The Awesomeness of Justification

The Awesomeness of Justification
To communicate his will to humanity, God selected terminology from the daily vocabulary of the first century Roman world. From the business world he chose the expression "remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38). The idea being, in salvation one's sin-debt is paid in full. From the slave market came the word "redeem" and its cognate "redemption" (Colossians 1:14) which meant to pay the price for the slave and then to set him free. From the social realm was taken the expression "reconciliation" (Colossians 1:22), which describes those who have been alienated, against restored to friendship. From the legal world he took our word justification.

Behind the term justification we see a courtroom scene. God the judge is sitting at the bar, man the criminal stands before him, hopelessly guilty. The law is clear and to the point: "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Punishment must be inflected, the price must be paid. The righteous Judge has no options on that point. But then steps forward the Judge's only Son, against whom none can charge a sin (I Peter 2:22). He lays aside his robe and we see across his back the bloody stripes of the Roman scourge, a wound is in his side, his hands and feet have been likewise pierced. He says, "Father, I have already paid the price for his sins" (I Timothy 2:6). The Judge, obviously moved by the painful wounds in the body of his beloved child, looks at the confessed sinner and sees in him gratitude and love for his benefactor. He hears the wretch cry out to the Son, "I will serve you forever for what you have done." He takes up his pen and writes across the indictment,"Pardoned." The sinner has been justified!

McClintock and Strong tell us that justification designates "...the judicial act of God by which he pardons all the sins of the sinner who believes in Christ, receiving him into favor, and regarding him as relatively righteous, not withstanding his past actual unrighteousness"(1). W. E. Vine explains, "...justification being the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God as Judge"(2). William Barclay sums up this grand doctrine in the simple phrase, "...God treats the sinner as if he had not been a sinner at all. Instead of treating the sinner as a criminal to be obliterated God treats him as a child to be loved"(3).

The use of the word justification in Scripture demonstrates its meaning. "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah" (Proverbs 17:15). Note that "justifieth" is set in antithesis to "condemneth." "It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?" (Romans 8:33b-34a).

Man's Need For Justification

Justification will not be fully appreciated unless we understand man's predicament without it. Since that fateful day that Adam sinned in Eden, the human race has fought a losing battle with sin. Excepting those who died in infancy, those who were mentally incompetent, and our Lord Jesus, all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). The natural consequence of transgression is death. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20). This death is both physical and spiritual; for time and eternity.

Not only is man faced with the penalty of death, he has no means of extricating himself.

1) He cannot be good enough to save himself. Isaiah said, "For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousness are as a polluted garment..." (Isaiah 64:6). Paul reminds us that salvation is "not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves..." (Titus 3:5).

2) Personal sacrifice will not atone for sin. Paul told the Corinthians, "And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing" (I Corinthians 13:3).

3) Works of law cannot save. "Because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight..." (Romans 3:20). This is true of Moses' law, the moral law, or any human code. It is the function of law to punish the offender; it cannot, therefore, save the man it is bound to punish. Even the law of the Spirit of life that Christ has given will not save us if we separate it from vicarious death of Jesus and the mercy by which he offers to save us! "...through the law cometh the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20).

4) Acts of worship cannot atone for sins committed. Such is not the promise or purpose of worship. Worship is the adoration of the saved for their Savior.

5) Silver and gold cannot purchase forgiveness. The currency of salvation is a different kind. Truly we sing, "In my hand no price I bring, simply to thy cross I cling."

6) Human wisdom and philosophy cannot save us. Paul declares, "...the world through its wisdom knew not God" (I Corinthians 1:21). "...the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23).

Thus all of man's efforts to justify himself fail and leave him hopeless as a drowning man in the ocean.

How Can A Man Be Just With God?

These were the plaintive words of Job when his world collapsed about him and God did not respond to his cry (Job 9:2). The answer to this great question is the most important information in the world!

