Introduction

Good morning, dear family in Christ. As we gather here today, under the roof of our shared faith, we find ourselves standing at the threshold of a new day, a day filled with the promise of God's grace and the potential for spiritual growth. We are here to immerse ourselves in the living waters of God's word, to quench our spiritual thirst, and to nourish our souls with the bread of life.

Today, we are going to turn our hearts and minds towards a topic that is as fundamental to our faith as the very air we breathe. It's a topic that forms the cornerstone of our beliefs, the anchor of our souls, and the compass that guides us on our spiritual journey. That topic, dear brothers and sisters, is justification and the new birth.

Why do we believe in justification? This is a question that we must not only ask but seek to understand with all our hearts. For in understanding justification, we come to understand the very essence of our faith, the very reason for our hope, and the very foundation of our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let us begin our journey of understanding by turning to the book of Romans, specifically Romans 3:21-26. This passage, penned by the Apostle Paul, shines a light on the path of justification, illuminating the way with the truth of God's word.

Romans 3:21-26 (NIV) reads, "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."

As we read these words, let us open our hearts to the truth they contain, let us open our minds to the wisdom they impart, and let us open our spirits to the grace they bestow.

Before we continue, let's bow our heads in prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for the opportunity to gather together in your name, and for the privilege of studying your word. We ask that you open our hearts and minds to the truth of your word, that you guide us in our understanding, and that you fill us with your wisdom. We pray that through our study of your word, we may grow in our faith, deepen our love for you, and strengthen our commitment to serving you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Now, imagine if you will, a courtroom. Not just any courtroom, but the courtroom of eternity. In this courtroom, the Judge is God, the righteous and just. The defendant is humanity, guilty of sin and deserving of punishment. The evidence against us is overwhelming, the verdict is clear, and the sentence is just. But then, something extraordinary happens. A man steps forward, not just any man, but Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He presents himself as our advocate, our defender, our savior. He offers his own life, his own blood, as payment for our sins. And the Judge, in his infinite mercy and love, accepts this sacrifice, declares us not guilty, and grants us a new life. This, dear brothers and sisters, is the essence of justification.

So, why do we believe in justification? Because it is the heart of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. It is the promise of God's grace, the assurance of God's love, and the guarantee of God's mercy. It is the foundation of our faith, the source of our hope, and the reason for our joy. It is the truth that sets us free, the power that transforms us, and the gift that saves us.

As we continue our worship service this morning, let us keep this image in our minds, let us hold this truth in our hearts, and let us live this reality in our lives. For in doing so, we not only believe in justification, we experience it, we embrace it, and we proclaim it to the world.

The Gift of Justification through Faith

My dear friends, let's talk about faith. Not just any faith, but faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. This faith is not a mere belief, but a deep-rooted trust in the redeeming power of Jesus' sacrifice. It's about understanding that we are justified by His blood, and not by our own deeds.

Now, what does it mean to be justified? In the simplest terms, to be justified means to be made right. It's like being in a courtroom, standing guilty of all charges, and then the judge declares you innocent. That's what Jesus does for us. He takes our guilt, our shame, our sins, and He wipes them clean. He declares us innocent before God.

This is the heart of the Gospel message. It's not about what we do, but what Jesus has done for us. It's not about our righteousness, but His. It's not about our worthiness, but His. It's not about our goodness, but His.

The Greek word for justified used in Romans 3:24 is "dikaioō." It means to render righteous or such he ought to be; to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered. It's a legal term, signifying acquittal. It's a declaration of innocence.

Martin Luther, the great reformer, once said, "Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times." This is the kind of faith we're talking about. A faith that is so sure, so certain, that it changes everything about us.

Now, let's talk about the role of faith in our justification.

Firstly, faith is not a work. It's not something we do to earn God's favor. It's not a currency we use to buy our salvation. No, faith is a gift. It's something God gives us. We don't earn it, we don't deserve it, we simply receive it.

Secondly, faith is not a feeling. It's not about how we feel, but about what we know. It's about knowing that Jesus died for our sins, that He rose again, and that He is now seated at the right hand of the Father. It's about knowing that we are justified, not by our own efforts, but by His sacrifice.

Lastly, faith is not a one-time event. It's a journey. It's a daily decision to trust in Jesus, to rely on His grace, to rest in His love. It's about walking with Him, talking with Him, and growing in Him.

So, why do we believe in justification? Because it's the only way we can be made right with God. It's the only way we can have peace with Him. It's the only way we can experience His love, His grace, His mercy.

And it all starts with faith. Faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. Faith in His sacrifice. Faith in His love.

So, let's put our faith in Him. Let's trust in His blood. Let's rest in His grace. And let's rejoice in our justification.

The Solution of Justification

Justification. It's a big word, isn't it? But it's a word that carries a lot of weight. It's a word that's packed with meaning. It's a word that's central to our faith. And it's a word that we need to understand if we're going to understand the good news of Jesus Christ.

So, what is justification? Well, in Romans 3:24, Paul tells us that we are justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Justification is a divine act. It's God declaring us righteous. It's God pardoning our sins. It's God putting Christ's righteousness on us. It's not something we can earn. It's not something we can achieve. It's a gift. It's a gift from God.

Now, why do we believe in justification? Why is it so important to our faith? Well, there are three reasons.

