Justification

RevJP · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:54 am Post subject: Justification

Michael Horton writes about an experience he had when he went to a nondenominational Christian high school and asked 160 students this question, “How many here have ever heard the term, justification?”

Out of 160 young people, only one person had ever heard of, much less understood, the central tenet of the Protestant Reformation and, indeed, of the gospel itself,” he said. What kind of perspective can we expect to have if the “central tenet” of our faith is not known? Certainly we don’t have God’s view. So we must deal with this basic creed of reformation faith if we are to regain God’s perspective on the gospel.

Definition of term
The dictionary I have defines the verb “justify” as “to declare innocent or blameless.” In Vine’s Complete Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words the verb “justify” is defined as “to declare to be righteous, to pronounce righteous.” Justification is then the state of being justified; the state of having “rightness” before God.

Theological Significance
God’s justice is the root of justification. God is just, or fair and impartial, with his people. “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4) The Lord our God is the ethical, social, and most importantly the moral judge of the world. He just doesn’t judge right and wrong in the situations of life through His word, but in the most simplest and most individual sense he judges us for our sin.

God’s justice is part of the total character of Himself. There is no reason to expect mercy from the righteous Judge of the Universe. Let me say that again. There is no reason to expect, or take for sure, mercy from the Lord. He does indeed reward the righteous, but the wicked he repays each person for they have done. JI Packer reminds us that “the Bible labors point that just as God is good to those who trust him, so he is terrible to those who don’t.” “It is from the Lord that man gets justice.” (Proverbs 29:26) The essence of the judgment of God is justice. Justice for the righteous, but also justice for the wicked.

What does justice mean to us? What can we expect from such justice? To answer these questions, we must look at our standing before God as a creation. In the most clearest declaration of God’s justice and judgment in any passage of Scripture, Romans Chapter 2 gives us the answers.

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God ‘will give to each person according to what he has done.’ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” (Romans 2:5-8)

Paul, in these verses and the following Chapter 3, gives us God’s perspective concerning our standing before Him. Justice here is defined as “without favoritism” (verse 11) which means everyone is under judgment. The impartial judgment is based on a just standard and placing “what he (man) has done” up against it. That standard is Jesus Christ (v. 16).

For those who, like the Jews, have tried to observe the law fully, they are condemned by it. For those who, like the Gentiles, claim to not have the law, God says you will perish apart from the law and will incur the same judgment as those under the law for your conscience bears witness to your sin. (v.12-15) We get justice from God because He is just. The justice we incur on ourselves is God’s judgment. He is just, or truthful and wise, when he judges. God’s authority for judgment makes the whole world accountable to Him and therefore his judgment is justice for us.

Chapter 3 tells us “there is no one righteous, not even one......there is no one who does good.” (v. 10b, 12b) God’s judgment of our ways is apparent. His judgment involves eternal separation from Him at the day of His wrath. His holiness is always giving us justice. We will always get what is fair. We are spiritually dead now and will continue to be away from God after we are physically dead if we continue to have God’s wrath on us.

That is what is fair.

We have defined the justice of God and his impending judgment. Sinners awaiting damnation. But if we were to stop now, then we have only half defined God; we have only half given his perspective. Now we turn to the most amazing concept of history - justified sinners. Romans has declared that no one is deserving of the title “righteous.” But if we are truly the creation of God and meant to glorify him and enjoy him forever, how can the relationship that was perfect in the Garden be regained today in the world?

How can the unrighteous have fellowship with the righteous?

Certainly not by any means of man. Verse 21 of Chapter 3 of Romans may be the most amazing verses of the whole Bible. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.” (emphasis mine) A new revelation has come. A righteousness, an imputed justice, and an accredited standing before God has been revealed from God himself.

Man cannot give himself rightness and cannot administer justice on himself, though he will always receive it. Sinners of the world, deserving justice that implies God’s judgment, have had a solution to their sentence of damnation revealed to them. The ones who are not righteous will become righteous. The ones deserving justice will be justified. Packer again writes, “The New Testament answer is: Call on the coming Judge to be your present Savior.”

Once we have this imputed or alien righteousness, which is from God through the redemption of the cross, we are justified by God while we are yet sinful. His own righteousness is our sole justifier. His justice and the implication of wrath against our sin have been appeased by His righteousness. And central to this imputation is Jesus Christ. “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (v.22) The verses go on to say that Jesus is a sacrifice presented to demonstrate God’s justice, “so as to be the just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (v.26)

It is important if we are to keep our eye on the Christocentricness of the Gospel, that we remember this short summary: “He is active; we are acted upon.” The divine acts of incarnation, redemption, and resurrection - all acts of Christ - are the foundations for justification.

Modern Significance
Once we have accurately defined the basis of justification we need to defend its biblical meaning against the “other” gospels in the world and those, ironically, made by the world. Francis Schaeffer in quoting Romans 3:24-26 points directly to the misleading ideas of humans trying to have a part in salvation...

“Whether it is the Judaizers at the time of Paul, or the classical Roman Catholic Church with the addition of works, or the modern theologian - it does not matter. Man always tries to sneak a humanistic element into salvation. But in the area of individual salvation Scripture rejects all humanism. Man is justified freely ‘through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus!’”

It is humanistic, and therefore not Christocentric, to say your decision for Christ saves. Justification is an one time event and so is the act of deciding. But the gospel does not talk about “deciding for Christ” or “asking Jesus into your heart” but clearly describes acquiring a righteousness that has been revealed by God. This righteousness comes through faith - that is faith is the instrument of application. Christians acknowledge truth through faith.

Just like when people look for better instruments to be conductors for electricity so to make the electrons flow through more efficiently, so too does the alien righteousness from God flow through faith efficiently. If we can only please God with faith, then it is the most efficient instrument to build up His glory. Faith is the only “conductor” of righteousness, so we are justified by faith alone.

“We talk too much about faith today and not enough about the object of our faith. When we do that, faith becomes something subjective; it becomes an end rather than a means to an end, namely Jesus Christ.” (Horton) The phrase “in Christ” is the phrase that should be emphasized in theology. If we are “in Christ” we are justified freely. If we are “in Christ” we are “in need” of nothing else for we have been set right with God.

By: Matthew Boedy

ragman13 · Tadpole Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 15

Hey Rev. I know it’s an old post but thought that it brought up a good point. What are we as Christians to do about the absence of biblical doctrine being taught in our churches? I recently spoke with a pastor at school and he mentioned that many of his churches applicants for an open youth minister position could not even explain the Gospel opting to give answers like e.g. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

I have discussed this issue with my pastor and he is planning to do an in-depth study of the book of Romans from now up through summer. What are your thoughts on the issue?

Nobby · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:33 pm Post subject:

Hi ragman, the book of Romans is a good book. That will be an interesting study! Sounds like your really enjoying the school. That's great!! Very Happy

Lovya bro,
Nobby