the meaning of justification.

[MoreCoffee]

Here are the verses in the new testament that use "Justified" in The New American Bible

(Luke 18:14 NAB) I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

(Acts 13:38 NAB) You must know, my brothers, that through him forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, (and) in regard to everything from which you could not be justified under the law of Moses,

(Acts 13:39 NAB) in him every believer is justified.

(Romans 2:13 NAB) For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified.

(Romans 3:4 NAB) Of course not! God must be true, though every human being is a liar, as it is written: That you may be justified in your words, and conquer when you are judged.

(Romans 3:20 NAB) since no human being will be justified in his sight by observing the law; for through the law comes consciousness of sin.

(Romans 3:24 NAB) They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus,

(Romans 3:28 NAB) For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

(Romans 4:2 NAB) Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God.

(Romans 5:1 NAB) Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

(Romans 5:9 NAB) How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.

(Romans 8:30 NAB) And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

(Romans 10:10 NAB) For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

(1 Corinthians 6:11 NAB) That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

(Galatians 2:16 NAB) (yet) who know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

(Galatians 2:17 NAB) But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? Of course not!

(Galatians 3:11 NAB) And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, for the one who is righteous by faith will live.

(Galatians 3:24 NAB) Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

(Galatians 5:4 NAB) You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

(Titus 3:7 NAB) so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

(James 2:21 NAB) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?

(James 2:24 NAB) See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

(James 2:25 NAB) And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by a different route?
​

What's the meaning of Justification?

 

[Imalive]

made righteous

 

[NewCreation435]

The word justification in Romans 4:25 and 5:18 is dikaiōsis and it means the act of God declaring men free from guilt and acceptable to him;
abjuring to be righteous, justification

In Romans 5:1 and at least 37 other places it is the word dikaioō and it means to render righteous or such he ought to be
to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

It is very much of a legal term saying that we are just in God's eyes because of what Christ has done for us.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1347&t=NASB
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1344&t=NASB

 

[user1234]

made righteous

JUST as IF I'D never sinned

Declared righteous. Made righteous, yes, and in a sense, being made righteous ... the sanctification side of things. We are declared righteous, and are being made righteous, and will be righteous. All in Christ.
~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.~~2Cor.5:21~

Many of the verses in the OP make a good case for osas.

 

[MoreCoffee]

JUST as IF I'D never sinned

...

Does that definition fit the passages where Justified is used?

 

[hedrick]

Does that definition fit the passages where Justified is used?

Not quite. I maintain that Paul had a range of meanings. When speaking of Abraham he seems to have meant justification as recognition that he was right with God. In other cases it seems to mean set right with God.

That implies forgiveness and acceptance, but as if no sin happened seems to be overinterpretation. Many people are called righteous in the Bible. There's no reason to think that they are perfect, just that they repent when needed.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Not quite. I maintain that Paul had a range of meanings. When speaking of Abraham he seems to have meant justification as recognition that he was right with God. In other cases it seems to mean set right with God.

How about defining it as "being made just" or "being made righteous"?

 

[hedrick]

How about defining it as "being made just" or "being made righteous"?

First, I maintain that it is sometimes being recognized as righteous and not always being made righteous.

Second, righteous requires definition. A lot of people think it means sinless perfection. But I don't think that's implied by the normal usage of the term. Furthermore, in Paul it seems to take on a specific meaning. Normally in the Bible when someone is called righteous, it's a judgement on their life, that they live as God wants. Again, not in the sense of being sinless. But in Paul it has a bit of a forensic implication. I think some Lutherans push this too far, but I do think in Paul being recognized as righteous is at times a status that's not earned, but that God accepts us as righteous based on our faith.

Of course if you define righteousness as being in the right status before God, then being recognized as righteous or made righteous would mean being recognized as or made right with God. But outside Paul, righteousness is more connected with your whole life. I think that implication is probably behind Paul's use as well, so when God justifies sinners, it's considering them as righteous even though strictly speaking they're not. That's why I'm a bit wary of modifying the definition of righteous as being only a status. I'd rather keep the usual definition and say that justification is sometimes a recognition of something that isn't yet strictly speaking true of us.

As you may know, N T Wright understands that God recognizes us as righteous because through Christ we are on the path to being truly righteous, so he's recognizing something that isn't true yet but will be, like considering someone as healed even though they still have recovery in front of them.

 

[Josiah]

Justification


1. The act of God which consists of non-imputation of sin and imputation of Christ's righteousness.

2. The doctrine of justification presupposes that people fall to meet God's Law, subject to His wrath, condemned to eternal death, Ec 7:20; Is 64:6; Mt 25:41; Romans 1–3.

