Justification

In justification man stands before God accused. We are justified by faith by believing in God's word that we no longer stand as one accused, but rather one who as been made right with God through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. There is nothing in anyone that would make them choose God. Justification is entirely the work of God. God is the one who does the calling. We are the ones who need to be found, not God. If it is that we cannot find God, who moved? I have to say emphatically that God was not the one who moved.

In his article in the Holman Bible Dictionary titled "Justification" Paul Jackson writes, "...in the New Testament, God dealt with the sin of humankind by the highest and most intimate form of revelation, His Son Jesus Christ. The earliest Christians believed that they were “made right” with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-26; Romans 4:18-25; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 3:18). In his letter to the Romans, Paul conveyed the message that God did not consider sin lightly. Sin created a massive gulf between God and people. This gulf required a bridge to bring all of humanity into a right relationship with God. Theologians call God's bridge building “reconciliation.” Reconciliation functions to bring humans “justification.” The main character who effected this divine plan was Jesus Christ. Uniquely, His death on the cross made it possible for God and people to be reconciled (Romans 5:10) and thus for humans to be justified.

If I were not a sinner, why would I ever need to be justified and if my reconcilation with God rests on my performing good works and obeying the Law then I am doomed. I can only say with a sincere heart, Thank You Jesus for the sacrifice you made for me so that I do not recieve what it justly due to me.

Michael Carpenter