Justification by Faith

[Richie_2uk]

Justification by Faith

We have been saved by grace through faith. The apostle Paul emphatically states, "a man is not justified by the works ofthe Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16).

Justification is a legal standing with God based upon Christ's death and resurrection and our faith in Him. The word Paul uses (dikaioo), comes from Roman legal courts meaning to declare to be righteous, or to pronounce righteous. Therefore, justification is the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God who is Judge. It is the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.

​

Let's suppose for a moment that I died tonight and stood before the Lord God who is the Supreme Judge of the Universe. No doubt He would ask me, "Richard", why should I let you into my heaven? You are a guilty sinner. How do you plead?"

My response would be, "I plead guilty, Your Honor."
​

My advocate, Jesus Christ, who is standing there beside me speaks up for me. He says, "Your Honor. It is true that Wil Pounds is a grievous sinner. He is guilty. However, Father, I died for him on the cross and rose from the dead. Richard has put his faith and trust in Me and all that I have done for Him on the Cross. He is a believer. I died for him, and he has accepted Me as his substitute."

​

The Lord God turns to me and says, "Is that true?"

​

I will respond to Him, "Yes sir! That is the truth. I am claiming the shed blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse me of all my sins. I have put my faith in Jesus to save me for all eternity. This is what You have promised in Your Word. Jesus said, 'For God so loved the world (and this includes Richard), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'"

​

The Lord God responds: "Acquitted! By order of this court I demand that you be set free. The price has been paid by My Son."

​

Furthermore, I get to go home and live with the Judge! Justification means that at the moment of salvation God sovereignly declares the believing sinner righteous in His sight. The believing sinner is declared to be righteous in His standing before God. From that moment on throughout life, through death, that sinner who has believed is now and forever right before God. God accepts him, and he stands acquitted of his sins.

A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16).

Billy Graham.

 

[Joidevivre]

Good post - I only hope it is well read by others.

 

[Cassian]

Richie_2uk,

Justification is a legal standing with God based upon Christ's death and resurrection and our faith in Him. The word Paul uses (dikaioo), comes from Roman legal courts meaning to declare to be righteous, or to pronounce righteous. Therefore, justification is the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God who is Judge. It is the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately, the reformers took with them the same understanding that Rome had with the meaning of the word dikaioo.
The misunderstanding began with Jerome and his translation the Vulgate. The Latin did not have the correct word for dikaioo which means to make right or be right. The Greek word was a translation from the Hebrew tzaddiq. tzaddig in Hebrew has the same meaning, to be made righteous, or a righteous person. It is a relational meaning, to be put into a correct relationship. It has the same meaning as you would use it to balance your check book with a bank statement.

Most, if not all, western commentaries will translate the Greek word dikaioo with the legal meaning throughout such as in Rom (2:13, 3:20, 24, 28, 4:4-5, 25, 5:18) and never consider that the context has nothing to do with a court of law. For example, Rom 5:18 where the word Justication is used and it would be quite absurd to employ the legal meaning here. What the verse is saying is that Christ justified all men by His act of righteousness by giving life. In other words Christ made man right with God. This is part of His atoning work. By His resurrection He gave life to the world.

In Rom 5:1, the legal meaning cannot be employed because it is not a legal arrangement that is implied. Being justified does not grant forgiveness of sin anyway. Repentance and baptism has the forgiveness of sin. This justification simply puts a man into a correct relationship with God whereby God sees His faith. Another reason is that man NEVER has a legal standing with God. It is always a personal or relational standing.

If one desires to use the legal meaning then when one has repented or has confessed his sins, then God will forgive and by forgiving man is again justified, meaning he was declared not guilty of the sins he confessed. But it has no extended meaning, in that all future sins are forgiven as well. It is only for past sins.

This error was further acerbated when Anselm developed his theory of atonement. Which is why it is called the satisfaction or forensic theory of atonement. All the reformers employed it as well and as noted most all commentaries also use the forensic meaning which in most cases makes no sense.

I might also state that being justified does not save a person. It is necessary, a beginning point, but nowhere in scripture does it ever state that simply because we are justified by faith is one saved. It does not even give one entrance into Christ.

