Chapter Forty-one in Doctrine for Dummies, a proposed book of readings on essential Christian doctrines

Justification is one of the most astounding gifts of God, a gift that throughout the life of the believer keeps on giving. It ministers comfort. It is the source of bedrock assurance. Waking up in the dark of night, or struggling to find comfort after a failure, thoughts of justification have brought solace to me innumerable times. Justification? Yes, meditation on the gift of perfect forgiveness Christ purchased for me upon his cross. It is a gift that has nothing to do with any work that I can or will do. It is a gift of grace given by God at the time of the new birth, the moment of our conversion. Listen to the apostle.

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known…this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…for all have sinned…and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus…a sacrifice of atonement…Where then is boasting? It is excluded” (Romans 3:21-27). We receive a righteousness that we don’t have and can never earn. Instead, the costly righteousness earned by Christ on the cross is credited to our account in heaven. God robes us in the perfect righteousness of Christ. In spite of our sins, he declares us righteous.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (Romans 5:8,9). We have peace with God because we stand in grace. By faith we pass from the blighted wasteland of Condemnation into the blessed land of Grace. “It is the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Romans 4:6,7). Listen. Harken. Through Christ our sins are covered; never to be uncovered!

Astounding as it may sound, we will never be more righteous than the day we were forgiven, because that righteousness in which we stand is a gift from Christ. Oh, we will grow in Christ. We will become more practically holy, but we cannot become more legally righteous. And that means we have assurance of our salvation throughout our lives. We cannot be more saved than we are the day we are converted.

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). It is being in Christ that brings peace. This sense of grace becomes the foundation of Christian living, the source of our comfort, and the haven to which we can flee when accused by the devil.

In describing how he came to faith, though tormented by sin and Satan, John Bunyan was meditating on the fearful verses about committing the unpardonable sin for which there was no forgiveness. He wrote:

“One day, as I was walking in the field, my conscience still somewhat wounded and still fearing that all was not well, these words suddenly entered my soul: ‘your righteousness is in heaven.’ And I thought, moreover, that I saw, with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at God’s right hand. I say, my righteousness was there [in heaven]; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, ‘He is in need of my righteousness,’ as my righteousness was right in front of him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good state of heart that made my righteousness better, nor even my bad state that made my righteousness worse, since my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, the same yesterday, today, and forever’ (Heb. 13:8).”[1]

And yet, Casper Olevianus, one of the authors of the Heidelberg Catechism, wrote “there is nothing more difficult than to believe the forgiveness of sins.”[2] But if we do not believe we are truly forgiven, we will not believe that we have peace with God. Dr. R. C. Sproul put it well: “It is often a difficult thing to accept the grace of God. Our human arrogance makes us want to atone for our own sins or make it up to God with works of super-righteousness. But the fact of the matter is that we can’t make it up to God. We are debtors who cannot pay. That’s what justification by faith is all about.”[3]

Our natural bent to self-righteousness, makes it hard for us to celebrate justification and put on the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness. (See Ephesians 6: 14.) It’s hard for us to believe the promise of instant forgiveness. “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). Faithful and just to forgive so we can immediately enjoy our forgiveness. This forgiveness doesn’t rest on some act of penance on our part but on the righteousness of Christ.

Our enjoyment of grace, is not dependent upon how much I have prayed. It’s not how much I have read the Bible. It’s not how many of God’s commandments I have obeyed. All those things are good, and elements of what we will later consider as part of Christian living. The comfort justification brings provides the energy and motivation to do these things. We are not comforted by our works but by the work of Christ.

So let us stop trying to pay for our sins and accept the forgiveness Jesus offers. Having accepted his forgiveness let us walk by grace and live for grace that he might get the glory. Then we will not be perpetually basing our joy on what we have done. By justifying us he has given us his royal robe to cover our nakedness.

Let me change the metaphor. Remember how wonderful it was to snuggle in a warm comforter on a cold day? Remember how cozy and comforting it feels? Let’s snuggle, as it were, into the robe of righteousness Jesus has given us that we might feel the comfort and peace and security that is our heritage in Christ. It is that sense of security that provides the propulsion for the other aspects of Christian living. Then we will become Christ-focused not self-focused.

Reflections:

What is the difference between self-righteousness and the righteousness God provides for us in salvation? What is this divine righteousness called?Why is it so important to understand justification?Explain grace.What is the main thing that motivates us as Christians to be practically holy?

Prayer: Lord, you know how we tend to be self-righteous. Deliver me from this tendency. Help me, instead, to celebrate your grace, your undeserved favour in Christ. Grant me understanding of justification—that you declare me righteous for Jesus’ sake—not for anything I do. Remind me that once I have been declared righteous in Christ, I can never lose this status. I am saved eternally. I am justified once and for all. I know this doesn’t mean I am sinless, just forgiven. So help me not to be careless about confessing my sins to you lest I lose the peace and motivation to live for Christ. Help me wrap myself in the robe of Christ’s righteousness that I might live a life of grace and peace.

[1] John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, Evangelical Press, modernized version, 1988, p. 113

[2] https://cprc.co.uk/quotes/olevianus-on-assurance/; #141

[3] Uncertain, see https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/5-things-justification