JUSTIFICATION

 

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What is the guarantee of our justification?

“So that, having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs of eternal life according to the hope” (Titus 3.7).

 

 

How can each sinner receive this gift of grace to be justified from his sins?

“More therefore, now, being justified by His (Christ's) blood, let us be saved by Him from wrath“ (Rom 5.9).

 

 

How is justification done?

“For we acknowledge that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Rom 3.28).

 

 

How can a person be justified?

“But knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but only by faith in Jesus Christ, we also believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law” (Gal 2.16).

 

 

What vivid example in the pages of Scripture clarifies the meaning and essence of justification?

“And he brought him (Abraham) out, and said: look at the sky, and count the stars, if you can count them. And he said to him: so many offspring will you have. Abraham believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness“ (Gen 15.5-6).

 

 

What does Scripture tell us about such righteousness?

“And be found in Him, not with my own righteousness, which is from the law, but with that which is through faith in Christ, with the righteousness from God by faith” (Phil 3.9).

 

 

On what basis are we given justification?

“And the gift is not like judgment for one sinner; for judgment for one crime leads to condemnation, but the gift of grace leads to justification from many crimes“ (Rom 5.16).

 

 

What is the reward for all who do good deeds?

“The recompense for the doer is not imputed out of mercy, but out of duty” (Rom 4.4).

 

 

Under what condition is faith imputed to a person as righteousness?

“But to him who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness” (Rom 4.5).

 

 

Why is grace, which is the basis of our justification, nothing to do with righteousness by works?

“But if by grace, then not by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. And if by deeds, then this is no longer grace; otherwise the work is no longer work” (Rom 11.6).

 

 

Why does God justify both Jews and Gentiles?

“Is God really the God of the Jews only, and not of the Gentiles? Of course, and pagans; for there is one God who will justify those who are circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith” (Rom 3.29-30).

 

 

What statement in the Bible testifies to Abraham's faith?

“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but remained steadfast in faith, giving glory to God, and being quite sure that he is able to fulfill the promise” (Rom 4.20-21).

 

 

What did Abraham gain from his faith?

“Therefore it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Rom 4.22).

 

 

Will our faith in righteousness be imputed to us?

“And yet, not in relation to him alone, it is written that it was imputed to him, but also in relation to us: it will also be imputed to us, who believe in Him Who raised Jesus (Christ), our Lord from the dead“ (v.23-24).

 

 

Why are we justified by believing that Christ died and rose again for our justification?

“Who was delivered over for our sins and rose again for our justification” (Rom 4.25, see 1 Cor 15.17).

Note. The resurrection of Jesus Christ, the promised seed (Gal 3.16), was the fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham that his offspring would be “like the sand on the seashore” (Gen 22.17), and therefore the faith of Abraham, which included the resurrection of the Son of God, was imputed to Him for righteousness. Faith in God's promises guided all his actions and thoughts until the end of his life, and this was imputed to him as righteousness (see Heb 11.17-19).

 

 

What is inextricably linked to justification by faith?

“Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that for His sake the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and in everything in which you could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13.38-39).

 

 

By whom is righteousness imputed to every believer?

“For just as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man many will be made righteous” (Rom 5.19).

 

 

What Old Testament prophecy confirms this?

“The Lord will justify and glorify all the tribe of Israel” (Is 45.25).

 

 

What other prophecy affirms the right of believers in Christ to be justified through Him?

“Through the knowledge of Him, He, the Righteous, My Servant, will justify many, and will bear their sins upon Himself” (Is 53.11).

 

 

What can God do because the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to every believer?

“In the time of God's longsuffering, to show His righteousness at the present time, that He may appear righteous and justify him who believes in Jesus“ (Rom 3.26).

 

 

What name is given in the Bible to Christ, who justifies all who believe in Him?

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, and I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and the King will reign, and he will act wisely, and he will execute judgment and righteousness on the earth. In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety; and this is his name, by which they will call Him: "The Lord is our justification!"  “ (Jer 23.5).

 

 

What special blessing do we receive when we are justified by Christ?

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ“ (Rom 5.1).

 

 

What does Christ become for everyone who believes in Him?

“For He is our peace, who made both one and destroyed the barrier that stood in the middle” (Eph 2.14).

 

 

On the basis of what does the Holy Scripture say that the sinner has no opportunity for justification?

“Because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in its sight; For by the law is the knowledge of sin“ (Rom 3.20).

 

 

How does the fact of the death of Jesus Christ confirm this?

“I do not reject the grace of God. And if justification is by law, then Christ died in vain” (Gal 2.21).

Note. In the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians and in many other books of the New Testament, the word "law" refers to the Jewish system of righteousness by law, or legalism, when a person becomes righteous due to the mechanical observance of religious rules and rituals prescribed by ceremonial Jewish law.

 

 

What do any attempts to justify themselves by the works of the law prove?

“You, who justify yourselves by the law, are left without Christ, have fallen away from grace” (Gal 5.4).

 

 

Why didn't Israel achieve righteousness?

“But Israel, who sought the law of righteousness, did not reach the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek in faith, but in the works of the law; for they stumbled over the stumbling stone“ (Rom 9.31-32).

 

 

What does the law reveal?

“By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3.20).

 

 

Which shows that true righteousness gained through personal faith, not from the works of the law?

“But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has appeared, to which the law and the prophets testify” (Rom 3.21).

Note. Here the word "law" means the first five books of the Bible.

 

 

Does faith abolish the moral law of God?

“So we destroy the law by faith? No way; but we establish the law” (Rom 3.31).

Note. This also includes the fourth commandment, because it is one of the ten and moral, not ceremonial.

 

 

How does Scripture show us that righteousness gained through the grace of God through faith keeps us from sinning further?

“What shall we say? Shall we remain in sin so that grace may be multiplied? No way. We have died to sin: how can we live in it?” (Rom 6.1-2).

 

 

Does faith rule out good works?

“But do you want to know, unfounded man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2.20).

 

 

What is the evidence of sincere, living faith?

“Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (v.18).

 

 

What then is the clear evidence of true justification?

“Do you see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone?” (James 2.24 and also v.22).

 

 

What great sacrifice did God make for our justification and salvation?

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5.21).

Note. Luther said, “Learn to know Christ, to know Christ crucified. Learn to sing a "new song" to Him and, repenting of your sins, say to Him: “You, Lord Jesus! You are my righteousness, and I am the sinner for whom You died! You took upon Yourself what I deserved with my sins and gave me what rightfully belongs only to You. You, Lord, endured what I deserved so that I could receive what rightfully belongs only to You” ” (Merle D’Aubin, "History of the Reformation", book 2, chapter 8).