Are persons who are justified unable to sin and so the matter of sin is settled?

The below questions are in response to this post:

• https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-issue-of-sin-is-settled-once-and.html

QUESTIONS:

So, you are saying that persons justified in their belief is unable to sin and so the matter of sin is settled?

But what if he sins? Is he no longer justified? And if he is no longer justified then how is the matter settled?

ANSWER:

Justification is only the first step in the full process of salvation. What is important to understand is that this step is a spiritual work. It does not affect the flesh and certainly does not fix sin in the flesh. It is a judicial declaration upon the believer, simply because he believes in Jesus. this first step of salvation does not yet deal with the flesh and sin in the flesh.

A believer who is justified stands acquitted before God in a spiritual context. God is not looking at the life of the believer to justify him, no, we are ALL sinners. The justification that is declared over a believer is because of the righteousness of Christ. Justification does not affect the flesh, and sin cannot affect justification.

Being a spiritual work of God, it only affects one’s status before God. When you believe in the gospel of Christ, God declares you justified. This is God’s declaration. It has nothing to do with you, or what you do, or how good or bad you are. The condition to receive justification from God, is to believe in His Son.

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

So, what if a justified believer sins? Well, since justification is only a spiritual declaration of righteousness over a believer by God, it is not the part of salvation that fixes sin or the flesh. Justification has nothing to do with the flesh or carnal life of the believer. They are still sinners like every other human on earth. The only difference is that they are clothed with the righteousness of Christ in order to be declared innocent and blameless in standing, whereas unbelievers are still clothed with their own ‘righteousness’ which is like filthy rags before God.

So, justification, though it does not fix sin, and does not change one iota of the flesh and its behaviours, is step #1 in the process of salvation. This is why Paul says the following,

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

This is a sure thing! Justification brings us in peace with God. Our righteous standing is not based on our flesh and its deeds, but it is based on Christ’s righteousness imputed to us. That’s it!! Nothing more, nothing less.

Paul himself has this internal battle until he realizes that Christ is his righteousness,

Rom 7:14-24 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Of course, there is more to salvation than only justification. God expects much more from us as we grow in Christ and in the knowledge of His Word and will on our ‘path of sanctification’, but none of this can change the status we have after God declares us innocent. Why? Because nothing can change the righteousness of Christ and the work He accomplished at Calvary which is imputed to us freely and in an abundance of grace.

Reading Romans 5–8 will provide clarity on this declaration of justification as well as provide you insights into the grace that God provides through Jesus Christ.

I also recommend reading this post:

• https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-debate-on-eternal-security.html