In the New Testament, we find statements about justification
which, at first glance, may appear difficult to reconcile. We have
met some of these already. For instance: ‘Having been justified by
faith, we have peace with God’ (Rom. 5:1). Justification by faith.
And yet, a few verses later the apostle declares: ‘Having now been
justified by [Christ’s] blood’ (Rom. 5:9). Justification by the blood
of Christ. Yet again, in the closing verse of the previous chapter,
the apostle states that Christ ‘was raised for our justification’ (Rom.
4:25). Justification in the resurrection of Christ. And, going back to
Romans 5:9, what Paul goes on to say is: ‘Much more then, having
now been justified by [Christ’s] blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through him’ (Rom. 5:9). Believers are ‘eagerly waiting for
the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm
[them] to the end, that [they] may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Cor. 1:7-8); that is, justification at the final
judgement. And, of course, at the root of it all, we have God’s
eternal decree to justify his elect through Christ. |
