What is Justification ?

[Doug]

What is justification?

Romans 3:19 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.

3:20 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.

3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

3:22 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:

3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Here we can see what justification is and how we receive it.
To be justified is to be righteous. Do both pocess and exhibit the righteousness of God.
No one can be justified by the law or good works.
In this dispensation as in all others we are only justified by faith, by believing what God has said.
Today we are justified freely, as a gift, by believing the redemption provided in Christ Jesus.

This is the gospel by which we are saved.
15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15
We are all sinners who can not save ourselves.
Christ died for our sins; He was our substitute, He paid the full penalty and debt for our sin by his blood sacrifice.
He was buried.
He rose again for our justification ( to declare us righteous) and forgiveness of all our sin. He gives us His righteousness and eternal life.
All we have to do is believe the gospel.
Believing is being persuaded that something is true.
The moment you believe you have eternal life.
Trust the gospel of your salvation. Place your faith in Jesus Christ, in his blood, his death and his resurrection.

 

[MoreCoffee]

What is justification?

Romans 3:19 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.

3:20 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.

3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

3:22 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:

3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Here we can see what justification is and how we receive it.
To be justified is to be righteous. Do both pocess and exhibit the righteousness of God.
No one can be justified by the law or good works.
In this dispensation as in all others we are only justified by faith, by believing what God has said.
Today we are justified freely, as a gift, by believing the redemption provided in Christ Jesus.

This is the gospel by which we are saved.
15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15
We are all sinners who can not save ourselves.
Christ died for our sins; He was our substitute, He paid the full penalty and debt for our sin by his blood sacrifice.
He was buried.
He rose again for our justification ( to declare us righteous) and forgiveness of all our sin. He gives us His righteousness and eternal life.
All we have to do is believe the gospel.
Believing is being persuaded that something is true.
The moment you believe you have eternal life.
Trust the gospel of your salvation. Place your faith in Jesus Christ, in his blood, his death and his resurrection.

Most of the bible was written either in Hebrew or Greek. Some parts are in Aramaic and maybe a little Latin is present in this or that part of the four canonical gospels and there may be a phrase here and there of Persian or Babylonian or even Egyptian origin. But for the most part a scholar who knows ancient Hebrew and Koine Greek will be equipped to read the scriptures in their allegedly original languages - I say allegedly original because it is possible that some parts of the first books of the old testament may have been written in languages other than Hebrew but translated into Hebrew at some time in the remote past.

In theology some words take on very specific meanings that are sharply defined in each Christian tradition. One such word is Justification. Saint Paul uses the Greek word "δικαίωσις" for "justification" numerous times in his letters but it is less frequently used in the other new testament books and, or course, in the Hebrew language a different word "צָדַק" is used and translated as "justification" or "justify" or "justified". But for some theologians the main focus for their tightly defined meaning for "justification" is found in saint Paul's letters.

In Protestant traditions the word "Justification" is sometimes taken to mean "Just as if I'd never sinned" with very strong emphasis on courtroom and legal explanations of the word which amount to something like "just as if I'd never sinned". In Catholic tradition that is not so.

Catholic teaching places more emphasis in Justification meaning "made righteous" or "made just" and the idea is that not only is there a legal idea in the word "justification" but there is also a real change in the people who are said to be "justified" and that real change is that they become - progressively - more and more just and righteous when they make good use of the graces that God gives to them in their lives. And because Catholic tradition keeps both the idea of legal and of actual change of status in its use of "justification" it follows that Catholic theology also places emphasis on real change in one's way of life and attitudes and words and doings as the actual meaning of "justification".

It may be interesting to have a calm and well reasoned discussion about these ideas and their sources in holy scripture as well as in the development of theology in Christian thought. If you're interested in such a discussion come on board and start. I will post some material from Catholic sources as the discussion goes along. I think I may be the only actively posting Catholic on CH
so do not expect me to deal with everything that my Protestant (and other) brethren have to say about their own views nor to answer every objection that some Protestant traditions have raised against Catholic views (or alleged Catholic views).

A Catholic definition of Justification is:

JUSTIFICATION: The gracious action of God which frees us from sin and communicates “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ” ( Rom 3:22). Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man (1987-1989).
The numbers 1987-1989 refer to these paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
I. Justification

1987 The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and through Baptism: (⇒ Rom 3:22; cf. ⇒ Rom 6:3-4.)
But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.(⇒ Rom 6:8-11.)

1988 Through the power of the Holy Spirit we take part in Christ's Passion by dying to sin, and in his Resurrection by being born to a new life; we are members of his Body which is the Church, branches grafted onto the vine which is himself: (Cf. ⇒ 1 Cor 12; ⇒ Jn 15:1 4.)
](God) gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine nature.... For this reason, those in whom the Spirit dwells are divinized.(St. Athanasius, Ep. Serap. 1, 24: PG 26, 585 and 588.)

