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Image of Salvation Essay
Jane Doe
Liberty University
THEO 104-D13: Introduction to Theology
Professor Daniel Brown
May 10th, 2021
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Introduction
The doctrine of salvation is something that is crucial for Christian’s to understand in order to
deal with the problem of sin. It is to be considered a great gift from God; without it we would be
bound to it. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (ESV). In order to fully understand the doctrine of salvation and be
free from the bondage of sin, an understanding of both the big picture and the all the biblical
images associated with salvation is needed. Justification is one of the biblical images of
salvation. By looking at the biblical, historical, and theological contours of justification a deeper
understanding of the doctrine of salvation is achieved.
Definition
The textbook describes justification as “God crediting a person the righteousness earned
by Christ” (Etzel, Small, 2020). Whether we realize it or not, all are guilty before God, and try to
deal with the guilt in different ways. Sometimes we think we can atone for our wrongdoings by
doing a lot of good things or trying to be a good person. Therefore, it is very important to note
that justification is something that cannot be earned through actions or effort, but rather is gifted
to us only from God through his grace. This is affirmed biblically in Romans 3:23-24. “For all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (ESV). Justification can also be looked at from the
perspective of a court of law. Justification does not mean that we are innocent, but rather that our
sin does not carry any weight that further separates us from God (Etzel, Gutierrez, 2015).
Throughout history the only man who did not sin was Jesus, yet after him we all still have the
same chance for our crimes to be justified through Christ and be pardoned from the death
sentence carried with sin.
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Relationship
The relationship between justification and sin is a very direct one. Without sin, there is
no need for justification. Justification comes in after someone has sinned. The sin becomes a
burden, and when the person who sinned is ready, they repent. God then acts as a judge. He then
takes the sin to the cross, and in Christ’s eyes we are once again justified. Without the pardon we
receive from sin, we are separated from God. The amazing thing is God willfully chooses to
pardon us from our sins, even though we are undeserving. Being that humanity is so
undeserving, it feels as if justification should be something that takes time to process. It seems
too good to be true that we are immediately justified before God as soon as we ask him (Gabriel,
Etzel, 2015). I believe that this shows how deep God’s grace runs, and that it is a great reminder
for Christians that we can be free from the burden of sin at any moment.
Application
Justification can be easily incorporated into the daily lives of Christians. It just takes an
understanding of how God’s grace works and taking it and applying it to our sins. As someone
who wants to be an airline pilot, I can incorporate this into my vocation by learning from my
mistakes and allowing them to make me a better pilot. Just like any normal person, no pilot is
perfect. If I live with the mentality that although I am not perfect, I can still be right my wrongs
and be justified in the eyes of God it takes a lot of pressure off me. This alleviation of pressure
allows me to fly the best that I possibly can. The stress and guilt of worrying about messing up
or beating myself up when I do makes it so much harder to perform well under pressure. Romans
5:1 tells us, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ” (ESV). Having a peaceful and confident mentality when flying also
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allows me to set a good example for others, and may open a door for conversations about why I
am the way I am. There is a lot of good that can come from knowing I am justified before God.
Conclusion
As humans, sin is inevitable. By using the coping mechanism of justification to deal with guilt
that was gifted to us by Christ, we can better live our lives as Christians. Not living with a
burden of guilt also greatly improves the quality of life. Being able to understand the big picture
of salvation starts with understanding all the aspects of it and connecting them. Everyone has
sins that carry guilt along with them, but with this gift from God Christian’s do not have to
shoulder the burden of guilt, Jesus takes it to the cross for us and allows us walk through this
life along his side. Justification is just one piece of the puzzle of salvation, but having a
complete view is what helps us to be better Christians and equips us with the knowledge to deal
with the problem of sin.
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References
Crossway. (2016). English Standard Version.
Etzel, G., & Gutierrez, B. (2015). Theology Applied: A Living Faith. B&H Academic.
Etzel, G., & Small, R. N. (2020). Everyday Theology: Exploring the Christian Faith. B&H
Academic.
