Romans 3:24
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," Romans 3:24. We put much emphasis on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and we should. Without the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have no hope (I Corinthians 15). "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable," I Corinthians 15:19. We have hope in this life, but we also have hope in the life to come. Our hope is in Christ alone. Our justification is only found in the finished work of Jesus Christ. "Being justified" in Romans 3:24 is used only of persons: to acknowledge and declare anyone to be righteous, virtuous, good. Spoken especially of the justification bestowed by God on men through Christ, in which He is said to regard and treat them as righteous, i.e. to absolve from the consequences of sin and admit to the enjoyment of the divine favour.
Only God can truly proclaim someone to be justified, and only God can justify someone. The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, chapter 11 Section 1, "Those whom God Effectually calls, He also freely justifies, not by infusing Righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting, and accepting their Persons as Righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone, not by imputing faith it self, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their Righteousness; but by imputing Christs active obedience unto the whole Law, and passive obedience in His death for their whole and sole righteousness by Faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God."
As we will see from the Scriptures, no one is able to justify themselves. No one is able to save themselves. God alone has the power and the authority to justify sinners. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified," Galatians 2:16. The Scriptures are clear that we cannot earn our salvation (Romans 2:8-9). The Scriptures are also clear that anyone who justifies the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD," Proverbs 17:15. Let us really slow down and think about this. "Keep thee far from a false matter: and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked," Exodus 23:7. Yet the Scriptures also say, "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one," Romans 3:12. This leaves us in a dilemma. We cannot save ourselves, and if God justifies the wicked He goes against His own word. The sinner cannot just sweep his sins under a rug, the sinner must suffer under the wrath of God. God must pour out His wrath on the sinner. The sinner has no hope in himself, and he has no hope in other sinful men. Sinful man needs a Mediator, a Daysman. Sinful man needs a sinless man to take his place. We need our sins taken from us, and sinlessness given to us. This dilemma that man is in, and the remedy for this dilemma was part of God's plan from before the foundation of the world. Turn to John 1:1-2, 14, 29. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved," Acts 4:12.
Jesus Christ is the sinless Lamb of God. Turn to Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16. Christ never sinned; and at the moment God saves us the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," II Corinthians 5:21. While on that cross, God the Father placed upon His eternal Son the sins of all who have and will believe. Our sins were imputed to Christ's account. The Father treated Christ as if He had committed our sins. Jesus Christ suffered for our sins. The Just for the unjust. Jesus Christ actively kept the Law, in every way, all the time. The righteousness of Christ is put to our account at the moment God saves us. On the flip side of that our sinfulness was put to Christ's account while on the cross. Christ was actively obedient in keeping the whole Law, and He was passively obedient in suffering for our sins. This was a voluntary action, which involved His whole life. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," Philippians 2:8. Christ willingly did this. "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh if from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father," John 10:14-18. Jesus Christ voluntarily submitted to the Father's will. "And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed. Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will but thine, be done," Luke 22:41-42.
The Father was fully satisfied with the sacrifice of His eternal Son. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities," Isaiah 53:11. 1689 LBCF Section 3: "Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those who are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of Himself in the blood of His cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due to them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in their behalf; yet, in as much as He was given by the Father for them, and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them, their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners."
Our hope is only found in Jesus Christ. Since we are sinners, we deserve to suffer the wrath of God. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," Romans 5:8. You cannot trust yourself or anything else to save you. You cannot earn your salvation. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast," Ephesians 2:8-9. What kind of people did Jesus Christ die for? "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief," I Timothy 1:15. Trust Christ alone to save you. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," John 6:37.
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