What the Bible says about Justification not a Right
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Romans 3:19-23 This passage shows us the foundation of understanding justification by faith and thus where we stand in our relationship with God. Paul explains that, regardless of who one is and what he has done that might be considered as righteousness, God owes Him nothing but death because "all have sinned." Sinners are those under the law, and the law condemns them, making them subject to its power to take the sinner's life. Each person's own transgressions against the law and God place him in that position. Sin is something each sinner is responsible for, and once the individual has sinned and earned the death penalty, the sin cannot be forgiven simply because he does good to make up for it. God did not make him sin. A clear example is Adam and Eve: God obviously did not make them sin; each of them chose to sin. Romans 3:20 clearly states that no sinner can justify himself through law-keeping. The law's purpose is to make known what sin is. Once a person sins, everything is seemingly stacked against him. The sinner can in no way make up for what he has done. Therefore, since justification cannot be claimed as a right due to his keeping the law, if a person desires to be forgiven, the only alternative is that justification must be received as a gift. John W. Ritenbaugh Living By Faith and God's Grace (Part Two) Related Topics: All Have Sinned | Forgiveness | God Owes Us Nothing | Justification as a Gift | Justification as Unearned Gift | Justification by Faith | Justification not a Right | Living by Faith and God's Grace | Wages of Sin as Death

Romans 5:6 In Romans 5:6, the apostle Paul declares that “Christ died for the ungodly.” The Greek word for “ungodly” is asebes, meaning “those without any reverence toward God.” The first man and woman, Adam and Eve, showed little reverence toward God. They were heedless when He warned them of the deadly outcome of their disobedience (Genesis 2:17; 3:3). Since then, all humans have followed their example, falling from God's favor because of unbelief, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Essentially, man is unwilling or unable to recognize God's sovereignty and holiness, which causes him to fall short of being what God intends him to be. The countermeasure for man's sinfulness is the perfect, sacrificial life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, culminating in our opportunity for justification (Romans 4:25). The objective of justification is not merely to render a guilt-free verdict for the repentant sinner, nor does it provide a special certificate of eternal life to its recipient. Instead, it is a spiritual act—part of a spiritual process—with spiritual effects that open the way to salvation and eternal life. Martin G. Collins The Fruit of Justification Related Topics: | All Have Sinned | Christ's Redeeming Sacrifice | Christ's Sacrifice | Forgiveness of Sins after Justification | God's Sovereignty | Irreverence for God | Justification | Justification not a Right | Resurrection of Christ | Reverence Toward God | Salvation as a Process | Sanctification as Process | Ungodliness | Ungodly | Ungodly Men

 

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