Justified by faith

If something is very clear to us, it is that we are terrible sinners. The human mind is corrupted from Eden, and we needed someone who could give us back that closeness to God that we lost, but not just anyone could help us, but God Himself was required to justify our sins and give us salvation.

Since the fall of man, sin has marked every aspect of human life. Our thoughts, decisions, and desires were separated from the holiness of God, and no human effort was sufficient to repair that broken relationship. Throughout history, humanity has tried to approach God through good works, rituals, and sacrifices, but none of these were enough to erase the guilt of sin or restore true communion with the Creator.

The Bible makes it clear that our condition was hopeless without divine intervention. We were not simply weak or misguided; we were spiritually dead and unable to save ourselves. That is why salvation could not come from man, religion, or moral effort. Only God Himself could provide a solution that satisfied His justice and revealed His mercy at the same time.

The Bible declares:

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Romans 5:1-3

These verses reveal one of the most beautiful truths of the gospel: justification by faith. Justification is a legal declaration made by God, in which He declares the sinner righteous, not because of personal merit, but because of the work of Jesus Christ. Through faith, God sees us clothed in the righteousness of His Son.

What does it mean that we are justified? That Christ had to die on the cross to cancel our debt, to give us the step towards God that we could not and cannot reach through works, which means that, by faith, not by works, we have returned to God and we have fellowship with Him.

The cross is the central point of our justification. There, Jesus took upon Himself the punishment that belonged to us. He bore our guilt, our shame, and our condemnation, so that we could receive forgiveness, peace, and reconciliation with God. This is why salvation is entirely a work of grace, received through faith alone.

As believers, we now enjoy peace with God. This peace is not merely a feeling or emotional calm, but a restored relationship. The hostility caused by sin has been removed, and we can now approach God with confidence, knowing that we are accepted in Christ.

Do you want to know what our glory is? Our glory is that faith that Christ died for terrible sinners like us, justified us before the Father, gave us salvation and freedom and we can fully enjoy ourselves in that.

This glory does not come from human pride, achievements, or recognition. Our only boast is in Christ and what He has done for us. Even in the midst of suffering and trials, we rejoice because we know that our salvation is secure and that God is working in us to strengthen our faith and character.

The apostle Paul teaches us that tribulations are not meaningless. God uses them to produce patience, perseverance, and spiritual maturity in our lives. When we understand that we are justified and loved by God, we can face difficulties with hope, knowing that nothing can separate us from His love.

We were guilty, worthy of eternal punishment, but Jesus died and rose for the forgiveness of our sins.

The resurrection of Christ is the final proof that our justification is complete. By rising from the dead, Jesus conquered sin and death, assuring us that those who believe in Him have eternal life. Because of this, we can live with confidence, gratitude, and hope, walking every day in the grace that God has freely given us.