How do I ACTUALLY be saved?

I know I may seem to have contradicted myself...I was not thinking of Romans 8:12-13 in the context of your questions when I wrote the above quoted words.

justbyfaith said:

A man absolutely cannot be saved by his own goodness.

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Amen to that! I agree 100% with you.

God accepts only His perfection as it is applied to us through the substitutionary atonement of Jesus dying on the Cross in our place; His perfect life being applied to us through His shed blood: and our sins being applied to Him as He took the penalty for our sins.

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Amen! Our sins are imputed to Christ, and His righteousness is imputed to us! And it is this imputed righteousness, that we can stand firm, and have confidence before a Holy God!

This is where I may actually be confused, and maybe you can help me. For I am thinking of Romans 8:12-13 while I also believe that justification is by the finished work of Christ alone.

In Romans 8:12-13 it seems that my spiritual life depends on whether I walk according to the Spirit or according to the flesh. If I live according to the flesh then spiritual death is a possibility; but if I walk according to the Spirit I will live.

This may be different than the issue of justification; for justification has to do with my right standing before God. These verses have more to do with whether I am spiritually alive or dead. Of course, if I am spiritually dead I do not find any grounds for being justified before God. So it appears to me from these verses that continued justification depends on our obedience to a certain extent; while initial justification, which provides to us the Holy Spirit, is based on faith alone. (And He also gives the Holy Spirit to them that obey Him--Acts of the Apostles 5:32).

It also appears to me that the scripture declares that the foundation of our faith is obedience to the words of Christ (Matthew 7:21-27, Luke 6:46-49, John 7:17).

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Sure, I will share with you. Please bear with me. If anyone conflates justification & sanctification into one; which is a very common mistake; I did. You get a distorted, perverted gospel, that is no gospel at all. Our repentance, obedience, good works, etc..., flows from OUR justification in Christ ALONE! He redeemed us with His blood, He propitiated the Righteous Wrath of God, by becoming a curse for us!
He was born under the Law in the flesh, to fulfill the Law, not abolish it. He killed sin in the flesh. He fulfilled His Father's will, to save his people. He signed his death warrant knowing what was going to happen to him.
I just LOVE Romans. Yes let's discuss Romans 8, I'll start from the top.

1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I hope you will agree that Paul is speaking to believers, here? This is sanctification, not justification. The question Paul asks, is, shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? Why does Paul ask this question? Because the gospel is not a license to sin. Just because we are free from the Law by Grace, doesn't mean we have a free pass to sin!

Martin Luther coined the word, "Antinomianism" (relating to the view that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral law). So Luther preached against this belief that Christians are not to observe and obey the Law!

Paul goes on to say, "2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Now being freed from the curse of the Law, we can NOW live to God. Because God himself freed us from bondage. So we willingly obey and follow Christ, because who he is, and what He has done for you & me!

And this sanctification is a life long process, until we receive our glorified bodies. On the other hand justification is a ONE TIME act, not a process! Repentance is a life-long journey. But don’t look to repentance in-and-of-itself as the means to forgiveness because forgiveness was purchased and made possible 2,000 years ago. But rather, look to the gospel, which has as its focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

You wrote, "continued justification depends on our obedience", this is RCC teaching BTW. You said you are from Calvary Chapel, I do not know if they teach this, but again, correct me if I am wrong.

In the Book a Gospel Driven Life, Michael Horton addresses forgiveness & repentance:

The problem with this Roman Catholic understanding of repentance and forgiveness (and anyone else’s for that matter) is that “repentance is understood not only as a change of heart or mind but as a new obedience and is typically regarded as a condition rather than result of forgiveness (emphasis mine)” (pp. 120). What makes it even more complicated is that “some Christians struggle to the point of despair over whether the quality and degree of their repentance is adequate to be forgiven as if repentance were the ground of forgiveness and the former could be measured be the intensity of emotion and resolve” (pp. 120).

Sorry I got long winded here. I'll end it here.

Hope this helps???

justbyfaith said:

Actually, I said to you that you were telling me that God is an abomination in His own sight. Based on the fact that all those who justify the wicked are an abomination to the LORD (Proverbs 17:15)

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So did my response in https://www.christianforums.com/threads/how-do-i-actually-be-saved.8072098/page-6#post-72922434 clear that up?

ladodgers6 said:

So did my response in https://www.christianforums.com/threads/how-do-i-actually-be-saved.8072098/page-6#post-72922434 clear that up?

