If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:31 and 33-34)

The process of justification has been a matter of considerable disagreement among Christians. That Christ came to justify is widely accepted.

The Greek word translated above as justifieth is dikaioo. It is a verb that can be either a judicial finding or an example of righteous behavior.

Did Christ declare us justified or does Jesus provide an example of how to become justified? Was the self-sacrifice of Jesus the final action or the pattern for ongoing action?

In either case it seems to me that those accused must accept the possibility of justification. Paul ends the eighth chapter with: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

But scripture and personal experience demonstrates that we can separate ourselves from the love of God. However it is achieved, the individual must be open to and allow the process of justification.

You may listen to If God is with Us performed by the Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields.