Salvation – 1 of 3

Past Event – Justification

We serve a triune God—three persons with three distinct personalities. Should it be a surprise that He offers salvation with three distinct aspects?

Salvation is the result of an individual decision to accept a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). The sinner comes to God with nothing to offer—the only part we have in salvation is that we did the sinning! But while the gift of God is available to all, it must be personally accepted. Regarding the Cross, Dr. C.I. Scofield once remarked, “The thief was saved that none should despair; but only one that none should presume.”

Salvation is an event, a specific point in time, when a sinner is transformed into a saint! Think of the winner of a large lottery sum. There is a point in time when they learn that they have won the lottery. Yet knowing about their winnings is of no value unless they claim their winnings. Knowing about Christ’s free gift of salvation is good—but of no practical value until His free gift is accepted. At the point when any person accepts the gift of salvation, they pass from being spiritually dead to eternally alive. Now that is an event worth noting!

The source of justification is God.
The cost of justification is Christ’s blood.
The principle of justification is grace.
The way of justification is faith.
The proof of justification is a changed life and good works.

At the point of salvation we are “justified,” which is a gracious act of God in which He declares us righteous. Such a declaration is only possible by accepting the free gift of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf at the Cross of Calvary. Because of our faith in Christ, God not only declares us righteous but removes the guilt and penalty of sin because His Son has paid the price of our sin. Justification makes it “just as if I had never sinned.”

“He accomplishes, in those who believe, everything that the Law of Moses could never make good on. But everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God. ‘Don't take this lightly’ ” (Acts 13:39-40, The Message). “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16, NKJV).