The author, Guy Waters, has published, co-authored, and authored a number of books that are devoted to defending the gospel of justification. This particular book, Justification, is a basic articulation of the gospel of justification as well as a simple explanation of the present threats made against the gospel. A book focused on Justification written specifically for members of the local church is a most welcome resource.

Guy Waters divided the book into three sections or three chapters: 1) Justification Defined, 2) Justification Applied, and 3) Justification Undermined. Allow me to provide a small taste of Waters' description of the good news of justification from his first section, Justification Defined.

The author understands that justification will only be defended, if it is rightly understood in the context of the human problem, namely, sin. Consequently, he begins with sin. He writes, “The Scripture tells us that justification is God’s ‘solution’ to our ‘problem’ of sin.

We will first examine the problem that occasions justification. Then, we will be in a better position to understand justification itself” (8). Quoting from J.C. Ryle he adds, “The plain truth is that a right knowledge of sin lies at the root of all saving Christianity. Without it such doctrines as justification, conversion, sanctification, are ‘words and names’ which convey no meaning to the mind… Dim or indistinct views of sin are the origin of most of the errors, heresies, and false doctrines of the present day” (8).

After underlining the nature of sin, Waters clearly delineates the biblical data concerning justification. He begins by developing the courtroom context wherein a judge pronounces a verdict in relation to law. He writes, “It is important to stress that by ‘justification’ the Scripture means a verdict that God declares concerning us. In fact, it is not even the combination of a verdict and an inward change. Justification is strictly a legal declaration” (14).

Waters describes two parts of justification which correspond to a specific aspect of our problem as sinners. First, we have violated God’s Law and thus as transgressors are subject to the penalty of the law. Second, we have failed to obey the whole law (Lev. 18:5; Rom. 10:5). “To receive pardon is an unspeakable mercy. Pardon, however, is insufficient to bring a person into divine favor. Pardon renders an objectionable person non-objectionable, but it does nothing to commend this person to God” (15).

Pulling these two aspects of justification together Waters writes, “How is it that the sinner can be accepted and accounted righteous before a holy God? … the sins of the sinner are imputed to Christ, who answered all the demands of divine justice, fully satisfying divine justice on behalf of His people. That satisfaction is transferred or imputed to the believer. This satisfaction is part of the believer’s righteousness in justification. The Scripture also teaches that the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ is transferred or imputed to the sinner for his justification. Paul writes ‘by the one man’s obedience the many will be appointed righteous’ (5:19). Justification is not pardon only, as precious as the pardon of sins is to the believer. Justification is more. It is the declaration that a sinner is ‘righteous’ because the obedience as well as the satisfaction of Christ has become his” (15-16).

Guy Waters concludes his chapter Justification Defined by explaining the context in which the sinner receives Christ’s righteousness, namely, in union with Christ, the sinner receives Christ’s righteousness through faith.

It is my hope that this basic introduction to Water’s book, Justification, will give the reader a little taste of the wealth of the gospel. The third section of the book will serve to help the reader further grasp the biblical truth of justification by wrestling with the attacks made against it.

As is often the case, in the face of false teaching we are motivated to run to Scripture to ascertain the doctrine of God’s Word. Is this not the way in which the church has received many of the epistles of Scripture? Colossians and Galatians were both written to expose false teaching and in effect to ground the church in an accurate understanding of the gospel.