Justification

Justify means “to declare ‘not guilty.’” As a church body, we make this confession in This We Believe:

“We believe that God has justified all sinners, that is, he has declared them righteous for the sake of Christ. This is the central message of Scripture upon which the very existence of the church depends. It is a message relevant to people of all times and places, of all races and social levels, for ‘the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men’ (Romans 5:18). All need forgiveness of sins before God, and Scripture proclaims that all have been justified, for ‘the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men’ (Romans 5:18).”

A person does not benefit from that gracious declaration of “not guilty” or enjoy the forgiveness of sins without faith in Jesus Christ (Mark 16:16; John 8:24; Romans 3:28; 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9).