This is the past tense of salvation. The moment a person believes, he has been saved, or delivered from, the penalty of sin. God Himself declares that person as righteous. This is justification.
Charles Ryrie states, “To justify is to declare righteous. It is a judicial term indicating that a verdict of acquittal has been announced, excluding all possibility of condemnation. Indeed, in Scripture, justification is invariably set over against condemnation (Deuteronomy 25:1; Romans 5:16; Romans 8:33–34). The claims of God’s law against the sinner have been fully satisfied. Justification is not because of any overlooking, suspending, or altering of God’s righteous demands, but because in Christ, all of His demands have been fulfilled. Christ’s perfect life of obedience to the law and His atoning death that paid its penalty are the basis for our justification (Romans 5:9).”
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:38–39). (italics added)
We who are believers are justified from all things. This would include anything we can do before or after we believe. It is all based on the finished work of Christ on Calvary! It isn’t the greatness of our sin that is the issue. It is the greatness of the payment for our sin that our Lord Jesus Christ made for us. When we simply believe, the payment is good on our behalf and we are at that moment justified.
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28).
There are no good deeds of any kind that can be mixed with faith. God’s sole condition for salvation is faith alone in Christ alone. Thus, based on the finished work of Christ, God is satisfied with the payment made for our offenses. Romans 5:1 states,
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Romans 5:1).
God is the Judge and the Executor of wrath. We are by nature under the wrath of God, as stated clearly in John 3:36. When we trust Christ though, we are declared righteous and have peace with God.
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PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM