UNDERSTANDING SALVATION, PART 3. SAVED BY GOD

Over the past two weeks we have looked at how God chooses and calls those he wants to be added into his family, but a problem still remains – if God is holy, and we are sinful, how can our sin be dealt with? How can sinners approach a holy God? The human answer has always been to live a little bit better, to keep laws and rules and try to earn God’s approval. But the Bible’s answer is very different; it is “Justification.”

Galatians 2:15-21

Why is understanding justification important?

1. Understanding justification explains grace
Grace is God’s unmerited favour given to us. What should have been ours became his; what was his has become ours (2 Corinthians 5:21). When God justifies us he declares us to be righteous and this means we no longer face condemnation because of our sin (Romans 8:30-33). Regeneration is like the ignition being turned on – life begins to flow into us. Justification is like a car passing its MOT – we are judged to be worthy.

But justification is not only a “not guilty” verdict – God actually declares us to be righteous. How does this happen?! By the imputation (credit or attribute) of Christ’s righteousness to us.

Justification has nothing to do with how good we are. It is all to do with how good God is! There has been a great exchange – our sin for his righteousness. If justification were dependent on us, we could never be sure we are justified. But because justification is freely given to us we can be confident of our right standing before God.

This is unmerited favour. It is grace!


2. Understanding justification protects against error
Tragically the Church has often made two errors, either denying that we are all dead in our sin, or saying that although God is involved in saving us we also need to in some way earn our salvation.

This is wrong! (See Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13; Galatians 2:16; Romans 6:23)

We were dead in our sins, but Christ makes us alive. Once we express faith in Jesus, God then justifies us on the basis of that faith. It was this truth that led to the Reformation when Luther and other Reformers confronted the errors the church had fallen into. This is not just intellectual theological argument – it is life and death! If we are not justified we can never approach a holy God. How do we get justified? Through faith in Jesus Christ.


3. Understanding justification generates love
If your love for God grows cold, consider justification! Consider your plight – that you were dead in our sins. Consider the cost of defeating sin – Jesus’ death on the cross. Consider the grace that has now been given to you – Jesus’ righteousness imputed to you.

Considering these things cannot but generate love for the Saviour.


4. Understanding justification brings freedom
We need never feel insecure about God’s love. He has pronounced us “not guilty.” We don’t need to earn favour with God; his relationship with us is unconditional. Understanding this means we can live in freedom. We are not bowed down – we are free!


5. Understanding justification explains how God sees us
When God sees us he sees Jesus. Although we still sin God doesn’t look upon us as sinners but as the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). When he looks at us God sees something beautiful!

We are sinners saved by grace. This means we should have an honesty about how lost we were, and acknowledge how great God is in justifying us.


Application Questions
• Christians are chosen, called and saved – what response does this produce in you?
• Why is sin such a problem?
• Can you explain the difference between regeneration and justification?
• In what ways are you most likely to slip into self-justification mode? What is wrong about this?
• In what ways does an understanding of justification keep us from falling into sin?