Romans 4--What is Justification?

It was a hot, August day in Istanbul Turkey. I was leading a short-term missions team on a project there. I was fed up by my high-maintenance, low stamina, quick to grumble team. I was so frustrated. My roommate, a seminary professor took me out to the only place in Istanbul (that I knew of) that made real American coffee at the time. He said to me words that I will never forget. “Do you know what is wrong with these people? (thankfully he did not give me time to answer) They don’t understand the difference between their justification and their sanctification.”

At that point, that wasn’t just their problem. It was mine also. I didn’t know the difference and it was my spiritual life. Do you? Do you understand the how God has given you the gift of both justification and sanctification and how they differ?

This is a large degree what Paul is getting at in this chapter and the next few chapters of Romans. Simply speaking, our justification and sanctification are both gifts that we receive through our union with Christ. Our union with Christ is another way of saying we are “in Christ” or have a relationship with Him. This is how justification and sanctification differ: Our justification is our legal declaration that we are innocent (of transgression) and righteous (having displayed full obedience) before God. At the cross, Jesus identifies with us and takes our guilt and unrighteousness. His death is the due penalty for sin. Not only that, but also we take his legal status of being fully innocent and fully righteous. In a sense, we trade our legal status. This justification is the grounds of our acceptance before God. That is why we can pray in Jesus’ name—not in our righteousness, but in his name by which we can stand before God (Heb 4:18)

Sanctification is spoken of in two ways through scripture. First, it speaks of a definite state where we are set apart and made holy to God—similar to the way the Temple or a Priest would have been (Hebrews 10:10). Secondly, scripture teaches us about progressive sanctification. This is our day to day Spiritual growth (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

When we mix up the two, we equate our acceptance before God based upon our progress in sanctification. This makes our sin hang heavy upon us for we cannot feel or experience the wonder of forgiveness. It makes us unwilling to enter into the presence of God. We assume our entrance ticket to his presence is based upon our performance rather than Christ’s performance.

This chapter shows us that grace has always come first--ever since Abraham. He was credited with righteousness before he ever fulfilled any law. Yet, from a well of acceptance, wonder and grace, Abraham not only submitted himself and his sons to circumcision (Paul uses as representative of the law), but displayed the faith that would trust God with everything that is dear to him (Gen 22). Abraham was justified by faith and then fulfilled the law later. If we base our relationship with God based upon how well we perform, we misunderstand Christian faith, and set aside the grace of God in the death of Christ (Galatians 2:21)

Now, let me ask you this: Does this make any sense?

Posted by Marc