William Cody Bateman  

“But no, rather, I also count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them to be dung, so that I may win Christ and be found in Him; not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God by faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death; if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead.” Philippians 3:8-11

In its theological sense, justification might be seen as a purely legal term. It describes what God declares about the believer, not what He does to change the believer.

In fact, justification effects no actual change whatsoever in the sinner’s nature or character. Justification is a divine judicial edict from God Himself. It changes our status only, but it carries ramifications that guarantee other changes will follow.

Similarly, when a jury foreman reads the verdict, the defendant is no longer “the accused.” Legally and officially he instantly becomes either guilty or innocent-depending on the verdict. Nothing in his actual nature changes, but if he is found not guilty he will walk out of court a free person in the eyes of the law, fully justified.

In biblical terms, justification is a divine verdict of “not guilty - fully righteous.” It is the reversal of God’s attitude toward the sinner. Whereas He formerly condemned, He now vindicates. Although the sinner once lived under God’s wrath, as a believer he or she is now under God’s blessing!

Justification is more than simple pardon; pardon alone would still leave the sinner without merit before God. So when God justifies He imputes divine righteousness to the sinner:

“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for him alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also to whom it is to be imputed, to the ones believing on Him who has raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered because of our offenses and was raised for our justification.” Romans 4:22-25

Christ’s own infinite merit thus becomes the ground on which the believer stands before God:

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5:19

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; so that, according as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” I Corinthians 1:30-31

“so that I may win Christ and be found in Him; not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God by faith,” Philippians 3:9

So justification elevates the believer to a realm of full acceptance and divine privilege in Jesus Christ.

Therefore, because of justification, believers not only are perfectly free from any charge of guilt (Romans 8:33) but also have the full merit of Christ reckoned to their personal account (Romans 5:17). Here are the forensic realities that flow out of justification: