Justification
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Justification
Importance
The importance of the believers’ understanding of his position of justification in Christ Jesus
can not be stressed enough. If the Christian ever desires to move beyond the foundational
birth truths and into spiritual growth, experiencing the benefits of the believers’ position of
union with Christ, it is imperative to understand the doctrine of positional justification. The
believers’ inability to understand this initial foundational birth step will result in a shallow walk
of faith and a perpetual state of spiritual immaturity. The believer will never see clearly all the
attributes of our position in Christ until a complete understanding of the believers’ positional
justification is reached.
Justification defined
The Greek noun for justification (δικαίωσις, dikaiŏsis, dik-ah’yo-sis) is derived from the verb
dikaioō, meaning “to justify”. Strongs concordance defines dikaiŏsis (justification) as follows.
Dikaiosis denotes “the act of pronouncing righteous, justification, acquittal”; its precise
meaning is determined by that of the verb dikaioo, “to justify”; (1) it is used twice in Romans,
and there alone in the NT, signifying the establishment of a person as just by acquittal from
guilt. (2) In Romans 4:25 the phrase “for our justification,” is, lit., “because of our
justification” (parallel to the preceding clause “for our trespasses,” i.e., because of trespasses
committed), and means, not with a view to our “justification,” but because all that was
necessary on God’s part for our “justification” had been effected in the death of Christ. On
this account He was raised from the dead. The propitiation being perfect and complete, His
resurrection was the confirmatory counterpart. (3) In 5:18, “justification of life” means
“justification which results in life”. That God “justifies the believing sinner on the ground of
Christ’s death, involves His free gift of life. (Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance
of the Bible #1347 ©2001)
So justification is a judicial act of God; where a just and holy God presiding as judge grants
the sinner a full pardon and acquittal of sin and due penalties. The new believer’s sins are
atoned for through Christ’s substitution work on the cross and he is pronounced righteous by
God through faith in Jesus Christ. In this way righteousness is imputed (accredited or
transferred) to those “that believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13), not by any
righteousness on our part but Christ’s righteousness is transferred toward the sinner. Even in
our struggles and failures, whether in sin or obedience, God looks at the work of our Lord
Jesus on the cross as the means of our justified position. His unwavering attention is always
focused on the cross. “Justification, or declaring-righteous, therefore, is the reckoning by God
to a believing sinner of the whole value of the infinite work of Christ on the cross; and further,
His connecting this believing sinner with the Risen Christ in glory, giving him the same
acceptance before Himself as has Christ: so that the believer is now the ‘righteousness of God
in Him’ (Christ)”. William R. Newell
The believer must also realize that we were yet unborn when Christ paid for our sins on the
cross. All of our sins were in the future. Our omniscient, heavenly Father took all of this into
consideration knowing our future condition and shortcomings even before our existence. He
had a plan before the foundation of the world was set in place. Therefore we can rest that we
have been justified from all things; our sins, past, present and future have been forgiven.
“And by Him [Jesus Christ] all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not
be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39).
Gods Righteousness and Justification
In Scripture justification and righteousness do not operate independent of each other; rather
they share a common unity, even so far as being indivisible. In the book of Romans the same
Greek word is used when referring to being righteous, “dikaios”, as well as to justify, “dikaioo”,
indicating the unity of the two. In Romans 3:21 the “righteousness of God” is Christ Himself
who met every requirement and command of the law and His righteousness is imputed toward
those that believe on His name - who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness
(1Cor 1:30), because Christ has borne all sins on the cross. Therefore, “Gods righteousness”
is significant in relation to the believer as having the same standing and acceptance before God
as that of Christ, having thus removed the sins of those IN Christ by His shed blood. The
believer is declared righteous having been united with Christ in His death, burial and
resurrection and now being placed in Christ; and being in Christ we can rest that Christ needs
nothing more to assure a right standing. The believers justified position in Christ is eternal.
Gods’ justification is one of declaring the unrighteous as that of being righteous while yet
ungodly, because God looks to the cross – Christ becomes our righteousness. Justification
begins in God’s grace but is reckoned through faith in the redeeming work of Christ crucified.
Justified by Grace
All have been called into the court-room of God, weighed on the balances and found wanting.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23). Romans 3:9-20 declares
the whole of mankind is found guilty. From Romans 1:18-3:20 Paul worked toward bringing
the entire world under Gods judgment, guilty, beyond self restoration and powerless. God
now reveals His absolute sovereign authority by displaying His sovereign grace toward the
guilty sinner (beyond self repair). In this way Christianity is unique in that justification is by
Gods grace and not by any works or effort on the sinner’s behalf. Romans 3:24 says the lost
are “declared righteous giftwise” or “freely”, meaning that it is a gift from God by His grace.
