Justification is not a Pardon but an Acquittal

by Joshua Salva

Overview

Description

Justification is not a Pardon but an Acquittal" by Joshua Salva highlights the vital Christian doctrine that God declares a sinner righteous solely through faith, not by deeds or rituals. Unlike a pardon, which forgives but leaves guilt behind, justification is a full acquittal where God's justice meets mercy at the Cross. This means that believers are not only forgiven but given a new nature and accepted as God's children. Salva emphasizes that faith, not repentance, is the key to salvation-faith receives God's gift of righteousness, while repentance follows as a result of that faith. The story of the thief on the cross illustrates this truth clearly: salvation comes through faith alone, not through works or penance.
Salva also explains that justification is more than a legal declaration; it is a transformative process involving spiritual rebirth and adoption into God's family through the Holy Spirit. This change frees believers from the fear of judgment and empowers them to live with confidence in God's love. Justification is the beginning of a lifelong journey of sanctification-growth in holiness-driven by the Spirit rather than human effort. Rather than striving to earn God's favor, believers learn to trust and depend on the Spirit's ongoing work in their hearts, leading to genuine transformation over time.
The book explores how this grace-filled life shapes Christian community and worship, emphasizing humility, mutual care, and authentic relationships. Spirit-led gatherings focus on openness, love, and simple worship. This fellowship serves as a foretaste of heaven, where peace and joy abound. Ultimately, Salva calls Christians to embrace their secure standing before God with joy and reliance on His Spirit, living out their faith through love, growth, and deepening connection with God and others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798987434444
Publisher:	Josh Publishing House
Publication date:	08/14/2025
Pages:	178
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.44(d)

About the Author

A b o u t t h e A u t h o r
Joshua heard t h e voice o f t h e L o r d for the fi r s t time a t seventeen:
"Give me your life!" He ran to his bedside-the only altar he knew
-knelt and said, "Lord, I give You, my life." Although he did not
know t h e leading o f t h e Spirit, h e felt compelled t o g o to
Downtown Park and pass out flyers that read, "Only Jesus Saves,"
which he wrote by hand and cut with scissors. He was arrested and
charged with t h e "crime" o f passing out "Counter-Revolution
Propaganda"; this was back in Communist Cuba. While in jail, he
started writing encouraging messages to the Church. When he was
released four months later, he fled to the U.S. and obtained political
asylum. After a few years, a family member came over and said to
him, "The churches still read the letters you wrote from jail."
At the age of twenty-nine, while grappling with his sinful nature,
he prayed, "Father, I a m sliding down to hell, and I can't even
repent." This w a s t h e gospel h e h a d known: "repent t o be
forgiven." He heard the voice of the Lord for the second time: "Fix
your eyes o n Christ." Joshua cried o u t t o Jesus with t h e same
prayer: "Lord Jesus, I am sliding down to hell, and I can't repent!"
At that time, h e experienced what h e refers t o a s his "Road to
Damascus experience." He saw the Lord Jesus sitting at a desk as
Judge i n a courtroom atmosphere, He lifted what appeared to
Joshua to be a wooden hammer and, slamming it down on the desk,
proclaimed, "Forgiven for time and eternity."
Being forgiven without being able t o repent opened Joshua's
understanding, and i n a matter o f seconds, h e perceived the
difference between a gospel based o n repentance a n d a gospel
based on faith, as well as the distinction between "forgiven" and
"justified."