Justification in Salvation
God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:26 (CSB)
Sin rests in the backdrop of justification, and we often attempt to lessen the depth of sin before the Lord to ease our guilt. When we understand justification in salvation, we must recognize that every effort of self-justification is merely a game before the Lord, carrying eternal ramifications. We must acknowledge that true justification comes through authentic, genuine faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Attempts to Justify the Self. How do you justify your sin? We justify ourselves by shifting the blame for our situation onto others. When we justify our actions in this way, we let pride drive our lives, failing to take proper ownership of our sin or the role we played in the dynamic. We try to justify ourselves by comparing our sins to those in others' lives. We look at the mass murderer and claim that our sins aren’t as serious, which helps us numb our feelings of guilt before the Lord. Our goal is to create a life that seems acceptable and to diminish our awareness of our need for Christ.
Christ Alone Is Able To Justify. The apostle Paul noted that Christ arrived and lived in perfection, and He is the only one who is just and able to pay the necessary penalty to justify those who receive Him as Lord and Savior. Christ alone justifies because Christ alone is worthy to serve as the needed sacrificial lamb. He alone is able to justify us because we are plagued by sin and live as filthy rags. Christ’s death served as the act of payment that made justification possible.
Become Justified In Christ Alone. All attempts to justify ourselves leave us wanting and empty. We can never live justly, and therefore, we will always be plagued by sin and separated from the Lord. We will remain in a constant state of turmoil and miss the peace that comes through Christ alone. The only place to find genuine justification that brings true peace, real hope, and eternal security is in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
QUESTIONS
How do you attempt to self-justify your sin in your life to ignore the need to take ownership of your sin?
Why must Christ be “just” in order to provide justification through salvation to us?
