Faith Baptist Church
4258 Botetourt Road
Fincastle, Virginia 24090
(540) 473-2325
Romans 8:30
“Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Rom.8:30
What justifies a man before God? What makes a man or woman stand acceptable before God? Is it his religion? Is it his good deeds? Is it his winning personality? Is it his abstinence from certain types of sins? Is it anything a man does that justifies him before God?
Justification Defined
The biblical term justification comes from the words, just and justify. When a person is said to be justified it means they have been pronounced as righteous, and thus innocent of all wrong doing.
As a matter of fact the word righteousness , ( dikaiosune), as applied to the believer, describes the act or quality of being right or just. Righteousness is an attribute of God as God is absolute righteous, or absolutely just and right. This is the premise all must have when they come to God for salvation. There can be no doubt that God is the one doing the saving.
One definition of justification, dikaiosis,is “Justification is the act of God by which he puts the repenting sinner in possession of the righteousness of Christ.” Shaff’s vol.1. p.536.
II Cor.5:21 “ For he (God the Father) hath make him, who knew no sin (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Rom.4:20-25 read. Abraham was declared righteous by God because he believed God’s word. This same pronouncement of being declared righteous and justified is made when we believe God’s word that says he raised up Jesus, our Lord, from the dead. It is not because you go to the right church or for some reason on your part that you deserve your standing with God.
When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior God imputes, that is, he credits to your soul a standing of being righteous. Believing is the sinner’s part, and justifying you is God’s part. It is instantaneous and it is complete. It is not progressive.
Once this eternal standing is imputed to your soul, the justice of God instantly declares you saved for all eternity. You do not have to be baptized to be declared forgiven and righteous. You do not have to join a church to be declared justified by God, but because you are now in God’s royal family you will want to be in the house of the Lord to worship him in spirit and in truth. After all, God ordained the local church for our benefit and his glory, and it is a shame so many are forsaking the church at a time when they need the word of God and the fellowship of other believers so much, Heb.10:25.
Once a believer understands the philosophy of ministry of a local church and it’s pastor; where that church stands doctrinally, and knowing you can grow under the pastor’s teaching, why wait? You are justified in Christ, so join the crew.
At the moment of salvation you become an eternally adopted child of God, Jn.1:12; Rom.8:15, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ, Rom.8:17; Gal.4:7.
The Greek word for impute is from the root word, lego and means to reckon or declare. It also means to calculate or to add to the credit side of a ledger. This is a legal term which only God can declare upon someone, and it is a permanent declaration which cannot be revoked by God or man. God’s adoption papers are permanent.
It is not what one says that declares one justified, but what God declares of someone who has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that counts. “Being justified freely by his grace through redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Rom.3:24
Defining redemption will help us see the permanency of our justification before God.
THREE GREEK WORDS THAT DEFINE AND FORM THE WORD PICTURE OF REDEMPTION.
1. AGORAZO - TO BUY IN THE MARKET PLACE -
FACT: WE ARE ALL SEEN AS SLAVES WHO ARE SHACKLED TO SIN, ROM. 7:14. WE ARE UNDER THE SENTENCE OF DEATH, ROM.6:23
“ FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH..” WE ARE UNDER THE POWER OF A MASTER WHO HOLDS OUR SOULS IN SLAVERY, SO JESUS CHRIST PURCHASES US IN THE SLAVE MARKET, I COR.6:20 “ FOR YOU ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY, AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD’S”
2. EXAGORAZO - WITH THE PREFIX PREPOSITION EX, THIS MEANS WE ARE BOUGHT OUT OF THE SLAVE MARKET PLACE OF SIN.
FACT: WE ARE PURCHASED AND REMOVED ETERNALLY FROM FURTHER SALE. GAL.3:13. YOU CANNOT LOSE YOUR SALVATION.
3. LUTROO - THIS MEANS TO LOOSE OR SET FREE . TITUS 2:14.
FACT: THIS IS THE RELEASE OF THE FORMER SLAVE.
THUS REDEMPTION, WHICH IS TRANSLATED BY THREE DIFFERENT WORDS MEANS OUR LOST SOULS WERE PURCHASED OUT OF THE SLAVE MARKET OF SIN, NOT TO BE PUT UP FOR SALE AGAIN, AND WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE.
LIFE APPLICATION:
NOW WE ARE UNDER GRACE [GOD’S UNMERITED FAVOR].
WE ARE FREE TO SERVE CHRIST, NOT SIN. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT CHRIST IS A LOVING MASTER UNLIKE SIN, AND CHRIST HAS A FUTURE FOR US, BUT SIN DOES NOT.
ROM.6:18 “BEING THEN, MADE FREE FROM SIN, YOU BECAME THE SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
AND BEING THE SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS YOU HAVE YOUR FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS, AND THE END EVERLASTING LIFE, ROM.6:22.
Have you received Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins? If you have not you can ask him to save you right where you are. You do not have to run an aisle or raise your hand to be saved. In silent prayer you can receive him right now. Tell him you know you are a lost sinner; that you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that He died on the cross for your sins and that He was raised the third day according to the scriptures. If you pray this prayer to the Father he will save you for all eternity.
Then get into a good Bible teaching church where the pastor knows his responsibility toward meeting your spiritual needs.