For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God first saves us from the penalty of sin, eternal death. This is because the price (wages) for our sins were paid for by Christ. The term for that atoning act is called justification.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Justification:
a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; and so the person justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising from perfect obedience to the law (Rom 5:1-10).
It proceeds on the imputing or crediting to the believer by God himself of the perfect righteousness, active and passive, of his Representative and Surety, Jesus Christ (Rom 10:3-9). Justification is not the forgiveness of a man without righteousness, but a declaration that he possesses a righteousness which perfectly and for ever satisfies the law, namely, Christ’s righteousness (2Cr 5:21; Rom 4:6-8).
The sole condition on which this righteousness is imputed or credited to the believer is faith in or on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is called a “condition,” not because it possesses any merit, but only because it is the instrument, the only instrument by which the soul appropriates or apprehends Christ and his righteousness (Rom 1:17; 3:25,26; 4:20,22; Phl 3:8-11; Gal 2:16).
End Quote
Allow me to point out they used the word forensic as it only applies to one who is dead.
- Romans 6:4
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. - Romans 6:11
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
God considers us justified by the blood of His Son and we should believe God and consider ourselves dead to sin. Please bear in mind that consideration is a mental exercise and therefore we must change our thought processes to align and agree with God. That is a renewing of the mind.
Is changing one’s mind enough to say we are saved?