Justification

The act of God declaring sinners righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. Central to Pauline theology, Romans 3:24 states believers are 'justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.' Martin Luther called justification the article on which the church stands or falls. Galatians 2:16 emphasizes that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Christ. James 2:24 adds the nuance that faith without works is dead, showing justification has visible fruit. The doctrine assures believers of their right standing before God based not on personal merit but on Christ's righteousness imputed to them.