What does it mean in Rom 5:1. It is all about what Christ did for us. Because man could not save himself from death, sin and Satan, Christ performed that part of ones salvation, also known as the Atonement. Because we did not do the work of our salvation, God only requires that we believe that He saved us from death and sin. Which is why no amount works can save anyone from death and sin. Actually even if man could have kept the law perfectly, he still would not have been able to save himself. Our faith takes the place of Christ's work and thus it puts us in a correct relationship whereby we can begin our relationship with Christ. It is what we do IN the relationship, IN Christ, that will ensure that we will inherit eternal life which has been promised and is awaiting us IF we are faithful.

 

[crossnote]

I might also state that being justified does not save a person. It is necessary, a beginning point, but nowhere in scripture does it ever state that simply because we are justified by faith is one saved. It does not even give one entrance into Christ.

What does it mean in Rom 5:1. It is all about what Christ did for us. Because man could not save himself from death, sin and Satan, Christ performed that part of ones salvation, also known as the Atonement. Because we did not do the work of our salvation, God only requires that we believe that He saved us from death and sin. Which is why no amount works can save anyone from death and sin. Actually even if man could have kept the law perfectly, he still would not have been able to save himself. Our faith takes the place of Christ's work and thus it puts us in a correct relationship whereby we can begin our relationship with Christ. It is what we do IN the relationship, IN Christ, that will ensure that we will inherit eternal life which has been promised and is awaiting us IF we are faithful.

This verse seems to contradict what you have written (highlighted in red)...

Rom 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.

 

[Cassian]

Richie_2uk,



Unfortunately, the reformers took with them the same understanding that Rome had with the meaning of the word dikaioo.
The misunderstanding began with Jerome and his translation the Vulgate. The Latin did not have the correct word for dikaioo which means to make right or be right. The Greek word was a translation from the Hebrew tzaddiq. tzaddig in Hebrew has the same meaning, to be made righteous, or a righteous person. It is a relational meaning, to be put into a correct relationship. It has the same meaning as you would use it to balance your check book with a bank statement.

Most, if not all, western commentaries will translate the Greek word dikaioo with the legal meaning throughout such as in Rom (2:13, 3:20, 24, 28, 4:4-5, 25, 5:18) and never consider that the context has nothing to do with a court of law. For example, Rom 5:18 where the word Justication is used and it would be quite absurd to employ the legal meaning here. What the verse is saying is that Christ justified all men by His act of righteousness by giving life. In other words Christ made man right with God. This is part of His atoning work. By His resurrection He gave life to the world.

In Rom 5:1, the legal meaning cannot be employed because it is not a legal arrangement that is implied. Being justified does not grant forgiveness of sin anyway. Repentance and baptism has the forgiveness of sin. This justification simply puts a man into a correct relationship with God whereby God sees His faith. Another reason is that man NEVER has a legal standing with God. It is always a personal or relational standing.

If one desires to use the legal meaning then when one has repented or has confessed his sins, then God will forgive and by forgiving man is again justified, meaning he was declared not guilty of the sins he confessed. But it has no extended meaning, in that all future sins are forgiven as well. It is only for past sins.

This error was further acerbated when Anselm developed his theory of atonement. Which is why it is called the satisfaction or forensic theory of atonement. All the reformers employed it as well and as noted most all commentaries also use the forensic meaning which in most cases makes no sense.

I might also state that being justified does not save a person. It is necessary, a beginning point, but nowhere in scripture does it ever state that simply because we are justified by faith is one saved. It does not even give one entrance into Christ.

What does it mean in Rom 5:1. It is all about what Christ did for us. Because man could not save himself from death, sin and Satan, Christ performed that part of ones salvation, also known as the Atonement. Because we did not do the work of our salvation, God only requires that we believe that He saved us from death and sin. Which is why no amount works can save anyone from death and sin. Actually even if man could have kept the law perfectly, he still would not have been able to save himself. Our faith takes the place of Christ's work and thus it puts us in a correct relationship whereby we can begin our relationship with Christ. It is what we do IN the relationship, IN Christ, that will ensure that we will inherit eternal life which has been promised and is awaiting us IF we are faithful.

