“Justification and Adoption”
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Tonight we want to take time to help us understand several more things in regards to the application of redemption. We began with the gospel call and how God calls us to trust in Christ. We have also looked at regeneration and conversion which is man’s responsibility to repent and turn from sin, and also to trust in Christ and turn toward Him.
-So, what about our guilt that comes from our sin?
-What does Justification mean?
-What does Adoption mean?
-How and when do we gain right legal standing before God?
-What are the benefits of being a member of God’s family?
These are some of the questions that we will be looking over tonight.
I love how Grudem takes time to explain each of these different parts of redemption. He says on the opening page here that the gospel call invited us to trust in Christ in order to be forgiven. Regeneration made it possible for us to respond to that invitation. In conversion we as believers did respond by trusting in Christ for forgiveness of sins, and now in regards to justification, God must respond to our faith and do what He promised, that is actually to declare that our sins be forgiven.
Question = How would you define the word justify? There are several important parts here as we consider the meaning of this word. We will also look at several Scriptures.
1. What is Justification? It is a legal declaration.
A right understanding of justification is so important to the whole Christian faith. Why? Because if we get justification wrong and believe that it is faith plus works that save us then we don’t have a right understanding of the gospel.
2. What is Justification? It is a legal declaration. But, it also means understanding that it is by faith alone in Christ alone for salvation.
Let’s take a look at God’s Word so that we can rightly understand this.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
The word called here means an effective calling of the gospel and brings forth a response of both repentance and faith. After the effective calling and our response, the next part is what God does in that of justification. Notice here in verse 30 that Paul says, “those who God called, he also justified.”
-Justification comes after our faith and as God’s response to our faith.
26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
3. Again, what is Justification? Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and declares us to be righteous in his sight.
The use of the word justify in the Bible shows us that justification is a legal declaration by God. It can have a range of different meanings, but a very common usage is, “to declare righteous.”
5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Question = The question that often comes up here is does God’s act of justification actually change our internal nature or character at all? Why or why not? What do you think???
This verse in Romans chapter 4 helps us to see that Paul does not mean that God makes the ungodly righteous by changing them internally or morally perfect. Why? Because this would mean that we could do something good on our own behalf in regards to salvation. The only way that we can be declared righteous in by faith alone in what Christ has accomplished for us or imputed to us.
Let us consider the contrast. When we think about God declaring us righteous in regards to this legal declaration, we could also think about the very opposite side of this. For those who are not believers or those who have not been declared righteous, they are condemned. They are guilty of their sin. So, the opposite of condemnation is justification.
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
*To be declared righteous is also to say that we are declared to be not guilty.
Question = God’s declaration of justification involves what two factors?
God specifically declares that we are just in his sight and this involves two parts or factors.
A. First of all, it means that God declares that we have no penalty to pay for sin, including past, present, and future sins.
Romans 8:1
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
B. The Second part or aspect of justification is that God must declare us not to be merely neutral in his sight, but actually to be righteous in his sight. How do we know this???
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Big Question = How in the world can God declare that we have no penalty to pay for sin and that we have the merits of perfect righteousness if we are in fact guilty sinners? Is this righteousness based on our own actions or actual inner nature? If not, what is it based on?
Short Answer = God can declare us just because he imputes Christ righteousness to us. But what exactly does this word impute mean??? This means that because Jesus lived a right and perfect life without sin and then died and rose again for us, God thinks of Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us. God reckons it to our account. Again think about a legal declaration here.
3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
The important thing for us to understand here is that for Paul he realized that there was nothing he had done to earn his own righteousness. In fact, one of the most important parts about justification is to remember that God declares us to be just not on the basis of our actual condition of righteousness or holiness, but rather because Jesus was perfect and holy, and God thinks of this as belonging to us. WOW!!! This was at the very heart of the Great Protestant Reformation.
Question = Briefly explain the difference between the Protestant view of justification and the Traditional view of Roman Catholicism. What’s the difference???
Protestant = Justification does not change us internally and it is not a declaration based in any way on any goodness that we have in ourselves. We are wicked sinners deserved of hell. It has never been faith plus our good works that can earn us a spot in heaven. In fact, there is no amount of good things that we could ever do to enter into heaven. There is none that is righteous no not one. Justification therefore is only because of Christ’s righteousness that has been imputed to us.
Traditional Roman Catholic View = This view understands justification as something that changes us internally and makes us holier within. This view may be said to understand justification as based not on imputed righteousness but on infused righteousness. That is righteousness that God actually puts into us and that changes us internally and in terms of our actual moral character. The result of this Catholic view of justification is that people cannot be sure if they are in a state of grace or not. At the very heart of this view we see that justification is that our eternal life with God is not based on God’s grace alone but partially on our merit as well. One Catholic theologian once said, “For the justified eternal life is both a gift of grace promised by God and a reward for his won good works and merits. This view completely destroys the gospel message!!!
Question = What is the relationship between faith and justification? Does faith earn us salvation? Explain?
Paul helps us to understand in Romans 1-3 that no one will ever be able to make himself righteous before God.
20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The only way that we can be declared righteous and just is if God freely provides salvation for us by grace, which is totally apart from our works. This is truly a gift from God as we see in Ephesians chapter 2. As we now consider that God does justify us we see that through faith in Christ is the answer. But what is this relationship between faith and justification?
A. Faith is an instrument to obtain justification, but it has no merit in itself. Justification comes after saving faith.
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Word never says that we are justified because of the inherent goodness of our faith, as if our faith has merit before God. It is solely based on Christ’s work.
B. Why did God choose faith as the instrument for receiving justification? Answer = It is apparently because faith is the one attitude of heart that is the exact opposite of depending on ourselves. When we come to Jesus in faith, we essentially say, I give up. I will not depend on myself or my own good works any longer. I know that I can never make myself righteous before God. When we completely trust in Christ and not in ourselves this is faith in Christ.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Question = Define the biblical doctrine of adoption. How is this privilege different from the blessing of justification?
Answer = Adoption is an act of God whereby he makes us members of his family.
This is truly a privilege that is distinct from justification and distinct from regeneration. God could have given us justification without the privileges of adoption into his family, for he could have forgiven our sins and given us right legal understanding before him without making us his children.
This doctrine of adoption helps us to see the very important part of a personal relationship that salvation gives us with God. In contrast those who are not believers are not children of God.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
We are now God’s children and have been adopted by God and are part of His family.
(Questions)
(Close in Prayer)
