Justification

Read Romans 4:25 Romans 5:16 & Romans 5:18 

What does justification mean?

Justification means to be made righteous.

What does righteous mean?

Righteous means to have a clean slate.  To have no wrongs recorded against you.  To be regarded by God as if you had never sinned.

Is justification a process or is it all or nothing?

It is all or nothing.  You cannot be half justified.

When does justification take place for us?

At Conversion, but it was achieved at the Cross.

What is the relationship between justification and salvation?

They are a package deal.  They cannot be separated.  If you are saved, you are justified and visa versa.

What is the difference between righteousness and holiness?

Holiness means to have the Character of God.  As we grow in God, we become more like Christ in our Character.  Our willingness to sin is removed.  We are able to love others.  We are able to resist temptation.  We do not retaliate maliciously when provoked.

What is the process that God uses to make us holy?

Sanctification.

How was man justified under the old covenant?

By the shedding of the blood of animals sacrificed as a sin offering.  Sin offerings only provided temporary remission of sins.  They had to be offered regularly.

Can many people be justified once and for all this way (by sin offerings)?

No, because we cannot escape our sinful nature and so we keep sinning.

How is a man justified under the new covenant?

By faith in Jesus Christ whose blood was shed on the cross to pay for our sins once and for all.  We remember this when we partake of the bread and the wine together on the Sabbath.

Why is this so much better than the old covenant?

Because Jesus died to pay for all our sins, once and for all.

The old man has been crucified with him and we are a new creation.