Justification—the Heart of the Gospel

Salvation is a word that embodies within its own meaning many marvelous doctrines concerning our redemption in Christ: Election, effectual calling, adoption, regeneration and sanctification, perseverance and preservation, eternal life and glorification—among others. However, there is but one doctrine that supplies the lifeblood to all the others; that gives the redeemed hope, assurance, and all confidence. There is but one doctrine that is necessary to understanding the gospel message, and if the sinner were not to understand it—or to understand it and deny or reject it—he cannot be saved.

That doctrine is the doctrine of justification by faith alone. All of the other doctrines that pertain to our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ are nourished by substance of justification. Election ordains its coming to the sinner, and the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit convinces the sinner of its need. It is the basis of our reconciliation to God and His adoption of us as sons, and It marks the point at which the sinner is reborn, thus embarking the process of sanctification—by which the sinner becomes more and more an image of its [justification] decree. Its effect is the preservation and security of the sinner in his salvation, and by its decree, he is assured that upon his resurrection he will stand in glory with Christ for eternity.

It has one, sole foundation upon which it stands: The Person and Work of Christ Jesus—in his life, in his death, and in his resurrection. In the act of justification, God pardons the sinner of his sin and decrees him to be righteous and acceptable in his sight—on the basis of Jesus Christ and his finished Work. By my trust in His Son alone, my sin is credited to the account of Christ and His perfect righteousness to mine. Therefore, for me to stand justified, Jesus must be my substitute. He had to live perfectly in my stead; He had to endure the wrath of the Father in my place; and, He rose again to demonstrate that His work is complete and accepted of the Father, has effected our redemption, and shall forever stand. Justification is entirely the work and doing of God; it is not the product of my achievements.

Do not take my mere word, for it is the proclamation of the Scriptures! Throughout all of God’s Word, justification by grace through faith alone is taught. We sinners can only find approval in the sight of holy God by his grace. Let us let the Word of God speak for itself.

In Genesis, we are told that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD,” then we are told that “Noah was a just man.” (Gen 6:8-9) Later we are told that Abraham “believed [faith] in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” In Psalm 32, we are told, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity…I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” In Isaiah 53, “Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows…He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed…the LORD has lain on Him the iniquity of us all…For the transgressions of My people He was stricken…He shall bear their iniquities…He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many…”

Jesus tells us in the book of John, “He who believes [faith] in Me is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already.” (John 3:18) In Acts, Paul preaches, “By him [Jesus] all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13:39) Paul proclaims to the Romans, “…But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed…even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe…[those who believe are] being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith….that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Rom 3:21-26) “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” (Rom 4:4-5) “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace God through our Lord Jesus Christ…Much more, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him [Christ]. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Rom 5:1, 9-10) To the Corinthians, Paul pleads “…be reconciled to God, for He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor 5:20b-21)

In Galatians, Paul writes, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Gal 2:21) “If there had been a law which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe…Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal 3:21-24) In Ephesians, Paul again tells us that the grace of God “made us accepted in the Beloved [Christ].” (Eph 1:6)

There are countless others in the Scriptures that declare this wonderful doctrine of justification! Upon it our confidence and assurance rests, for in our confession of Christ as Lord by faith in Him, God pardoned us from all sin. He declared us acceptable and righteous! He laid the guilt of our trespasses upon the shoulders of his Son, and He crushed it under the weight of His everlasting, infinite wrath! The He clothed us—those who have trusted in his Son—in the righteousness of Christ.

The effects of redemption are clearest in the results of justification. Sin? Removed! Guilt? Pardoned! Wrath? Satisfied in the cross! Enmity? Gone. Righteousness? Given. Through the atoning work of Christ, by the grace of God, and in my trust in Him, God gives me a legal, forensic status change in His eyes. No longer am I guilty, but innocent and righteous. No longer am I an object of His wrath, but an object of His love and mercy. No longer should I fear the flames of hell, but I am assured the hope of an everlasting salvation resulting in eternal life—for God has eternally declared my righteousness in his sight through the blood of his Son, Jesus.