Justification

[00:00:04] Speaker A: So when I was in seminary, I spent a year working for the president of our school. I was just an intern, but I worked for him. What? Yeah, his name is his first or his. The name he goes by is Albert. He had an office upstairs at the school. In fact, this whole kind of second floor section of this one part of the building was the president's office. But it's not just like where his desk is, it's where his whole staff is. So he has a chief of staff, some other staff, some administrative assistants, and eight interns. I was one of the eight. Now, my student ID that I had, you know, when you. I don't know if you guys have student IDs at this point. Do you, like at maybe public school? You do? Yeah, I did. Okay. Yeah. So you have student IDs, right. This student ID at seminary did a lot of things for me. It got me into the gym so I could scan it. They would let me into the gym. The door would unlock, it would help me register for classes to know the code on the back. It would even help me pay for food or books. You know, it didn't do the paying for me, but I could, like scan it. And it would come out of an account that had been prepaid. However, before I was hired as an intern in that office, if I went upstairs and I scanned my ID to get into the door because those doors were typically locked, nothing would have happened. Maybe somebody would have come and escorted me downstairs, but the doors would have remained locked. They wouldn't have opened. But once I was hired, maybe within about a day for processing, I was granted access. I could go up there with the same student id. I didn't have to bring it in, have it changed in any way. I just was able to touch it to the little sensor and boom, the doors unlocked again. Not a new id. I could just bring mine because at that point a certain security clearance was just granted to me. It was credited to my student account. And I think this is at least sort of how justification, the topic for today, works. It's similar. It's something that Christ does and credits to your account. It's a change that he accomplishes for you. So before we kind of talk more about justification, let's do our review. So what is theology? Yeah, that's a good. We get theology from God's word. Okay. I think I saw Caleb's hand before yours. [00:02:44] Speaker B: Theology is the study of God and how to look like Christ. [00:02:47] Speaker A: That is right. He did raise his hand for you. Yeah, studying God, getting to Knowing God and becoming like Him. So it's a transformative discipline, not just an academic discipline. So here are some of the things we've studied lately. We've been talking about salvation, broadly the doctrine of salvation. So first we talked about common grace. What is common grace? Yes. [00:03:12] Speaker C: Grace that God gives to all people, not just believers. [00:03:17] Speaker A: Yeah, that's right. It's kind of granted to everybody, not necessarily in equal measure. What's one of the purposes of common grace? Yes. Yeah. To kind of point to the reality of the Creator God, so that everyone has one. No excuse, but also that they may come to know the Lord. Okay, what is election? That was the next topic. Yes. [00:03:43] Speaker D: God's like chosen people. [00:03:48] Speaker A: Yeah, that's what it's referring to. So it's God's act of electing people unto salvation. So we talked about that. We talked about how different Christians conceive of that. But that's kind of the bare bones definition. So in some way, God elects people for salvation. Now, what is union with Christ? That was next. Yeah, you have a guess. Yeah. Having a relationship with God. Right. So it's kind of explanatory in the name. Right. It's when somebody becomes one with Christ. So you, through faith, become one with Christ in His death. So you die to sin and one with Christ in His everlasting life. You are granted new life through the Spirit because of your faith in Christ. And so union with Christ because of that, because of dying to sin, living to him by being unified with Him. And then because you are unified with him in his death and resurrection, you also are one with him as he receives the blessings of eternal life and the blessings from the Father. This is kind of the heart of salvation is what I was arguing. But then we got one step further. We talked about a big word called regeneration. Does anyone remember what that means? Regeneration. Yes. [00:05:05] Speaker D: Being made new. [00:05:06] Speaker A: Being made new. That's exactly right. Yeah. Regenerated, created a new creation. Right. That's what Paul says. You're a new creation. That is regeneration. This is a work of the Holy Spirit in the human heart. It's replacing the heart of stone for a heart of flesh, as Ezekiel puts it. And then we talked about conversion last week. Now, what is conversion? Hint. It was kind of a formula. Okay. Do you know? Yeah. Converting to God. That's one way to put it. That's right. Yeah. [00:05:38] Speaker