Justification: Just as if I Never Sinned

As evangelical Christians, we love the doctrine of justification by faith. Paul writing to the believers in Ephesus penned these words in Chapter 2:4-10 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Paul tells them for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God. They did not merit the gift of salvation by works, but by faith in Christ. For this reason, no one will boast in their salvation, because we are God’s workmanship.
Salvation is a work of God, and is received by faith. We are not saved by good works, but we are certainly saved unto good works. Someone who has been born again, regenerated by the spirit, and has become a new creation will, in love, by obedience, walk in good works. Paul taught this same truth in his letter to the Galatians in Chapter 3:11-14: “ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
The word justification is the Greek word dikaioo, meaning to be acquitted, cleared of all charges related to one’s sin. We are by faith in Christ, who finished the work of atonement by His death on the cross, appeased the wrath of God by becoming sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. All this was an act of love, grace, and mercy. The word justified means just as if I never sinned. Peter writes about this great truth and hope of every believer in Christ in 1 Peter 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” May this encourage you as you go through your week.

In Christ,
Pastor John