Page 355 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

JUSTIFICATION

2 Sa. 8:15; Ps. 89:14). Like tsedeq, the Hebrew word for JUSTIFICATION. Justification means “to declare
justice (mishpat) is also translated right (Ge. 18:25). righteous.” Justification is God’s declaration that those
The book of Proverbs is the book of practical justice who trust Jesus Christ are righteous before Him. It is a
(Pr. 1:3). It teaches right dealing among men. legal concept, as when a judge gives a verdict. God is
All true justice is taught by God’s Spirit, who is the great Judge. It is His law sinners have broken.
depicted in Proverbs 8 as Wisdom incarnate (Pr. 8:15). Before salvation, God declares that I am a condemned
At the heart of godly justice is the royal law: thou sinner. After I trust in Christ, God declares that I am
righteous because of what Christ did for me on the
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Ja. 2:8). cross. Justification is to be brought into a new spiritual
The requirement for doing justice is the fear of God position before God. The believer is no longer a part of
(2 Sa. 23:3). the cursed household of Adam, but he has entered the
Justice operates in four major realms: Justice operates blessed household of Christ (Ro. 5:1-2).
in the sphere of business (Le. 19:35-36). It is to avoid How is a person justified? (1) Justification is free (Ro.
every type of cheating, stealing, dishonesty, 3:24). We do not become righteous before God through
misrepresentation, and ungodly manipulation. It is to good works, religious rituals, morality, or law-keeping.
provide a good quality product for a fair price. It is to Justification is a free gift. (2) Justification is because of
give the “baker’s dozen,” meaning to give even more Christ’s redemption (Ro. 3:24). Justification is free
than bargained for. It is honesty in advertising. It is because Jesus Christ paid the price with His own blood
paying a just wage and otherwise treating one’s and death. (3) Justification is through faith in Christ
employees justly (Col. 4:1). Justice operates in the sphere (Ro. 3:25-28; 4:3-6; 5:1). Man’s part in justification is to
of government (Job 29:14-17). It enforces law and repent of his sin and to trust Jesus Christ.
order; it protects the godly, the innocent, and the weak Other important truths about justification: (1)
from oppressors. Justice operates in the sphere of the Justification is by imputation, not impartation.
judicial system. It is equity and impartiality (Le 19:15; Justification is not God making a sinner righteous, but
De. 1:16-17; 16:18-20; 2 Ch. 19:5-7). It treats each God declaring him righteous. It is true that God gives
person equally under the law. It doesn’t take bribes (Ex. the believer a righteous nature, which causes him to
23:8; De. 16:19; 1 Sa. 8:3). It doesn’t accept lies and love and serve God, but this is not justification; this is
false witnesses (De. 19:16-21; 1 Ki. 21:9-13). It searches regeneration (2 Co. 5:17). Justification is God imputing
out the truth of every matter (De. 17:4; Job 29:16-17). to the believing sinner the very righteousness of Jesus
It administers punishments that are suitable for the Christ (2 Co. 5:21; Ro. 4:4-6). (2) Justification is in
crime, not too weak and not too harsh (De. 25:1-3). It Jesus Christ. To have Christ is to have justification (1
doesn’t allow manipulation of the system by the rich Co. 1:30; 2 Co. 5:21). (3) Justification is a present sure
and powerful. It doesn’t allow lawyers to corrupt the possession, not a process or a possibility (Ro. 5:9).
clear intent of the law by clever techniques. It doesn’t Justification is not a gradual thing whereby a person
allow procedure to replace truth. It doesn’t allow justice grows in righteousness. The believer is as fully justified
to be delayed so as to wear down and discourage the the day he is saved as he is after fifty years of spiritual
innocent. It doesn’t oppress by requiring the innocent to growth. Believers do grow in obedience, but this is not
pay large sums of money to obtain justice. Justice justification; it is sanctification (1 Pe. 2:1-2). (4)
operates in the sphere of social welfare (Pr. 31:9). Justice Justification promises eternal safety from wrath (Ro.
is to help the needy. It is the opposite of oppressing the 5:9-11). Since the believer possesses justification
poor (Ec. 5:8). It is compassion on the poor (Le. 19:10; through Christ’s blood, he does not have to fear God’s
De. 10:17-18; 15:11; Job 29:12-17). It is visiting the wrath. It is God who declares the believer righteous;
fatherless and widows in their affliction (Ja. 1:27). thus the danger of wrath and condemnation are forever
No man is just enough by God’s holy standards to be past for those who are justified by Christ’s blood (Ro.
acceptable to Him. All have sinned and come short of 8:32-34).
God’s glory (Ro. 3:23). The only way to be just before Position and Practice. The Bible makes a plain
God is to be justified by faith in Jesus Christ, which distinction between the Christian’s position and his
means to be declared righteous on the basis of Christ’s practice. This is also called relationship and fellowship.
atonement (Ro. 3:24). Christ is the just One who died The believer’s position in Christ is unchanging, secure,
for the unjust (1 Pe. 3:18). Because of justification, the and eternal the moment he is born into God’s family. His
believing sinner is called just (Ro. 1:17; He.12:23). [See practice, on the other hand, depends upon his daily
Gospel, Grace, Integrity, Justification, Law, fellowship with Christ and is changeable. Justification
Righteousness, Sin.]
has to do with the believer’s eternal position before God
“in Christ.”

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 355