TEXAS GOSPEL STAFF

Justification is specifically for sinners, the ones who know they need God’s mercy. It is the ungodly, not the righteous, who are in need of justification. Often, people mistakenly believe they must be holy before coming to God, thinking that justification is for those who have already proven themselves worthy. But in truth, justification is for the broken, the lost, and the guilty. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, searches for those who know they cannot save themselves and who need forgiveness. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance and restoration.

It is important to understand that no one can earn justification by their own goodness or works. Justification is a gift, given freely to those who believe. A person weighed down by guilt and aware of their sinfulness is precisely the one whom Jesus came to save. In His mercy, God justifies the ungodly, accepting them as they are and transforming them through His grace. The promise of justification assures us that we do not have to become saints before God will receive us; instead, He makes us saints through His gift of grace.

After justification, good works naturally follow as the fruit of faith. These good works are not what makes us acceptable to God but are a response to the love and mercy we have already received. They are the evidence of a changed heart, an expression of gratitude and new life. To those burdened by guilt and striving for worthiness, the message of justification offers rest. Instead of trying to earn acceptance, we are invited to simply believe, allowing God to work in us and through us from that point forward.