1) Justification is an act of God. Paul declares, "It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?" (Romans 8:33b-34). The initiative was on his part. He so loved the souls of lost men that he gave his only begotten Son to save them (John 3:16).

2) We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."(Romans 3:24). While we are unable to earn or merit justification, his great heart of mercy freely offers forgiveness to all. He is not willing "that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance"(2 Peter 3:9). He "would have all men be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:4).

3) Our salvation is possible because we are "justified by his blood" (Romans 5:9). It is only because the innocent Christ died in our stead, thus paying the price for our redemption, that God "might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:24-26).

4) Not only was it necessary for Christ to die, he had to be resurrected before justification could be realized. He "was raised for our justification" (Romans 4:25). A dead Christ could save no man. Resurrected, he ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

5) The Corinthians were washed, sanctified and justified "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God" (I Corinthians 6-11). By metonymy, the name of the Lord Jesus stands for the Master himself. Christ died for our justification and the Holy Spirit revealed to us the way to receive the blessing (Ephesians 3:1-6). He is given to all who obey the gospel (Acts 5:32) and is the seal and earnest of their salvation (Ephesians 1:13-18).

6) We are "justified by faith" (Romans 5:1). This is our response to God's extended mercy. "...without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him..." (Hebrews 11:6). This faith is a loving trusting, obedient faith in Christ Jesus. Paul delights in calling it the "obedience of faith"(Romans 1:5).

7) James reminds us, "Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith" (James 2:24). These are not works of law or of man's own righteousness, as they are clearly excluded (Romans 3:20; Titus 3:5). Rather, they are works such as Abraham did when he offered up Isaac. He obeyed the positive command of God. He did so not to earn or merit something from God, but because he truly loved the Lord and sought always to do his will.

A good statement of the various increments of our justification and their interrelationship is given by McClintock and Strong:

"The originating cause of justification is the free grace and the spontaneous love of God towards fallen man (Romans 1:5; 3:24; Tit. 2:11 3:4-5). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the sole meritorious cause of our justification inasmuch as it is the result of his atonement for us ... Faith is the instrumental cause of justification, present faith in him who was able to save, faith actually existing and exercised..."

The immediate results of justification are the restoration of amity and intercourse between pardoned and the pardoning God (Romans 5:1) ...the adoption of a person justified into the family of God, and the consequent right to eternal life (Romans 8:17); and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:14; 4:6), producing tranquility of conscience (Romans 8:15-16), power over sin (Romans 8:1), and a joyous hope of heaven (Romans 15:13; Galatians 5:5).4

How Can God Justify Sinners ?

Justification has been called "the supreme paradox of the gospel." It means that the just God accepts the sinner as just. It seems the rational thing to say that God being just must therefore condemn a sinner as a criminal. But the paradox is that even though God is just, he somehow, in his remarkable and miraculous grace revealed in Jesus, accepts the sinner, not as a criminal, but as a beloved child.

Imputation

The explanation of how God can so justify sinners is found in the great doctrine of imputation. The prophet Isaiah foresaw the Messiah who "was wounded for our transgressions,...bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed...and Jehovah laid on him the iniquity of us all." God would see the travail of his soul and be satisfied and the righteous servant would justify many (Isaiah 53:5-6,11). Our sins were imputed or charged to Christ who paid the penalty for us. Peter writes that "Christ suffered for you...who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed" (I Peter 2:21, 24). Similarly, Christ's righteousness is imputed to us. Paul tells us, "Him who knew no sin he made to be sin (i.e., sin-bearer) on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Again he exalts this grand truth in Philippians 3:8-9: "...that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." We see a beautiful illustration of imputation in Paul's message to Philemon regarding his runaway slave, Onesimus, who was guilty of numerous offenses. The apostle was willing to assume full responsibility for his slave-friend's obligations. He writes, "But if he hath wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account; I Paul write it with mine own hand. I will repay it" (Philemon 18-19).

