so what is justification

Ok - I know that I get redundant but remember - this blog is for me, if you benefit from it as well, cool, if not, you got what you paid for.

That aside, a few weeks ago I began leading my small group through Search for Significance (well not actually the book but using the key Scriptures outlined in the book for discussion). Yes I also know that some think this book is heresy but what can I say, find me something that hasn't been accused on the internet of heresy and I will be amazed. I plan to take a 4-5 week break to cover some other stuff but I want to post some stuff on what we already reviewed.

The first lie: I must meet certain standards to feel good about myself. That is the Performance Trap, i.e., the fear of failure. God's truth in this regard is justification. Justification is an act of God’s free grace, in which he pardons all our sins, accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.

From the Westminster Confession of Faith, XI.1

Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.

Justification comes from the law court, where “to justify” is a declarative verb. In its theological sense, justification is the legal declaration of my righteousness before God. This is not on the basis of our own merit, but only on the merit of Jesus Christ. God declared that the righteousness of Christ belongs to the one who has faith in Christ.

My group responded to this concept just as so many before them. Before we come to Christ, Satan works to convince us that we are good enough. Afterward he works to convince us that we are not. The group struggled with (1) that we could really be considered righteous and (2) that their works had no place in that.

To help I used the old "base layer" on a painting analogy. That is that Biblical principles are like a painting. There are some foundational truths that need to be settled and allowed to dry before the rest of the painting can be done. If they aren't there, the picture is incomplete. If they aren't allowed to dry, the picture is blurry. Works is an important element of the Christian life but if I try to paint that in before justification by faith is dried, I have a mess. Many Christians live in that mess.

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