Speaking on the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer relating to righteousness without
works, William Newell said, “yet none of these things justifies me! I had justification from God
as a sinner, not as a saint. My saintliness does not increase it, nor, praise God, do my failures
decrease it!” Justification is a change in our relation to God; it has nothing to do with being
made holy or going through a transformation from impurity to holiness. We are being
“declared righteous” through Christ, therefore, having Christ’s righteousness accounted to us
we are changed positional - from a position of guilt and an object of wrath; to a position of
being declared justified. The penalty of our sin has been charged to Christ and His work on the
cross has paid all penalties. And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, (Acts 13:
39). However, it must be understood that justification is based on Christ’s work (His death)
on the cross. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation (2 Co 5:
19).
“Faith putteth a man under grace, but unbelief holdeth him under wrath.” (John Bunyan, Come
and Welcome Jesus).
Justified by Faith
The believer is saved by grace, however, I dare say, there is a condition placed on the
recipient. The conditional link that must be exercised in order to be received (by God) comes
only through faith. Jesus paid the full price at Calvary to justify all who believe; this requires
faith. Romans 3:26,27 says the person believing in Jesus is justified by the law of faith and v.
28 concludes that a man is justified by faith apart from the law. Romans 5:1 begins by saying,
“Therefore being justified by faith”. As previously mentioned justification and righteousness
were both expressed in the NT using the same Greek root word. The Greek form of this verb
“being justified” would be better translated from a present tense to that of a past tense.
“Having been declared righteous” would be a more fitting translation. The difference takes the
believer from a current process to a factual past event.
The idea that the Bible consists of conflicting statements concerning justification by faith in
addition to works can be resolved by examining the Scriptures in proper context. The solution
is found in discerning the distinction between the “fruit of the Spirit” (an unpreventable result
of salvation) and the “works of the flesh”. The believer is being conformed to the image of
Christ because Christ dwells within the believer through the Holy Spirit; producing works of
faith. The results are unavoidable. Therefore, justification is by grace, through faith in Jesus
Christ, resulting in works of faith in the life of the believer.
Results of Justification
The book of Romans develops in progressive stages. If we continue onward to chapter five
Paul brings the reader to the results of a life justified in Christ. Being justified by faith we have:
• Peace with God through Christ
• Access by faith into His grace
• Hope in the glory of God
• Patience
• We are “saved from wrath”
• We “joy in God” through Christ
• We “receive atonement”
Continue to....... Assurance
Importance
The importance of the believers’ understanding of his position of justification in Christ Jesus
can not be stressed enough. If the Christian ever desires to move beyond the foundational
birth truths and into spiritual growth, experiencing the benefits of the believers’ position of
union with Christ, it is imperative to understand the doctrine of positional justification. The
believers’ inability to understand this initial foundational birth step will result in a shallow walk
of faith and a perpetual state of spiritual immaturity. The believer will never see clearly all the
attributes of our position in Christ until a complete understanding of the believers’ positional
justification is reached.
Justification defined
The Greek noun for justification (δικαίωσις, dikaiŏsis, dik-ah’yo-sis) is derived from the verb
dikaioō, meaning “to justify”. Strongs concordance defines dikaiŏsis (justification) as follows.
Dikaiosis denotes “the act of pronouncing righteous, justification, acquittal”; its precise
meaning is determined by that of the verb dikaioo, “to justify”; (1) it is used twice in Romans,
and there alone in the NT, signifying the establishment of a person as just by acquittal from
guilt. (2) In Romans 4:25 the phrase “for our justification,” is, lit., “because of our
justification” (parallel to the preceding clause “for our trespasses,” i.e., because of trespasses
committed), and means, not with a view to our “justification,” but because all that was
necessary on God’s part for our “justification” had been effected in the death of Christ. On
this account He was raised from the dead. The propitiation being perfect and complete, His
resurrection was the confirmatory counterpart. (3) In 5:18, “justification of life” means
“justification which results in life”. That God “justifies the believing sinner on the ground of
Christ’s death, involves His free gift of life. (Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance
of the Bible #1347 ©2001)
So justification is a judicial act of God; where a just and holy God presiding as judge grants
the sinner a full pardon and acquittal of sin and due penalties. The new believer’s sins are
atoned for through Christ’s substitution work on the cross and he is pronounced righteous by
God through faith in Jesus Christ. In this way righteousness is imputed (accredited or
transferred) to those “that believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13), not by any
righteousness on our part but Christ’s righteousness is transferred toward the sinner. Even in
our struggles and failures, whether in sin or obedience, God looks at the work of our Lord
Jesus on the cross as the means of our justified position. His unwavering attention is always
focused on the cross. “Justification, or declaring-righteous, therefore, is the reckoning by God
to a believing sinner of the whole value of the infinite work of Christ on the cross; and further,
His connecting this believing sinner with the Risen Christ in glory, giving him the same
acceptance before Himself as has Christ: so that the believer is now the ‘righteousness of God
in Him’ (Christ)”. William R. Newell
The believer must also realize that we were yet unborn when Christ paid for our sins on the
cross. All of our sins were in the future. Our omniscient, heavenly Father took all of this into
consideration knowing our future condition and shortcomings even before our existence. He
had a plan before the foundation of the world was set in place. Therefore we can rest that we
have been justified from all things; our sins, past, present and future have been forgiven.
