One of the most glorious teachings in the Bible is the doctrine of justification. I recognize that “justification” is not a word commonly used around the breakfast table, but how important this word is!
To be “justified” is to be “declared righteous by God.” This righteous standing comes to us freely through faith in Jesus Christ. But what exactly does that mean and why should we care? More significantly, how does God regard us if we are not justified?
Here is the importance: Before I am justified, it is as though I am in a courtroom and God is the judge and He looks at me and says, “You are guilty!” Of what am I guilty? I am guilty of sin. Therefore, I do not have the righteousness–the goodness necessary–to stand before Him without fear of condemnation.
Now, I may try to improve my standing with God. I may say, “Well, I must fix this situation. I must become righteous so that I can stand before him without guilt. Therefore, I will live a better life and keep the moral commands of the Bible like the 10 Commandments. I’ll do better. When I do this, God will understand that I am doing my best and will allow me to enter into His presence because of my righteousness.”
The problem with this kind of reasoning is thinking that our own attempts to be good will somehow satisfy God’s demands. But God demands perfection. This is why the Bible says, “there is no one who is righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10).”
So what is the answer?
The Apostle Paul writes about his attempts to satisfy God by his own righteousness. He had kept the moral commands of the Old Testament law to the best of his ability, but then he came to understand that those things would not improve his standing before God. Paul exchanged his own righteousness for the righteousness of Christ, the only One who meets God’s standard of perfection. Paul writes, “I want to be found in Christ, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith (Philippians 3:9).”
Jesus takes our place on the cross, taking the punishment for sin we deserved and granting to us His righteousness. If we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, then the “courtroom scenario” looks like this: we still stand before God guilty of sin, but God looks at His Son Jesus Christ and says to us, “Your sins have been punished in Christ and His righteousness is being credited to you. I thereby declare you ‘Not Guilty.’”
What a glorious teaching! In the words of the hymn-writer:
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
What About You?
- Why do you think people feel the need to “earn” righteousness with God?
- Do you know whether you have the righteousness of God? If not, turn now to Him in faith.
- To what friend or family member can you forward this post?
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