There
is a lot of confusion regarding the subject of justification. This arises from the failure
to discern two different kinds of justification mentioned in the Scriptures. It also
arises from failing to distinguish between the faith of Jesus Christ and the sinner’s
faith.
I will attempt to put in order the teaching of justification as it is
revealed in God’s Holy Word.
Forms of the word "justify" are used in two senses in the
Scripture. Sometimes the term means to free from the guilt and penalty of sin. At other
times the term means to prove the righteousness of a person or action, to show to be just.
The following passages use the word "justify" in the sense of
freeing one from the guilt and penalty of sin:
"If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto
judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous,
and condemn the wicked (Dt 25.1)." Here the word "justify" is used in
contrast to the word "condemn". The meaning is that a righteous man is to be
freed from the charges and punishment that would be conferred upon a guilty man.
"He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the
just, even they both are abomination to the LORD (Pr 17.15)." Again, a form of the
word "justify" is used in contrast to the word "condemneth". This
verse expresses the same idea as the previous one by expressing God’s displeasure
with one who reverses the order of Deut 25.1. In this case, the wicked is being freed from
the charges and punishment which he deserves. This happens quite frequently these days.
"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 (Rom 5.18)." This verse is another example of a form of "justify"
used to denote freedom from condemnation. The subject here is the righteousness of Jesus
Christ by which men are freed from the condemnation due them by the offence of Adam. Each
of the above passages demonstrates that forms of the word "justify" sometimes
signify freedom from the guilt and penalty of sin.
The next list of passages show forms of the word "justify"
being used in the sense of meaning to prove the righteousness of a person or action, to
show to be just.
"Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy
sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou
judgest (Ps 51.4)." This verse certainly does not imply that God would be freed from
the guilt of sin. Instead, it affirms that David’s actions but PROVED the
righteousness of God’s verdict. |
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"And all the people that heard him,
and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John (Lk
7.29)." In no way can it be thought from this statement that the people and the
publicans justified God in the sense of releasing Him from the guilt and punishment of
sin. On the contrary, the verse teaches that by being baptized of John, the people were
showing God to be just and right in His commandment to repent.
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory (1 Tim 3.16)." The
justification of the Lord Jesus in the Spirit simply means that He was shown to be
righteous. It could not mean that He was freed from the guilt of sin for "he knew no
sin". And when He was "made sin for us (2 Cor 5.21)", rather than being
freed from the penalty of sin, He was legally counted as guilty and condemned (Gal 3.13).
Hence, the foregoing passages show forms of the word "justify" meaning to prove
the righteousness of a person or action, to show to be just.
How are men freed from the guilt and penalty of sin? This is the
subject of the following passage:
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to
them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty
before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that
believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier
of him which believeth in Jesus (Rom 3.19-26)." This passage speaks of the guilt of
men under the law. It shows how God has provided a righteousness by Jesus Christ and a
blood redemption in Jesus Christ whereby sinners are made righteous before God and freed
from the penalty of their sin. According to Eph 1.4, 7, it is those who were chosen in
Christ before the world began that receive the benefits of this blood redemption in Christ
Jesus. They are the ones "justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus."
Galatians 2.16 is another text that also speaks of justification
in the sense of freeing one from the condemnation of sin, and it is through the faith of
Jesus Christ!
Stay tuned as we continue with this treatise on JUSTIFICATION. |
