Justification by Faith: The Heart of the Gospel

WATERS: Well, at long last, we have come to justification by faith alone. This is the crown jewel of the gospel of Jesus Christ that Paul preached. Calvin did not understate things when he said that justification is the main hinge on which religion turns. Nor Luther, who said if the article of justification is lost, all Christian doctrine is lost at the same time. [00:00:11]

The first, you see in verse 24; it's the word -- "redemption." We are justified by His grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now in Paul's day, the word "redemption" had as its background the purchase and sale of slaves in the marketplace. That's the image that's being conjured here. And to redeem, is to deliver by the payment of a ransom. [00:02:57]

But then Paul uses a second word. You see that in verse 25 -- "Propitiation," "God put Jesus forward as a propitiation by His blood." Now, this is a word "propitiation" that we don't often use much today. It's a word that comes from the world of Old Testament sacrifice. You see that from the word "blood"; the shedding of lifeblood means that a sacrifice has taken place. [00:04:13]

So there is redemption and there's propitiation, but then you see in verse 24, he says, "we are justified." "We are justified by His grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Now, here the background is the law court. God is the judge, we are the defendant; and we stand guilty before a righteous God. And this judge renders verdict, and the word "justify" captures that verdict. [00:06:19]

Now this verdict, God declares the sinner righteous. What does it mean to be declared righteous in God's court? Because this is true of every Christian. And it's true of every Christian at the very beginning of the Christian life. And it means for Paul at least two things. It means on the one hand, that you are pardoned of your sins. It means that God has forgiven you of your sins. [00:08:28]

So God has pardoned the sinner, but there's even more. To be declared righteous is not only to be pardoned, but it is to be accepted, it is to be accounted as righteous in God's own sight. When God pardons the sinner, He takes away what is objectionable. But to be declared righteous means, that you stand acceptable in God's sight. [00:09:43]

And the wonder of this verdict is, that it is permanent. God will never revoke it, and we can never lose it. That's the great theme of Romans chapter 8. How does Paul begin? (v.1) -- "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Not now, not later, not ever. And how does Paul end? (v.39) -- "There's nothing in all creation that can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." [00:10:33]

Now, how does this become ours? This has to be made over to us in time. How does that happen? And I think we can answer that in a couple of ways. We can go back to a word that we looked at in our last lecture, when we looked at Romans 5 and our relationship with the first Adam; and that word is "impute" or "reckon." Paul stresses that this righteousness is imputed to the sinner. [00:12:45]

Paul makes this very same point in Philippians chapter 3 verse 9. What kind of righteousness is ours in justification? Paul asks. And he says, "It is not a righteousness of my own that comes from the law." He's saying, "I didn't in any way contribute to this. I didn't earn it. I didn't work for it. I didn't accomplish it. I didn't merit it. This is a righteousness that is come from God." [00:14:51]

So this righteousness becomes ours by imputation. But then Paul also says that this imputed righteousness is received through faith alone. It is received through faith alone. You see that in verse 28 of chapter 3. We hold that one is justified -- declared righteous by faith apart from works of the law. So what is faith and what are works of the law here in justification? [00:17:16]

In justification, he says, God looks on us as ungodly. We bring nothing to the table, we lay no claim on God. He owes us absolutely nothing but rather what do we do as sinners? -- we trust Him who justifies the ungodly. Faith doesn't look within to find something to give to God. Faith looks out to Jesus Christ whom God gives the sinner in the gospel. [00:19:05]

You're not justified because of your faith. Faith has no power to justify, Christ justifies and faith lays hold of Christ; so that we may stand pardoned and righteous in God's sight. [00:21:07]