Gifted with Justification

Don’t you just hate feeling inwardly accused or condemned? It is bad enough feeling guilty when we are guilty, but it really stinks to feel like a skunk for no good reason! The truth is that we need to be convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have truly been forgiven where our real sins are concerned. But because we have an enemy (A.K.A. “The Accuser”), we also need powerful protection against that “shadowy” voice which is always finding fault. God’s answer to both? He “justified” us!

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.

You Can Stand on This

Martin Luther, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteen century, said that the church would “stand or fall” based on whether it believed in and grasped this one concept.[1] That’s a good enough reason for us to try to get it and—wouldn’t you know?—it has proven to be a tricky one to get right. The main idea is easy enough; it is the all the related questions which become slippery and sticky to deal with.

What it means to be “justified” is nicely summed up in this statement: “God looks upon me ‘just-as-if-I’d’ never sinned.” Paul calls justification by faith the “free gift.”[2] It’s as if he knows that we are going to have a very hard time believing that God would do this for us.

Actually, it is a gift that contains many gifts. When we turn to God through faith in Christ, God forgives our sins, separates us from them, places us “in Christ”, puts a new heart and a new spirit with us, covers us with the righteousness of Christ, chooses to see and relate to us as if we are sinless (justified), and grants us high favor as an adopted child. Top that Santa!

Learn to See How God Sees You

Now try to get this from your head into your heart: Because of your faith in Christ, the righteous God has chosen to see you—sinner that you have been and still are—as if you are sinless already. He declares you "Not guilty!" He will relate to you as if you have no sin (even when you do, even when He is working to turn you from it). He will always give you grace, affection and favor just as if you were His perfect Son, Jesus.

This means that no matter how richly you deserve to be cast off, put down, rejected and condemned and no matter how “right” and “well-deserved” the feeling of rejection and condemnation seem to be—they are not coming from the Father.[3] In His eyes you already are that sinless, graced being that you will one day become in heaven. He sees you—the “new creation”—as already made righteous in His eyes.[4]

This never-ending “free gift” is extended to us at all times and in all situations. Free means freely given—no strings attached. No forms to fill out. No complaints on God’s part that you need it so badly! At any time, you can trust yourself to God and receive it as a present covering and basis for relationship with Him. It is always there and it is never revoked. 

Justification Means…

1)    Justification means that it is NOT about your feelings.[5] God loves you and has established you in a great relationship with Him (highly favored, forgiven and free) even when you don’t feel like thanking Him, praising Him and are struggling to obey.

2)    Justification means that it is NOT about you, about how good you are or how well you are doing. It is about Him and how loving and kind and generous He truly is.

Now can you see what Martin Luther was getting at? If we can find the faith courage to believe God at His Word, then no matter what charges the Enemy, or our own thoughts bring against us, we can stand with confidence in our hearts before God, knowing that we are justified in His sight. We can quickly and easily confess any sins that may be on our conscience and know that we are forgiven; we can float above the opinions of others. We can sail heavenward on wings of faith that—no matter what—we are loved and highly favored by our God! On the other hand, if we don’t believe what justification is telling us our feelings will take us on a roller coaster ride…

Next "Free Gift" to Open

Gifted with Love  Love is the greatest gift of all. It is the reason that all the other gifts have been given. If you have received faith in Christ, this is no accident. Long before any of us were born, God loved us and chose to save us. For the sake of love all of the other gifts have been given. It was for love that the Father sent Jesus to die for us. It is for love that the Father sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. So great is the mystery of God’s love for us that Jesus said the Father loves us even as much as He loves Jesus!

Free Downloads

pdf Saved by the Free Gifts (eBook) (847 KB)

pdf Gifted with Justification (this article) (381 KB)

Justification Scriptures

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. Romans 3:21-25

And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;. Romans 4:5-7

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians 2:15-16

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. Romans 5:8-10

And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:16-21

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:29-33

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."  Galatians 3:11

But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:22-25