Lesson 102: Justification by Faith
Key Scriptures: Romans 3:21-28, Romans 5:1, Galatians 2:16
Teaching Points:
Justified by Faith
Key Scriptures: Romans 3:23–24; Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8–9
1. We Are Guilty of Sin
The Bible tells us plainly that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Every person stands guilty before a holy God. No amount of good works, religious activity, morality, or personal effort can erase the guilt of our sin.
We may compare ourselves with others and think we are good people, but God’s standard is His perfect righteousness. When we honestly examine ourselves according to God’s standard, we see that we cannot make ourselves righteous.
We cannot work our way into a right relationship with God.
2. God Justifies the Sinner Through Faith
Justification is God’s gracious declaration that a sinner is righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:24 says that believers are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
To justify does not mean that God pretends our sin never happened. Rather, Christ has dealt with our sin through His death on the cross. When we place our faith in Christ, God declares us righteous because of what Christ has accomplished for us.
Our standing before God is no longer based upon our performance. It is based upon Christ.
3. Christ’s Righteousness Is Credited to Us
One of the most wonderful truths of the gospel is that Christ’s righteousness is credited to the believer.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:21:
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Christ took our sin, and the believer receives Christ’s righteousness.
This is sometimes called imputed righteousness. God does not look at the Christian and say, “You have earned enough righteousness.” Instead, He looks at the believer who is united to Christ and sees the righteousness of Christ.
That gives us great confidence. Our salvation does not rest upon how well we perform; it rests upon how perfectly Christ performed for us.
4. Salvation Is Based on Grace, Not Human Merit
Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds us:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works.”
Grace means that God gives us what we could never earn.
If salvation were based upon human merit, none of us could be certain that we had done enough. But salvation is God’s gift. We receive it by faith rather than earning it through works.
Our good works are important, but they are the result of salvation, not the basis of salvation.
We don’t obey God in order to make Him love us. We obey Him because He has already loved us and saved us through Christ.
5. Justification Gives Us Peace With God
One of the great results of justification is peace with God.
Romans 5:1 says:
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Before justification, sin separated us from God. But through Christ, that separation has been removed.
The Christian does not have to live wondering, “Have I done enough for God to accept me?”
Because of Christ, we can say:
“I am accepted by God—not because I am righteous in myself, but because I belong to Christ.”
This gives us peace. Our relationship with God rests upon the finished work of Jesus Christ rather than our imperfect efforts.
Conclusion
The gospel teaches us five wonderful truths:
- We are sinners and cannot make ourselves righteous.
- God justifies sinners who trust in Christ.
- Christ’s righteousness is credited to the believer.
- Salvation is God’s gracious gift, not something we earn.
- Justification gives us peace with God.
Therefore, we have no reason to boast in ourselves. Our confidence is in Jesus Christ.
When Satan reminds us of our failures, we can remember Christ’s righteousness.
When we feel unworthy, we can remember God’s grace.
When we wonder whether God will accept us, we can remember that we have been justified by faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that our salvation does not depend upon our ability to make ourselves righteous. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to bear our sins and provide the righteousness we could never earn. Help us to trust completely in Christ and not in ourselves. Thank You for Your grace and for the peace we have with You through justification by faith. May our lives demonstrate our gratitude for the salvation You have freely given us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Discussion Questions:
- What is the difference between justification and sanctification?
- Why can good works never earn our salvation?
- How should justification change the way you approach God?
Practical Application:
- Stop measuring God’s acceptance of you by your performance.
- Thank Christ for providing the righteousness you could never produce yourself.