JUSTIFICATION
You may recognize that the word justification looks much like the word justify. We use it all the time. Oftentimes when someone does wrong and they are caught they try to justify their actions. In our modern day usage of the word, it carries the idea of trying to explain one's action so as not to be guilty.
In scripture the greek word for justify is dikaiovw. It can mean:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
Whoever God predestines to salvation, He will call to salvation. Those whom God calls to salvation, He has justified. The reality is so secure that even the past tense of the word is used in Romans 8:30. It is not that God is going to justify us. We are justified. We are declared just or righteous.
You may recognize that the word justification looks much like the word justify. We use it all the time. Oftentimes when someone does wrong and they are caught they try to justify their actions. In our modern day usage of the word, it carries the idea of trying to explain one's action so as not to be guilty.
In scripture the greek word for justify is dikaiovw. It can mean:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
Whoever God predestines to salvation, He will call to salvation. Those whom God calls to salvation, He has justified. The reality is so secure that even the past tense of the word is used in Romans 8:30. It is not that God is going to justify us. We are justified. We are declared just or righteous.
Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Simply put, justification is the act whereby God declares us to be perfect, righteous or just. The word declares is very important to consider because you and I still sin on a daily basis. We exhibit unrighteous behavior more than we'd like to admit. Yet God declares us righteous. On what basis then are we declared righteous? Is it by our own good deeds...our own righteousness? Scripture answers with a resounding "no!"
Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
We are not justified by our lawkeeping. The law was given to reveal our sin, not so that we could attempt to keep it and earn our own justification. In both Romans and Galatians Paul shows us that it is not by works of the law that we are justified, but by faith in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 2:16 Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we are justified we are at made to be at peace with God. It is assumed then that God is angry with us for our wickedness--we are not just. Since Christ is the one who puts us at peace with God, it must be that Christ has done something for us so that God would consider us and pronounce us just. Christ has! He has given us His own righteousness by faith (Romans 4:22). We trust in Christ to take our sin upon Himself and we trust in Christ to give us His righteousness. That is called imputation (which we'll talk about another time).
In Romans 10:10, Paul says also that we are justified as we believe with our heart. In other words, belief in Christ and faith in Christ are synomous for both result in justification.
In Romans 10:10, Paul says also that we are justified as we believe with our heart. In other words, belief in Christ and faith in Christ are synomous for both result in justification.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Scripture undoubtedly teaches us that although we still sin, God pronounces us righteous as we put our belief, faith or trust in who Christ is and what He has done for us. Therefore, it is not our own righteousness whereby God declares us righteous. It is the righteousness of Christ that is given to us by faith. That is how we are justified or pronounced righteous in God's eyes. We are declared righteous even though our daily experience shows that we sin abundantly. That is the grace of God in action.
The practical and personal applications of understanding justification are numerous. It keeps us humble knowing that it is God who justifies us, not our own seemingly good deeds. Justification also leads us to delight in and worship God for His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Justification also causes us to hate the sins for which we've been declared righteous. Lastly, understanding justification rightly causes a deep compassion to well up inside of us for the unjustified, the sinner, the condemned.
Thank the Lord for declaring you righteous instead of declaring you guilty!
The practical and personal applications of understanding justification are numerous. It keeps us humble knowing that it is God who justifies us, not our own seemingly good deeds. Justification also leads us to delight in and worship God for His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Justification also causes us to hate the sins for which we've been declared righteous. Lastly, understanding justification rightly causes a deep compassion to well up inside of us for the unjustified, the sinner, the condemned.
Thank the Lord for declaring you righteous instead of declaring you guilty!
No comments:
Post a Comment