The Application of Salvation
Justification
Declared Righteous in Christ
Description
Justification is God's legal declaration that sinners are righteous in His sight. It is not making us righteous but declaring us righteous on the basis of Christ's righteousness imputed to us. This is the great exchange: our sins were imputed to Christ on the cross; His righteousness is imputed to us through faith. Justification is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We contribute nothing but the sin that made it necessary. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Justification is complete and irreversible—there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The justified cannot be unjustified; the verdict stands forever.
Key Verses
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
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.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?