I don't see any contradiction. The assumption I made is that a person who believed, and repented will take the next step which is baptism which enters one into Christ. That is the beginning of one's relationship.

Your quote of Rom 8:30 is a sequence without the details. Since God is calling all men it would be quite obvious that believers are those that responded positively, were justified and glorified. Paul is addressing God's faithfulness to those that have believed, that He has not forsaken them. The context is the severe persecution that the Church in Rome is experiencing under Nero. Because of that persecution, they thought that Christ had somehow forgotten them.

 

[SeaBass]

Justification by Faith

We have been saved by grace through faith. The apostle Paul emphatically states, "a man is not justified by the works ofthe Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16).

Justification is a legal standing with God based upon Christ's death and resurrection and our faith in Him. The word Paul uses (dikaioo), comes from Roman legal courts meaning to declare to be righteous, or to pronounce righteous. Therefore, justification is the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God who is Judge. It is the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.

​

Let's suppose for a moment that I died tonight and stood before the Lord God who is the Supreme Judge of the Universe. No doubt He would ask me, "Richard", why should I let you into my heaven? You are a guilty sinner. How do you plead?"

My response would be, "I plead guilty, Your Honor."
​

My advocate, Jesus Christ, who is standing there beside me speaks up for me. He says, "Your Honor. It is true that Wil Pounds is a grievous sinner. He is guilty. However, Father, I died for him on the cross and rose from the dead. Richard has put his faith and trust in Me and all that I have done for Him on the Cross. He is a believer. I died for him, and he has accepted Me as his substitute."

​

The Lord God turns to me and says, "Is that true?"

​

I will respond to Him, "Yes sir! That is the truth. I am claiming the shed blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse me of all my sins. I have put my faith in Jesus to save me for all eternity. This is what You have promised in Your Word. Jesus said, 'For God so loved the world (and this includes Richard), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'"

​

The Lord God responds: "Acquitted! By order of this court I demand that you be set free. The price has been paid by My Son."

​

Furthermore, I get to go home and live with the Judge! Justification means that at the moment of salvation God sovereignly declares the believing sinner righteous in His sight. The believing sinner is declared to be righteous in His standing before God. From that moment on throughout life, through death, that sinner who has believed is now and forever right before God. God accepts him, and he stands acquitted of his sins.

A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16).

Billy Graham.

In Rom 6:16,17, how did Paul say the Romans were "freed from sin">justified?

 

[Skinski7]

Justification by Faith

We have been saved by grace through faith. The apostle Paul emphatically states, "a man is not justified by the works ofthe Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16).

Justification is a legal standing with God based upon Christ's death and resurrection and our faith in Him. The word Paul uses (dikaioo), comes from Roman legal courts meaning to declare to be righteous, or to pronounce righteous. Therefore, justification is the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God who is Judge. It is the pronouncement of the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ.

​

Let's suppose for a moment that I died tonight and stood before the Lord God who is the Supreme Judge of the Universe. No doubt He would ask me, "Richard", why should I let you into my heaven? You are a guilty sinner. How do you plead?"

My response would be, "I plead guilty, Your Honor."
​

My advocate, Jesus Christ, who is standing there beside me speaks up for me. He says, "Your Honor. It is true that Wil Pounds is a grievous sinner. He is guilty. However, Father, I died for him on the cross and rose from the dead. Richard has put his faith and trust in Me and all that I have done for Him on the Cross. He is a believer. I died for him, and he has accepted Me as his substitute."

Now the bolded blue text may be a comforting to believe for many people but is it the truth?

The Bible says this about the death of Christ...

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Read that passage again and again.

The remission of sins via the shed blood of Jesus Christ has NOTHING whatsoever to do with Jesus being some "substitute which effects a legal transaction." That is a fact. This claim of Jesus being a substitute which we "accept" is a lie from the pit of hell and this teaching is not found anywhere in the Bible. If you think I am lying or speaking an untruth then prove me wrong with the Bible, where does the Bible teach this doctrine that so many believe?

1. The blood of Jesus Christ establishes the New Covenant.
2. The blood of Jesus Christ enjoins us into covenant with God.
3. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from past sin upon entering into this covenant.