1989 The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."(⇒ Mt 4:17.) Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.(Council of Trent (1547): DS 1528.)​

 

[Lamb]

Just a reminder that this is the Bible Study forum so there is no debate here.

 

[Arsenios]

Justification.
Saint Paul uses the Greek word "δικαίωσις" for "justification" numerous times in his letters

Dikaiosis is related in English to such words as halitosis, which are words denoting a condition of the person being denoted... It is a condition a person possesses... If you HAVE halitosis, your breath stinks... If you HAVE Dikaiosis, you what is Right in you - You exude righteousness...

Old Testament Saints were Righteous men...

Yet the LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven...
Is GREATER than the greatest of the Old Testament Saints...
So the question becomes:
What is this feature of Christian Righteousness?
Because most of us, as men and women,
do not hold a candle to the righteousness of the OT Saints
as they were recounted (by Paul) in Hebrews 11...

The first century Christians regarded Christian Righteousness as Union with God...
So too did the Old Testament Faithful, for Moses was saturated with God; His face shone...
Yet the Union with God is different in the New Testament Christians...
It is the New Creation that Christians ARE in Christ...
For Paul writes: We are Baptized INTO Christ...
Indeed, we BECOME members of the Body of Christ...

In this our Nature changes as persons...
Becoming the New Creation IN Christ...
Greater than the Old Testament Saints...
For we are Baptized INTO Christ...
As Christ commanded His Apostles...
That they Baptize all the nations...

Arsenios

 

[Josiah]

Definitions are important. Words are often used - even in the Bible - with different meanings, depending on the context


In theological discussions (especially inter-denominational ones), GREAT effort is used to be sure all exactly understand how each position means the words it is using, in the context being addressed. In the Reformation, for example, Luther was noting the error (heresy, actually) being preached by the Indulgence sellers in Germany, in direct violation of the Council of Orange, etc., etc., etc. Those Catholic representatives of the Catholic Church were essentially denying Christ as the Savior and teaching that we get ourselves into heaven by what WE do (including buying indulgences). Luther, as a Doctor of the Church, had the responsibility of noting a reporting false teaching (and he fully expected to be thanked for this). Instead, to the shock of many, the RC chose to defend the theology of the Indulgence Sellers. This became the central (and the divisive) issue of the Reformation. EVERYONE (all sides) fully and completely agreed that the Christian, the one WITH the gift of faith, WITH the gift of the Holy Spirit, WITH the gift of spiritual life, WITH Justification in this sense (what is called "narrow Justification") are called to MUCH (Luther stressed this far more than the RC denomination of his day) but that's not how we gain faith - life - Holy Spirit - Justification (narrow). It may increase faith but it doesn't give it. That was the debate. That is what the RCC noted was the disagreement. Note: BOTH sides - in several official meetings over some 4 years at least - BOTH SIDES went to enormous lengths to make it very, very clear what they meant by the words they were using; it is IMPOSSIBLE historically to claim as some uber-liberal Catholics today do that they just "talked past" each other and "misunderstood" each other. The issue the RCC chose to divide Western Christianity over, was "narrow Justification" - the change in status, the COMING to spiritual life, to faith, of the Holy Spirit. It's true that "Justification" CAN be used in a much broader sense (essentially to include ALL our relationship with God), it was only this very narrow sense that was (and is) in dispute.



- Josiah

 

[Arsenios]

Definitions are important. Words are often used - even in the Bible - with different meanings, depending on the context


In theological discussions (especially inter-denominational ones), GREAT effort is used to be sure all exactly understand how each position means the words it is using, in the context being addressed. In the Reformation, for example, Luther was noting the error (heresy, actually) being preached by the Indulgence sellers in Germany, in direct violation of the Council of Orange, etc., etc., etc. Those Catholic representatives of the Catholic Church were essentially denying Christ as the Savior and teaching that we get ourselves into heaven by what WE do (including buying indulgences). Luther, as a Doctor of the Church, had the responsibility of noting a reporting false teaching (and he fully expected to be thanked for this). Instead, to the shock of many, the RC chose to defend the theology of the Indulgence Sellers. This became the central (and the divisive) issue of the Reformation. EVERYONE (all sides) fully and completely agreed that the Christian, the one WITH the gift of faith, WITH the gift of the Holy Spirit, WITH the gift of spiritual life, WITH Justification in this sense (what is called "narrow Justification") are called to MUCH (Luther stressed this far more than the RC denomination of his day) but that's not how we gain faith - life - Holy Spirit - Justification (narrow). It may increase faith but it doesn't give it. That was the debate. That is what the RCC noted was the disagreement. Note: BOTH sides - in several official meetings over some 4 years at least - BOTH SIDES went to enormous lengths to make it very, very clear what they meant by the words they were using; it is IMPOSSIBLE historically to claim as some uber-liberal Catholics today do that they just "talked past" each other and "misunderstood" each other. The issue the RCC chose to divide Western Christianity over, was "narrow Justification" - the change in status, the COMING to spiritual life, to faith, of the Holy Spirit. It's true that "Justification" CAN be used in a much broader sense (essentially to include ALL our relationship with God), it was only this very narrow sense that was (and is) in dispute.



