2013 Doctrine Series #5 – Justification (Forgiveness)

In our last article we saw how we all have a sin problem.  Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  And that is bad news for us because as Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.”  That is not only physical death but also spiritual death.  Yes, that means hell!  As I write these very words I am listening to coverage of the bombing at the Boston Marathon.  We live in an evil world!
Our sin is a problem because God is holy.  God is holy and God’s standard for us is holiness.  1 Peter 1:16 says, “It is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”  Jesus says in Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Sinful people cannot be in a relationship with a holy God, at least not without help.  Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”   Habakkuk 1:13 says, “Your [God’s] eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on wrongdoing.”  God cannot even look at us in our sin.
That is where the doctrine of justification or atonement comes in.  Through justification God offers a way for our sin to be dealt with and for us to be forgiven and restored to a relationship with God.
In the Old Testament God instituted a system of animal sacrifices in order to atone for sin.  This was to prove the point that sin has deadly consequences.  Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
This sets the stage for what God has done through his Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus died on the cross, shed his blood, so that we could be forgiven for our sins and our relationship with God could be restored.  This happens when we accept Jesus as our Savior.
God forgives us for all of our past sins when we accept Christ.  God wants us to not sin but if we do sin, God is always ready and willing to forgive us if we confess and repent.  1 John 1:8-2:2 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
In the next few months we will be talking in more depth about Jesus and who he is and what he has done.  Please check back.