of heaven as a child of God you are proclaimed another sinner saved by God’s marvelous grace.

True enough, Christ’s substitution was made for every sinner but only those who accept His payment are declared righteous. Here are some Biblical announcements of this grand truth: Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16; 3:24; Romans 3:24 and Titus 3:7. The doctrine of justification is closely related to several other doctrines, such as redemption, propitiation, reconciliation, and forgiveness of sins.

Because of the believer’s standing before a holy God in His righteousness, each one of us has the awesome responsibility of reflecting God’s holiness before those who do not know Him as Savior. We all need to keep our lamps burning for Him!