D: It's like our actions after regeneration. [00:05:41] Speaker A: Yes. I was arguing that it follows regeneration, but we did mention that some Christians kind of conceive of it different way, so. But what is conversion? Yes, repentance is involved, right? So if you remember the formula I wrote down, it's repentance plus what? Faith equals conversion. So conversion equals repentance plus faith. So repenting from sins, having faith in Christ, that equals conversion. Right? And now we turn naturally to justification. Justification. So the summary or definition of justification is that justification is the act of God by which he declares sinful people not guilty, but righteous instead, by imputing the perfect righteousness of Christ to them. So it's an act of God by which he declares sinful people, telling them that they are not guilty, but instead they're righteous. And he does this by important word, imputing the perfect righteousness of Christ to them. We'll talk about what that means. Let's go through our major affirmations. Number one. Justification is necessary because of our guilt for our sins. So justification is necessary because of our guilt for our sins. And to help understand this, let's go to Romans 3. Romans 3. We're going to start reading in verse 10. I'll give you a second to get there. Romans 3:10. You might recognize some of these phrases actually from the psalm we just read, which providentially was one of the psalms of the day for today. Romans 3:10 says, as it is written, none is righteous. No, not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside together they have become worthless. No one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave. They use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are full, are swift to shed blood. In their paths are ruin and misery and the way of peace. They have not known there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law. So that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. So based on these verses, who has sinned? All people. Everyone. What is sin? I'm hearing a lot of, yeah, an. [00:08:43] Speaker D: Act of selfishness and something that you do, don't we do. Like Jesus. [00:08:51] Speaker A: God displeases God. Yeah, yeah, I know what you say. So something you do or don't do. I think that's an important thing to say. It's an act of selfishness. I think I heard people saying things you say or think or speak. So those are kind of normal definitions for sin. Right. We see a lot of examples having no fear, a lot about the way they walk their. With the things they say, the things they do not being good. All of this is sin. Or even trying to gain justification by works of the law would be futile. And so all people have done this. What do we deserve because of our sin? [00:09:32] Speaker D: Punishment. [00:09:33] Speaker A: Yeah, punishment, death. Is that fair? Okay, why is it fair? [00:09:43] Speaker D: Because justification fornification is getting like. It'd be non justice for him to like, I mean, unjust for him to like save us. I think. [00:09:58] Speaker A: Yeah. If there was no punishment for sin at all. Okay. Then the sin is not. There is no justice. Right. So sin must be punished. God's wrath must be poured out. We kind of see this idea. This is very important for justification. So continuing. Another verse that is helpful if you want to write it down is 1 Peter 3, 18, which says. I'll just read it. For Christ also suffered once for sins righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. So he is the righteous given for the unrighteous for the purpose that he might bring us to God. So the righteous one, that is Christ was given death on behalf of the unrighteous because that is the punishment. That is what is deserved for sin. Did you have a question? Okay, sorry, I thought you saw your hand. So this means again, death is the penalty for sins. That is why Christ suffered that penalty also. We see, we could have just flipped a couple of pages. Romans 6:23 tells us the wages of sin is death. That's Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:22. Another helpful verse says, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. So it seems clear that the Bible is saying blood must be shed, there must be death for forgiveness of sins to occur. So that is consistent through scripture referencing, even back to Leviticus, the sacrifices offered up to God all the way to Christ's perfect and sufficient sacrifice. Now, as another question, here's a basic civil life question. When someone is accused of a crime, what happens? Yes, well, hopefully someone's accused of crime. Yeah, yeah. They go to court, they go to trial, and the judge finds them. What? Well, they could be. Yeah. Guilty or not guilty, right? Yeah, they could be guilty, could be not guilty. It must be one or the other guilty, not guilty. Those are the options. But we, as we've read in Romans 3. Do you have a question? [00:12:25] Speaker D: No, I