This, too, is the typical lesson of azazel, the scapegoat of the ritual Day of Atonement. The high priest laid his hands on the head of the living goat and confessed over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel. "...and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land; and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness" (Leviticus 16:21-22). Thus Jesus bore the sins of humanity, symbolized by his bearing his cross outside the gates to the place of death.

Our sins were imputed to Christ, but not so as to make him a sinner. Likewise, his righteousness is imputed to us, but does not make us personally and actually worthy of God's favor. Jesus assumed our legal responsibility and was treated just as if he had been the sinner. We have received his righteousness in our justification and are treated just as if we were righteous altogether.

With David, we praise God for his marvelous grace. Blessed is "the man, unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works...Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin" (Romans 4:6-8).

In the gospels we see Jesus treating sinners as if they were the men and women they had the potential to become. The Jews treated Zacchaeus as a sinner hopelessly lost. The Lord treated him as a potential saint. (6)

Justification Is By Faith, But Not By Faith Alone

Paul concluded, "We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law" (Romans 3:28). This is the dominant theme of the new covenant doctrine of salvation. We should boldly preach this grand truth even as did Paul.

Protestant theologians have erred, however, by teaching justification by faith alone. The Methodist Discipline states, "Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.(5) The Baptist Manual declares, "...that justification...is bestowed...solely through faith in Christ..."(6). To teach this concept one must twist and ignore the clear declaration of the inspired author, James. The last half of the second chapter of his epistle is devoted to establishing the fact that "by works a man is justified, and not only by faith" (James 2:24). He cites two examples of Old Testament worthies who were said to be blessed of God because of their faith. "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness"(James 2:23), yet Abraham obeyed God even when told to sacrifice his son. Thus, his "faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect..."(James 2:23). Bloomfield renders this passage, "...by works his faith was rendered complete..."(7). So also was the case of Rahab: she was justified when her faith led her to obey God in the matter of assisting the Hebrew messengers (James 2:25).

Thus he concludes that by works a man is justified and not only by faith(James 2:24). The same truth obtains today: The faith that saves is the faith that obeys. Only a faith that works through love avails anything, said Paul (Galatians 5:6). It should be no marvel then that God placed repentance and baptism along with faith as prerequisites for justification. The Holy Spirit led Peter to tell the believing Jews to "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins..."(Acts 2:38). Those who gladly received his word were baptized and their sins were forgiven (Acts 2:41). In so doing their faith wrought with their works and was rendered complete.

The principle can also be seen in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 22:1-16). His faith, strong as it was, and great as were its effects upon his inner man, was not imputed to him for righteousness, so as to give him peace with God, until he arose and was baptized. When his faith worked (by being baptized, his) faith was made perfect, and the scripture was fulfilled which says: "He believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness."(8)

Paul himself preached this truth in his ministry. To the Jews of Antioch of Pisidia he said, "...through this man (Jesus) is proclaimed unto you remission of sins; and by him every one that believeth is justified..." (Acts 13:38-39). Now, when does one receive remission of sins? Peter answers for us: "Repent ye, and be baptized...in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38). When the sinner does so, Paul depicts him as a believer that is justified.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

J. M. Furness comments that "Justification is a 'free gift' (Romans 5:16, 18), and is not a future hope, but a present privilege: we are justified (Rom. 3:28); have been justified (Rom. 5:1:NEB)." (9)

W.E. Vine tells us that "being justified freely by his grace" (Rom. 3:24)" "is in the present continuous tense, indicating the constant process of justification in the succession of those who believe and are justified".(10) This reflects John's teaching that the blood of Christ keeps on cleansing those who keep on walking in the light and confessing their sins (I John 1:7-9).

In ancient times when persons were charged with a crime they were arraigned before judges, who having heard the case, announced their judgement by placing small stones in an urn. If they judged him innocent, they deposited a white stone, a black one if guilty. "...the ceremony of putting white pebbles into an urn did not make the accused individual either just or innocent but it formally declared him just and innocent. It was a judicial announcement of acquittal."(11) So when we come to Christ on the terms of the gospel God justified us, although we are neither just nor innocent. But because Christ died in our place, he can justify the ungodly (Romans 4:5).