3. The doctrine includes, as one of its chief elements, that God is moved to justify us by grace, mercy, unconditional love, directed toward those who are undeserving or unworthy, John 3:16; Romans 3:23; 5:20.

4. God's grace accomplished its purpose through the redemption of Christ. God sent His holy, innocent Son to become man and made Him man's Substitute. This Substitute fulfilled all requirements of the Law in our place (active obedience). He also suffered the pangs and woes which we had deserved (passive obedience). Divine justice is satisfied and love triumphs. Through Christ God reconciled the world unto Himself, 2 Co 5:19. This act of God is called objective justification

5. The righteousness of Christ is typically given us by God via the Means of Grace - the Gospel and sacraments. These means of grace offer, give, and seal to us God's forgiveness, John 15:3; Romans 1:16; Galatians 3:27. We receive this righteousness through faith. The moment this gift of faith accept the righteousness which Christ won, God pronounces us justified, free from guilt, acquitted (subjective justification, Gen. 15:6; Luke 15; Galatians 2:16). In Romans 4:16 Paul says, 'That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed,' as though he were to say, 'If it depended on our merits, the promise would be uncertain and useless inasmuch as we could never determine whether we had merited enough.' Experienced consciences can readily understand this. Therefore Paul says (Gal. 3:22), 'God consigned all things to sin, that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.' Here he denies us any merit, for he says that all are guilty and consigned to sin. Then he adds that the promise of the forgiveness of sins and justification is a gift, and further that the promise can be accepted by faith. Based upon the nature of a promise, this is Paul's chief argument, which he often repeats (Rom. 4:16; Gal. 3:18). Nothing one can devise or imagine will refute Paul's argument. So pious men should not let themselves be diverted from this declaration, that we receive the forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake only by faith; here they have a certain and firm consolation against the terrors of sin, against eternal death, and against all the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18).”

6. Since justification is brought about by God's grace through the sacrifice of Christ and we become possessors of it through faith, all human merit is excluded, Romans 3:27–31. Faith is not merit, since we are not justified on account of, but through, faith (which is the gift of God). Romans 8:33–39.

7. When a sinner is justified, he has peace with God, enjoys Christian liberty, does good works, and is filled with hope of eternal life, John 8:36; Romans 7:25; Romans 8:1–2, 17.

8. Justification is not a long-drawn-out process, but occurs in a moment; it is never partial, but always perfect and complete; it is alike in all who are justified; it puts one into a state of righteousness which continues as long as one believes; it can be lost; it can be obtained anew when it has been lost.




.

 

[user1234]

JUST. To be just. Justified.

AS IF. Kinda like. Sorta. As if just like almost as if.

A person commits a crime, goes before the judge and owes a penalty,
someone else pays the penalty in full, and the judge declares the criminal justified.
And...he even wipes the record clean, erases it from the books.

Gosh, it's kinda like he never committed the crime.
Of course, he did, he's not denying it, there was a real crime,
and a real criminal went before the judge.

But now, according to the judge, justice was satisfied,
the record has been erased. Just ... As if ... He'd never committed the crime.

Jesus paid a debt He didnt owe, because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.
And now, as believers in Jesus, God declares us justified,
Just ... As if ... We'd never sinned.
Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus!

 

[MoreCoffee]

First, I maintain that it is sometimes being recognized as righteous and not always being made righteous.

Second, righteous requires definition. A lot of people think it means sinless perfection. But I don't think that's implied by the normal usage of the term. Furthermore, in Paul it seems to take on a specific meaning. Normally in the Bible when someone is called righteous, it's a judgement on their life, that they live as God wants. Again, not in the sense of being sinless. But in Paul it has a bit of a forensic implication. I think some Lutherans push this too far, but I do think in Paul being recognized as righteous is at times a status that's not earned, but that God accepts us as righteous based on our faith.

Of course if you define righteousness as being in the right status before God, then being recognized as righteous or made righteous would mean being recognized as or made right with God. But outside Paul, righteousness is more connected with your whole life. I think that implication is probably behind Paul's use as well, so when God justifies sinners, it's considering them as righteous even though strictly speaking they're not. That's why I'm a bit wary of modifying the definition of righteous as being only a status. I'd rather keep the usual definition and say that justification is sometimes a recognition of something that isn't yet strictly speaking true of us.

As you may know, N T Wright understands that God recognizes us as righteous because through Christ we are on the path to being truly righteous, so he's recognizing something that isn't true yet but will be, like considering someone as healed even though they still have recovery in front of them.

The words Justify, justified, and justification have a general meaning in holy scripture do they not? Especially in the new testament. And even if one can make a case for saint Paul having a slant this way or that in his letters is it not the theory (if not the truth) that God is regarded as the primary author of holy scripture so might that no imply a constancy in intended meaning between the books of the bible, especially the new testament books?