Salvation is the term used when talking about saving someone from sins or desire. Also,
it is about the consequences if someone were to commit a sin. Some say they are rescued or
saved by God and are guided by making choices that are better for themselves and do not fall for
temptation. Others may say that simply following God and His teachings will help you along the
way and that was your own good doing, God just simply influenced you. There are many biblical
images of salvation. One of those images is justification. Justification is the problem of human
sinfulness, and in that it is by how God gives us our path back on track. “Jesus was delivered up
for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (King James Bible, 2017, Romans 4:25).
Biblical justification is mostly redemption. Getting that second chance with God to make
your sins right. Being given the privilege to get some sort of redemption so you can be forgiven.
Some may think it is about completely changing everything about your everyday actions
throughout your day, it is not. You do not need to make a complete transformation in order to be
forgiven. As long as you make the changes that show that you are capable of being a good
person, then you will be forgiven. God knows that people will typically sin in their life, He does
not expect perfection from anyone. All you need to be is an all-around good person. Love others
and treat everyone fairly. Theological justification is more of a system. There is a lot that goes
into it and steps to it. For justification, you are to be told you are righteous, not to be made
righteous. You cannot make someone righteous, but you can say someone is righteous. Just like
you cannot make someone into a believer, they have to do that themselves on their own path.
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn?”
(King James Bible, 2017, Romans 8:33-34). Also, for justification to happen, there has to be
forgiveness. God forgives those who sin and follow him. He pardons their sins and does not use
those sins against them. The history of justification was that in the beginning, it was by faith
alone. Nothing else truly contributed to it. It is said to be about the sixteenth century is when
there was a change in how justification was seen. The church was asked to teach more in depth
about justification, so as they dived deeper into it, they noticed that there was so much more to it
than they thought.
There are many different ways to sin, though they all tie into your actions, words, and
thoughts. When you are born, you are seen as a sinner. It is your life choices moving forward
that are what determine you righteous and being forgiven. If you were to ask yourself if the
world is primarily good or bad, what would you think? The media shows a lot of the bad, not
much of the good. With that thought, I think people would say mostly bad. People being scared
from what they see on news outlets - which also brings them into wanting to watch more because
they want to be informed about everything wrong happening - makes them feel like there is
nothing good happening in the world. Another thing people wonder is how to tell what is right or
wrong. “Keep my decrees. Do not mate different kinds of animals. Do not plant your field with
two kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.” (King James Bible,
2017, Leviticus 19:19). It is said here to not mix fabrics when you are wearing clothing, that is a
normal thing to do in today’s society. Does that mean everyone is a sinner and are damned to
Hell since no one is truly making the effort to not do so? Some things that were written in the
Bible to be seen as a sin, are not what people would truly call a sin anymore. Being a loving
person, without judgement and hatred in your heart is all you truly need to be seen as good and
faithful. Not all sins are seen to be true sins anymore, it’s more about your overall character and
choices in life that dictates if you are in need of forgiveness.
Justification gives not only Christian’s, but every believer some comfort in knowing that
they are able to be forgiven. They do not have to feel like they have to step on eggshells when
going about their lives. They do need to make their decisions with a Godly mindset, thinking
about what is best for them and their morals in line with their beliefs. Being in the field of
education, I can see how these kids will need justification growing up. You make a lot of your
mistakes during your childhood. Not knowing any better – if you did not grow up in a religious
household – can influence you to not make good choices or even know what Christianity is all
about. Most kids in my area do not have the best influences, I live in a low-income city. Not
having that support system around, it can influence you to not be a good person and not make
good choices. Being able to help them redirect themselves or their choices will help them make
better choices in the future. Giving them a guide to what is right or wrong. It might not help them
in believing, since working in a public school you cannot speak about your religion out in the
open since not everyone has the same beliefs, but it could influence their choices and see how to
become a better person.
In conclusion, justification plays a very important role in Christianity in order to be
forgiven. It gives many people comfort knowing that whatever mistakes they might make in the
future or have already made, they can seek or ask for justification and salvation and be pardoned
for their sins. Knowing that you do not have to be perfect is also a comfort. No one is seen as
perfect, and everyone has their flaws. Being able to make mistakes and not be seen as a bad
person, depending on the sin, is something that influences someone to want to be better since
they know that God will accept them with their faith.
Works Cited
Alone, Faith. "History of the Doctrine of Justification - by Dr. John Gerstner (1914-1996)." A
Puritans Mind, www.apuritansmind.com/justification/history-of-the-doctrine-of-justification-by-
dr-john-gerstner/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
Finkbeiner, David, and J. Brian Tucker. "What Is Biblical Justification?" Bible to Life, 28 Apr.
2022, bibletolife.com/resources/questions/what-is-biblical-justification/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
(Original work published 1769).
Naselli, Andy. "A Systematic Theology of Justification." Crossway, 22 Mar. 19,
www.crossway.org/articles/a-systematic-theology-of-justification/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
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