Salvation Is A Legal Matter Of Justification

Romans 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

When a man and woman get married, it is a legal matter, just like getting saved is a legal matter of justification. Now, the husband and wife ought to behave themselves, to be responsible. They should be faithful to one another. They should help and be good to each other, which proves that they love one another. This is proper and right in the sight of God.

But if they DON'T do all these things, and they are mean, abusive and horrible toward each other, or cheat on each other in adultery, does that prove that they were never married? No, of course it doesn't mean that. They are still married because it was legally settled the day they choose each other, just like you choose Jesus on the day you got saved. That is why married couples have to go to a court of law to get a divorce, because it is a LEGAL MATTER. 

So if you go out and live in gross immorality, and do not faithfully run the race for Christ, and you waste your life in riotous living, crime and wickedness, YOU ARE STILL SAVED (because it was legally settled the very moment that God justified you by faith in His only begotten Son). Romans 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” This means you DON'T have to stop committing any sin to be saved. The deeds of the law are keeping God's commandments, which means not to commit sin.

All of these horrible neo-evangelical false prophets today (corrupt clergy,), who insist that lost sinners must forsake their desire to sin, and clean up their life of sin, or else God won't save them, are LIARS! So, no, you don't have to repent “of your sins” to get to Heaven. Bible repentance is the Greek word metanoia (a noun which means, a change of mind). Of what must you change your mind? That is simple, whatever it is that has been hindering you from coming to the light of THE TRUTH of the Gospel to be saved (John 3:21; 2nd Timothy 2:25). 

Getting saved is a matter of you humbly acknowledging THE TRUTH that you are a guilty sinner in the sight of a holy God (Romans 3:19-20), and placing your trust in THE TRUTH of the Good News (Gospel) that Jesus is the Christ who died on the cross to pay for your sins, He was buried and three days later Christ resurrected bodily from the dead. Those three things comprise the Gospel: Jesus' crucifixtion, burial and physical resurrection. BELIEVE IT oh sinner and you are forever redeemed, saved, born-again and a child of God.

Why are their so many false gospels today? The answer is sinful pride. Arrogant and pompous neo-evangelicals corrupt the Word of God (literally with their hundreds of perversions of God's Word); and then to add insult to injury they wrestle the Scripture, leaning upon their own flawed proud human understanding, requiring that men forsake their sinful behavior (keep the law) to get to Heaven, which is NOT God's simple plan of salvation through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Forsaking lifelong sinful bad habits is anything but easy or simple to do!

Pilgrim's Progress author John Bunyan said it best:

“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan (1628-1688)

I love that quote! We must keep the legal matter of justification separate from the family matter of sanctification. Once we get saved we are a member of God's family. Ephesians 3:14-15, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,” Amen! The family of God is named after Jesus. We are CHRISTians! So sanctification is a matter of our heavenly Father helping us to grow in the grace and knowledge of His Son (2nd Peter 3:18). The Bible says that we are sanctified with THE TRUTH, by the inspired WORD OF GOD. John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Evangelist John Bunyan understood well the importance of keeping justification (salvation) completely separate from sanctification (growth in grace). I also love this helpful quote from Pastor M.R. DeHaan (1891-1965):

“There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness.” —Pastor M.R. DeHaan, Hebrews; Zondervan Publishing House, 1959 (p. 117)

Dear reader, if you will always put a difference between salvation and service, between sonship and discipleship, between justification and sanctification, then you will never be led astray by the Devil concerning God's wonderful and simple plan of salvation, which is by faith alone in the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day.

Mark 10:15, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not
receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.”