From Paul's letter to the Romans, explain the term Justification and state the conditions for its achievement.

Answer Details

Justification in Paul's letter to the Romans

In his letter to the Romans, Paul teaches that justification is the gracious act of God by which He declares a sinner righteous and acquits him of guilt, accepting him into a right relationship with Himself. It is a legal or judicial pronouncement in which God, the righteous Judge, treats the believing sinner as though he had never sinned.

Paul argues that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, both Jew and Gentile, so that no one can be justified by his own works or by keeping the law; the law only makes people conscious of sin. Therefore justification cannot be earned; it is a free gift.

He teaches that a person is "justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith." Thus justification is grounded in the atoning death and resurrection of Christ, who was "put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification." Paul cites Abraham as the example: Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness" - he was justified by faith, not by works or circumcision.

The result of justification is peace with God: "Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Conditions for its achievement

1. Faith in Jesus Christ - one is justified by faith apart from works of the law; the sinner must believe in Christ and in His atoning death and resurrection.
2. The grace of God - justification is a free, unmerited gift of God's grace, not something earned by human effort.
3. Repentance and turning from sin - the sinner must acknowledge his sinfulness and turn to God.
4. Redemption through the blood of Christ - it is achieved only through the sacrificial death of Jesus, who bore the penalty of sin.