Justification

2000-10-17

Introduction: Definitions

Justification is the “instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight” (Grudem 1246). It is the gracious gift of God the Father. Justification is done by God’s giving of His only Son to pay the penalty of humankind’s sin, as an atoning sacrifice for all people who place their faith in Him. Jesus was the substitution for imperfect humankind as a sacrifice without blemish. The believer is then unified in Christ, is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and also has a new life by faith (Galatians 2:20). Though humankind has fallen short of the glory of God, God had a plan from eternity past to justify people that they may enter His presence. Most specifically, justification is “God’s action pronouncing sinners righteous in His sight” (Erickson 968).

Words Used in Association With Justification

Righteousness is not and never has been a quality of humankind ever since the Fall in Genesis 3, nor can people have actions that are righteous within themselves. As Paul plainly wrote in Romans 3:10, “There is none righteous.” This is some of the most direct biblical support that all people are sinful (Murray 103). However, repeatedly there are people in Scripture that were called righteous, such as Joseph in Matthew 1:19, and Zacharias and Elizabeth in Luke 1:6. This word ‘righteous’ in Greek, δικαιος, is used in both of these situations. Along with this word, and the noun δικαιοσυνη, Greek also has a word of the same root δικαιοω, which is ‘to justify.’

Two Righteousnesses

Δικαιος is a word in context which means “one who conforms,” “who is civilized” or observes a custom (TDNT 2:180). Clearly there seems to be a difference between being righteous by the works of the law and being righteous like Joseph, Zacharias and Elizabeth. There almost seems to be two categories of righteousness. The first category of being righteous is by the works of the law, which is not humanly possible, as Paul wrote in Romans 3:10 and 3:20. The second category is God interceding for humankind to make them righteous, or to justify them, as Paul wrote in Romans 4:5. This comes not from the works of the law, but by belief and faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:27).

The criterion in which sin will be judged is pure righteousness, for which God will hold all people accountable (Murray 103). Now God is a God of righteous judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:5), so He must justify the ungodly in order for anybody to be saved (Romans 3:25). Jesus Christ, God in the flesh who kept the entire law, suffered and died, and paid the penalty for humankind’s rebellion (1 Peter 3:18) so that those who have faith in Him are brought to God. Without Christ, humankind does not have a chance, because the perfect standard of God’s law brings about unfavorable judgment. Paul writes that people die, but afterwards they are judged, which is called the second death (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:14).

The two “categories” of righteousness then have the same result: they are saved from judgment and have direct access to God. The former type, in which Christ is the only One, can stand in God’s presence because of His perfect life (2 Corinthians 5:21). This category is otherwise merely hypothetical and not possible. The people who are categorized by the latter type likewise have direct access to God: the sinners that God justifies by faith in Christ. The Old Testament tabernacle was a model of God’s holiness: no uncleanness or imperfectness was permitted to enter because of the holy nature of God. He is unique and distinct from the created world, which has fallen to imperfection and is cursed. Christ’s death is the atoning sacrifice for all time, tearing the veil of the temple in two (Matthew 27:51). This symbolic event shows that people can not only enter His presence, but can also boldly enter His throne room (Hebrews 4:16) to be in His presence for eternity (Matthew 25:46).

The Righteousness of God

From the teaching of the Bible, there is not any person who is righteous by the terms of the law. Plenty of examples could be cited. Those who do not follow the law are cursed according to Deuteronomy 27:26. God, however, being merciful and forgiving to His creation, had this plan to “justify” people for those who believe in Christ. A common phrase in Romans is “the righteousness of God.” Knowing that God calls all people to repentance through His omniscient power, the source of righteousness is not that of created humankind, but the righteousness of God. This righteousness that is found in God is that which saves the believers. Therefore, the believer is fused to the righteousness of God, and is unified with Christ. Therefore, those who are unified with Christ and have His righteousness are justified. Righteousness is characterized by the perfect nature of God, and justification means to be in union with that righteousness of God. Erickson states that when the Father judges the believer by the standards of the law, He sees the believer in union with Christ together as one (Erickson 965).

God set the standards for righteousness in His law; the law reflects His holy character (MacArthur 1705). Paul writes to the Romans, “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just (δικαιος), and good” (Romans 7:12). He says this with the mind that “there is none righteous” (Romans 3:10) as he spends a good portion of chapter three devoted to supporting this with Old Testament Scripture. Δικαιος is largely understood from the basis of the Old Covenant, showing that the letter of the law demonstrates that no human being is righteous (TDNT 2:187). The Old Testament shows repeatedly that nobody is righteous by deed of the law, and also that is impossible to be perfectly righteous by keeping the entire law (MacArthur 1697). The Gentiles were generally separated from God, and the Jews, who had access to the law, went through centuries of fickleness, where they would serve God, and then slip away again into the idolatry of their neighbors.

