JUSTIFICATION Questions - Ques 3

Continuing with questions concerning justification taken from Wayne Grudem's book, Bible Doctrines, we will consider question 2.

QUES 3: Explain two facets in which justification applies to our being declared righteous.

- God’s declaration of justification involves what two factors?

A. (1) The death of Christ Jesus upon the cross for our sins which he bore there, enduring in our place all the wrath and punishment which was due them. He was treated there as if he had done all that we did. (2) The perfect law-keeping righteous life of Jesus Christ being credited to our behalf – so that his righteousness is considered ours – because he is our HEAD and REPRESENTATIVE and in his life also what he did – he did in our PLACE. We are treated as if we did all that he did. --- AGAIN the two factors involved in the declaration of righteousness are (1) we are thought in the mind of God as ones not-guilty having no sin imputed to us and our sins having been fully paid by Jesus Christ dying in our place upon the cross and (2) the righteousness of Jesus Christ being counted as our own – HIS righteousness imputed to us through faith.

We are washed from our sin and pollution by the work of Jesus Christ upon the cross. He paid for our sins in his own body bearing them upon the cross. The guilt and punishment of our sins is satisfied before God in CHRIST who died.

SINS ATONED FOR: (just-as-if-I’d-never sinned)
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

We are not left as neutral individuals – with no black stain against but NOTHING FOR US.
Jam 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

RIGHTEOUSNESS CREDITED:
Phi 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

2Co 5:21 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.

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Rom 5:15 But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Rom 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.
Rom 5:17 For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

JOHN GILL:
for righteousness: for the bringing in an everlasting righteousness; a righteousness justifying in the sight of God; a righteousness sinners wanted, and could not obtain of themselves, and could never be obtained but by a perfect fulfilling of the law: this Christ has done partly by the conformity of his nature, being exactly like that, and what it requires holy, just, and good; and partly by perfect obedience of his life to all its precepts; and also by suffering the penalty of it, death, in the room and stead of all his people; and so the whole righteousness of the law is fulfilled by him, and he becomes the end of it, for a justifying righteousness before God,
(Dr. John Gill, John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, e-sword, Rom 10:4.)