The Method of Justification

The Method of Justification

What is the method of justification? How can a holy God justify sinners? How can a holy God, as it were, overlook sin? Well, God does not overlook sin; God deals with it. There are four phrases you want to mark in your Bible in the Book of Romans, and these four phrases explain to us the method of justification.

Freely by His Grace

Romans 3:24 says, “Being justified freely by his grace.” How is God able to justify us? He justifies us by grace, not by merit. The word “freely” is translated as “without a cause” in John 15:25. We are “justified without a cause by his grace.” There is nothing in us that makes God want to justify us. Justification is purely an act of God’s grace. Grace means favor that is not deserved and cannot be earned.

God justifies the ungodly. Romans 4:5 says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” In the Old Testament, God warned all of the judges that they should justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. Consider Deuteronomy 25:1: “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.” If God did that to you and me, we would all be condemned forever. Why is it that God justifies the ungodly? For the simple reason that there are no godly. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

By Faith

Romans 3:28 says, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without [apart from] the deeds of the law.” Not only are we justified by grace, but we are justified by faith. Whenever you have grace, you have to have faith. Whenever you have Law, you have to have work. A person cannot be justified by keeping the Law. Romans 3:20 states, “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 [not the forgiveness of sin].”

We are justified by faith-faith in Christ, faith that comes from the heart. Faith is only as good as the object. Whatever you believe in may be wrong, no matter how sincere you are. Faith in a lie is false security; faith in the truth is true saving faith. We are justified by faith, not by works; and we are justified by grace, not by human merit.

By His Blood

Romans 5:9 says, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood.” Not only are we justified by grace and by faith, but we are justified by His blood. Somebody has to pay the price for sin. Justification is not some sort of fictional thing where God says, “I’ll close my eyes and forget that they have sinned.” God in His holiness must deal with sin. In order for God to justify the ungodly, He has to deal with their ungodliness. In order for us to be justified by faith, there has to be a Saviour for us to believe in. We are justified by His blood.

Romans 4:25, talking about our Lord Jesus, says, “Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for [on account of] our justification.’ Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He bore the penalty. Now God can be just and the justifier of those who believes in Christ.

The Devil comes and says, “How in the world can you declare Warren Wiersbe righteous?” And the answer comes, “By the blood of Jesus Christ.” But what about Warren Wiersbe’s sins? Jesus Christ died for those sins, and they have been taken care of. We are justified by grace, not by human merit; we are justified by faith, not by works of the Law; we are justified by His blood because Christ died for us.

Unto Life

Finally, Romans 5:18 says, “Therefore as by the offense of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Jesus Christ] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” That’s a marvelous phrase-a justification that results in life. We are justified unto life.

Justification is not just something God does in His books. Justification results in a new standing and a new life. That new life is the result of regeneration. But justification makes possible our union with Christ, and this union is described in Romans 5:1-5. It is a life of peace and glory and joy. Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? What are you trusting? You say, “I am trusting my church.” That will not save you. “I am trusting my good works.” That will not save you. We are justified by grace, not by human merit. We are justified by faith, not by works of the Law, including religious works. We are justified by His blood; He paid the price. This is a justification of life; we enter into a whole new life. And in our next chapter, we shall examine the marks of justification and see what happens to the life of the person who trusts Jesus.