What is Justification by Faith?

Justification is the gracious act of God, by which he declares a sinner, righteous only through faith in Jesus. So let’s unpack that justification and let me pause here. Justification is one of the most important doctrines in all of Christianity. John Calvin says, “It’s the hinge upon which everything turns.” And if we miss justification, we’ll miss the whole gospel. So pay attention closer to what justification is the gracious act of God.

“If you, O Lord, to mark iniquities who could stand?” “Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my pleas for mercy. Enter in you’re not under judgment with your servant. For no one living is righteous before you.” God justifies us not because of anything in us, because of grace in Him. We talked about this. God gives faith. We’ve talked about that. And as God gives faith, God grants justification. We are passive in this thing. We are justified by God.

Justification by Faith Is A Gracious Act of God

So this is something He does by His grace. The gracious act of God by which He declares. Justification is a declaration. This is important because justification is an act, not a process. It’s a once for all declaration. Once you’ve been justified, you’re not more justified the next day and more justified 10 years from now. It’s justified once for all. A declaration. He declares. It’s a legal declaration, that’s the word picture in scripture of justification. It’s a legal declaration. It’s a pronouncement that God says, “Not guilty.” Is when it’s justifying and it’s an eternal declaration. It’s once for all. It’s a completed decision.

You have this picture in Luke 23, of the thief on the cross being guaranteed he will enter into heaven. Romans 8, awesome picture that says, “Those He predestined, he also called. Those he called, He also justified. And those He justified, He also glorified.” Those who are justified will be glorified, guaranteed nothing can separate us from his love. Once justified, your justification is sure. So it’s a gracious act of God by which he declares once for all that a sinner.

We Are Sinners

So this is key. Obviously, we’ve covered this, but it’s important to remember, Martin Luther said, “Here’s a problem which God which needs God to solve it.” Sinfulness of man, righteousness of God, the demands of the law. You put those three things together in a courtroom, a law, someone who has broken the law, and is just judge and things don’t look good for us. The result of that set up, we are condemned by our immorality, our actions that break God’s law. We’ve all broken God’s law and we’re condemned by that, but not just by our immorality.

The Bible teaches that we’re condemned by our morality, our attempts to keep God’s law. The Bible talks about all our efforts to obey God’s law and to do good all our righteous deeds, and they all fall short. They’re like a polluted garment, Isaiah 64 says, “By works of the law, no human being will be justified in God’s sight.” One Puritan pastor said, “Even our tears of repentance need to be washed in the blood of the Lamb.” We have no case before Holy God. Guilty can’t earn His favor. So God declares a sinner righteous. That is amazing.