Justification

Justification

Greek: δικαίωσις

Strong’s Greek & Hebrew Dictionary: acquittal (for Christ’s sake) :- justification.

Merriam-Webster: 1. The act of justifying; a showing to be just or conformable to law, rectitude or propriety; vindication; defense. Our disobedience to God’s commands admits no justification.

2. Absolution.

3. In law, the showing of a sufficient reason in court why a defendant did what he is called to answer. Pleas in justification must set forth some special matter.

4. In theology, remission of sin and absolution from guilt and punishment; or an act of free grace by which God pardons the sinner and accepts him as righteous, on account of the atonement of Christ.

 Justification is a legal term. It means acquittal. In the court of divine justice, man approaches with no hope due to his staggering offence. He is like the parable of the man who owed his master a great debt. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. (Matthew 18:24-27 KJV)

God throws out the case against us because Jesus took on the penalty of the debt. He forgives and pardons the sinner because of Jesus’ death on the cross. God has rescinded the judgment. The judge pardons and forgives the defendant for his sins. God sees the sinner “just if I’d” never sinned.

Paul is the only writer who used the word justification. Who (Jesus) was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25 KJV) This passage concerned Abraham who believed and God considered him righteous. To justify is to declare righteous.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 KJV). Romans chapter 5 is a whole theological treatise on justification. We were justified by the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus removed the penalty of sin. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:16-19 KJV)

One man (Adam) brought death but one man (Jesus) brought the free gift of justification and righteousness. His justification made us the righteousness of God. 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)

Jesus is our justification. This is a work of grace. We can’t earn our justification. It is a gift. We can’t merit it because it is a work of grace or God’s unmerited favor. It was justice that someone had to pay the debt of our offence against God. Jesus more than paid for it and we are justified. God provided our acquittal of the judgment of death because of our sins and iniquities through Jesus. We receive it by faith. We have been set free.