Reason #10 – To Provide the Basis for Our Justification
Being forgiven implies that I am guilty and my crime is not counted. Being justified implies that I have been tried and found innocent. My claim is just. I am vindicated.
We many times mix up the meanings of forgiven and justified. Forgiven means we are guilty but not charged. Justified means we have been found innocent.
We have all sinned (Rom. 3:23). We are all guilty. But forgiveness isn’t enough for God. Forgiveness means we have gone from morally negative to morally neutral. Justification means we have been made morally positive.
Forgiveness is necessary, but so is justification. Forgiveness alone is not enough.
So many things happen in that one moment when we become sons of God.
We are forgiven. We are redeemed. We are ransomed. We are adopted. We are no longer slaves to sin. We become joint heirs with Jesus. And we are justified.
Let us never forget that the basis of our justification is the Cross of Christ and nothing we can do on our own. God alone is just. And God alone justifies.