was concerned about what? Guilty of sin. [00:12:27] Speaker A: Yeah. Yes, you're right. Yeah. So like we just. Yeah, that's what Romans 3 says. Right. We are guilty of Sin, we deserve God's wrath, his punishment. And God's wrath will be poured out on all sin. It will be now the second affirmation. So this is kind of number two under the first main point. Justification is the forgiveness of sins and the imputation of Christ's righteousness. So it's those two things. Forgiveness of sins and this fancy word, imputation. Is imputation written down anywhere? Any help spelling it? I M, P U T. Imputation. A T I O, n. Okay. It's not a typical word. I m, P U T a T I O n. Imputation. Just wanted to make sure we are able to write that down because that's important. So in order to be declared right or righteous before God, he must certainly forgive sins, and the sins haven't been forgiven. It doesn't make sense that we would be declared righteous. However, here's just another illustration. If I. This is an easy example. If I sin against Katie and she forgives me, this is. May or may not have happened before. If I've sinned against her and she forgives me, does that mean I am righteous? No, not necess. No, it doesn't. And the right righteousness is what we need. Righteousness is the standard to dwell with God in peace. That is what we need. Not just forgiveness. We often assume it's just forgiveness. No, we need positive. We need righteousness to dwell with God. We need forgiveness and righteousness. But God does provide this for us. Now, hopefully you might still be in Romans 3. We're looking at Romans 4 now, Romans 4. Can someone read verses three through five, Lincoln? Yes, you may. [00:14:35] Speaker D: For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was counted to him righteousness. [00:14:44] Speaker A: Read through verse five. [00:14:45] Speaker D: Now, to one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as. As his due. [00:14:55] Speaker A: Oh, do I keep. Yeah, one more verse. [00:14:57] Speaker D: I thought you meant from three to four. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. [00:15:11] Speaker A: Very good. Thank you. Thank you. So just a few verses here give us a whole lot of information about justification. So just looking at these verses, how can a sinner be considered righteous and therefore justified? How can a sinner be considered righteous? Yeah. [00:15:38] Speaker C: Him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly. [00:15:43] Speaker A: Yeah, Belief. Faith. Yeah, yeah. Faith, belief. So, you know, if you guys recall from studying Galatians, one of Paul's main points in that book is that God has not changed how he's operating. So Abraham believed and it was counted to him as righteousness. It's still that way. You believe and it is counted to you as righteousness. It is belief. He believes. Now, you can flip over to Second Corinthians, chapter 5. It's not too far from Romans. First and Second Corinthians are right after Romans. We're going to look at 5:21. So that's the last verse of chapter five. When someone gets there, can you read second? Make sure you're in Second Corinthians, 5, 21. Asher. Yeah. [00:16:34] Speaker B: For our sake, he made him to be sin. He knew no sin, so that in him he might become the righteousness of God. [00:16:41] Speaker A: Thank you. Yeah. So for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Okay, let's unpack it a little bit. Who is he? So he made him to be sin. Who is this he? Yeah. [00:16:55] Speaker D: God. [00:16:57] Speaker A: God. Yeah, we would say, say he made him. Now, who is him? [00:17:01] Speaker D: Jesus. [00:17:02] Speaker A: Yeah, Christ. Jesus Christ. So God made Christ to be sin, and Christ knew no sin, so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God. I hope that maybe helps a little bit. Pronoun. All these pronouns can be a little confusing. Now, how was he made to be sin? What does that mean? He was made to be sin? Yes. [00:17:26] Speaker D: He took on our sins and flesh. [00:17:30] Speaker A: Yes, that's right. Specifically where? [00:17:33] Speaker D: On the cross. [00:17:34] Speaker A: On the cross, right. So he took on our sins. Now, how did this happen? Well, they were, in a way, they were credited to Him. They were even, we could even say, committed of imputed to Him. He took on sins on the cross. Therefore, how can we become the righteousness of God? [00:17:57] Speaker D: Through faith. [00:17:57] Speaker A: Yeah, through faith. We see in Him. Now, this might be. This is maybe a hard question, but in him, which of our previous lessons might that phrase in him point us to? Yeah, that's right. Union with Christ. So being one with Christ. So as your sins are imputed to him, his righteousness is imputed to you through faith. That's a wonderful thing. That is how we are justified. That's really it. That is the beauty, the mystery of this big word, justification. And it's so crucial. So this word imputation, I'm