First, we believe in justification because it's the only way we can be right with God. You see, we're all sinners. We've all fallen short of God's glory. We've all missed the mark. And because of our sin, we're separated from God. We're cut off from His presence. We're under His judgment. But through justification, we're made right with God. We're reconciled to Him. We're brought back into His presence. We're freed from His judgment.

Second, we believe in justification because it's the only way we can have peace with God. You see, sin doesn't just separate us from God. It also puts us at war with God. It makes us His enemies. But through justification, we're made at peace with God. We're no longer His enemies. We're His friends. We're His children.

Third, we believe in justification because it's the only way we can have hope for the future. You see, sin doesn't just separate us from God and put us at war with Him. It also condemns us to death. It condemns us to an eternity apart from God. But through justification, we're given hope. We're given a future. We're given eternal life.

Now, this isn't just something that Paul talks about in Romans. It's something that's talked about throughout the New Testament. Take, for example, Galatians 2:16. In this verse, Paul says, "We know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified."

So, we see here again the importance of justification. We see here again that it's not something we can earn or achieve. It's something that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

But there's more to it than that. There are two more reasons why we believe in justification.

First, we believe in justification because it's the only way we can have assurance of our salvation. You see, if our salvation depended on us, if it depended on our works, if it depended on our efforts, we could never be sure of it. We could never know if we've done enough. We could never know if we're good enough. But because our salvation depends on God, because it depends on His grace, because it depends on His gift of justification, we can be sure of it. We can know that we're saved. We can have assurance of our salvation.

Second, we believe in justification because it's the only way we can live a life of faith. You see, if our relationship with God depended on us, if it depended on our works, if it depended on our efforts, we would always be striving. We would always be struggling. We would always be trying to earn God's favor. But because our relationship with God depends on Him, because it depends on His grace, because it depends on His gift of justification, we can rest. We can trust. We can live a life of faith.

So, why do we believe in justification? We believe in justification because it's the only way we can be right with God, have peace with God, and have hope for the future. We believe in justification because it's the only way we can have assurance of our salvation and live a life of faith. And we believe in justification because it's the only way we can truly understand the good news of Jesus Christ.

The Power of Faith

Justification is a term that may sound complex, but it's actually quite simple. It's a legal term that means to declare not guilty. In the context of our faith, it refers to God declaring us not guilty of our sins because of our faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. This is a key concept in our Christian faith, and it's something that we should all understand and appreciate.

Now, why do we believe in justification? Well, it's because of what the Bible tells us. In Romans 3:25-26, the Apostle Paul writes, "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."

This passage tells us that God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement for our sins. This means that Jesus took our place and paid the penalty for our sins through His death on the cross. This is the basis of our belief in justification. We believe that because of Jesus' sacrifice, we are declared not guilty of our sins.

But it's not just about being declared not guilty. It's also about being declared righteous. This is another key aspect of justification. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are not only freed from the penalty of our sins, but we are also declared righteous in God's sight. This is a truly amazing thing. It means that when God looks at us, He doesn't see our sins. Instead, He sees the righteousness of Jesus.

This brings us to the first key point. Justification is not something we earn or deserve. It's a gift from God. It's not based on our good deeds or our efforts to live a good life. It's based entirely on our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins. This is a humbling truth. It reminds us that we are totally dependent on God's grace and mercy. It also reminds us of the incredible love that God has for us. He loved us so much that He was willing to send His only Son to die for our sins so that we could be justified and declared righteous.

A.W. Tozer, a well-known Christian author and pastor, once said, "Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God." This quote beautifully captures the essence of our faith. Our faith is not about looking inward at ourselves or our own efforts. It's about looking outward at God and His saving work through Jesus. It's about recognizing our need for a Savior and putting our trust in Jesus.

This leads us to the second key point. Justification is not a one-time event. It's an ongoing reality in our lives. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are justified once and for all. But the reality of our justification should continue to impact our lives every day. It should shape the way we live and the choices we make. It should fill us with gratitude and joy. It should motivate us to live for God and to serve others.

In conclusion, justification is a key concept in our Christian faith. It's the basis of our belief in the saving work of Jesus. It's a gift from God that we receive through faith. It's not something we earn or deserve, but it's something we can rejoice in and be grateful for every day.

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters, we have spent this time together exploring the beautiful truth of justification. It's a truth that is not just a theological concept, but a reality that has the power to transform our lives. It's a truth that is found in the heart of the gospel message, in the heart of God's love for us.

We believe in justification because it is God's divine answer to the problem of sin. It's His way of making things right, of setting things straight. It's His way of saying, "I love you so much that I am willing to do whatever it takes to bring you back to me."

Justification is not something we earn or achieve. It's not about our efforts or our goodness. It's about God's grace. It's about His mercy. It's about His love. It's about the blood of Jesus Christ.

Through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, we are justified. We are declared righteous. We are made right with God. Not because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us. His blood was shed on the cross for our sins. His sacrifice was the payment for our guilt. His death was the price for our freedom.

This is why we believe in justification. This is why we hold fast to this truth. This is why we live in the freedom and righteousness that justification brings.

As we go into this coming week, let's remember this truth. Let's remember the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. Let's remember the grace of God that justifies us. Let's strive to be more like Jesus, to live in the righteousness that He has given us. Let's share this message of hope with others, with those who are still lost in sin, with those who are still searching for truth.

Get the Full Sermon

• Sermon Notes
• Midweek Discussion Questions