jackpickel

May 13, 2012

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?  Justification…I am fully pleasing to God.

In Job 25:4, Job’s friend, Bildad asks the eternal question:  “How then can a man be righteous before God?  How can one born of woman be pure?”  Justification gives us the answer.

Justification before God is necessary for every human being  because of Genesis 3.  When Adam rebelled against God the entire world was plunged into sin, disobedience, and darkness (Romans 5:18).  This is why our relationships are out of sync, our work is not pleasurable, our emotions are frayed.  You don’t have to look far to realize something is just not “right” about us nor the world in which we live.

Justification is:  God pronouncing the unrighteous righteous in his sight; a redemptive act by which a believer is placed in right standing with God; God’s declaration that our sins are completely forgiven; God’s removing of sin’s guilt and punishment from us; “just-if-I’d” never sinned.

Justification is accomplished through the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross (Romans 3:24).  Justification is received by faith (Romans 3:20, 28; Galatians 2:16).  The just shall live by faith is a recurring theme in Scripture.

The results of justification are:  peace with God (Romans 5:1); I am spared from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9); the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to me (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 4:17); it makes me fully pleasing to God (Matthew 3:17, 17:5).  Just as God is pleased with his own Son, he is pleased with me BECAUSE of his Son.

Justification is a declarative matter according to Scripture.  It happens once, fully and completely, and never happens again.

If you have placed your faith in Christ – you are justified with God.  Since you are justified with God – you are pleasing to God.  Nothing will change that.