Romans 5:9–We now have been justified by his blood

Chapter 10 of John Piper’s book, “50 Reasons Jesus Came to Die” talks about how Jesus came to Die to provide the basis for our justification.   Piper points out that the only way to be justified in any human court is to keep the law.   But in God’s courtroom we know we have not kept the law.

John Piper writes, “Being justified before God and being forgiven by God are not identical.  To be justified in a courtroom is not the same as being forgiven.  Being forgiven implies that I am guilty and my crime is not counted.  Being justified implies that I have been tried and found innocent.  My claim is just.  I am vindicated.  The judge says, ‘Not guilty’.”

When Jesus died on the cross, his sacrifice became the basis for God declaring us justified.  When we put our faith in Jesus, God looks at us and he sees Christ’s righteousness, thereby declaring us not guilty. Our justification is not a result of any good works that we do.  Romans 3:28 says, “We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”   If we can earn righteousness then Christ died needlessly (Galations 2:21).

Justification is not a process but a declaration in a moment in time. The verdict in God’s courtroom is that we are not guilty and we are declared righteous.  Is this because we deserve that verdict? Absolutely not.  We don’t deserve it but by God’s mercy and love for us he cancels our debt, forgives our sin…..and then goes even farther by declaring that we are righteous.  And this is all based on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.   Galations 3:27 says, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

In Romans we learn that righteousness is a gift from God.  Romans 5:17 states, “…those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

We learn in Philippians 3:9 that righteousness comes to us by faith in Jesus.  When we truly believe and place our faith in him, he declares us righteous…and justified.

Philippians 3:9
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith

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