One Body: Justification, Part 1

Lesson 20 in our series (series began September 7, 2025)

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Lesson Highlights

This One Body session introduces the doctrine of justification — the teaching at the heart of how sinners are made right with God. Building on earlier lessons about God, sin, and the person of Jesus Christ, the class explores how Christ’s victory over sin becomes personally ours. Justification is defined as God’s declaration that sinners are righteous for Christ’s sake, received through faith apart from works — “just as if I never sinned.”

The lesson contrasts Christianity with every other religion, showing that while man-made religions attempt self-justification through effort, morality, or comparison, Christianity proclaims salvation as a gift entirely accomplished by Christ.

Special attention is given to objective justification, emphasizing that Christ died for the sins of the whole world, with Scripture passages highlighting the universal scope of his atoning work.

The session also begins addressing common misunderstandings, such as limited atonement, showing how errors in justification affect assurance, evangelism, and the church’s confession. The class concludes by preparing to explore the next question: if Christ died for all, why are not all saved — setting the stage for the distinction between objective and subjective justification in the next lesson.

Scriptures Referenced:

John 1:291 John 2:22 Corinthians 5:19John 3:16–17Romans 5:18–19Romans 1Apostles’ Creed (referenced)Nicene Creed (referenced)