Soteriology
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
We have discussed in prior weeks that salvation may be understood under the analogies of redemption and conversion. This week we think about salvation in terms of justification. This helps explain how God responds when sinners repent and trust Christ as Savior.
Romans 3:26 tells us God is “the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Two verses later the same passage sets forth the conclusion “that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (v. 28). Two chapters later Romans adds as a summary truth: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:1).
What are we to draw from these and other passages about the meaning of justification? We might put it like this: Justification is God’s immediate response to a repentant sinner who trusts Christ. God then chooses to view our sins as forgiven and to view Christ’s perfect righteousness as accredited to us, thereby declaring for time and eternity that He counts us righteous in His sight.
Justification is an analogy that draws its meaning from a court of law. When all the evidence has been presented, a verdict is rendered. The result of that verdict determines the accused person’s legal standing in the eyes of the law — either innocent or guilty.
‘Not guilty’
We speak of a verdict of innocence as acquittal, or a release from all charges against the accused person. As believers in Christ we stand before God as sinners who have been acquitted. God has declared us “not guilty.” The potential penalty that belongs to a guilty person will not be imposed.
The amazing thing about this analogy is that we, as sinners, are in fact very guilty. All have sinned; none are innocent. The heart of the gospel is that Christ has taken our guilty verdict upon Himself so that God the Righteous Judge might declare us “innocent.” The Bible refers to this as being justified before God.
Not only does justification mean we are acquitted of all charges, along with their rightful penalty, but also that we are fully accepted into right standing before God. The dark cloud of divine condemnation has been lifted and God has credited Christ’s perfect righteousness to our account.
‘Accepted in the Beloved’
The Bible puts the matter simply, declaring that by God’s grace we “are accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6). When we think about being justified with God, we rightfully hold in mind the twin ideas of “acquitted” and “accepted.” Henceforth God views us as fully pardoned, just as if we had never sinned at all. Not only does God pronounce the guilty to be innocent, He also reinstates us to His favor and privilege. He fully accepts those whom He fully acquits.
Bearing our sins
That God is just when He justifies the ungodly is explained by pointing us to His Son who became our Savior by bearing our sins in His body on the tree (1 Pet. 2:24).
God no longer counts us guilty because Christ has taken the legal consequences of our sin upon Himself on our behalf.
God remains perfectly just in upholding sin’s penalty while at the same time not exacting that penalty upon those of us who trust Jesus.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Jerry Batson is a retired Alabama Baptist pastor who also has served as associate dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University and professor of several schools of religion during his career.
Share with others: