Thematic Bible: Justification before God


Thematic Bible






It follows then that just as the result of a single transgression is a condemnation which extends to the whole race, so also the result of a single decree of righteousness is a life-giving acquittal which extends to the whole race. Verse ConceptsAtonementJesus Christ, Obedience OfJustification Under The GospelSalvation, Possible To All MenLife In ChristCondemnation Of The WickedAll PeopleLife Is In ChristPatience In Relationships








while the descendants of Israel, who were in pursuit of a Law that could give righteousness, have not arrived at one. And why? Because they were pursuing a righteousness which should arise not from faith, but from what they regarded as merit. They stuck their foot against the stone which lay in their way;


But certain persons who had come down from Judaea tried to convince the brethren, saying, "Unless you are circumcised in accordance with the Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved." Between these new comers and Paul and Barnabas there was no little disagreement and controversy, until at last it was decided that Paul and Barnabas and some other brethren should go up to consult the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem on this matter. So they set out, being accompanied for a short distance by some other members of the Church; and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told the whole story of the conversion of the Gentiles and inspired all the brethren with great joy. read more.
Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they were cordially received by the Church, the Apostles, and the Elders; and they reported in detail all that God, working with them, had done. But certain men who had belonged to the sect of the Pharisees but were now believers, stood up in the assembly, and said, "Yes, Gentile believers ought to be circumcised and be ordered to keep the Law of Moses." Then the Apostles and Elders met to consider the matter; and after there had been a long discussion Peter rose to his feet. "It is within your own knowledge," he said, "that God originally made choice among you that from my lips the Gentiles were to hear the Message of the Good News, and believe. And God, who knows all hearts, gave His testimony in their favour by bestowing the Holy Spirit on them just as He did on us; and He made no difference between us and them, in that He cleansed their hearts by their faith. Now, therefore, why try an experiment upon God, by laying on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our forefathers nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that it is by the grace of the Lord Jesus that we, as well as they, shall be saved." Then the whole assembly remained silent while they listened to the statement made by Paul and Barnabas as to all the signs and marvels that God had done among the Gentiles through their instrumentality. When they had finished speaking, James said, "Brethren, listen to me. Symeon has related how God first looked graciously on the Gentiles to take from among them a People to be called by His name. And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets, which says: "'"Afterwards I will return, and will rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will set it up again; In order that the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the nations which are called by My name," Says the Lord, who has been making these things known from ages long past.' "My judgement, therefore, is against inflicting unexpected annoyance on those of the Gentiles who are turning to God. Yet let us send them written instructions to abstain from things polluted by connexion with idolatry, from fornication, from meat killed by strangling, and from blood. For Moses from the earliest times has had his preachers in every town, being read, as he is, Sabbath after Sabbath, in the various synagogues." Thereupon it was decided by the Apostles and Elders, with the approval of the whole Church, to choose suitable persons from among themselves and send them to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas. Judas, called Bar-sabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren, were selected, and they took with them the following letter: "The Apostles and the elder brethren send greeting to the Gentile brethren throughout Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. As we have been informed that certain persons who have gone out from among us have disturbed you by their teaching and have unsettled your minds, without having received any such instructions from us; we have unanimously decided to select certain men and send them to you in company with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul, who have endangered their very lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who are themselves bringing you the same message by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no burden heavier than these necessary requirements-- You must abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. Keep yourselves clear of these things, and it will be well with you. Farewell."


But if it is in His grace that He has selected them, then His choice is no longer determined by human actions. Otherwise grace would be grace no longer. Verse ConceptsJustification Under The GospelSalvation Not By WorksSaving GraceSalvation, Boasting ImpossibleJustified By GraceWorks Of The LawGrace Verse LawGod's GraceDebt

As soon as I saw that they were not walking uprightly in the spirit of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, though you are a Jew, live as a Gentile does, and not as a Jew, how can you make the Gentiles follow Jewish customs? You and I, though we are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt. read more.
But if while we are seeking in Christ acquittal from guilt we ourselves are convicted of sin, Christ then encourages us to sin! No, indeed. Why, if I am now rebuilding that structure of sin which I had demolished, I am thereby constituting myself a transgressor; for it is by the Law that I have died to the Law, in order that I may live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ that lives in me; and the life which I now live in the body I live through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up to death on my behalf. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if acquittal from guilt is obtainable through the Law, then Christ has died in vain."



Where then is there room for your boasting? It is for ever shut out. On what principle? On the ground of merit? No, but on the ground of faith. Verse ConceptsSalvation, Boasting ImpossiblePride, Evil OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelJustification By FaithBoasting ExcludedFaithFaith KjvBoastinglaw




unless you can deny that it is one and the same God who will pronounce the circumcised to be acquitted on the ground of faith, and the uncircumcised to be acquitted through the same faith. Verse ConceptsCircumcision, spiritualMonotheismJustification Under The GospelGod Is OneNecessity Of CircumcisionRighteous By FaithThe Gospel To Jew And Gentile


know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt. Verse ConceptsAccepting ChristdecisionsLaw, Purpose OfLegalismSalvation, Necessity And Basis OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSin, Deliverance From GodUnion With Christ, Nature OfJustification Under The GospelJustification By FaithSalvation Not By WorksBenefits Of Faith In ChristJustified By WorksRighteous By FaithWorks Of The LawFree WillKeeping FaithBeing SavedJustificationBeing PositiveMoralityNot Being AlonelaweffortJustification Is Not By The LawJustification Is Not By Works



know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt. Verse ConceptsAccepting ChristdecisionsLaw, Purpose OfLegalismSalvation, Necessity And Basis OfSelf Righteousness, And The GospelSin, Deliverance From GodUnion With Christ, Nature OfJustification Under The GospelJustification By FaithSalvation Not By WorksBenefits Of Faith In ChristJustified By WorksRighteous By FaithWorks Of The LawFree WillKeeping FaithBeing SavedJustificationBeing PositiveMoralityNot Being AlonelaweffortJustification Is Not By The LawJustification Is Not By Works


It is not those that merely hear the Law read who are righteous in the sight of God, but it is those that obey the Law who will be pronounced righteous. Verse ConceptsAccepting ChristCommitment, to GodHearingListeningWork, And RedemptionHearing God's WordJustified By WorksWorks Of The LawBlessings Of Obedience


Moses says that he whose actions conform to the righteousness required by the Law shall live by that righteousness. Verse ConceptsEffect Of The LawLife Through Keeping The LawWorks Of The Law

A man who has kept the Law as a whole, but has failed to keep some one command, has become guilty of violating all. Verse ConceptsJudaismLaw, Purpose OfLegalismStumblingFound GuiltyAll Sins Being EqualBreaking The Ten CommandmentsGuiltBreaking Chains

Who shall impeach those whom God has chosen? God declares them free from guilt. Who is there to condemn them? Christ Jesus died, or rather has risen to life again. He is also at the right hand of God, and is interceding for us.





For if, through the transgression of the one individual, Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ. It follows then that just as the result of a single transgression is a condemnation which extends to the whole race, so also the result of a single decree of righteousness is a life-giving acquittal which extends to the whole race. For as through the disobedience of the one individual the mass of mankind were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the mass of mankind will be constituted righteous. read more.
Now Law was brought in later on, so that transgression might increase. But where sin increased, grace has overflowed; in order that as sin has exercised kingly sway in inflicting death, so grace, too, may exercise kingly sway in bestowing a righteousness which results in the Life of the Ages through Jesus Christ our Lord.

unless you can deny that it is one and the same God who will pronounce the circumcised to be acquitted on the ground of faith, and the uncircumcised to be acquitted through the same faith. Do we then by means of this faith abolish the Law? No, indeed; we give the Law a firmer footing.

to men without Law as if I were without Law--although I am not without Law in relation to God but am abiding in Christ's Law--in order to win those who are without Law. Verse ConceptsJustification By FaithThe Law Of ChristWithout The LawStaying Strong And Not Giving UpStaying PositivePositive ThinkingNever Giving UpNot Being Alonelawactingfreeorderflexibilitychrist










Nay, I even reckon all things as pure loss because of the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. And for His sake I have suffered the loss of everything, and reckon it all as mere refuse, in order that I may win Christ and be found in union with Him, not having a righteousness of my own, derived from the Law, but that which arises from faith in Christ--the righteousness which comes from God through faith.




and those whom He has pre-destined He also has called; and those whom He has called He has also declared free from guilt; and those whom He has declared free from guilt He has also crowned with glory. Verse ConceptsBeing ChosenBlessings, SpiritualJustification, Results OfOnce Saved Always SavedJustification Under The GospelGod's Call, ResultsCalledGlorificationRejoicing In ChristJustification



"I tell you that this man went home more thoroughly absolved from guilt than the other; for every one who uplifts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be uplifted." Verse ConceptsHumilityPromotionIndividuals going homeHumbling Oneself