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I consider that justification is a declaration of God that we are righteous; and that it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18); and that in declaring us righteous God calls those things which be not as though they are (Romans 4:17).

Therefore in justifying us (declaring us righteous) He makes us righteous (Romans 5:19). We hunger and thirst after righteousness, we will be filled (Matthew 5:6). This is imparted righteousness. Whoever doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous (1 John 3:7).

This righteousness is not something that we can muster up in the power of the flesh. It is the gift of God (Romans 5:17). And it is practical in our lives if we are born again (Romans 5:19, Matthew 5:6, 1 John 3:7).

ladodgers6 said:

Amen to that! I agree 100% with you.

Amen! Our sins are imputed to Christ, and His righteousness is imputed to us! And it is this imputed righteousness, that we can stand firm, and have confidence before a Holy God!



Sure, I will share with you. Please bear with me. If anyone conflates justification & sanctification into one; which is a very common mistake; I did. You get a distorted, perverted gospel, that is no gospel at all. Our repentance, obedience, good works, etc..., flows from OUR justification in Christ ALONE! He redeemed us with His blood, He propitiated the Righteous Wrath of God, by becoming a curse for us!
He was born under the Law in the flesh, to fulfill the Law, not abolish it. He killed sin in the flesh. He fulfilled His Father's will, to save his people. He signed his death warrant knowing what was going to happen to him.

And, all of this, is God doing for us!​

I just LOVE Romans. Yes let's discuss Romans 8, I'll start from the top.

1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I hope you will agree that Paul is speaking to believers, here? This is sanctification, not justification. The question Paul asks, is, shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? Why does Paul ask this question? Because the gospel is not a license to sin. Just because we are free from the Law by Grace, doesn't mean we have a free pass to sin!

Martin Luther coined the word, "Antinomianism" (relating to the view that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral law). So Luther preached against this belief that Christians are not to observe and obey the Law!

Paul goes on to say, "2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Now being freed from the curse of the Law, we can NOW live to God. Because God himself freed us from bondage. So we willingly obey and follow Christ, because who he is, and what He has done for you & me!

And this sanctification is a life long process, until we receive our glorified bodies. On the other hand justification is a ONE TIME act, not a process! Repentance is a life-long journey. But don’t look to repentance in-and-of-itself as the means to forgiveness because forgiveness was purchased and made possible 2,000 years ago. But rather, look to the gospel, which has as its focus on the person and work of Jesus Christ.

You wrote, "continued justification depends on our obedience", this is RCC teaching BTW. You said you are from Calvary Chapel, I do not know if they teach this, but again, correct me if I am wrong.

In the Book a Gospel Driven Life, Michael Horton addresses forgiveness & repentance:

The problem with this Roman Catholic understanding of repentance and forgiveness (and anyone else’s for that matter) is that “repentance is understood not only as a change of heart or mind but as a new obedience and is typically regarded as a condition rather than result of forgiveness (emphasis mine)” (pp. 120). What makes it even more complicated is that “some Christians struggle to the point of despair over whether the quality and degree of their repentance is adequate to be forgiven as if repentance were the ground of forgiveness and the former could be measured be the intensity of emotion and resolve” (pp. 120).

Sorry I got long winded here. I'll end it here.

Hope this helps???

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I consider that the blood of Jesus does not only justify; it sanctifies also (Hebrews 13:12, Hebrews 10:29, 1 John 1:7).

My question is, can the blood of Jesus do one thing in us and not also do the other? Can it sanctify us and also not justify us? And (primarily) can it justify us and not also sanctify us? For when it is applied, will it not have every effect that it provides?

I consider that repentance is given by John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles as being a condition for salvation. When I said that continued justification depends on obedience to a certain extent, I need you to deal with the scripture behind that statement and not the statement alone. Romans 8:12-13 tells me that walking in the Spirit is a condition for spiritual life, and not necessarily justification per se; it concerns justification only inasmuch as justification is dependent on us being alive spiritually. If I live according to the flesh it will result in spiritual death; therefore the question arises, can one be justified who is spiritually dead? If not, then dying spiritually will take away my justification before God because of walking according to the flesh.

