5 December 2023 AM – Text: Romans 4:25 – Topic: Justification
Introduction: A water filter removes impurities from the water, making it cleaner. A water distiller removes the water from the impurities through evaporation, resulting in totally pure water. Religion tries to remove sin from the sinner. God’s justification removes the sinner from sin’s judgment by a divine payment and divine declaration. Read Romans 4:25.
Transition: As we consider the marvel of salvation called Justification, I will answer three significant questions to help you grasp this concept.
1. What is Justification?
a. “Justification” comes from the word “just”.
1) Just speaks of that which is right.
2) To determine if something is right, there must be a standard.
3) Only Jehovah, the eternal God, who created all that exists, has the right to set the standard of right and wrong.
4) Therefore, for something to be just or righteous, it must be right in God’s sight.
b. Justification defined.
1) A simple definition is “Just as if I had never sinned.” While that simple definition somewhat conveys the result of justification, it really does not define it.
2) Justification is a choice and declaration of God. He can only make such a declaration because Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, shed His blood, paying man’s propitiation in full on Calvary’s cross. He gives us Christ’s righteousness.
3) Because justification is a righteous act of God, it cannot be earned or merited. God cannot be bribed. He requires payment in full. (Romans 8:33) “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.“
4) Therefore, justification is, “Gods’ choice to forgive sin by accepting Christ’s righteous propitiation as payment in full, enabling Him to declare every repentant sinner who trusts Christ’s payment, to be just in His sight.” SKC There are no other options!
2. How is Justification Possible?
a. Christ paid our debt for us.
1) Christ became our propitiation. We looked at this two weeks ago. His sinless blood paid sin’s debt in full and satisfied the wrath of God and His righteous judgment.
2) By his propitiation, Christ paid for our redemption. He redeemed us from Satan, the terrorist, from sin’s torment, and from Satan’s tyranny.
3) With our propitiation paid and our redemption secured, God is now able to justify our sinful hearts.
b. Justification is only possible because of Christ.
1) Christ’s blood on Calvary’s cross purchased our justification. (Romans 5:9) “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” In Hebrews 9:22, God states, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.“
2) Christ’s resurrection from the dead enabled our justification. (Romans 4:25) “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Zodhiates explains, “Our justification, the basis of which has been laid in the death [of Christ], becomes an accomplished fact and effective reality only through Christ’s rising again.” CWSD Christ’s resurrection completed His victory over sin and Satan.
3) All three of the Godhead are involved in our justification. The Father declares justification in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:11) “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.“
3. How can a Sinner Receive Justification?
Scripture is the key. We cannot build our case on human reasoning or on religious traditions. We must believe the Word of God.
a. Scripture tells us what cannot justify a sinner.
1) (Romans 3:20) “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Keeping the Law of God cannot justify, because no one can keep it perfectly.
2) (Galatians 2:16) “… by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” These verses make it clear that keeping God’s laws and commands cannot justify a person. Remember, only God can justify, and He demands a perfect blood sacrifice.
3) At this point, some religious people and cults will take you to the book of James where James states, (James 2:21) “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:24) “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (James 2:25) “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” Do the writings of Paul and James conflict? No, not at all! A careful look reveals this fact.
a) Why did Abraham offer up Isaac? It was because he believed and trusted God. It was not to pay for his justification, but evidence of it.
b) Why did Rahab risk her life to protect the spies? It was because she believed and trusted that Jehovah God was the true God and that he was going to destroy Jericho. It was not to pay for her justification, but evidence of it.
c) In both cases, their works were evidence of their faith. God’s justification results from faith that works, not from faith and works.
b. Scripture tells us what can justify a sinner.
1) The sinner must believe or trust Christ’s payment.
a) (Acts 13:39) “And by him [Christ] all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.“
b) (Romans 3:26) “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.“
c) (Romans 4:5) “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.“
2) The sinner is justified by faith in Christ’s payment. “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain – He washed it white as snow.” E.M. Hall
a) (Romans 3:28) “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.“
b) (Romans 5:1) “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:“
c) (Galatians 2:16) “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.“
d) (Galatians 3:8) “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.“
e) (Galatians 3:24) “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.“
3) The sinner is justified by God’s grace.
a) (Titus 3:7) “That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.“
b) Grace is not a form of good deeds. It is divine enabling. Grace is God’s unmerited favour. Christ gives the repentant sinner His righteousness.
Conclusion: If you died today and God asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say? If you mention anything other than faith in Christ’s payment for your sin, you may still be a lost sinner. Justification is, “Gods’ choice to forgive sin by accepting Christ’s righteous propitiation as payment in full, enabling Him to declare every repentant sinner who trusts Christ’s payment, to be just in His sight.” SKC Does that describe you? If so, praise Him. If not, trust Him!