The sprinkling is an allusion to a total cleansing of our past misdeeds whereby we can then stand before God without condemnation.

Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

2Ch 30:16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
2Ch 30:17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
2Ch 30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
2Ch 30:19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
2Ch 30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

Psa 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

The issue is about the heart folks. The means of heart purification before God is through entering into covenant with God via repentance and faith and Satan does not want you to know this.

Satan wants you to believe in some mystical legal transaction taking place that you just trust in. Satan wants you to believe that Jesus is a "substitute whom effects a positional transaction," a doctrine that if you buy into leaves you still under condemnation because the true means of approaching God for reconciliation has been destroyed in your mind.

The reason we are saved by faith and not works is because FAITH IS OF THE HEART. Works on the other hand are outward deeds which can be performed from either a wicked heart or a pure heart. The focus of God in on heart purity out of which flows genuine righteousness.

This is what Paul teaches...

Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Rom 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Rom 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Did circumcision justify Abraham? NO! It was the FAITH of Abraham which was Abraham's HEART CONDITION by which He was justified. That is why FAITH ESTABLISHES THE LAW.

Just because God justifies both Jew and Gentile through faith it does not mean it voids the law. Faith establishes the law because faith works by love and love works no ill. The law is a mere shadow of true righteousness and thus the law is but a shadow of genuine faith. If we love we don't murder and therefore faith upholds "thou shall not kill."

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Paul understood that it is the heart that matters, not the observance of the rites and rituals of the law. That is the reason why Paul would teach that we are not saved by the law, that we are not justified by works.

Paul quotes David...

Rom 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

The forgiveness of sins is purely by the mercy of God. There is nothing we can do to "earn" such forgiveness. Yet such forgiveness is not "granted unconditionally." The condition of the forgiveness of sin is tied directly to "faith that works by love." In other words the HEART MUST BE CLEAN. That is why David said this...

Psa 32:1 A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

The wolves who are teaching most of your folks will NEVER refer to the last part of verse 32:2 because their doctrine eliminates "no guile in the heart" as being connected to the forgiveness of sins. You see they are viewing the death of Christ as effecting a purely "positional transaction" which is applied through "trusting in it." They have no concept whatsoever that the blood is actually what enjoins us into a covenant with God. They believe in an utter perversion of what the Bible actually teaches. Now you can believe them and buy into the deception if you like, buy into it because it is comforting, but in the end you will perish in your sins because you did not approach God in the proper manner.

The Bible says this...

Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

The blood is Jesus Christ is the means by which we enter into covenant with God. We are to approach God with a true heart (through repentance and faith) and seek the cleansing David cried out for in Psalm 51. God is willing to forgive the sins of those who have no guile in the heart, no ulterior motive. It is in this state of coming clean before God that we are forgiven of our PAST SINS and given a fresh start. That is why there is no sacrifice for ongoing sin after this takes place, for this is a REAL CLEANSING, a REAL PURGING of sin.

Now go to the 3:50 minute mark in the following video and hear Billy Graham preach the substitution message...

[video=youtube;gDAC7ah_YFg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDAC7ah_YFg[/video]

Billy Graham teaches that...

1. He has NEVER been righteous all his life.
2. He is STILL a sinner.
3. Righteousness is a CLOAK for "never being righteous" and "still being a sinner."
4. God doesn't see Billy Graham but sees the Jesus cloak instead.

Is that what Paul is teaching? It isn't even in the same ballpark.

These wolves teach NOTHING about "faith itself" be reckoned as righteousness because "faith itself" purifies the heart (Act 15:9) because "faith works by love" (Gal 5:6). They cannot perceive that even though the Bible is so plain about it. It is easy to understand yet people are so deceived by "theological bullet points" that they will completely miss the easily understood truth.

There is no "righteousness cloak." It is a myth.

There is no "positional legal transaction" of righteousness.

What there actually is is a PURIFIED HEART through repentance and faith and the subsequent PURGING OF PAST SIN. God counts GENUINE FAITH as righteousness because God looks at the heart.

Rebellion is sinning unto death and a rebellious state leaves one unable to be forgiven because one is in opposition to God. That is why rebellion must be purged once and for all through repentance whereby we can then seek reconciliation and the cleansing of past sins through the blood of Christ, the blood which enjoins us into covnant once and for all.

