Why is Christ's sacrifice central to justification?

At the heart of justification lies the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ, which is central to the gospel. The sermon outlines that Christ was made sin and a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). Through His death on the cross, He took on the punishment we deserved and fulfilled the law's requirement for righteousness. This act of propitiation ensures that by believing in Him, we are declared righteous before God (Romans 3:25). As such, justification is not merely a legal declaration but a transformation rooted in what Christ accomplished in His substitutionary atonement. This emphasizes the importance of Christ's sacrifice in making a way for us to stand justified before a holy God.