Justification

Romans 8:31-34

Often you hear of the government officials or even Judges misuse of their power fr their own gain, and justice is not carried out. The point of justice is to reward those who do good, and to punish those who do evil. The news often finds the worst stories. But in a broken world justice isn’t always carried out as it should be. There are corrupt judges, sometimes people are punished for committing a crime they never committed, while those who break the law go free on technicalties. But God is a just judge. He despises those who punish the righteous and who let the guilty go free.

God is a good and perfect judge. The Bible presents a problem to humanity. We are born in sin. Psalm 51:5

Psalm 51:5 LEB

Behold, in iniquity I was born, and in sin my mother conceived me.

We have also chosen our sin.

Romans 3:23 LEB

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

God has a standard. Is there any person who reflects the glory of God on his own. This is impossible. We cannot match up to God’s greatness. We have all failed. We were born condemned because humanity has been separated from having a relationship with God. James 2:10

James 2:10 LEB

For whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles in one point only has become guilty of all of it.

People like to minimize the seriousness of the position they are in. They think that because I haven’t commited the worst sins, because I haven’t commited the same sins of this person. God doesn’t see you just breaking one rule. You have broken thee entire law. We have this wrong conception about when we break rules. I have just broken that one rule. I am being judged for speeding ticket, not for breaking the entire law of the United States. But God’s law is different. God’s law was created so that we would know how to live a life of good fellowship with God. The problem is that when we break one of God’s rules. We are telling God I don’t want that. I am in rebellion. against God. God sees His law in a Unity. How many sins does it take to break a law. Only once.

(Ill window)

We all stand before God one day. Those who are righteous will be rewarded, they will have relationship with God for all of eternity. Those who are wicked will be punished they will suffer in Lake of fire for eternity and will be separated from God.

I am being kinda a downer this morning. And the thing is that we cannot have this view that God enjoys the destruction of the wicked. God has to judge sin, but He has made a way for people to be right with Him.

If I am a sinner, I have sinned. A charge can be brought against me. I have broken the Law. But Christ paid the penalty for my sin. When He died on the cross. Christ suffered God’s wrath. God saw humanities sins on Christ. And punished Christ in my stead. What does it mean to be justified. Declared righteous. Righteous means one who does what is right. One doesn’t choose sin, but chooses to live a life of obedience. It isn’t through works

Romans 3:28 LEB

For we consider a person to be justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

I cannot tell God. I have got a speeding ticket. But officer I have never murdered someone. I am a lawbreaker. He is justified by faith. Faith means to have reliance on. Since I am a lawbreaker I need to rely on one who is perfect, and separate from sin. And that is Christ who died, who took you sin penalty. No one can point at Justin Wacker and say you are going to die for your sins. You are guilty. Why because Christ took my punishment and I have place my faith, my reliance on Him, fully. God is the judge who has taken the gavel and slammed it down and said not guilty. I deserve to be punished but someone has paid the price.

Unbeliever: Your only way to heaven is through Jesus. You cannot work your way out of punishment. You are not a good person according to God’s standards.

Believer: Romans 8:38-39. God loves you on your worst days. It isn’t that I have to punish myself Christ took that. Ask God a thousand times to forgive me, you are forgiven. I need to earn God’s love, because God constantly show it to you. You are no longer condemned. But Christ has also given us His righteousness so that we can live for Him.