One of the problems with sharing your faith in Christ or Christianity is that people have lost their knowledge concerning Christianese. Also known as the language of Christianity. This language can be very confusing to Christians as well as non-Christians. So, today I’m going to share the Justification Definition and compare it to other related Christian terms to define the differences clearly. Read on to learn a little Christianese.
Biblical Justification Definition
Justification is a once and for always, new legal standing. The instant you believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, God forgives all your sins (past, present, future) because Jesus paid for your sins with his blood. So, God counts Jesus’ perfect obedience as yours. God accepts you as you are and gives you an innocent standing with God based on Jesus’ finished work on the cross.
When you accept Christ as Lord and Savior, that is referred to as a conversion to Christianity. The conversion formula is faith, followed by repentance because we are saved by grace alone but demonstrate our conversion through repentance. Repentance is defined as turning away from sin and trying to never commit that sin again. Unfortunately, we often don’t have the knowledge, skill, or ability to turn from all our sins instantly. This truth leads us to a word that is similar to Justification called Sanctification.
Biblical Justification Definition Compared to Sanctification
So, what is the definition of Sanctification? Sanctification is an ongoing, lifelong process. Your relationship with God develops, as your sin has less power over you, and you gradually become more and more like Jesus. God gradually changes what we’re like by the Holy Spirit’s work in you through obedience, prayer, and Bible study.
Comparison
- Justification – is instantaneous after giving yourself to Christ as your Lord and Savior.
- Sanctification – is a gradual, lifelong walk with God that builds your resistance to sin.
- Justification – is imputed or credited to you because of what Christ did for you.
- Sanctification – is imparted or communicated to you through your obedience to God’s will as revealed through Biblical scripture.
- Justification – is a new legal status of being innocent, guiltless, and forgiven by God.
- Sanctification – is the gradual development of your moral character.
- Justification – is based exclusively on what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross.
- Sanctification – grows as you obey the Holy Spirit within you and increase your knowledge of God’s will through Bible study.
- Justification – God accepts you as you are, instantly and forever, when you accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
- Sanctification – God gradually changes you as you grow in your obedience to His will and in the knowledge of who God wants you to be through Bible study.
Biblical Justification Definition Conclusion
I hope you learned a little Christianese today. Knowing that Justification is God pronouncing you Not Guilty is His perfect plan to open heaven to you. Specifically, because nothing sinful or unclean can enter heaven, it’s also great to know that God grants you access to heaven, but also expects you to be sanctified. You are to set yourself apart from the rest of the world as a willing servant of God. You don’t just accept your prize of justification and say, “Yahoo, I made it!” God also expects you to be sanctified. In other words, growing in your knowledge and faith as you daily walk in obedience to God’s will, as clearly revealed in the Bible.
Justification comes first and is the most important. You genuinely and with your whole being accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and God instantly pronounces you, Not Guilty. No one gets to heaven without justification. So, be justified through Christ and then follow it up with a life devoted to sanctification. It’s God’s will and well worth the effort!
