Justification

The Gospel Coalition Booklets

by Philip Graham Ryken, D.A. Carson, Timothy J. Keller

What does it mean to be justified? Humanity is in a desperate state; our sins separate us from the holy God. To be justified through Christ means we are covered in his righteousness and God no longer looks on us as guilty sinners. In this joyous action there is a depth of meaning and theology, and in this new booklet from the Gospel Coalition Philip Ryken directs us to the Bible’s rich teaching on the subject.  He begins with our need for justification as found in the opening chapters of Romans and moves on from there, covering the source of justification, the basis for justification, and the place of imputation in justification. This booklet makes for an accessible introduction to this central doctrine.  Justification  offers a thoughtful explanation for point 8 of the Gospel Coalition’s Confessional Statement. The coalition is an evangelical renewal movement dedicated to a Scripture-based reformation of ministry practices. 

Genres: Theology, Christian

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2011

About the author

Philip Graham Ryken is Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, where he has preached since 1995. He is Bible Teacher for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, speaking nationally on the radio program Every Last Word. Dr. Ryken was educated at Wheaton College (IL), Westminster Theological Seminary (PA) and the University of Oxford (UK), from which he received his doctorate in historical theology. He lives with his wife (Lisa) and children (Joshua, Kirsten, Jack, Kathryn, and Karoline) in Center City, Philadelphia. When he is not preaching or spending time with his family, he likes to read books, play sports, and ponder the relationship between Christian faith and American culture. He has written or edited more than twenty books, including Bible commentaries on Exodus, Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Galatians.

Reviews

[Cory Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying this series so far. Great introduction, overview, or refresher.

[Mark A Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryken’s contribution to the Gospel Coalition series of booklets concerns the doctrine of justification, which holds the distinction of being the topic at the heart of the Reformation. Justification continues to be debated and contested today, largely due to the fact that Scripture assigns a prominent role to it. Ryken helps identify and explain the core tenets of this critical teaching, discussing the necessity of a righteousness from outside ourselves—a righteousness only Christ can provide.