A Brief Bible Study |
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Your Bible Lesson For The Day
Who Actually Receives Justification?
Imagine yourself in a Bible class I am teaching. During the class I say, “I am going to give each of you a check for $1,000. At the end of our class pick up your check.” Most of the class do not believe that I would give everyone a $1,000, so they do not pick up their check. You and a few others, however, do believe me and pick up your check, cash it, and receive $1,000. Now I offered a $1,000 to everyone, but who actually received it? Those who believed me, right?
So it is in the kingdom of God. God offers justification and the forgiveness of sins to everyone, but only those who believe it receive it. The following two verses teach you this biblical truth.
Romans 3:28 says, “We are of the opinion, therefore, that a person is declared righteous by faith without works of law.” The words ‘declared righteous” is another translation for the Greek word “justified”. How does this verse say a person is declared righteous and justified? By faith! The one who believes it receives it.
Romans 3:21,22 state, “But now a righteousness of God apart from law has been made known, . . . that is a righteousness of God by means of faith in Jesus Christ, for all those who believe.” The righteousness of God is that righteousness that God credits to a person, which is another way of saying God declares the person righteous and justifies him. And that righteousness comes to a person through faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in him. So who actually receive justification and are declared righteous and forgiven? Those who believe in Jesus.
God offers justification and the forgiveness of sins to everyone, but the only ones who actually receive it are the ones who believe in Jesus. The ones who believe receive.
This biblical teaching is called subjective, or personal, justification. Through his faith the believer applies to himself personally God’s objective, or universal, justification that God offers to everyone. He believes it, so he receives it. The same is true for you.
So it is in the kingdom of God. God offers justification and the forgiveness of sins to everyone, but only those who believe it receive it. The following two verses teach you this biblical truth.
Romans 3:28 says, “We are of the opinion, therefore, that a person is declared righteous by faith without works of law.” The words ‘declared righteous” is another translation for the Greek word “justified”. How does this verse say a person is declared righteous and justified? By faith! The one who believes it receives it.
Romans 3:21,22 state, “But now a righteousness of God apart from law has been made known, . . . that is a righteousness of God by means of faith in Jesus Christ, for all those who believe.” The righteousness of God is that righteousness that God credits to a person, which is another way of saying God declares the person righteous and justifies him. And that righteousness comes to a person through faith in Jesus Christ. This is true for all who believe in him. So who actually receive justification and are declared righteous and forgiven? Those who believe in Jesus.
God offers justification and the forgiveness of sins to everyone, but the only ones who actually receive it are the ones who believe in Jesus. The ones who believe receive.
This biblical teaching is called subjective, or personal, justification. Through his faith the believer applies to himself personally God’s objective, or universal, justification that God offers to everyone. He believes it, so he receives it. The same is true for you.
