How then are you justified before God or how are you saved?

I am not justified before God through any work or merit of my own, or because of any righteousness that is within me or that has been infused into me, but I am justified solely through God’s grace and goodness, solely because of Christ’s merit, to which I cling in faith and through which I have received it for myself.

In other words:

I receive righteousness and salvation acceptable to God, because of the most holy obedience, suffering and death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and not because of the works of anyone else. This perfect fulfillment of the Law by Christ, His obedience and sacrifice, God imputes to me for my benefit through faith. The righteousness in which I am acceptable to God is not my own, but Christ’s righteousness.

Rom. 10:4: For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

Rom. 5:19: For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Is. 64:6: But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.

Is. 53:5,11: He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed... By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.

Assignment: Read Rom. 3 and 4. Note: James 2:17-26 does not speak of becoming righteous in God’s sight, but being considered righteous in the sight of men.

Why must we so firmly hold fast to the Biblical doctrine of justification?

The doctrine of justification is the chief Christian doctrine:

1. 1. Without this doctrine everything else is useless.
   

   Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved.




2. This doctrine separates the Christian Church from all false religions.
   

   Gal. 5:4: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law; ye are fallen from grace.

   
   
   All false religions teach people to seek justification before God on the basis of their own works and merits. For this reason there are so many false religions.
   
   Luther says: “These articles of the Creed, therefore, divide and separate us Christians from all other people upon earth. For all outside of Christianity, whether heathen, Turks, Jews or false Christians and hypocrites, although they would believe in, and worship one true God, yet they know not what His mind towards them is, and cannot expect any love or blessing from Him; therefore they abide in eternal wrath and damnation. For they have not the Lord, Christ, and, besides, are not illumined and favored by any gifts of the Holy Ghost.”



3. Only the Biblical doctrine of justification gives and presents to wretched sinners true, lasting and unwavering comfort in life and death.
   

   Matt. 9:2: Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.



4. This doctrine alone gives all glory to God.
   

   Ps. 115:1: Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

What do we, along with the whole true Church of Christ, teach concerning justification?

Along with the entire true Church of Christ we join the Apostle Paul in confessing: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Rom. 3:28).

Rom. 3:21-22: But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe.

Can every believer be assured of the forgiveness of sins?

Every believer in Christ can be absolutely certain of the forgiveness of his sins before God, because

1. God’s promises are firm and sure.



2 Cor. 1:20: For all the promises of God in him are yea.

Heb. 6:18: It was impossible for God to lie.

Tit. 1:2: God, that cannot lie.

2 Tim. 1:12: I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

1 Tim. 1:15: This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.




2. God has confirmed the forgiveness with an oath.
   

   Ezek. 33:11: As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.




3. The Holy Spirit has sealed the forgiveness in the hearts of believers with the Word and the Sacraments.
   

   2 Cor. 1:21-22: Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
   
   Rom. 4:11: Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.

Thus we can be certain “that neither death, nor life, nor angels or prinicipalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38,39)

Why does God forgive your sins or justify you?

I have no good work or merit because of which God would forgive my sins, but He forgives them solely by grace and solely for the sake of Christ, as a free gift.

Jer. 31:3: I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.

Eph. 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God – not of works – lest any man should boast.

Joh. 14:6: Jesus saith unto him: I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

Lutheran Confessions: “Therefore the righteousness which is imputed to faith or to the believer out of pure grace is the obedience, suffering, and resurrection of Christ, since He has made satisfaction for us to the Law and paid for (expiated) our sins.” (Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration 3:14).

Note: Even those works that we do as fruits of our faith, do not merit anything.

Luke 17:10: Likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our duty to do.

What is justification?

Jesus Christ has atoned for all the sins of all mankind and in this way has earned God’s forgiveness for all people. Thus, Christ’s resurrection from the dead is also the justification of the whole world. We call this objective justification.

2 Cor. 5:19: God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.

1 Joh. 2:2: He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Heb. 1:3: The Son... when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Jer. 23:5-6: I will raise unto David a righteous Branch... and this is the name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUNESS.

Rom. 3:23-24: All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Rom. 4:25: Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

Luther: “For He (God’s Son) has died for the sins of the whole world. Now it is most assuredly true that I too belong to the world. Therefore it is most assuredly true, that he has also died for my sins.” (On the basis of Rom. 3:28, thesis 19, from the year 1535).

God proclaims this forgiveness to me in the Word of the Gospel and in the promises of the Sacraments, from which I receive it through mere faith, solely by grace, as a free gift, without a single work or merit on my part. This faith God counts unto me for righteousness. We call this justification by faith. (subjective justification).

Rom. 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.

Rom. 4:5: To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Rom. 4:16: Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace.

Lutheran Confessions: “The word justify means to declare righteous and free from sins, and to absolve one from eternal punishment for the sake of Christ’s righteousness, which is imputed by God to faith. Phil. 3:9" (Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, 3:17).

Why do I confess: “I believe in the forgiveness of sins”?

I confess that I believe in the forgiveness of sins, because I am certain that I cannot through my own strength and works be acceptable to God and be justified in His sight, but forgiveness of sins is given to me a gift by grace through faith in Jesus. Forgiveness of sins is the same as justification.

Ps. 130:3-4: If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.

Eph. 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God – not of works – lest any man should boast.

Rom. 4:6-7: God imputeth righteousness without works, saying: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.