Justification is the Gift from God, not Free-Will

Romans 3:10-11 says that “Not one is just” — not even one.

Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Paul says these things to get people to understand that no human can be just without God. So, why do religious people always claim to have done something to make themselves earn this justification that no human can do anything to attain?

Many people say that although God loves us, He is just and holy. Therefore, no unjust person can be in His presence. Exactly! But, Paul explains that it is God that provides the justification through Christ’s faith, death for sin, entombment, and resurrection. The ‘human free-will’ argument just moves the goal post so that justification is earned through ‘human choice.’

God justifies the sinner and the irreverent because the justification is Christ’s work. Christians claim to make a reverent choice because they believe justification is based on this and not on Christ. So in truth, the issue is not whether a person is just or not. But instead, the issue is how a person is justified. Christians believe that justification comes through human free will, where scripture says it comes through Christ.

The truth is that every judgement of God on a creature leads to the creature’s ultimate justification. Why? Because all justification is Christ’s work. God’s justice is not separate from His love as if humans need to choose one or the other. God’s judgement and justice run through His love ending in justification for all.

Grace and peace.