Justification & heaven

Justification by faith or not at all.

Romans 5:1 NKJV

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

There is a question that we must ask ourselves: am I holding onto anything I do as a means of getting right with God, or am submitted in humility to the means that God supplies.

The objective of man’s means of getting right with God has the same objective as the text, which is “peace with God.”

Herein lies the problem, which every single person who ever exists will have (apart from Jesus Christ); by nature, we do not have peace with God.

The reason: we are all sinners by nature (go on to read what Paul says in the rest of the book if you have doubts).

Therefore, because of our own sin, we do not have peace with God naturally. But, it goes beyond our own sin, as Paul outlines later in this chapter. We do not have peace with God because of Adam’s sin, and our part in Adam’s sin. Adam, as our representative, earned death & condemnation on our behalf, and we come forth from the womb sinful, demonstrating our nearness & relation to Adam.

Because of Adam’s sin, and then the subsequent demonstration that we are aligned with Adam in our own sin against God, we show that we are not at peace with God but at war. Being at war with God is not a good idea. It will result in eternal condemnation and wrath, from which we will not escape.

Therefore, we are in need of reconciliation, and this is only possible through justification; being declared righteous by God.

This is the aim of Paul’s message at this point. The law has convicted all of sin, all stand in judgment because of that sin, but at that point, Jesus’ death is set forth to propitiate God’s wrath for all who believe. Belief is that which David and Abraham expressed and by which they were justified, and their example is set for all who believe.

As we see in the text before us, justification is by faith, and faith’s object is Jesus Christ. Is it because David and Abraham had no works, that they were justified by faith? No, but it is because works do not justify before God. Someone will bring up James at this point, but James isn’t stating that works justify with God, but justify faith before men. There is a big difference. It is faith in Christ that justifies with God. That is the text before us. It is the gospel which Paul preached, and the same gospel which the other apostles preached. Paul has already stated that he wants to preach the gospel because therein is the power of God to salvation, and therein is the righteousness of God. Romans 1:16-17 Salvation is by the gospel by belief, and righteousness is by faith. Belief and faith are from the same Greek word, and as we see in the text before us, faith is in “our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 1:16–17 NKJV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

To put any stock in our own works, is to take away from the finished work of Jesus Christ. To take away from the finished work of Jesus Christ, just one bit, is to not glorify and honour the Son of God as God the Father means to glorify & honour His own Son. Thus we can understand why God will not accept any works for salvation or justification. Paul confirms this understanding later in Romans 11:6

Romans 11:6 NKJV

And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

Works and grace are opposed to each other. God will not save anyone on the basis of their works; God does not justify anyone on the basis of their works. God means to glorify His grace through His Son Jesus Christ, showing His power to save and justify by faith is more abounding that the power of sin in Adam. Romans 5:20-21

Romans 5:20–21 NKJV

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This is Paul’s teaching, that would lead some to say “then let us continue in sin” or in other words, why would we need any works. Of course, those saved by Christ through God’s grace do have works, but their works neither justify them with God or save them from God’s wrath.

Justification is completely by faith, and faith completely in Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished, or it is not true, justifying, saving faith, and thus there is no other way to be justified and at peace with God.