The doctrine of justification is the article upon which the church stands or falls, as Martin Luther said. It means a formal declaration of one's new standing as just before God and before his law, not a change of heart or behavior, but a change of standing. This is not about earning salvation through good works, but about receiving it as a gift by faith alone, as seen in the lives of Abraham and David, who were justified by faith, not by works. The Bible teaches that there are only two types of people: those who are justified and those who are condemned, and that justification comes to those who do not work, but believe in him who justifies the ungodly.
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