PS I hold the kjv to be more authoritative than whatever version you are using; so if you are going to convince me of anything you will do it better if you use that version of the Bible.

ladodgers6 said:

You wrote, "continued justification depends on our obedience", this is RCC teaching BTW. You said you are from Calvary Chapel, I do not know if they teach this, but again, correct me if I am wrong.

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I don't know if they teach this either. I was going based on the Bible (Romans 8:12-13), not necessarily Calvary Chapel's official teaching.

justbyfaith said:

I consider that justification is a declaration of God that we are righteous; and that it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18); and that in declaring us righteous God calls those things which be not as though they are (Romans 4:17).

Therefore in justifying us (declaring us righteous) He makes us righteous (Romans 5:19). We hunger and thirst after righteousness, we will be filled (Matthew 5:6). This is imparted righteousness. Whoever doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous (1 John 3:7).

This righteousness is not something that we can muster up in the power of the flesh. It is the gift of God (Romans 5:17). And it is practical in our lives if we are born again (Romans 5:19, Matthew 5:6, 1 John 3:7).

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I am asking for clarification. Are believers declared righteous, because they are inherently righteous in themselves?

ladodgers6 said:

I am asking for clarification. Are believers declared righteous, because they are inherently righteous in themselves?

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Absolutely not. It is Galatians 2:20. Our righteousness is Christ living in us and through us. It is also not impractical.

justbyfaith said:

I consider that the blood of Jesus does not only justify; it sanctifies also (Hebrews 13:12, Hebrews 10:29, 1 John 1:7).

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Yes, I agree. Here is one of my favorite passages.

1 Cor. 1:30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Now notice here, that he is OUR righteousness! And its this righteousness that believers are declared 'RIGHTEOUS'.

My question is, can the blood of Jesus do one thing in us and not also do the other? Can it sanctify us and also not justify us? And (primarily) can it justify us and not also sanctify us? For when it is applied, will it not have every effect that it provides?

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I never denied that Christ sanctifies us. But Justification & Sanctification are distinct from each other.

I consider that repentance is given by John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles as being a condition for salvation. When I said that continued justification depends on obedience to a certain extent, I need you to deal with the scripture behind that statement and not the statement alone. Romans 8:12-13 tells me that walking in the Spirit is a condition for spiritual life, and not necessarily justification per se; it concerns justification only inasmuch as justification is dependent on us being alive spiritually. If I live according to the flesh it will result in spiritual death; therefore the question arises, can one be justified who is spiritually dead? If not, then dying spiritually will take away my justification before God because of walking according to the flesh.

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Yes, but repentance is the fruit of our Justification in Christ Alone! We repent because we believe who Christ is, and what HE ACCOMPLISHED for you and me! In Reformed theology we believe and teach that we are sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30; because our sanctification has to be flawless) and we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

All the works, deeds, we do, are fruits! Because we are in the living vine that produces these fruits in us! Like Paul said in Romans 6, Shall we continue to sin that Grace may abound? God forbid! I am not denying sanctification of the Believer! Please understand this. Because once you find confidence before God in your obedience, works, deeds. Then it is no longer by Grace! But by works! Understand???

Hope this help???

justbyfaith said:

I don't know if they teach this either. I was going based on the Bible (Romans 8:12-13), not necessarily Calvary Chapel's official teaching.

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Oh, okay. I will share this with you.

"The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted." - Martin Luther

“Ignorance of the distinction between the Law and Gospel is one of the principle sources of all the abuses which corrupt and still corrupt Christianity.” –Theodore Beza.

