JustificationSample

Justification by Faith Alone

Romans 5:1 NET
[1] Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

At the outset of the protestant reformation in 1517, which rode upon the wings of the ninety-five theses that Martin Luther posted on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, the doctrine of justification by faith was at the centre of the Reformation. Martin Luther strongly taught that Justification by faith is the article of the whole Christian doctrine, which comprehends the understanding of all godliness. By this, he meant that justification by faith alone is the focus and the heartbeat of the Christian faith and doctrine, such that our practice of the Christian faith rises and falls on our understanding of justification by faith alone.

"Justification by faith is the heart of the gospel" - John Piper. The gospel is all about how God justifies sinners by faith in His Son. Our text reveals something revolutionary; by faith we have been declared righteous before God, therefore we are now at peace with God. Our sins are forgiven and God is no longer angry with us. This is breathtakingly beautiful!.

In Romans 5:9, Apostle Paul echoes this awesome truth in this way:
[9] "Much more then, because we have now been declared righteous by his blood, we will be saved through him from God’s wrath."(NET) The sacrifice of Christ frees us eternally from the wrath of God when we place our faith in Christ. Our ticket into heaven and into the family of God is our faith in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us.

A lot of people are drowning in the sea of their sins and dying of condemnation simply because they do not understand that faith in Christ is the only authorised means by which they can be justified before God. Some even think that they can, by some excellent performative deeds, earn a place before God. Such thoughts must be done away with quickly, for only the performance of Christ on our behalf is worthy to earn us a seat at the table of God.

Justification by faith alone is an invitation to all men to come partake of the benevolence and mercy of God without a price. Boldly written on the invitation card are the words "COME BELIEVING!"