Justification and Jesus Christ’s work

Justification is grounded in the death of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ’s death shields believers from God’s wrath

Romans 5:9 NIV

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

See also Ro 3:24; 1 Pe 2:24; Ro 5:18; Ro 4:25

Jesus Christ’s death fulfils the demands of the law of God

Romans 8:3–4 NIV

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

See also Ro 3:25–26; Ga 3:13; 1 Jn 2:2

Justification is grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Romans 4:25 NIV

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

See also Ac 4:10–12; Ac 2:22–39; Ac 17:30–31; 1 Pe 3:18–21

Justification means believers are reckoned as righteous through the death of Jesus Christ

Ro 5:19; 1 Co 1:30; 2 Co 5:21

See also 1 Co 6:9–11; Php 3:8–9 The term “imputation” is used to refer to the process by which God treats believers as being righteous in his sight on account of Jesus Christ’s death.

Justification is received by faith

Romans 1:17 NIV

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

See also Eph 2:8; Ro 5:1; Hab 2:4

The example of Abraham

Genesis 15:6 NIV

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

See also Ro 4:1–5; Ro 4:9–22; Ga 3:6–9; Ga 3:16–18

The example of David

Ro 4:6–8; Ps 32:1–2

Apostolic teaching on the need of faith for justification

Acts 13:39 NIV

Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

See also Ga 3:14; Eph 2:8; Ro 3:22; Ga 3:8; 1 Co 6:11; Ro 10:10; Ro 5:1; Ro 3:25; Ro 4:5; Ga 2:16; Ro 3:27–30; Ro 9:30–32

Justification is a gift of God’s grace

Romans 3:24 NIV

and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

See also Tt 3:7; Ro 8:33; Ro 5:15–17

Not by works or the law

Galatians 3:11 NIV

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

See also Eph 2:8–9; Ga 3:2–5; Ga 3:24; Ro 4:5; Ro 3:20; Ga 2:16; Ga 2:21; Ga 5:4–6