"Girded With Truth" Series

I think very many Christians do not really know about the doctrine, or fundamental Christian belief, about why and how they were saved. They have heard that Jesus died to pay for their sins, and they believe He was buried and rose bodily on the third day, and having come in true repentance and confessed these things as they have believed, they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are saved.

But in many cases they’ve not seen the need to study and understand the doctrines of their faith, to the degree that they can then articulate those beliefs to others.

There are a great many well-meaning Christians who can say, “Jesus loves you; why don’t you come to church with me?” And that’s about the best they can do. And the reason in many of those cases is that they have never been taught. No one has sought to teach them, never recognizing the need for every believer to have that knowledge.

I have taught through the first eight chapters of Romans more than half a dozen times, to a different group of people each time.

In every case, without exception, the best answer I’ve gotten when I asked someone, early in the class, to define the doctrine of Justification, has been “Just as if I’d never sinned”. It is usually shouted out by someone with a big smile on their face, apparently proud that they have that doctrine down pat, and happy they were able to get it out so that maybe I’d go to someone else for a definition of that tricky ol’ sanctification doctrine. And perish, forbid that I should ask them about regeneration!

I despise catchy one-line phrases that supposedly define these very important and basic beliefs of the Christian faith. It doesn’t matter that there is some truth in them, they are not complete, and their incompleteness itself makes them a lie.

Saying “Just as if I’d never sinned” may help me remember the word ‘Justified’, but it falls far short of telling me or anyone just what Justification is, or what it means in reference to my relationship with God.

The only acceptable definition of the doctrine of Justification, is a complete definition. And if a person cannot say it, then they do not know it. If you can’t articulate it to someone else, then you do not really have a grasp of what it is.

Paul said to the Romans, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exult in hope of the glory of God” Romans 5:1,2

The result of justification then, is peace with God, having been ushered into His grace, and having the sure and joyful hope of final glorification in His presence.

The simple definition of the doctrine is, having been declared right with God through faith in the shed blood and resurrection of Christ.

When a believer comes to a clear understanding of this, when he knows that he stands right before God, by God’s own declaration, through faith in Christ’s atoning work, and then comes to understand that this declaration of his right standing means that he is a recipient of God’s free and marvelous grace and that his future glorification is certain, then he has girded his loins with truth.