The Glocal Church

I was recently reading one of John Piper’s books in which he conveyed the biblical truth that God does not transform people into a “Just” people, but rather, through Christ’s atonement for our sins, He “declared” Christ followers as “Just.” Much like a judge, through Christ’s substitutionary death for our sins on the cross, God declared us “just,” as we accept Christ as Lord, through faith.

The Apostle Paul clarified this powerful biblical axiom in Romans. He wrote the following: “righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe….for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:22-24

There are 2 key words in this text in which Paul used to provide clarity.

1st) The Greek word “justified” in verse 24 actually translates as “a decision rendered by a court.” Paul painted a picture of humanity on trial, with God as Judge, and Christ as our defender. Through Christ’s defense or sacrificial atonement, we are “Declared Just.” One must also consider the fact that…God does not transform our depraved and sin-soaked hearts into hearts that are justified. If he did, then sin would have never entered the world, and we would not know sin. However, Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin, so that we could be “Declared Just” by God.

2) The original Greek word translated as “redemption” in verse 24, actually portrays the action of someone buying the freedom of a slave, or more specifically, all humanity, held bondage to sin.

Justification comes “through” Faith, and ”by” a Declaration of Justification for sinners. We are saved through faith in Christ, and by the grace of a loving God who declares us just.