"When God gives orders and tells us what will happen if we fail to obey those orders perfectly, that is in the category of what the reformers, following the biblical text, called law. When God promises freely, providing for us because of Christ's righteousness the status he demands of us, this is in the category of gospel. It is good news from start to finish. The Bible includes both, and the reformers were agreed that the Scriptures taught clearly that the law, whether Old or New Testament commands, was not eliminated for the believer (those from a Dispensational background may notice a difference here). Nevertheless, they insisted that nothing in this category of law could be a means of justification or acceptance before a holy God ... The law comes, not to reform the sinner nor to show him or her the "narrow way" to life, but to crush the sinner's hopes of escaping God's wrath through personal effort or even cooperation. All of our righteousness must come from someone else-someone who has fulfilled the law's demands. Only after we have been stripped of our "filthy rags" of righteousness (Isa. 64:6)- our fig leaves through which we try in vain to hide our guilt and shame-can we be clothed with Christ's righteousness. First comes the law to proclaim judgment and death, then the gospel to proclaim justification and life. One of the clearest presentations of this motif is found in Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. In the sixteenth century, the issue of law and grace was more clearly dealt with than at almost any other time since the apostles."

Modern Reformation Good News: The Gospel for Christians (May/June 2003)

So, again, Romans 8:12-13 has not been dealt with. Let me quote it so you can see it better:

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Now here it is not speaking of physical life and death, because if I mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit, I am still going to die physically, while this scripture promises that I will live; and if I live according to the flesh, there is no different physical result than if I didn't: I am going to die physically either way. And there also would be no reason for Paul to write that I will die physically if I live according to the flesh, because that is already established by common sense and the fact that 1 out of 1 people die.

So then, this is speaking of spiritual life and death: if I live after the flesh, spiritual death will be the result, and if I through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, spiritual life will be my reward.

Now I cannot live according to the Spirit unless I have the Spirit, and I receive the Spirit through faith in Christ (Galatians 3:14).

Therefore it is true that to as many as receive Christ, to them he gives the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12.

In receiving Him we do not immediately become the sons of God; but in receiving Him we receive the power to become the sons of God. We become the sons of God when we live as the sons of God according to that power. If we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we will be filled. This is imparted righteousness; and it is a practical thing in our lives.

So the question I have for you is concerning Romans 8:12-13, because it appears to me to be saying that if I walk according to the flesh I will become spiritually dead: and what do you think? Can someone who is spiritually dead stand before God as justified?

justbyfaith said:

So, again, Romans 8:12-13 has not been dealt with. Let me quote it so you can see it better:

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Now here it is not speaking of physical life and death, because if I mortify the deeds of the body through the Spirit, I am still going to die physically, while this scripture promises that I will live; and if I live according to the flesh, there is no different physical result than if I didn't: I am going to die physically either way. And there also would be no reason for Paul to write that I will die physically if I live according to the flesh, because that is already established by common sense and the fact that 1 out of 1 people die.

So then, this is speaking of spiritual life and death: if I live after the flesh, spiritual death will be the result, and if I through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, spiritual life will be my reward.

Now I cannot live according to the Spirit unless I have the Spirit, and I receive the Spirit through faith in Christ (Galatians 3:14).

Therefore it is true that to as many as receive Christ, to them he gives the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12.

In receiving Him we do not immediately become the sons of God; but in receiving Him we receive the power to become the sons of God. We become the sons of God when we live as the sons of God according to that power. If we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we will be filled. This is imparted righteousness; and it is a practical thing in our lives.

So the question I have for you is concerning Romans 8:12-13, because it appears to me to be saying that if I walk according to the flesh I will become spiritually dead: and what do you think? Can someone who is spiritually dead stand before God as justified?

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We haven't finished with Justification, yet. Are you asking me about sanctification now? Because it seems to me. That you are locating your salvation in your repentance to the Gospel, rather than locating Salvation in Christ and what He did on the Cross.

BTW, I did answer your question in regards to Romans 8.

If I may, what is the difference between Justification & Sanctification to you?

I wrote:

So the question I have for you is concerning Romans 8:12-13, because it appears to me to be saying that if I walk according to the flesh I will become spiritually dead: and what do you think? Can someone who is spiritually dead stand before God as justified?

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This is a yes or no question that you have not yet answered.

You wrote:

If I may, what is the difference between Justification & Sanctification to you?

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This is a question that I have answered. I have said that when God justifies us, He declares us righteous. And in doing this, it is impossible that He should lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18). Therefore when God declares us righteous, He is calling those things which be not as though they are (Romans 4:17).

Therefore when God declares us righteous (justifies us), He also makes us righteous (sanctifies us)...Romans 5:19, Matthew 5:6, 1 John 3:7.