- Josiah

My Brother, the History of the Reformation is outside the scope of the Bible Study we are engaged in here...

Please contribute abundantly on the basis of Biblical context and interpretation...

Thank-you...

Arsenios

 

[craftyboss7]

Believe, love, abide, follow, obey.
Stay on the narrow path.



Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Arsenios]

Rom 8:29

For whom He did foreknow,
He also did fore-ordain to be conformed to the Image of His Son,
that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren.

Rom 8:30

Moreover whom He did fore-ordain,
them He also Called:
and whom He Called,
them He also Justified:
and whom He justified,
them He also Glorified.


So Paul is describing a sequence of divine actions by God,
Which He takes in order to fore-ordain the elect...

So because God fore-knows them...

First He Calls them...
Second- He Justifies them...
Third - He Glorifies them...

So what is God's Justification
such that it comes after God's Call
and before God's Glorification?

How is this sequence related?

Arsenios

 

[Josiah]

What is justification?

3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

Justification here is past tense (done) and a free gift/inheritance and entirely because of Christ Jesus.


IMO, this is referring to "narrow Justification" ... there are places where the word is used in a broader, wider sense of our whole relationship with God but the controversy, the issue the RC denomination chose to split Western Christianity over, is this narrow sense: is it done? Who did it? Is it the result of Christ's works or ours? Who is the Savior in this sense - the one we see on the Cross or the one we see in the mirror? I think the Bible is clear: Jesus is the Savior.... Jesus does the Justifying... and we HAVE spiritual life, faith, the Holy Spirit (narrow Justification) exclusively because of God's mercy and unmerited love (Sola Gratia) via the work and person of Christ as the Savior (Solus Christus) which we apprehend via the divine gift of faith (Sola Fide). To God ALONE be all the glory and credit and praise (Sola Deo Gloria).


Now, once justified as Paul indicates in this verse, now WITH the divine gifts of faith - life - Holy Spirit (Justified) and in this new relationship with God as His child, we are called to GREAT things (and judged accordingly) but that's another topic for another day and thread.... one we seldom discuss here because no one ever disagrees on this.

Here we can see what justification is and how we receive it.
To be justified is to be righteous. Do both pocess and exhibit the righteousness of God.
No one can be justified by the law or good works.
In this dispensation as in all others we are only justified by faith, by believing what God has said.
Today we are justified freely, as a gift, by believing the redemption provided in Christ Jesus.

This is the gospel by which we are saved.
15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15
We are all sinners who can not save ourselves.
Christ died for our sins; He was our substitute, He paid the full penalty and debt for our sin by his blood sacrifice.
He was buried.
He rose again for our justification ( to declare us righteous) and forgiveness of all our sin. He gives us His righteousness and eternal life.
All we have to do is believe the gospel.
Believing is being persuaded that something is true.
The moment you believe you have eternal life.
Trust the gospel of your salvation. Place your faith in Jesus Christ, in his blood, his death and his resurrection.

Yup. It's called Christianity.




.

 

[craftyboss7]

Justification here is past tense (done) and a free gift/inheritance and entirely because of Christ Jesus.


IMO, this is referring to "narrow Justification" ... there are places where the word is used in a broader, wider sense of our whole relationship with God but the controversy, the issue the RC denomination chose to split Western Christianity over, is this narrow sense: is it done? Who did it? Is it the result of Christ's works or ours? Who is the Savior in this sense - the one we see on the Cross or the one we see in the mirror? I think the Bible is clear: Jesus is the Savior.... Jesus does the Justifying... and we HAVE spiritual life, faith, the Holy Spirit (narrow Justification) exclusively because of God's mercy and unmerited love (Sola Gratia) via the work and person of Christ as the Savior (Solus Christus) which we apprehend via the divine gift of faith (Sola Fide). To God ALONE be all the glory and credit and praise (Sola Deo Gloria).


Now, once justified as Paul indicates in this verse, now WITH the divine gifts of faith - life - Holy Spirit (Justified) and in this new relationship with God as His child, we are called to GREAT things (and judged accordingly) but that's another topic for another day and thread.... one we seldom discuss here because no one ever disagrees on this.







Yup. It's called Christianity.




.

Matthew 19:17

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[MoreCoffee]

Matthew 19:17

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

thank you for a timely verse. And he said to him, Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17)

 

[Arsenios]

Matthew 19:17

So that ENTRY INTO Life is attained by obedience?

