—JUSTIFICATION—
The word “justification” is a legal declaration that
a man is right or righteous in the
eyes of the Lord. It does not mean just as if
I’d never sinned, or some such thing. But it
does mean that the sinner who was guilty is now free
from the penalty of his sin through faith in Jesus
Christ. “For he (God) hath made him
(Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that
we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
(II Cor 5:21)
A man’s own efforts and good works could not satisfy
the standards of a holy God. “And by him all that
believe ARE JUSTIFIED from all things, from which ye
could not be justified by the law of Moses”
(Acts 13:39). The apostle Paul reinforced this idea
by telling the believers in Rome, “Therefore we
conclude that a man is JUSTIFIED BY FAITH without
the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28), and that a
sinner’s justification can only come by having the
righteousness of Christ imputed to him (see Romans
4:1-8).
But, some will say, what about James 2:24 which
states, “how that by works a man is justified,
and not by faith only?” Isn’t this a
contradiction in the Bible? Hardly. Paul describes
the justification of the sinner in the EYES OF GOD (“in
his sight” Rom 3:20), while James means the
justification of the believer practically, in the
EYES OF MEN (“shew me thy faith,” “I will shew
thee my faith,” “Ye see then,” Jas 2:18-24).
Ultimately, a sinner can be JUSTIFIED before God by
grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9) in Christ’s blood
alone (Rom 3:24, 5:1, 5:9). Yet he should never
forget that he has been saved “unto good works”
(Eph 2:10) in order to JUSTIFY the profession he
makes to others.
Show me how to get saved!
Bible Baptist Church International
448 N. Virginia Ave. Ontario, CA 91764
www.believers.net
| Korean Pastor: Kyeong
W. Kim |
English Pastor: Michael Schreib |
|
(213) 448-4456 |
(909) 986-1250 |
BIBLE BELIEVERS BOOKSTORE
12235 Beach Blvd. Suite 3B, Stanton, CA 90680
(714) 903-2747