If we are declared righteous before God (justified) then our righteousness is a reality, not just a label that God places on us without any real meaning.

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 1 John 3:7.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:19.

Therefore justification and sanctification are two different things, being defined differently: however, you cannot have one without the other. If someone is declared righteous before God (justified), then he is also made righteous in reality (sanctified), even as Jesus Christ is righteous.

I would appreciate it if you would not neglect to answer my yes or no question, which is at the beginning of this post and at the end of my last post.

ladodgers6 said:

We haven't finished with Justification, yet. Are you asking me about sanctification now? Because it seems to me. That you are locating your salvation in your repentance to the Gospel, rather than locating Salvation in Christ and what He did on the Cross.

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It is not really me that is doing that. All I'm saying is what it appears to me to be saying in Romans 8:12-13, that spiritual life and death is dependent on whether we walk according to the Spirit or the flesh. This is what the Bible teaches; not only in Romans 8:12-13, but in Galatians 5:16-24 and perhaps also in other places. So the question, again, is: Can a person who is spiritually dead be counted as justified before the Lord? (This is a question about justification, although it is related to sanctification; and I would appreciate it if you would answer it).

Without getting too wrapped up in the King James Only Controversy, I would point out that there ought to be a degree of doubt, if you hold to other versions over and above the kjv, that Romans 8:1 may very well truly contain as inspired the second half of the verse, and therefore we will be held accountable to it when we stand before God.

If indeed the second half of the verse is inspired, then there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

The promise of no condemnation therefore may only apply to those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

And if there is any degree of doubt in your mind that the NASB and the NIV and other versions might be wrong on this matter, is it wise to ignore the rendering of the kjv?

If the kjv is right (and it is substantiated by Romans 8:12-13 and Galatians 5:16-24), then it would be folly to take out the part of scripture that is taken out by other versions; because if I do, and I am wrong, I may actually begin to think that there is no condemnation for me when there actually is. I may think that I am in Christ Jesus when I am actually not. As a result, I may not respond to the Holy Spirit when He calls me into a living relationship with Jesus Christ; when He calls me to repent of my sins and receive the remission of sins through His precious shed blood.

justbyfaith said:

I wrote:



This is a yes or no question that you have not yet answered.

You wrote:



This is a question that I have answered. I have said that when God justifies us, He declares us righteous. And in doing this, it is impossible that He should lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18). Therefore when God declares us righteous, He is calling those things which be not as though they are (Romans 4:17).

Therefore when God declares us righteous (justifies us), He also makes us righteous (sanctifies us)...Romans 5:19, Matthew 5:6, 1 John 3:7.

If we are declared righteous before God (justified) then our righteousness is a reality, not just a label that God places on us without any real meaning.

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 1 John 3:7.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:19.

Therefore justification and sanctification are two different things, being defined differently: however, you cannot have one without the other. If someone is declared righteous before God (justified), then he is also made righteous in reality (sanctified), even as Jesus Christ is righteous.

I would appreciate it if you would not neglect to answer my yes or no question, which is at the beginning of this post and at the end of my last post.

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Thank you for replying to my questions. I also thank you for being respectful as we share our theology. Would you agree that Justification are distinct from each other? I will share what Reformed Theology teaches on Justification and the difference between it and sanctification (renewal). I already know you will disagree with it, but that's okay. We are here to share with Love, not Hate, right?

This is an excerpt from a excellent theologian Roger Nicole, "Our Sovereign Saviour".


Atonement or reconciliation describes the heart of the gospel from God's standpoint. If we turn now to the human standpoint, to those who will benefit from its reconciliation, their primary blessing is that justification. Justification is not a subject on which those who are distinctively Reformed, as compared with Lutherans, Arminians or perhaps even those of some other branch of Christendom, claim a peculiar corner. Since it is central to the gospel and a cornerstone of the whole Reformation movement, we can gladly express our full-fledged agreement with many of our evangelical brothers and sisters on other groups, emphasizing the exclusiveness of the work of Jesus Christ and its complete adequacy for those who trust him.

Let me start with a definition: 'Justification is that redemptive act of the Triune God whereby, on the basis of the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ, the head and mediator of the New Covenant, he declares the penitent and believing sinner to be free of all guilt and to be entitled to all the blessings secured by the perfect obedience of Christ.'