The Example of Abraham

Now Paul uses the case of Abraham in Romans 4:3, quoting what was written in Genesis 15:6, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (δικαιοσυνη).” There is no discussion of Abraham’s works here, but his trusting in God was counted as righteous. This will be brought up again in the study of James. The giving of a nation to Abraham through his seed was not Abraham’s work, but something God was planning to do through Abraham. God could have left him in Ur to serve other gods. This was righteousness given by God, as one sees this same word but in Hebrew context (צדקה). This verse was written after God promises Abraham many descendants through his very own son. Abraham already believed God before this, but by Genesis 15, we see that Abraham had been counted as righteous because of this belief. It could not be an issue of Abraham’s works, because he did have plenty occasions of sin, as with Pharaoh king of Egypt, Hagar the Egyptian, and Abimelech king of Gerar. When Abraham deceived Abimelech, it was well after he was pronounced righteous, so Abraham was not righteous under the law, but by his trust in God.

Paul uses the words of Habakkuk, “the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17 referring to Habakkuk 2:4). The case of Abraham conforms to this as he lived by faith, and did not have the law his descendants had. Taking the whole verse of Romans 1:17, Paul writes that God’s righteousness is revealed to those of faith. The righteousness from God does not come from the law, for the law, though truly holy, merely identifies our sin before God (Romans 3:20), but righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22). The law brings about judgment, but as it is seen in Romans 7, those in faith are free from the condemnation of the law (cf. Romans 8:1). These people are “justified (δικαιοω) freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). How could one be free from the condemnation of the law if it will always be until the heavens and earth pass away? This is the believer’s unity with Christ, who kept the law, so that the law may not condemn the believer.

The Epistle to the Romans holds fast to the general definition of righteousness and justification. This will also be seen in the next two cases in the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, and in the epistle of James. The unity of the Scriptures will be maintained as they complement each other perfectly in the instruction of what justification by grace through faith in Jesus is.

Jesus’ Instruction

Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew illustrates as well the need for grace in light of the high, perfect standards of the law. Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized to by him “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). He identified Himself with sinners because He eventually bore the sins of all those with faith, and that His “perfect righteousness will be imputed to them” (MacArthur 1397). Later on, He often describes righteousness in contrast of the Pharisees, who seem outwardly righteous (Matthew 23).

Jesus lets people know that He came to fulfill the law. This does not mean the law is something to be dismissed now that He has come, but it should be done and taught (Matthew 5:19). At this point, he uses the noun “δικαιοσυνη,” saying that one’s righteousness must exceed the Pharisees’ “righteousness” to enter the kingdom of God. He keeps directing His audience to the need for a Savior.

From here, Jesus reveals this higher standard of the law, showing the need for God’s grace. He does this, for example, by saying that one who is angry with someone without reason is guilty of murder. Another example is explaining that lust is committing adultery in the heart. The commandments even of the simplest variety are therefore much more difficult to follow.

Now Paul in Romans 7 in a sense says that the believer in Jesus is free from the law. He uses the metaphor of marriage to explain this. Once a spouse dies in marriage, one is free from the marriage. Likewise, it is the believer that no longer lives attached to the law, but he is alive (joined) in Christ. The believer is now dead to (separated from) the law. The condemnation of the law for the believer is now gone, because the believer is now attached to the only means and only sacrifice that atones all sin under the law: Jesus Christ.

This could be seen as a complete paradox to what Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew (see 5:18). This is not the case, because Jesus’ coming fulfills the law (Matthew 5:17). Jesus’ coming was what was anticipated from the Law when a prophet would arise like Moses.

Christ affirmed that the works of the law did not bring about our righteousness. He does this by using examples against the Pharisees. The outward appearance of the Pharisees was one that seemed lawful, but was really self-righteousness and prideful; they had missed what the spirit of the law teaches. First Christ stated that one’s righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, and then later he is seen with outcasts in society like the tax collectors. Christ also had said that he did not come “to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). Now all people are sinners, but the Pharisees, seeing themselves as righteous, were not a part of the plan because they focused on the ceremonial law and denied that the law was an indicator of their sin and need for a Savior. Those who admitted they were sinners were the ones whom Christ was calling.