Entering into covenant is not positional, it is a manifest reality that we must continue to abide in lest we fall away and perish. The positional justification doctrines propose a sin/repent/sin/repent/sin/repent cycle where the heart is never purified in the first place. Those false teachings are premised on the notion that the heart remains wicked in salvation and therefore sinning is inevitable, they make no distinction between the sin of rebellion and missing the mark ignorantly. They lump all sin together and teach that the sin never stops and thus the forgivenss of sin is not premised on heart purity when the truth is that the forgiveness of sin is very much premised on heart purity.

I really don't know how much clearer I can make these things. So many of you folks are deceived. So many of you are totally deceived by the popular theology of the day and simply are unable to read the Bible without the blinders such theology puts on your minds.

I urge people to look at their Bibles fresh and ask themselves what is the text actually saying. The truth is simple and there is only one truth. We have to align ourselves with the truth and that is something that reflects whether we have an honest heart or not.

God bless.

 

[Skinski7]

​

The Lord God turns to me and says, "Is that true?"

​

I will respond to Him, "Yes sir! That is the truth. I am claiming the shed blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse me of all my sins. I have put my faith in Jesus to save me for all eternity. This is what You have promised in Your Word. Jesus said, 'For God so loved the world (and this includes Richard), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'"

​

The Lord God responds: "Acquitted! By order of this court I demand that you be set free. The price has been paid by My Son."

​

Furthermore, I get to go home and live with the Judge! Justification means that at the moment of salvation God sovereignly declares the believing sinner righteous in His sight. The believing sinner is declared to be righteous in His standing before God. From that moment on throughout life, through death, that sinner who has believed is now and forever right before God. God accepts him, and he stands acquitted of his sins.

A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16).

Billy Graham.

Jesus purchased the church. Jesus purchased YOU. Jesus did not pay the sin penalty due.

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Redeem means to set one free by payment of a ransom. It is by the blood of Christ that we are redeemed from all iniquity and made pure, that we be then zealous of always doing the right thing.

The Old Covenant was one of the law of Moses. Israel approached God via the means of the rites and rituals of said law. The rites and rituals could never save someone because they were external only, what God desired was obedience and a contrite heart. The New Covenant shifts the focus completely upon the heart and thus the focus is completely on love.

Psa 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Psa 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Psa 34:12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
Psa 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Psa 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
Psa 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
Psa 34:16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Psa 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Psa 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Psa 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Psa 34:21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
Psa 34:22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Any individual who continues to engage in evil behaviour is not of a contrite spirit.

The forgiveness of sins is premised on the forsaking of evil and yielding to God. The Old Testament sacrificial system was meant to bring people into this state yet the focus of many was on the outward works, not the inward change and thus it was worthless to them.

Jesus gave us a clear example for us to follow...

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
...
1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

That is why Paul taught WE DIE WITH CHRIST...

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Rom 3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

The redemption that is IN Christ Jesus is a manifest present reality of walking in the Spirit of His life. It has NOTHING to do with some legal transfer as many are teaching, it has NOTHING to do with some "cloak of the righteousness of Christ" covering your ongoing wretchedness.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

There is no condemnation to them which are IN Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh (because the flesh is crucified as we die with Christ, we die to sin) but rather walk according to the Spirit. We no longer walk according to the lusts of men because those lusts have been crucified in repentance. We no longer sin unto death, instead the law is fulfilled IN us because we walk by a faith that works by love and love works no ill.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Two roads...

1. Sin unto death.
or
2. Obedience unto righteousness via abiding in the Spirit of life IN Jesus Christ. Hence eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ.

There is no rebellion to God in salvation. NONE. That is why Hebrews 10:26-29 warns of ongoing willful sin and no sacrifice remaining for it. Jesus didn't die to cloak wickedness, rather Jesus died to cleanse us from our past wickedness and leave us in a present pure state before God. That is how we are MADE RIGHTEOUSNESS IN HIM.

2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

[Richie_2uk]

Good post - I only hope it is well read by others.

Thank You. Well yes thats true, people don't tend to read long posts very well. But thank you.