To help us understand justification the Scripture draws parallels from three major areas of life. These supplement each other by enabling us to grasp various aspects of this great blessing.

The first area is the law court. In fact, it is from this area that the word itself is drawn, for justification is a forensic term. It deals with the plight of someone who is exposed to the verdict of the tribunal. Justification specifically indicates that at the bar of the court, where condemnation may well have been expected, there is acquittal. In the place of condemnation, there is a declaration that the prisoner has been found not guilty and has been cleared of the charge.

This particular emphasis of Scripture makes plain that we need to consider justification to be primarily the work of Jesus Christ for us, rather than the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit in us to renew our nature and call us to life. Justification involves, not our condition, but rather our legal-status or legal-standing before God.

This is made very plain by Scripture's use of the word 'Justification'. For example, there is the Bible's statement of what is the opposite of justification. If what was in view was the condition of our nature, then the opposite of justification would be pollution, and justification would be seen as renewal. But that is not the way in which Scripture handles the matter. It shows that, the opposite of justification is condemnation (e.g. Rom. 5:16,18). Consequently, justification means acquittal. It is the act whereby one authorized to make the pronouncement declares that the person brought to the bar is free of the charges against him or her.

Proverbs 17:15, may be quoted to prove that in Scripture 'to justify' means 'to declare righteous,' rather than 'to make righteous.' 'He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord (NASB). If justification were a process whereby someone is restores to a right attitude or to a right character, we would have to say that one who justifies the sinner is pleasing to God. But justification is not a rehabilitation program. The sense of this text is that God does not countenance injustice. If people come to court, their cases must be examined on its merits, not in terms of some preferential attitude the judge might have to one party or the other. In court he who declares the transgressor to be righteous, and he who condemns the innocent, both prostitute justice and are an abomination to the Lord. It is plain in this passage that justify means to declare righteous and nothing else.

We find another proof in Luke 7:29 which says that even the tax collector 'justified God' (KJV). If 'to justify' meant 'to make righteous', 'the tax collector could not do this. God does not need to be made righteous. He is righteous in essence. He is the foundation of all righteousness. Nobody can in any possible sense make God righteous. What happened, however, is that these tax collectors were ready to acknowledge the rightness of God's claims expressed in the ministry of John the Baptist, while the leaders of the religious life of that time, the Scribes and the Pharisees, in rejecting this ministry, were closing their eyes to the righteousness of God.

So, to justify is to declare righteous, and justification is the blessing by which God declares righteous those who are by nature not righteous.

It is important to see that in justification the principle of righteousness is present. For it is not as of God suddenly decided to wink at evil and say, 'I'm going to act as if this never happened.' On the contrary, in justification the justice of God is safeguarded. But how? God does not abdicate the office of moral ruler of the universe. God is not going to judge wrongly; he will not declare the guilty, righteous and the righteous, guilty. yet, if we are to be saved at all, he ash to do precisely this! How does he do it? He does it by placing our guilt upon the righteous So; namely Christ Jesus, and declaring us free of guilt by virtue of the work he has accomplished!

This might have been a travesty of the whole principle of justice. But because of the union that exists in God's mind between the mediator of the New Covenant and those whom he represents, this is not a travesty, but an exercise f justice. It is not a situation in which something that is iniquitous is accomplished in the name of the Law. On the contrary, it is a place in which, through his infinite resources, God has manifested both love and wisdom in exercising his justice in full. in Christ he has punished in full the sins we have committed and has transferred Christ's blessings to us so that we, who are sinners, are acquitted in his court, and Christ, who is righteous, having voluntarily accepted this awful burden upon himself, is condemned. Christ absorbs to the full the awesome weight of the wrath of God, and he does it in order to secure freedom, acquittal and forgiveness for us! God does not dismiss evil. He does nor cloud the principle of justice, but rather brings it to its fulfillment and most emphatic expression.

It is very important that we should understand justification in the light of Calvary. God did not simply manifest his Love at Calvary, although Christ's death is the supreme expression of divine Love. But he manifested at the same time, and supremely, his justice, his righteousness. If we allow this factor to be moved out of the picture, the cross becomes a completely opaque enigma: there remains no point to the sufferings of Christ. Unless we have a substitute in which our Lord has taken the place of His own people before he bar of God, then the Cross ceases to be effective in any other way.