James’ Instruction

James wrote similarly on the matters of grace, but goes specifically into what the results of faith look like. At first glance, what James writes seems to be in contrast to what Paul writes in Romans 3, as he explains that nobody is righteous by faith without works. First, James declares that this gift of righteousness is strictly from God (James 1:17-18), as Paul says (Romans 1:16-17, 3:21ff). Then he states in his epistle that a “man is justified (δικαιοω) by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). This is no different from what Paul said, except James takes what Paul said to the next level. By grace through faith one is saved. This calling to faith, however, is not the end of what God does with the believer in Jesus. Faith that does not bear fruit is dead (i.e. useless), writes James (James 2:20), but it is still faith (cf. James 2:26, follow the analogy: a dead body is still a body as a workless faith is still faith, they are just both useless and pointless in this life). James asks, “can faith save him” (James 2:14)? But remember the context: After verse 14, we read “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” The idle faith does not “save,” or help, that brother in sister in need.

What is the profit from a faith that does not produce works? Works should be automatic of an active faith, and is the evidence to the world of an authentic saving faith. He separates empty faith with true faith by saying that empty faith is just idle belief, and though ‘saved’ in the sense of being saved from God’s eternal judgment, they cannot save another or save themselves in the practical sense in this life, which James explains using the examples of Abraham and Rahab.

James also uses the same verse of Genesis 15:6 that Paul uses to explain what he means. The verse itself clearly states that Abraham was righteous not because of his own merit, so James’ point is not to have works as the source of true justification before God. Abraham was counted as righteous because of his trusting in God, but we also see a growth in Abraham as the chapters progress in Genesis. He began at one end of the spectrum, questioning God whether he could have a child at an old age, to the point where he almost sacrificed his son to Isaac until He was commanded to stop. Spiritual growth increases the desire to serve the Lord and do good works as the believer was designed. Had Abraham never left Ur, or if he had never had relations with Sarah in her old age, the promises of his seed would never have been fulfilled, though his sins would have been forgiven by faith.

James therefore does not say that anyone is justified in the sense that our sins are forgiven by works. In the case of Abraham, if he were to be justified in his own works, “he has ground for being glorified” (Murray 130). If people could justify themselves, then what do they need of God? Abraham listened to God and did not follow human wisdom to question God on the motive of this sacrifice.

This is not a contradiction to Paul, because the obedience came from faith. Sinful humankind is not obedient naturally, so faith must come first. Faith came first which justified Abraham, and it was certain that he would produce fruit because he had genuine active faith, listening to what God told him to do. James also uses the case of Rahab the harlot from Jericho as one justified by works. She confessed that God is above heaven and earth for she heard about His miracles at the Red Sea and among the Amorites (Joshua 2:9-11). Here is the role of being “saved”: her actions were actions of faith, and these actions saved those Jewish people from being revealed to the king’s messengers in Jericho and certain death. She also saved her own life by her faith since the Jewish people swore an oath to protect her and her family. Therefore, what Paul has said about grace through faith is still true according to James, but actions come from obedience, which comes from the faith. We know that Paul would agree with this, as he wrote to the Ephesians that people are saved by grace through faith, but created in Christ to do good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).

So how was Abraham “justified by works”? He was not justified before God by works (remember Genesis 15:6), but he was justified before the world by works. Romans 4:2 reads “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.” The word “justified” is not used in the same sense here as it is used elsewhere, just like we use the word in our daily conversation to mean other things. His willingness to give up his one and only son showed the world that he was serious about serving God, and we see his faith in this act.

All of this discussion can be connected to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5. In Matthew 5:19, Jesus says that those who break the least of the commandments of the law will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but those who teach and do the commandments will be great. This upholds that in Christ there is no more judgment under the law as Paul writes, and that active faith will produce good works, as James writes. Why? This is because Jesus fulfilled the moral law by being perfect, fulfilled the ceremonial law by personifying its rituals, and also by personifying God’s justice (MacArthur 1400). Jesus then came to explain the moral significance of the law then, as many people were blinded as to the real meaning of the law.

Conclusion

Putting God’s entire plan of justification together, the Father calls people to Christ through his Word, and they are counted as righteous. He does this by His own grace and mercy. Formerly as objects of wrath, the people were disobedient, and condemned under the law they did not and could not keep. In Christ, they become righteous, because they are atoned by His blood, and become one with Christ, who is the essence of the law. This unity in Christ changes the person, desiring righteousness and to become obedient. In this the believers do what they are called in Christ to do, that is, to do good works. The Holy Spirit is working in the lives of God’s people. This is how the sinner could ever be reconciled to the righteous God: God does everything in the person’s life.

Sources

Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Leicester: Inter-Varsity, 2000.

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville, Word: 1997.

Murray, John. The Epistle to the Romans: the English Text with Introduction, Exposition, and Notes. Found in The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids : Eerdmans, c1959-65.

Kittel, Gerhard, ed. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Volume 2. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1964. Designated as TDNT.