The soul thus justified must never feel proud of his attainments or boast of his righteousness. Our salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). "Let any man that ever lived appear before the bar of God stripped of the mantle which God's mercy has thrown over him, and he must be condemned as a sinner."(12)

"Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God..." (Romans 5:1) Was there ever a grander theme? Is there any message more needed in a sin-cursed world? Can we ever exhaust its meaning? Let every disciple of Jesus shout it from the house tops and take the glad news to every soul on planet Earth. God will justify the sinner who believes in Jesus and obeys his blessed gospel! May we never, never, never abandon such a glorious theme to those who pervert its message and destroy its power. JHW

ENDNOTES:
(1) McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, 1968-70 ed., s.v. "Justification".
(2) Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, 1965 ed., s.v. "Justification, Justifier, Justify."
(3) William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series, 17 vols. (Philadelphia: The Westminister Press, 1955-1960), vol. 8: The Letter to the Romans, p.13.
(4) McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, s.v. "Justification."
(5) Emory, Stevens Bucke et al., The Book of Discipline of the Untied Methodist Church (Nashville, Tenn.: The Methodist Publishing House, 1968, p. 39.
(6) Edward T. Hiscox, The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches (Philadelphia: The American Baptist Publication Society, 1890), p. 62.
(7) S. T. Bloomfield, The Greek Testament, 2 vols. (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1955), vol. 2, p.684.
(8) J. W. McGarvey, "Justification by Faith," Lard's Quarterly 2 (January 1866):127.
(9) J.M. Furness, Vital Words of the Bible (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1966) p.39.
(10) An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, s.v. "Justification, Justifier, Justify."
(11) J.M. Pendleton, Christian Doctrines (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1878), p. 275.
(12) J.M. McGarvey, "Justification by Faith," Lard's Quarterly 2 (January 1866) p. 129.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible Series. 17 vols. Philadelphia Westminister Press, 1957. vol.8: The Letter to the Romans.
Bloomfield, S. T. The Greek Testament, 2 vols. London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, 1955. Vol. 2: James.
Bucke, Emory Stevens; Chambers, Curtis A.; Parlin, Charles C.; Washburn, Paul A. The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, Nashville, Tenn., The Methodist Publishing House, 1968.
Campbell, Alexander. The Christian System. Cincinnati: Standard Pub. Co., n.d.
Fairbairn, Patrick. Fairbairn's Imperial Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 6 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1957. Vol. 3.
Furness, J. M. Vital Words of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub. Co. 1966.
Guthrie, Shirley C., Jr. Christian Doctrine. Richmond, VA: Covenant Life Curriculum, 1968.
Hiscox,Edward T. The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches. Philadelphia: The American Baptist Publication Society, 1890.
Hodge, Charles. Systematic Theology. 3 vols. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1872. Vol. 3: Soteriology.
Lard, Moses E. Commentary of Paul's Letter to Romans. Delight, Arkansas: Gospel Light Publishing Company, [1875].
McClintock and Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical and Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. 1968-70 ed., s.v. "Justification".
McGarvey, J. W. "Justification by Faith". Lard's Quarterly, Vol. 2 (January 1866) pp. 113-129.
Owen, John. Justification by Faith. Grand Rapids: Sovereign Grace Pub., 1971.
Pendleton, J. M. Christian Doctrines: A Compendium of Theology. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publishing Society, 1878.
Richardson, Alan, ed. A Theological Word Book of the Bible. New York: MacMillian Co., 1967; Macmillan Company, 1967 MacMillian Paperbacks, 1962.
Spencer, Duane. Word Keys Which Unlock Calvary. San Antonio, TX: Grace Bible Press, 1973.
Stevens, George Barker. The Theology of the New Testament. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. 1965 ed., s.v. "Justification, Justifier, Justify".

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