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Portland, Oregon Church - Affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association |
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SUBJECT: Justification
QUESTION: In your Statement of Belief under the subject of Salvation, it speaks of something called “justification”, as in we are justified. What does this term mean? How are we justified?
ANSWER:
The answer for your question is found in our booklet, "Saved By Grace, OR is there something we must DO to enter the Kingdom of God?"
This booklet is located at our web site at: http://www.garnertedarmstrong.org/pubs/savedby.htm
Here is an excerpt from that booklet:
What is "Justification"?
Your dictionary says the word "justify" means: "To show to be just or right...to clear of blame or guilt; to vindicate." My dictionary even has a biblical meaning: "Justification by faith: freedom from the penalty of sin through faith in Christ" (The World Book Encyclopedia Dictionary). As I write, I have a feature on my word processor which justifies the margins on the page. That is, it forces all the letters at the beginning or the end (or both, if I desire) of a line to be exactly square; perpendicular. The word "rectified," or the expression "made right" means the same thing as "justified."
When we are wrong, we need to be "made right." When we are sinners, we need to be "justified." Justification means the forgiveness of sins that are past. It has to do with the removal, through God’s grace, of our past sins!
When we repent of sin, which is the breaking of God’s laws, God says He will forgive us. When He has forgiven us, we are then justified: made right, straightened out, rectified—forgiven!
Then what? Does this mean we are then free to go out and do the very same things we just repented of? Of course not! However, when we have been forgiven, God expects us to live a life of overcoming!
Here is a most vital point concerning the "grace versus works" arguments of so many nominal Christians. Millions have become convinced that there is nothing they must do in order to be saved. Instead of understanding that salvation is as the result of God’s loving grace, and that His grace forgives us from our past sins, they believe there is no obedience toward God required! Some have gone so far as to say once they have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, they cannot sin!
How utterly ridiculous! Because one has believed Jesus Christ died for our sins; believed he or she should accept Him as Savior, does this mean that lying, cheating, stealing, or even murder are completely overlooked?
Never forget that repentance and the forgiveness of sins is but the first step in becoming a child of God! Why would Jesus Christ urge us to overcome if there is nothing further we must do once we have accepted Him as Savior?
He said, "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
"And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father" (Revelation 2:26, 27). Keeping Christ’s works unto the end means holding fast to His teaching and His example. It means not only believing in the mighty works He accomplished here on earth, but continuing in His work during our entire Christian lifetime.
Over and over again, your Bible says we must live a life of struggling against sin; a life of striving to overcome sin.
Some of Christ’s most important parables dealt with how we are to overcome. Christ showed that God judges each of us according to our own individual talents and abilities; that each of us is to be rewarded in His Kingdom according to what we do with what we have.
Notice, "He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
"And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
"But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. [Note this carefully! They would not obey. They detested government!].
"And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
"Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
"And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. "And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
"And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
"And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
"For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
"And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
"Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
"And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
"(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
"For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
"But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me" (Luke 19:12-27).
This is a profound parable. Clearly, Christ showed that the man who doubled his money with only five pounds (the King James English Bible uses the English "pound sterling" instead of dollars, or Hebrew coin) accomplished just as much as the man who doubled his money with ten pounds. The only difference was in their natural gifts; their natural several abilities.
The attitude of the enemies was one of rebellion against laws. They resented any rulership over them. Christ shows those who rebel against God as the RULER are to be slain.
Notice that each one of the servants was GIVEN a certain amount. Salvation is GIVEN of God through Christ’s sacrifice. But once God has freely GIVEN us forgiveness and salvation because of His loving grace and mercy, He expects us to live a life of overcoming. The servants were each given a gift of money. They didn’t earn it. But after receiving the free gift, they were expected to produce; to use the gift they had received.
The parable clearly shows that we are to "Grow in grace and knowledge"; that we are to overcome when we have been converted.
The parable of the "talents" is a similar example (Matthew 25:14-30).
In the famous "Sermon on the mount," Jesus Christ showed there is struggle and difficulty involved in overcoming. He clearly showed some would seek to enter in to His kingdom, and would not be able. His words are completely incompatible with the concept of "no works" following our repentance and baptism.
Christ said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
"Because strait [meaning difficult, tortuous] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:13, 14). A little later in this passage, He said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [lawlessness]" (Matthew 7:21-23).
These rebellious, lawless ones have works, whether they know it or not, but their works are "works of lawlessness," or rebellion toward God’s laws, not the good works God wants to see in our lives.
Millions call Jesus Christ "Lord." They continually speak of how they "love the Lord," and become emotional about "praising the Lord." Jesus Christ asks of all these: "And why call ye me ‘Lord, Lord’ and DO NOT THE THINGS
WHICH I SAY?" (Luke 6:46). |
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Portland, Oregon Church - Affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association |