saying it a lot so you hopefully remember it. You don't have to remember all the big words we ever say, but hopefully you remember the ideas. But imputation wouldn't be a bad one to remember. It means crediting or counting toward. Now, this is important because it was one of the main battles of the Protestant Reformation. Of the Church. See, Roman Catholics did and still do believe in a different I word with justification. They believe in something called infusion. Infusion rather than imputation, infusion means that you are gradually infused with Christ's righteousness. Gradually, progressively through your life. Does that make sense? It only occurs by receiving the sacraments in the Roman Church. And in order to go to heaven, you need to be completely infused. Right. The full righteousness needs to be infused to you, which will most likely be a process that is completed in what they call purgatory, where the rest of your unrighteousness is purged from you. So it's something you kind of gain at. You climb the ladder through life, and however far you still have to go, it's finished in purgatory. That is kind of a very crude and simple way to describe their belief. Now, another way to make sense of this is that the Roman Church, they think of justification as we think of sanctification, something that is a lifelong process and is completed after we die. But in their view, their view makes no sense. I believe alongside the clear imputation of righteousness from God to Abraham, this idea of righteousness being credited by belief seems very clear in the Scriptures, and I hope you guys have seen it in the Word. Now, the third point, third major affirmation I want to cover is justification is grounded in grace and given through faith. Grounded in grace and given through faith. Does anybody know Ephesians 2, 8, 9? Or you can flip there and read it. Does anybody want to quote it? It's okay. If not you guys, someone can turn there and read it, please. Ephesians 2, 8, 9. Yeah. [00:20:57] Speaker B: By grace you have been saved through faith. Faith and his is not your own doing. Is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast. [00:21:07] Speaker A: Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. So this is kind of telling us, this is the formula. It is by grace through faith that we are saved. Or we can say justified, as that is an integral part of salvation. Now, what is grace? It is by grace you have been saved. What is grace? Yes. [00:21:31] Speaker D: Grace is sort of like what she said. [00:21:36] Speaker A: You need to remind me. I don't recall. [00:21:38] Speaker D: Oh, well, it points us, like, towards him. [00:21:42] Speaker A: I think it. Yeah, I think so. I think it does. Okay. Does anyone know there. There's a really helpful way. Yeah. [00:21:50] Speaker C: Grace is giving something to someone who doesn't deserve it. [00:21:54] Speaker A: Yeah. Something good. Yes, it would. Yeah. Giving someone a beating is not grace, but withholding a beating that they might deserve is more mercy. Right. So grace is. It's A gift, right. Is it is a good thing given that is not necessarily merited. It is a good gift. Right. We just read, I think in Romans 4, if, you know, if someone has earned it, then it's not a gift, it's their due. But instead, justification is a gift. This. So the good gift in Ephesians 2, 8, 9 is justification. That is the good gift. But the gift is not just in your arms automatically. It comes only through faith. So there has to be some means, some pathway for that to come. And it comes through faith. So those are any questions on any of those before we go to our errors to avoid good. Okay, errors to avoid. Number one, we must not hold to an unbiblical understanding of justification. That seems pretty obvious, but we want to make sure we are understanding justification biblically. Salvation belongs to the Lord alone, so that God gets the glory. So infusion, the Roman Catholic doctrine makes you far too much of a contributor, in my view. Now, it's not the only issue with their belief, but it makes us far too much, far too integral in our own justification, which seems to lend to us getting some of the glory, you know, Right. The better we do in this life. In fact, some people in the Roman Catholic Church, they believe, do attain to that they become. Many of them become saints, actual saints is what they call them. Right. So. And these saints are getting venerated and glorified, so we kind of even see it working out. The ones that are better at infusing grace in their life get some of the glory that's owed to God. So we want to make sure we have a biblical understanding of justification so it doesn't lead us to that form of idolatry. Number two, we must not minimize the difference between the Roman Catholic and Protestant doctrines of justification. So they. There is a big difference. Right. It doesn't mean we can't love and be friends. And I don't even necessarily believe that someone in the Roman