Romans Chapter Three Lesson 41
Review:
Some observations:
What Justification is not!!
1. It is not forgiveness; it is so much more!
2. Justification is not a pardon; its
much more;
3. Justification is not a change in character! But it is a change in position!
4. Justification is not a return to innocence.
What Justification is!
1. Justification is
almost always used judicially. [legal term]
2. Since the judge is just and the one standing before him is guilty, condemned, under
the wrath of God and since he is guilty, the full weight of the penalty of the
law must fall on him.
Enter the
scene, an advocate;
Jesus Christ the righteous, on whom the full weight of our sins was placed at the cross.
And Jesus
Christ, our advocate says Your Honor!
I paid the his debt in full and he has believed on Me!! I stand here in his place!
And the
judge says, Righteous!! Case dismissed!
That is
the essence of justification!
So what should we know??
It is
not an infusion of a quality! It is the
verdict of righteousness based on what someone else has done for you!
Question is this: How does anything that we can do deal
with our sins??
DOCTRINE:
JUSTIFICATION
Intro:
The
doctrine of justification rests on a fundamental principle of justice:
No judge
has the right to clear the guilty or condemn the innocent,
God Himself is author of this principle and thus always acts in perfect harmony
with it.
"How
can God as judge impose the penalty that the offense requires and at the same
time let the guilty one go free?"
A. The Source of Justification: God the Father
The
source of justification is stated in the clearest terms in Romans
First,
the word justify is directly linked to the word righteous
Second,
justify is in a verb form whose ending has a declarative force.
Justification
deals with our standing before God; while sanctification deals with our conduct
of our lives before God after salvation.
B. The Grounds of Justification: The Blood of Christ
On what
grounds can God declare the sinner righteous?
Christ's
death meets the demands of God's righteousness and thus frees God to justify
those who believe in Him.
The
accomplishments of the death of Christ form the sole grounds on which God can
extend forgiveness and salvation to any person.
C. The Instrument of Justification: Faith
Romans
Faith
views the cross as God the Father views the cross.
He views
it as a complete and adequate solution to the problem of sin, and we must do likewise.
When we
believe, we come to see that the death of Christ completely solved our sin
problem; and we rest in that for our personal salvation.
D. The Principle of Justification: Grace
Again,
from Romans
The word
gift helps us understand the words "by
His grace."
We do not merit justification, and we cannot merit justification, it is a gift, it is
by grace. This is God's principle in relating to the believer.
E. The Agent of Justification: The Holy Spirit
1
Corinthians
Stated
briefly, it is the Father who initiates justification, the Son who executes
justification, and the Holy Spirit who applies justification to the one who
believes.
F. The Position of Justification:
Speaking
of justification, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "He
(God the Father) made Him (God the
Son) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf (doctrine of substitution) that we might become the righteousness of God (doctrine of
justification) in Him."
G. The Evidence of Justification: Works
James
links Abraham's justification to two chapters in Genesis, each separated by a good number of years.
First,
James 2:21 says, "Was not Abraham our father
justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?"
Second,
James
Genesis
15 views his justification before God, while Genesis 22 views his justification
before man.
#2. The 2nd key focus is "as a
gift by His grace"
The
believing one is being justified; declared righteous as a gift by His
grace!
- this begins to explain what
this great package of possessing God's +R;
being justified, How it all comes
to us!
It’s a gift one that is given by His grace!
What this verse is saying very strongly is that justification, being declared righteous is a "free grace gift" that comes by faith alone because it comes without cost and merit to the recipient through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.