Justification
Justification is the greatest gift that Jesus died to give to us. To be justified before a Holy God should be the thing you cherish the most in this life. Being justified has to do with right standing before God. A person cannot stand before a Holy God, other than being condemned, without being justified. As Romans 5:1 (mentioned above) indicates, a person can only be justified by faith. This is one of the five sola's of the Reformation: sola fide or Faith Alone. It is important to understand the "Alone" part of justification. That simply means that you cannot add anything alongside or on top of faith in order to be justified. In other words, you cannot be justified by works or trying to earn favor with God. Really, that is what separates Christianity from all other religions in the world. I like to say that there are only two religions in the world: that of faith and that of works. Christianity is the only religion that teaches that you cannot be impressive to God no matter how hard you try or how you improve your life. The only One impressive to God is God the Son: Jesus Christ. It is by HIs work, and only by His work that you can be justified before God. There is nothing outside of Christ that will ever be pleasing to God.
There is a photo of Lady Justice on this page. According to the Laws of man justice is blind, balanced, and holds a sword to carry it out. When it comes to God, justice is not blind because God see's everything. The only scales are Law and gospel, faith and works. One will condemn you and one will justify you. The sword is either swung at you or at Christ on the cross. Faith alone aims the sword at Jesus, a perfect and willing substation for you. Works aims the sword at you and the sentence is severe. Romans 5:1 says that you are justified by faith and because of that you have peace with God. We have faith through Jesus Christ whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this Grace in which we stand. It is faith alone in Christ alone that justifies you. Repent and believe. Call on the name of Jesus Christ and believe there is nothing you can bring to God but your sin. Cast your sin at the feet of Jesus and be saved.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 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.
