Religion does not offer justification to the sinner. Nothing like it in religion because religion doesn't have freedom for a sinner trapped in the bondage of guilt and condemnation.

What is justification? Justification is an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ.

Imagine setting a notorious criminal free and then declaring him "Not Guilty", that's what justification is all about. He is declared guiltless not because he didn't commit sin but simply because someone else took his guilt and  gave the criminal his innocence. That's what Christ did for us on the cross.

Paul says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him"( 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV). Glory. The justified believer is now declared righteous because of Christ's sacrifice.

The righteousness of Christ is imputed on him as though he has never sinned. In fact, he is declared not guilty before God regardless of his past.  

Religion loves to see people in guilt and suffer the ultimate consequences of their sins. Like the woman caught in adultery, the religious people around her fought to get her punished for her sin but Christ showed mercy.

When you came to Christ, you were justified. God declared you innocent of your past sins. As far as God is concerned, those past sins do not exist in his record anymore. If this is true, why are you so bothered about your past thinking God hasn't forgiven you?

The righteousness of the new creation in Christ is not a filthy rag before God (Isa64:6) because the  righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us: "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ"(Rom5:17).

Don't let the devil preach the sermon of guilt and condemnation to you. That's what religion preaches.  Just like that criminal, God has declared you innocent through the death of Christ. Religion cannot do this.