The Ground of a Sinner's Justification

Questions Answered in This Article

What does the Bible say about justification?

Justification is based on the perfect obedience and meritorious death of Christ.

The Bible teaches that a sinner's justification is grounded in both the perfect obedience of Christ and His sacrificial death. According to Scripture, neither aspect is sufficient on its own; His obedience must satisfy the law's precept, while His death must fulfill the law's penalty. This dual necessity underscores the profound nature of Christ's role as our Substitute, ensuring that the demands of divine justice are fully met on our behalf, thus allowing us to be declared righteous before God.

1 Corinthians 1:30, Romans 3:26

What does the Bible say about justification?

The Bible teaches that justification is through the perfect obedience and sacrificial death of Christ.

Justification is a central theme in scripture that highlights how sinners are declared righteous before God. The perfect obedience of Christ and His meritorious death were both necessary as the ground of a sinner's justification. This means that neither Christ's obedience nor His death alone would suffice; they are interconnected and both essential. Romans 5:18 states, 'just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.' Thus, through Christ’s obedience to the law and His atoning death, believers are justified.

Romans 5:18

How do we know Christ's death is necessary for our justification?

Christ's death is essential to satisfy the penalty of the law for our sins.

The necessity of Christ's death for justification is rooted in the requirement of God’s law that the penalty for sin must be endured. The Scriptures affirm that the law not only demands perfect obedience but also requires that the penalty for breaking the law be paid. Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, it is only through the substitutionary death of Christ that the divine debt incurred by sin can be fully paid. Thus, His death not only honors the law but also ensures that believers can be justified.

Romans 3:23-26, Isaiah 53:5

How do we know that Christ's death is necessary for our justification?

Christ's death is necessary because it satisfies the penalty of the law that sinners have incurred.

Christ's death fulfills the requirement of the law that sinners have broken, which underscores its necessity for justification. As the passage explains, the law must be honored, and the penalty incurred by the sinner must be endured by the Substitute. Therefore, without His sacrificial death, there is no resolution for the broken law, and hence, no justification is possible. This is affirmed in Hebrews 9:22, which states, 'without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.' Christ's atoning sacrifice is crucial for the restoration of our relationship with God.

Hebrews 9:22

Why is Christ's obedience important for Christians?

Christ's obedience is crucial as it satisfies the law's demands for righteousness.

The obedience of Christ holds paramount importance for Christians because it fulfills the righteous requirement of the law. According to the gospel, it is the one who perfectly keeps the law's precepts who is justified. Therefore, Christ's perfect obedience is not an optional aspect of His redemptive work; it is essential for granting believers a righteous standing before God. This obedience ensures that Christ is both our righteousness and our substitute, underscoring the depth of grace believers receive through faith in Him.

Romans 5:19, Philippians 2:8

Why is Christ's obedience important for our justification?

Christ's obedience is crucial because the law justifies the obedient, not the punished.

The importance of Christ’s obedience in the context of justification cannot be overstated. The law requires that it is the obedient who are justified, which makes Christ's perfect adherence to the law essential. His life of obedience demonstrates what is required to satisfy divine justice. As stated, 'it is the obedient and not the punished that the law justifies.' Thus, Christ’s obedience is not merely an ancillary aspect of His mission; it is fundamental to our justification and righteousness before God. We see in 1 Corinthians 1:30 that Christ is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, illustrating the holistic nature of His work.

1 Corinthians 1:30