1 Timothy 1:15-16
New American
Standard Bible (NASB)
15 It is a
trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so
that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience
as an example for those [a]who would believe in Him for eternal life.
The 19th
Century American Hymn Writer, Fanny J Crosby wrote these wonderful words
Blessed assurance,
Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste
of glory divine!
Heir of salvation,
purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit,
washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story,
this is my song,
praising my Saviour
all the day long;
this is my story,
this is my song,
praising my Saviour
all the day long.
Perfect submission,
perfect delight!
Visions of rapture
now burst on my sight;
Angels descending
bring from above
Echoes of mercy,
whispers of love.
Perfect submission,
all is at rest!
I in my Saviour am
happy and blest,
Watching and waiting,
looking above,
Filled with his
goodness, lost in His love
Last week, we
looked at the phrase, in 1 Tim 1:16, For
this reason I found Mercy, today we will
start to look at the phrase The Justification and sanctification of believers
through the finished work of Christ and we will start to look at the doctrine of
Justification and then next week we will follow on by looking at the doctrine
of Sanctification. But what do we mean by Justification ?
Simply put, to
justify is to declare righteous, to make one right with God. Justification is
God’s declaring those who receive Christ to be righteous, based on Christ’s
righteousness being imputed to the accounts of those who receive Christ
We are justified,
declared righteous, at the moment of our salvation. Justification does not make
us righteous, but rather pronounces us righteous. Our righteousness comes from
placing our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice covers
our sin, allowing God to see us as perfect and unblemished. Because as believers
we are in Christ, God sees Christ's own righteousness when He looks at us. This
meets God's demands for perfection; thus, He declares us righteous—He justifies
us.
Justification is an
instantaneous legal act of God in which he a) thinks of our sins as forgiven
and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us and b) declares us to be
righteous in his sight
Now let us examine
the Scriptures in regards to Justification
1.
Romans 3:21-26 21
But now apart [k]from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God
through faith in Jesus Christ for all those [l]who believe; for there is no
distinction; 23 for all [m]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24
being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in
Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a [n]propitiation [o]in His
blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, [p]because in
the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the
demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He
would be just and the justifier of the one who [q]has faith in Jesus.
2.
Romans 5:1-11 Therefore,
having been justified by faith, [a]we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith
into this grace in which we stand; and [b]we exult in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only this, but [c]we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that
tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character;
and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of
God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given
to us.
3.
6 For while we were
still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will
hardly die for a righteous man; [d]though perhaps for the good man someone
would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now
been justified [e]by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through
Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the
death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [f]by
His life. 11 And not only this, [g]but we also exult in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
4.
Romans 5:12-21 12
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death
through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for
[h]until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no
law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who
had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a [i]type of Him
who was to come15 But [j]the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by
the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and
the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The
gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one
hand the judgment arose from one transgression [k]resulting in condemnation,
but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions [l]resulting
in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned
through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the
gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.18 So
then as through one transgression [m]there resulted condemnation to all men,
even so through one act of righteousness [n]there resulted justification of
life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were
made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made
righteous. 20 [o]The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but
where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in
death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
5.
Galatians
2:16-21”nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by
the works of [n]the Law but
through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that
we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of [o]the Law; since by the works of [p]the Law no [q]flesh will be
justified. 17 But if, while
seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! 18 For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor.19 For
through [r]the Law I died to [s]the Law, so
that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer
I who live, but Christ lives in me; and [t]the life which I now live in the flesh I live by
faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through[u]the Law, then
Christ died needlessly
6.
Romans 8:29-35 29 For those whom He
foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so
that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He
predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and
these whom He justified, He also glorified.31 What then shall we say to these
things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own
Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely
give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the
one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died,
yes, rather who was [l]raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also
intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of [m]Christ? Will
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
Westminster
Confession of Faith, Chapter 11
Justification
I.
Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies;[1] not by infusing
righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and
accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or
done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the
act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their
righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto
them,[2] they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith;
which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.[3]
II.
Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone
instrument of justification:[4] yet is it not alone in the person justified,
but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but
works by love.[5]
III.
Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those
that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real and full satisfaction to His
Father's justice in their behalf.[6] Yet, in as much as He was given by the
Father for them;[7] and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their
stead;[8] and both, freely, not for any thing in them; their justification is
only of free grace;[9] that both the exact justice, and rich grace of God might
be glorified in the justification of sinners.[10]
IV.
God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect,[11] and Christ
did, in the fullness of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their
justification:[12] nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit
does, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.[13]
V.
God does continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified;[14] and
although they can never fall from the state of justification,[15] yet they may,
by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of
His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their
sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.[16]
VI.
The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these
respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New
Testament.[17]
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