“And by Him [Jesus Christ] all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not
be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39).
Gods Righteousness and Justification
In Scripture justification and righteousness do not operate independent of each other; rather
they share a common unity, even so far as being indivisible. In the book of Romans the same
Greek word is used when referring to being righteous, “dikaios”, as well as to justify, “dikaioo”,
indicating the unity of the two. In Romans 3:21 the “righteousness of God” is Christ Himself
who met every requirement and command of the law and His righteousness is imputed toward
those that believe on His name - who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness
(1Cor 1:30), because Christ has borne all sins on the cross. Therefore, “Gods righteousness”
is significant in relation to the believer as having the same standing and acceptance before God
as that of Christ, having thus removed the sins of those IN Christ by His shed blood. The
believer is declared righteous having been united with Christ in His death, burial and
resurrection and now being placed in Christ; and being in Christ we can rest that Christ needs
nothing more to assure a right standing. The believers justified position in Christ is eternal.
Gods’ justification is one of declaring the unrighteous as that of being righteous while yet
ungodly, because God looks to the cross – Christ becomes our righteousness. Justification
begins in God’s grace but is reckoned through faith in the redeeming work of Christ crucified.
Justified by Grace
All have been called into the court-room of God, weighed on the balances and found wanting.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23). Romans 3:9-20 declares
the whole of mankind is found guilty. From Romans 1:18-3:20 Paul worked toward bringing
the entire world under Gods judgment, guilty, beyond self restoration and powerless. God
now reveals His absolute sovereign authority by displaying His sovereign grace toward the
guilty sinner (beyond self repair). In this way Christianity is unique in that justification is by
Gods grace and not by any works or effort on the sinner’s behalf. Romans 3:24 says the lost
are “declared righteous giftwise” or “freely”, meaning that it is a gift from God by His grace.
Speaking on the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer relating to righteousness without
works, William Newell said, “yet none of these things justifies me! I had justification from God
as a sinner, not as a saint. My saintliness does not increase it, nor, praise God, do my failures
decrease it!” Justification is a change in our relation to God; it has nothing to do with being
made holy or going through a transformation from impurity to holiness. We are being
“declared righteous” through Christ, therefore, having Christ’s righteousness accounted to us
we are changed positional - from a position of guilt and an object of wrath; to a position of
being declared justified. The penalty of our sin has been charged to Christ and His work on the
cross has paid all penalties. And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, (Acts 13:
39). However, it must be understood that justification is based on Christ’s work (His death)
on the cross. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation (2 Co 5:
19).
“Faith putteth a man under grace, but unbelief holdeth him under wrath.” (John Bunyan, Come
and Welcome Jesus).
Justified by Faith
The believer is saved by grace, however, I dare say, there is a condition placed on the
recipient. The conditional link that must be exercised in order to be received (by God) comes
only through faith. Jesus paid the full price at Calvary to justify all who believe; this requires
faith. Romans 3:26,27 says the person believing in Jesus is justified by the law of faith and v.
28 concludes that a man is justified by faith apart from the law. Romans 5:1 begins by saying,
“Therefore being justified by faith”. As previously mentioned justification and righteousness
were both expressed in the NT using the same Greek root word. The Greek form of this verb
“being justified” would be better translated from a present tense to that of a past tense.
“Having been declared righteous” would be a more fitting translation. The difference takes the
believer from a current process to a factual past event.
The idea that the Bible consists of conflicting statements concerning justification by faith in
addition to works can be resolved by examining the Scriptures in proper context. The solution
is found in discerning the distinction between the “fruit of the Spirit” (an unpreventable result
of salvation) and the “works of the flesh”. The believer is being conformed to the image of
Christ because Christ dwells within the believer through the Holy Spirit; producing works of
faith. The results are unavoidable. Therefore, justification is by grace, through faith in Jesus
Christ, resulting in works of faith in the life of the believer.
Results of Justification
The book of Romans develops in progressive stages. If we continue onward to chapter five
Paul brings the reader to the results of a life justified in Christ. Being justified by faith we have:
• Peace with God through Christ
• Access by faith into His grace
• Hope in the glory of God
• Patience
• We are “saved from wrath”
• We “joy in God” through Christ
• We “receive atonement”
Continue to....... Assurance