Justification brings joy to the heart and soul of one who deeply senses his or her guilt. It provides a resolution of the problem of guilt, not a dismissal of it, not a glossing over it. Here there us no suggestion that we are somehow mistaken because we feel guilty. Some psychologists tell us: 'Don't feel guilty! Get rid of your guilt complex.' Well, there are some people who obviously are exaggerating guilt, and harm themselves in this way. But the basic problem with humanity is not that it has so much guilt, but that it has so little, We tend to gloss over our misdeeds.

Justification comes not by something we have done, but by what Christ has done in OUR place. Our sin is not going to come forward as a huge charge against us. It has been expunged from our records, because Christ died. He has borne to the full, the burden of our sins; therefore, they are thrown behind God's back, as it were (Isa. 38:17). They will not count on the day of judgement. Luther gloriously perceived this truth and it led to the tremendous ministry that he was enabled to carry forward by the Grace of God!

Hope this Helps???

God Bless!

Hello @ladodgers6,

I am not in disagreement with most of the above post; in fact, I don't think I disagree with any of it if you take into account the following:

1) I certainly believe that when God justifies a man, He declares him righteous (and that this is the definition for the word justify). However, it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18); therefore in declaring Him righteous, He is calling those things which be not as though they are (Romans 4:17). And therefore in declaring an ungodly man righteous He must also be making him righteous; otherwise the declaration, "You are righteous," would be a lie.

2) I believe that God justifies the person who is or who will immediately be born again; He does not justify the one who is not, or who will not be, born again. Those who are born again have been made new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); so that they cannot sin (1 John 3:9)...however you want to perceive that.

3) I repeat, does God justify a man who is spiritually dead? You have not answered this question.

justbyfaith said:

Hello @ladodgers6,

I am not in disagreement with most of the above post; in fact, I don't think I disagree with any of it if you take into account the following:

1) I certainly believe that when God justifies a man, He declares him righteous (and that this is the definition for the word justify). However, it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18); therefore in declaring Him righteous, He is calling those things which be not as though they are (Romans 4:17). And therefore in declaring an ungodly man righteous He must also be making him righteous; otherwise the declaration, "You are righteous," would be a lie.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments. In the Reformed Faith we believe and teach in the imputed Righteousness of Christ!

Phil. 3: 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

Here Paul is saying not having a righteousness of his own. Why, because we are already convicted Law breakers. The Law demands perfect righteousness to be able to stand before God. There is no way even as believers can we produce this perfect righteousness. Which is why God gives this perfect righteousness to us as a 'GIFT', and absolutely 'FREE'. This is amazing Grace!

So what you are missing is the imputed righteousness of Christ that we receive through Faith Alone; to which we are declared righteous by God!

Now if you still disagree with this, then why it is okay for our sins to be imputed to Christ, when He never sinned? How is that okay to say, but to say we are imputed by Christ's righteousness; the One Act of Righteousness by the Last Adam.

2) I believe that God justifies the person who is or who will immediately be born again; He does not justify the one who is not, or who will not be, born again. Those who are born again have been made new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); so that they cannot sin (1 John 3:9)...however you want to perceive that.

3) I repeat, does God justify a man who is spiritually dead? You have not answered this question.

Click to expand...

As in the excerpt, regeneration is not justification.

Is a person who is spiritually dead justified? YES or NO.

I do not deny that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. God says to the ungodly person who believes in Him, "You are righteous."

From there what must happen is that I begin to have a new identity in Christ, that cannot be changed even if I blow it and sin in the old fashion that I used to sin in. I am the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Therefore because my identity is that I am righteous in Him, the next step is for me to live like it. Thus justification and sanctification are inexplicably intertwined.

If I say, I am righteous in Him, but I am not a doer of righteousness, I am a liar (1 John 3:7, 1 John 2:3-4). The fact of my new identity in Christ means that I will live like my identity; in a righteous fashion.

Beware lest you be a hearer of the word only and not a doer (James 1:21-22). You would be deceiving yourself.