Justification - Under the Gospel

This is the fifth, and final post, in my series on justification.  The first four, “All That Believe Are Justified Through Faith - Or Is It By Faith", "Justification - Promised In Christ", "Justification Is The Act Of God", and "Justification - Under the Law - Is That Possible?", have been leading up to this one.

Before you get excited and say that I'm saying we are justified some other way than through and by faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross let me give you a biblical definition of the gospel.  The dictionary defines the gospel as; 

1) the teachings of Jesus and the apostles; the Christian revelation 

2) the story of Christ's life and teachings, especially as contained in the first four books of the new testament, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  

3) ( usually initial capital letter ) any of these four books. 

4) something regarded as true and implicitly believed: to take his report for gospel. 

5) a doctrine regarded as of prime importance: political gospel. 

 Here’s the apostle Paul's clarification;

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (HCSB) 1  Now brothers, I want to clarify for you the gospel I proclaimed to you; you received it and have taken your stand on it. 2  You are also saved by it, if you hold to the message I proclaimed to you—unless you believed for no purpose. 3  For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4  that He

was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Paul also wrote;

 Romans 10:9-13 (HCSB) 9  If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11  Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame, 12  for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him.  13  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. – I’ll proceed with my opinion the justification is in fact under the gospel.

Justification Is not of works

Justification is under the gospel it is definitely not of works.  In the very first blog we quoted Acts 13:39 (HCSB) and everyone who believes in Him is justified from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses. 

Here' further proof;

Romans 8:3 (HCSB) 3  What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering,

Galatians 2:16 (HCSB) 16  know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

Galatians 3:11 (HCSB) 11  Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith.

Is not of faith and works together

Stay with me here I know that in James it says that faith without works is dead but this blog is about justification not the results of our faith in Jesus which is a requirement of justification.  Here is scripture that proves that justification is not by a combination or unity of faith and works:

Romans 3:28 (HCSB) 28  For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Romans 11:6 (HCSB) 6  Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.

Galatians 5:4 (HCSB) 4  You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.

Justification Is by faith alone

John 5:24 (HCSB)  “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Acts 13:39 (HCSB)  and everyone who believes in Him is justified from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.

Romans 3:30 (HCSB) since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Romans 5:1 (HCSB)  Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:16 (HCSB)  know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ. And we have believed in Christ Jesus so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified.

Justification Is of grace

Here is a definition of grace from Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology;  

The word "grace" in biblical parlance can, like forgiveness, repentance, regeneration, and salvation, mean something as broad as describing the whole of God's activity toward man or as narrow as describing one segment of that activity. An accurate, common definition describes grace as the unmerited favor of God toward man. In the Old Testament, the term that most often is translated "grace, " is hen [ej]; in the New Testament, it is charis [cavri"].

In short justification under the gospel is through God’s grace which is undeserved and unmerited, nevertheless He has granted it because we believe as it says in Romans 10:9-10.  Here is some scriptural proof:

Romans 3:24 (HCSB) 24  They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Romans 4:16 (HCSB) 16  This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all

Romans 5:17-21 (HCSB) 17  Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 18  So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone.

19  For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20  The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21  so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Justification In the name of Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 6:11 (HCSB) 11  And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

  

By imputation of Christ’s righteousness (credited to us)

Here is the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of impute with regard to theology;  

Ascribe (righteousness, guilt, etc.) to someone by virtue of a similar quality in another:

Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to us.  

Imputed righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus credited to the Christian, enabling the Christian to be justified. Double imputation refers to the imputation of believers' sin to Christ and the imputation of Christ's righteousness to believers.  Want proof from the scripture here it is:

Romans 3:22 (HCSB) 22  —that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction.

Romans 5:18 (HCSB) 18  So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification for everyone.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (HCSB) 30  But ⌊it is⌋ from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—⌊our⌋ righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,

2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB) 21  He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

By  the Blood of Christ

Romans 5:9 (HCSB) 9  Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath.

By the Resurrection of Christ

Romans 4:25 (HCSB) 25  He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Justification Frees from Condemnation

Once we are justified we have direct access to God Almighty the Creator of the universe because of the completed work of Christ as described in all of the scriptures quoted above.  This is why I say that we are justified under the gospel as defined in the second paragraph of this blog and because we are justified we are free from condemnation.  I will end with what the Bible says about our justification freeing us of condemnation.

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 Isaiah 50:8-9 (HCSB) 8  The One who vindicates Me is near; who will contend with Me? Let us confront each other. Who has a case against Me? Let him come near Me!

9  In truth, the Lord GOD will help Me; who will condemn Me? Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment; a moth will devour them.

Isaiah 54:17 (HCSB) 17  No weapon formed against you will succeed, and you will refute any accusation raised against you in court. This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants, and their righteousness is from Me.” ⌊This is⌋ the LORD’s declaration.

Romans 8:33-34 (HCSB) 33  Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies. 34  Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.

Because we are now justified we are entitled to an inheritance;

Titus 3:7 (HCSB) 7  so that having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life, and our justification ensures our glorification.  

 Romans 8:30 (HCSB) 30  And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.

Have you been justified?

If you've never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior none of what you just read applies to you but God loves you and has provided a way for your justification, pardon and acceptance but it must be your decision.  The way to pardon and acceptance is simple I have referred to it a couple of times in this post.

Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) 9  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If you're ready just repeat this prayer.

"Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness.  I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin.  I am willing to turn from sin.  I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Savior.

If you just prayed this prayer the call, text, email, tweet, change your Facebook status and tell somebody.  Please leave me a comment or email me at this LINK.  Welcome to the family of God.