Catholic Church cannot be justified despite some of their beliefs. It doesn't mean all. Certainly doesn't mean that, but we don't want to minimize that difference. You know, there have been multiple attempts in history to reunify the Church by trying to get Protestants and Roman Catholics to agree on some definition of justification. I think if we can, like, put a definition out there that everyone's like, thumbs up towards, then everyone's gonna be like, that's great. Look at how unified Christianity is and what could be wrong with that? Right. What might be the problem with trying to unify under some common Definition of. [00:24:48] Speaker C: Justification, you start to adopt Roman Catholic, you know, what's the word? [00:24:58] Speaker A: Practices. Yeah, that could be an issue. Right. [00:25:02] Speaker D: I don't think it's possible for everyone to agree on one form of. [00:25:08] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't think it's possible for everyone to agree on one either. Yes. Can you say that again? I think you were saying something good. I couldn't quite hear it all. Yeah, your ideas get mixed up and you won't have a clear idea of what your beliefs are. That was a great answer. And I think that's kind of what they walked away with. They came away with a very watered down definition that kind of meant nothing. It just kind of meant nothing. It's like, you know, I'm thinking about bedlam just because of the basketball game yesterday. Unfortunately, I'm thinking about it. But if you were like, hey, let's describe like the best, just the best major university in the state of Oklahoma. You get someone like me that graduated from Oklahoma State, someone who is a fan of Oklahoma, may not have gone there. And we're like, hey, let's describe the best school in the state. But we have to agree on this definition. What are you going to walk away with a team in the state of Oklahoma that is a university? You know, and then it's like, okay, what, what school? What are you talking about? Right. It means nothing. The definition is just nothing. That's kind of what happens when we try to minimize these differences with justification. It's just meaningless. And these differences are a big deal. Right. We've seen the outcome of infusion or imputation, how different those are. It's a really big deal. I mean, do you need to gain justification by going to Mass, confessing to a priest, giving alms to the poor, taking the Eucharist, or are you completely justified through faith alone? That's a really big difference. And your practices are going to be different because of it. Any questions on that? All right, enacting the doctrine. Two points of application. How we can live this out? Number one, embrace the assurance of salvation that flows from God's act of justification. So embrace the assurance that flows from God's act. So consider that if you have turned from your sins and put your faith in Christ, these next passages I'm about to read apply to you. I'm just going to read these. I want you to just listen to them. Romans 8:1 2 says, There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from The law of sin and death. There is no condemnation for those in Christ. Then Galatians 4, 3, 7 says, in the same way, we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, abba, father, so you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then an heir through God, you, through faith, can be considered a son of God. From a slave to a son. And we'll have more on adoption next week. That'll be our topic. One of the great feelings of assurance is just knowing that you, a sinner, can be the child of God and so embrace the assurance of salvation that flows from God's act. And then finally refuse. Number two, refuse to compromise on justification. I think you've probably got this point. Yeah, I think I've made this. Beat this point over the head a little bit. Don't compromise on it. Don't minimize it. Remember, it's important. Our salvation is at stake with this doctrine. We must hold it rightly. We must see what the Bible says about it. It's not something little. It's not just this tiny little thing that the Church needlessly divided over 500 years ago. The Gospel itself had been lost, but we recovered it. So let's hold onto it. It is that important. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the work of justification that you work through Christ and through the Spirit. Lord, we pray that you would draw those who have not believed to yourself. Those in this room that need to believe, Lord, give them faith. Justify them through that faith that they may be considered righteousness, and then they might be adopted as sons and daughters of you. Lord, help us this week to embrace the assurance of salvation. If we have repented and believed, if we have faith in Christ, Lord, help us to firm up our beliefs and always give us strength to refuse to compromise on doctrines such as this. We pray this all in Christ's name, Amen.