What does it mean to be “justified”?
Justified means not found guilty, but rather, found righteous.
Why do we need to be justified?
Our God is holy and just; but we are not. We are all sinners. The holy God can’t tolerate sin. Sin is against God, first and foremost. According to His divine law, we are all guilty by nature and by conduct, and we all deserve eternal punishment and separation from God.
But what does “redemption” mean? It means regaining our fellowship with the holy God through paying the cost. What was the cost of our redemption? None of us could have done or provided anything acceptable to God. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). If God didn’t save us, none could be saved. So, was the God we sinned against ready to pay our cost? The love of God to the world of sinners knows no measure. The cost He paid to redeem us unto Himself is beyond human understanding. God sent His only begotten Son to the earth to take our punishment. On the cross of Calvary, He paid the price in full. He satisfied the holiness and justice of God.
What does “freely by His grace” mean? The price was not zero; it was higher than we can imagine. It cost the Lord Jesus Christ His life, as God laid on Him the iniquity of us all. But now, for us, salvation is a free gift that God is offering to all. Through the grace of God, we receive forgiveness and every heavenly blessing. Only in Christ Jesus. Only by faith. When we come to Him as helpless and hopeless sinners, and totally depend on the work that the Lord Jesus completed in His death on the cross, we receive the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Why do we need to have “peace with God”? Our sins caused enmity between us and our holy God. We need to be reconciled with Him; otherwise, we will face His judgment and be condemned for all eternity. The Lord Jesus made this peace by offering Himself in our place. The Holy God is the loving Father to all who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.