Salvation Series : Lesson #6

Words Associated With Salvation (Part 1)

In this lesson and also the other parts of this lesson we are going to be looking at words that are used when the subject of salvation is being discussed or taught from the Bible. These words are associated with salvation and are also very important to understanding salvation.

There is not much teaching or preaching done today on these words, which is one of the reasons that many people do not understand salvation. This is also probably one of the reasons for there being so many false teachings concerning the subject of salvation. In this lesson we are going to cover just one word associated with salvation and it is Justification.

Justification : (Romans 4:24 through Romans 5:1)

Before we begin teaching about justification we will look at a definition of the word.

Justification – the act whereby God declares a person righteous even though they are not.

 By this definition, when a person is saved, they are seen righteous by God even though they were sinners.

Why does a person need to be justified?

This is the easy part to understand because the word of God says “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If you have ever even committed just one sin, that makes you a sinner. Being a sinner you are therefore guilty before God.

Now God is Holy, Just, and Righteous so he cannot overlook sin. The only way to get to Heaven is going to be that you must be justified or somehow seen as righteous in the eyes of God. Many say that their good works make them righteous but as we will see shortly a man is not justified by works. Remember if you could earn salvation then why did Jesus die on the cross for your sins? Others may say that I am a good person, the word of says there is none righteous no not one and there is none that doeth good no not one. (Romans 3:10-12) So the bottom line is to get to heaven you are going to have to be justified to get there.

How is a person justified?

We are justified by faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:9 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Acts 13:39 “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, the we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

The above verses plainly show that a person is not justified by works but by faith. Therefore the moment that a person asks God to save them, trusting in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are saved and justified in the sight of God.

The next question will be how can God do this? It does look at first like God is overlooking sin but he is not. This is where the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ comes in. When Jesus got on the cross he bore our sins in his own body (1 Peter 2:24). He took our place and suffered everything that a sinner would suffer. He became sin for us as the word of God says so that we could become righteous. The reason that God can justify us is because that even though we have committed sin, the Lord Jesus Christ has paid for those sins. Therefore God is not overlooking sin it is already paid for. This is also why you cannot earn salvation because Jesus paid the price and only through faith in him can you be justified. A verse that describes this very well is given below.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Now the “he” in that verse is God and the “him” is the Lord Jesus Christ. This verse explains it perfectly. When we get saved we receive the righteousness that is in the Jesus therefore God sees us as righteous because of Jesus righteousness not our own. And he does not see our sin because Jesus has paid the price for it. This is an amazing thing, in a since as a result of sin we have the death penalty on us but Jesus took our place and died for us and now through faith in him we can live. Amen!!!

What are the results of Justification?

As a result of being justified by God we have great blessing. One we are seen as righteous even though we are not (2 Corinthians 5:21). Number two, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1), that is we are no longer at odds or separated from God as a result of our sin. Last of all we are saved from wrath through being justified by the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9).  

Salvation Series : Lesson #6 Handout

Words Associated With Salvation (Part 1)

1)  What is a good passage for looking at the word Justification?

2)  What is a good definition for Justification?

3)  Why do we need justification?

4)  When and how are we justified? Give a reference.

5)  Why can the Lord Jesus take our place and we be Justified even though we are sinners?

6)  List 3 results of our Justification. Give a reference for each.