Justification

The Importance of Faith in Salvation

Read: Romans 4

A clear understanding of this idea that we are counted righteous on the basis of Christ’s righteousness and not on our own obedience is crucial for our confidence that we are right with God and that God therefore accepts us and is looking upon us in favor. If assurance of God’s favor was based upon our works, we could only have assurance if we were perfect. That means that there can be no assurance if our acceptance with God is based on our works. But if we understand the gospel we can have that assurance because Jesus’ work is perfect, and his perfect righteousness is credited to us.
— Rev. Jerry Hamstra

Sin and Grace

Read: Romans 3

All that talk about our sin and guilt and our inability to keep the law and to be justified by law-keeping – all that negative stuff paves the way for this message that we can be free from our sin and guilt and in God’s good books by receiving righteousness as a gift through faith in Jesus Christ. There is nothing more precious in all the world than being right with God and we can have that without earning it, just by receiving it by faith.
— Rev. Jerry Hamstra

Truths of the Reformation (6) Justification By Faith Alone

It is important that we see that this is a legal declaration. We have not become righteous in ourselves. We are still sinful. We have not lived a perfect life. We have lived a sinful life. But we are declared righteous. As far as our standing before God the judge is concerned we are righteous. We are counted as righteous.
— Rev. Jerry Hamstra