“For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” – Romans 3:28
To be justified means to be declared legally “Not Guilty” by a judge, in this case, God. We will never, ever be “not guilty” by virtue of doing good things and following countless rules. God knows everything, sees everything, and hears everything. God knows we aren’t perfect, can’t be perfect, and therefore can’t ever be “not guilty” by our own best efforts. Rule following, good behavior, self-discipline, and philanthropy will never be enough to make someone who is imperfect perfect.
However, God in His grace and mercy allowed someone else to pay the penalty for our imperfection, rebellion, and sin. Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, was and is perfect. He gave His life as a sacrifice for us, so that God’s justice could be satisfied. Jesus was perfect so we don’t have to be. Instead, we must simply believe in Him. When we believe in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection and confess His Lordship over our life, then God does declare us “not guilty”. In Christ, the perfect judge has declared you to be “not guilty”. If Christ is your Savior, you no longer carry guilt in God’s eyes.
We are justified by faith in Christ Jesus. He’s perfect so we don’t have to be. It’s only on this basis that God can justly declare us “not guilty” though He knows we’re guilty. It’s on this basis that we’re made new through the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s on this basis that Christ unites Himself with us and God’s Spirit lives within us, empowering us to pursue the perfection of Christ throughout our lives.