Great reply!

Matthew 19:17 (NIV)
“Why do you ask me about what is good?”
Jesus replied.
“There is only One who is good.
If you want to enter Life,
keep the commandments.”

Arsenios

 

[MoreCoffee]

So that ENTRY INTO Life is attained by obedience?

Great reply!

Matthew 19:17 (NIV)
“Why do you ask me about what is good?”
Jesus replied.
“There is only One who is good.
If you want to enter Life,
keep the commandments.”

Arsenios

In the holy scriptures the link between faith and obedience to God's commandments is so tight and so pervasive as to make it obvious to any reader.

 

[Josiah]

In the holy scriptures the link between faith and obedience to God's commandments is so tight and so pervasive as to make it obvious to any reader.

Well, only if one accepts what Scripture states and that Jesus is the Savior. Faith is the free gift of God and accepts salvation rather than earns and creates it. Justification is something God does for us rather than something we do for God - making Christianity correct rather than all the other world religions (which have it backwards) and making the Savior JESUS CHRIST rather than the one all individually see in the mirror. One WITH the divine GIFTS of faith - life - Holy Spirit (the Justified in this narrow sense) are called and empowered to GREAT things (and judged accordingly) but it's not a case that if we live we get life, it's a case that the living are called to live.




- Josiah

 

[MoreCoffee]

Well, only if one accepts what Scripture states and that Jesus is the Savior.

Let us, as one man to another, take it as true that both you and I agree that Jesus is the saviour, the only saviour, of human beings.

Faith is the free gift of God and accepts salvation rather than earns and creates it. Justification is something God does for us rather than something we do for God - making Christianity correct rather than all the other world religions (which have it backwards) and making the Savior JESUS CHRIST rather than the one all individually see in the mirror. One WITH the divine GIFTS of faith - life - Holy Spirit (the Justified in this narrow sense) are called and empowered to GREAT things (and judged accordingly) but it's not a case that if we live we get life, it's a case that the living are called to live.




- Josiah

 

[Arsenios]

In the holy scriptures the link between faith and obedience to God's commandments is so tight and so pervasive as to make it obvious to any reader.

My Brother, I must now say something to you...

I admire your optimism!!

That's All Folks!



Arsenios

 

[Arsenios]

Let us, as one man to another, take it as true that both you and I agree that Jesus is the saviour, the only saviour, of human beings.

Now I REALLY admire your optimism!!

More and more each day...

For myself, I am such a pessimistic slob that instead of actually doing anything to help matters in any way whatsoever, I am backed into my foetid corner of self-cynicism wherein my only possible course of hope is imagined in the mumbled utterance of my very occassional prayers which occur only at great intervals filled with lengthly and slothful self-indulgences...

So you are my hero!

Levitically speaking, mind you...

For there has never been a Levite without levity, I say!




Arsenios

 

[Arsenios]

Gal 2:17
But if,
while we are seeking to be justified by Christ,
we ourselves also are found sinners,
is therefore Christ the minister of sin?
God forbid.

So in the matter of justification, Scripture plainly tells us:
1] - We are to be seeking justification
2] - Christ is the One Who justifies us
3] - We will find ourselves to be sinners in this seeking

So the question then becomes:
What does this "seeking to be justified by Christ" consist in?

And this text suggests it will be found in a struggle against sin...
And then that it will be given by Christ...

So then what does THAT look like?

What IS this struggle against sin that seeks justification from Christ?

And HOW is it related to understanding what Christian Justification IS?


Arsenios

 

[psalms 91]

Our struggle against sin is documented very well in the New Testament so I wonder why you ask what it is? From our armor that is described and a list of those sins that will not enter heaven along with Pauls own struggles and for me I love Romans chapter 6. We have to have justification through Christ because it is His strength, His effort that defeats sin in our lives, yes we have a part in accepting Christ and turning away when we are confronted by sin because there is always a way out if we want it.

 

[Arsenios]

Our struggle against sin is documented very well in the New Testament so I wonder why you ask what it is? From our armor that is described and a list of those sins that will not enter heaven along with Pauls own struggles and for me I love Romans chapter 6. We have to have justification through Christ because it is His strength, His effort that defeats sin in our lives, yes we have a part in accepting Christ and turning away when we are confronted by sin because there is always a way out if we want it.

The point of that textual thrust is that we struggle against sin - eg we live repentant lives - FOR THE SAKE OF, according to the text, the GAINING the Righteousness which only Christ can give to us... That the reason for repentance is to gain being Justified by Christ... Because as Paul writes, we are SEEKING Justification by Christ...

All I am doing is taking the text line by line and seeing what it says clearly...
There are difficult texts, which I tend to place on mental "back burners" to slow cook, so to speak...
But these are very clearly worded... And they supplement each other...

Arsenios