Question 16: What Is Justification?

26 Questions (You Should be Asking)

Question 16: WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION?

Answer: Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (a) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us and (b) declares us to be righteous in his sight. This declaration saves one from condemnation on the Day of Judgment.

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1. JUSTIFICATION INCLUDES A LEGAL DECLARATION BY GOD

--- A. Legal Declaration.
--- B. By God To His Fallen Creation.

2. GOD DECLARES US TO BE JUST IN HIS SIGHT

--- A. He Declares That We Have No Penalty To Pay For Sin, Including Past, Present, Future.
--- B. He Must Declare Us Not To Be Merely Neutral (Like First Adam) But Actually Righteous In His Sight.

3. GOD DECLARES US TO BE JUST BECAUSE HE IMPUTES CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS TO US

--- A. God Thinks Of Christ's Righteousness As Belonging To Us. He Reckons It To Our Account.
--- B. Concept Of Imputing Guilt Or Righteousness To Someone Else:
--- --- 1) Adam's sin imputed to us.
--- --- 2) Christ's death, our sin's imputed to Him.
--- --- 3) Christ's righteousness is imputed to us. The great exchange.

4. JUSTIFICATION COMES TO US BY GOD'S GRACE, THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

5. JUSTIFICATION AND GFC CORE VALUES

--- A. Freedom & Truth
--- B. Delight
--- C. Humility