1) Our Scripture reading is found in:
 

Romans 5:16-21.   And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

We will note specially: verse 18 - Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Let's go over that verse piece by piece. There for as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men. Who is He talking about - Adam of course. So let's read it this way - for by the offense of Adam judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came up on all men unto justification of life. Again, who is He talking about. The Lord Jesus of course. Now let's read the whole scripture like this. "Therefore as by the offense of Adam judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of Jesus Christ the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
 

We see that justification comes from the righteousness of Christ. But just what does justification mean? Unless we know the meanings of words they really do not mean much to us. What does Justification mean? It is a legal term that comes out of justify, or justified. It means that one is declared free of wrong or blame or guilt.
 

There are 3 ways one could be declared justified
 

(1) One could be innocent of a wrong that has been charged against him and after a trial this is proven. So the judge would officially declare that one innocent - free of any guilt or wrong doing. He would be declared justified.
 

OR
 

(2) One could be guilty of some wrong doing but due to some extenuating circumstances they could not be blamed for what happened. If so the judge would officially declare them justified in their action. Free of any blame or fault.
 

OR
 

(3) Then there is the case where there is a guilty party, has been tried and been found guilty and is under condemnation of some sort of punishment.
 

Then someone steps in and volunteers to take the place of the guilty party - accept his guilt and the punishment in the place of - or for - the guilty party. This is accepted by the judge and the guilt and its punishment transferred to the volunteer. As a result the real guilty person would be declared justified - Free of guilt and free of any punishment of guilt. He would be treated "just as if " he had never done anything wrong. At the same time the real innocent person who had volunteered to take the guilt and its punishment is now treated as the guilty person and is hauled away and punished as if he was the one who had done the wrong.
 

This is precisely what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us. We humans are all the real guilty party - we have all been tried and have been found guilty and all are under condemnation of hell for eternity unless we can find a substitute to take our guilt and punishment for us. Let's read:
 

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Then note it goes on to say - verse 24 - Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
 

Jesus Christ has agreed to take over our guilt and its resulting punishment of eternity in hell provided we put our trust in His substitutionary work. Not everyone wants to accept Him as substitute and as a result will bear their own punishment in hell for eternity. It's like this - We who do trust In Jesus' substitutionary work will be freed from our guilt and punishment - those who do not trust in Jesus' substitutionary work will remain in their guilt and get the punishment they so much deserve.
 

You see - it is the breaking of the law - sin - that puts us under condemnation of hell. It's trusting in Jesus as our substitute that frees us from that condemnation of going to hell for eternity. It is not trusting in Jesus as substitute that will cause a person to remain under that condemnation and will spend eternity in hell as a result..
 

Jesus took care of our punishment as He hung on the cross and died that horrible death, and then spent 3 days in hell - for us who will trust in that work. That leaves us believers free of any guilt of sin and the condemnation we would receive as a result of that sin. Let's go and read:
 

1 Peter 2:24 - Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.
 

and then:
 

Matthew 8:17 - That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
 

Once a person is trusting in Jesus' substitutionary punishment that leaves us free of any guilt or fear of punishment for our sins. We are treated as if we had never ever sinned - even once!! Just as God demands!! Isn't that great!! We don't have to worry about eternal punishment in hell!!
 

Note What I just said a moment ago: one way to remember what JUSTIFIED means. We split the word up, add a couple of letters in it's proper place and add a couple of words like this: JUST IF - or - JUST -AS - IF - I'd, then add these two words at the end - "never sinned." So we get the expression - "JUST-AS-IF-I-'D-NEVER- SINNED". I think that is a good expression of what justified means. We are declared free of guilt and any fear of punishment and we are treated as if we had never done any wrong!! (sinned)
 

Does the fact that Jesus bore our sin guilt and punishment free us to live as we please.? God forbid - the Apostle says in:
 

Romans 6:1-2 - What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein. and 14-15. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. When then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
 

As it says in this verse We who are saved are under grace: that is - we have God's Holy Spirit living in us influencing our way of thinking and our actions reflect how we think. That influence of the Holy Spirit living in us will not allow us to live a life of continuos sin. Some sin yes, but much less than if we do not have that Holy nature in us influencing us to do good. And when we do fail we have a God influenced conscience that will bother us and cause us to repent of  the wrongs we do. For confirmation of this Let's read:

John 3:9-10 - Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin: for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin because he is born of God.      And so on if you care to read more it tells us of the work of the Holy spirit in us.
 
 

Therefore our whole lifestyle while in this earthly shell - our flesh - changes because of the work - or the influence of - the Holy spirit in us and our justification is sure because of what Jesus did for us in life in keeping the law to God's satisfaction - applied His righteousness He earned from His right living, (keeping the law) to us, then He also bore our punishment for us when He suffered and died on the cross.
 

The change in one's way of thinking and lifestyle will give strong testimony to the fact of God's work in that one, and that that one has been justified by God - that one has been declared free of any guilt or wrong doing, or the fear of being punished for any wrong doing.
 

Let's go back over the third way one could be declared justified. A person has committed a crime, has been charged - taken to court and found guilty by the judge and is under some sort of condemnation for that crime. So now he waits to be hauled away for that punishment. Then the volunteer steps in and takes over the guilt and punishment of the guilty party freeing him of the condemnation he is about to suffer. Now apply that to us. We all are the guilty party - we have committed many crimes - or sin - and have been charged and found guilty by the judge - God. We are under condemnation and wait our sentence of eternity in hell. Then the volunteer steps in and takes our guilt and punishment. Of course that volunteer is the Lord Jesus Christ. He has taken over all responsibility of our salvation. He took our sin guilt and the punishment meted out by God for those sins. This frees us from the guilt and any fear of punishment for this sins we have committed.
 

I pray each one of you who reads this will through God's faith in you accept the works that Jesus accomplished for us - and be justified by God.

Amen

God bless..