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This is most likely one of the most important questions that could ever be asked by a young person, or any person for that matter.
TO BE CONDEMNED
First of all, let’s look at what the opposite of “Justification” is. The opposite of “Justification” is “to be declared guilty,” or “to condemn.” When a person has committed a crime, and is caught committing that crime, he later stands before a Judge in a Court of Law. While standing before that Judge, he is pronounced by the State as guilty of committing a crime and, therefore, sentenced to jail, community service, or a fine. That person has broken the Law and, thereby, must pay the penalty of breaking that Law. There is nothing that person can do to wiggle his way out of this verdict.
Like that person of the above illustration, when Adam fell in the Garden of Eden, he was pronounced guilty of disobeying the Command of God, which was to not partake of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And because of his Fall, Adam’s offence touched the entirety of the world for all time. That one offence of Adam’s resulted in the physical and spiritual death of all, at least for all who will not believe.
SPIRITUAL DEATH
The Bible tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death . . .” and this speaks of spiritual death, which is separation from God, and is the Divine Penalty that was brought about by Adam’s sin, and all of those who follow this path. For those who continue on the path of separation from God, their soul will be eternally lost.
Starting at the very beginning of time and coming forward to today, those individuals who have not believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was, and is the Gift of God, have died, and died lost. They have been eternally separated from God, both physically, and more horrific, spiritually.
GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR SITUATION
However, mankind has not been caught up in a sinful web woven by blind fate, so that once having sinned, nothing can be done about it. Even though man fell, God is over all things, and He provided a way for man to be brought back to Himself. That way was through the Sacrificial system, which was a Type of Jesus Christ, and what He would do at Calvary.
As I write these words, I sense the Presence of the Lord so strong, that I cannot write without tears streaming down my cheeks. It does not matter what you have been involved in, or what you are currently involved in, God can take your wrong, put it into His Right, and make everything all right.
The moment that the Believing sinner comes to the realization that he is a sinner in desperate need of a Saviour, the Holy Spirit, Who is God, draws that person to Christ. As that Believing sinner accepts Jesus Christ, God Justifies that person, and cleanses that person from all unrighteousness.
JUSTIFICATION
Now, what does “Justification” mean? It is a legal term, and it means that God had declared that person “not guilty.” Even though the evidence was against us, when we accepted God’s Redemptive Plan, we were declared “not guilty” of all charges. But it does not stop there, for not only does it mean “not guilty,” it also means to be declared “legally innocent.” But, once again, it does not stop there. Not only does it mean “not guilty,” as well as being declared “legally innocent,” it also means that we are now “perfect,” as though we have never sinned. It is the Act of God that declares men free from guilt and acceptable unto Himself, thus accounting Righteousness unto them. In other words, God wipes the slate clean, and has erased our past, never to be brought up again.
It must be understood that God cannot declare a person “Justified” until he is cleansed from all sin and made pure and holy by the Blood of Christ, which takes us to the Place where all can be forgiven and cleansed, Calvary.
THE CROSS AND OUR FAITH
Simply put, the only way that we can be in right standing with God is by Faith in what Jesus Christ did for us at Calvary. It cannot be received in any other manner. Man had been separated from God by sin, and could not find his way back into the fold. God, therefore, neatly fashioned the Cross to bring mankind back into right relationship with Him.
It was written in Genesis 15:6 that, “Abraham believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for Righteousness.” This is one of the most important Verses in the entirety of the Word of God. In this Verse we find the meaning of Justification by Faith. When Abraham believed in the LORD, Grace, which is the Goodness of God that is given to undeserving people, was then given to him, thereby bringing about the Redemption that was needed. God demands Righteousness, but it is the Righteousness that was made available by Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and that alone. There is nothing else that could bring about this great Redemptive Work, and there is nothing that we can do, as well, that can allow the Grace of God to flow in our lives. Only our Faith in the Finished Work of Christ can bring this about.
To sum it all up, when a person accepts what Jesus Christ did at Calvary, all on our behalf, we are declared in the Eyes of God as Justified, which is God’s greatest gift to a lost and dying world. But it can only be obtained by Faith in Jesus Christ, and what He did at Calvary, and that alone (St. Jn. 3:16).
Pastor Gabriel Swaggart
