7.1 Justification

Romans 4:5 teaches us that God’s salvation is available only to those who do not work for it, but simply, “believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly.” The word Justifieth has a few different forms: Justifieth, Justified, Justify. A simple definition is to be made ‘just as if I had’ never sinned. A more complete definition is ‘to render just or innocent’ or ‘to declare or pronounce one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be’. So when a person is justified, that person is pronounced to be innocent, righteous, or such as he ought to be. We ought to obey the commandments. This is a fact. God requires that we keep the law perfectly in what do, what we say, and even what we think. None of us can do this. We are ungodly.

7.2 God Justifies the Ungodly

The good news is that God justifies the ungodly! But not by the law. Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” You cannot be justified by the law. That is not the purpose of the law. The law was given so that you could know what sin is. This is another reason why doing good works, or keeping the Ten Commandments cannot save you, it cannot justify you. Romans 4:5, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

7.3 Belief and Faith

Romans 4:5 tells us that by believing “on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Faith is simply believing what God said. Faith is the noun form. Believing is the verb form. When a person believes God, that is faith. Our faith is shown when we believe God. Romans 4:3,“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” We see here that Abraham believed God. The result was that it was counted unto him for righteousness. Abraham did not have righteousness before this for he was a sinner just like we are. But he believed God, and God counted his faith for righteousness. Romans 4:9, “Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.” Abraham is also called righteous in Romans 4:9. It was because of his faith. His faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. Reckoned means that Abraham’s faith counted for righteousness. So if you believe “on him that justifieth the ungodly” your belief or faith is counted for righteousness, and God will justify you. This act by God makes you innocent of sin. It means you can be forgiven of any and all sin. That is the Gospel. The word Gospel means Good News.

7.4 The Gospel

1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “(1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” Here the Gospel is fully explained. It is that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried and he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Do you agree with the scripture that you are a sinner? Do you agree with the scripture that your sin has separated you from God? Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Jesus has paid the price for your sin by dying on that cross. Do you believe this? The payment Jesus made is so complete that all a person needs to do is to believe. Salvation is by faith (believing) that Jesus paid for your sin.

7.5 Look and Live

In the Old Testament in the days of Moses, the nation of Israel sinned. God sent deadly serpents and many people died when bitten by these snakes. God also provided a way to be saved from the deadly bite of these snakes. It was a brass serpent on a pole. When a person was bitten, all that person had to do was to look to the brass serpent on the pole and he would live. Often people only look at God’s judgment. They forget God’s acts of mercy and grace. The people deserved to die, but God gave them a way to live. Simply look and you will live. Nothing more was required. Simply LOOK and LIVE. Jesus talks about this in John 3:14-16, “(14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus used this story in the Old Testament to teach about how a person can be saved. It is through looking to Jesus, believing in Jesus. As the brass serpent was lifted up in the story, so Jesus must be lifted up today that men and women bitten by sin and dying can LOOK and LIVE.

7.6 The Atonement

Romans 5:9-11, “(9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (11) And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” The Word atonement means an exchange or restoration to favor. In Adam, mankind has lost favor with God because of sin. Now through Jesus Christ alone mankind can again have favor with God. God requires a payment for sin. However Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and his shed blood justifies all who will believe. Jesus lived a perfect life. Jesus was without sin. Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sin and mine. Jesus rose that third day. Jesus offers you eternal life. Though the body will still die, all those who call upon Jesus will never experience the second death. When they die they will not go to the lake of fire. Jesus offers life. It is an exchange. This is what the word atonement means. Jesus takes your life, your sin, your foolishness, your pride, your transgression. Jesus takes your punishment of death, because he loves you. It is you and I that should have to pay for our sin, but Jesus paid it all. But that is not all. Jesus then gives us His life.

7.7 A Personal Choice

Do you agree with God and believe that you are a sinner? Do you agree with God and realize that your sins have condemned you to the Lake of Fire (Hell)? Do you agree with God that your good works cannot get you into heaven? Do you agree with God that Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) paid for your sin debt when he died according to the scriptures? Do you believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead that third day as the scripture (the Bible) says? If you believe these things let me ask you one more question. Are you willing to call on Jesus Christ to save your soul? It is a decision to trust in the work of Jesus Christ to save you and to forsake your own good deeds as being able to save you. If you would like to call on Jesus to save you, I would ask you to talk with God in prayer. Tell God you agree that you are a sinner, and call upon Jesus to save you from that sin. Acknowledge that your ‘good’ works are worthless and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone. Romans 10:9-13, “(9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

7.8 A New Life

If you have called upon Jesus in faith, believing those truths about Jesus in section 7.7, God’s promise is that you are saved. Once saved you are now a child of God. This is the beginning of a new life “in Christ Jesus”. The most important need you now have is to learn more about Jesus and how a follower of Jesus is to live. We want to help you get off to the right start. If you have called on Jesus to save you, or even if you would just like more Bible Studies like this one, click on this link and send us a messege: Our Contact Form  

Section 7 Study Questions:

Questions from section 7.1:

What does the word justify mean?

Who will God Justify?

Why are we all ungodly?

Questions from section 7.3:

What is a simple definition of Faith?

 

What does God look for in a person?

 

What did God do for Abraham ?

 

What does God do when we believe on Him, or trust in Him alone for salvation?

Questions from section 7.4:

What is the Gospel?

 

How does a person receive salvation from Jesus Christ?

Questions from section 7.5:

What solution did God provide the people in the days of Moses to cure the poison of the deadly serpents?

 

What did the people need to do to be healed?

 

What did Jesus say that this story represented?

 

What does the deadly poison of the snakes bites represent?

 

What does the serpent on the pole represent?

Questions from section 7.6:

What does the word atonement mean?

 

How is the death of Jesus on the cross an atonement or an exchange?

 

What did Jesus get in this exchange?

 

What does Jesus offer in this exchange (or atonement)?

 

Did Jesus die for the problem of our first death or our second death?

Questions from section 7.7:

What must a person do to be saved?

Questions from section 7.8:

Once a person is saved what should they do?