Being Made Right with God
Theological Definition
Scripture describes God bringing people into a right standing with him, not on the basis of earning it, but through what God has done in Christ and received by faith. Romans often uses legal-status language (“counted,” “declared,” “made right”) to explain how God can be just while welcoming the ungodly. Christians differ on how to describe the exact mechanics of this “counting,” but Romans centers it in God’s initiative and Christ’s work.
Key Occurrences in Romans
24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
25whom God set forth to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done before, in the forbearance of God;
26for the showing of his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.
27Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
29Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn`t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30if it is so that God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through faith.
31Do we then make the law of no effect through faith? Certainly not! No, we establish the law.
1What then will we say that Abraham, our forefather, has found according to the flesh?
2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not toward God.
3For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
4Now to him who works, the reward is not accounted as of grace, but as of debt.
5But to him who doesn`t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
6Even as David also pronounces blessing on the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works,
7"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, Whose sins are covered.
8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not charge with sin."
23Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,
24but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead,
25who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
1Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
2through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God`s wrath through him.
10For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.
11Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don`t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.