Greek Word, “Justification.” In both the Greek and Hebrew, the synonyms and Similarities are, Justification, Judgments, Ordinances, Righteousness.
Justification: Greek is, dikaioma. Any thing justly or rightly done; from this comes right, justice, equity, etc. Its a forensic term, which signifies the declaring or the pronouncing a person righteous according to God’s law.
To be justified does not mean to make one holy, but it declares them to be free from punishment. It can be defined as, an act of God’s free grace, in which He pardons sin, and accepts us as righteous in His sight. This only for the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ, which is imputed to us and received by faith alone.
a. Spoken of a doing right or justice to any one, a judicial sentence, etc.
a-1. Favorable, as justification, acquittal,
Romans 5:16, “The free gift is of many offences unto justification.” It stands opposed to, “condemnation.”
Justification is no other than the way of a sinner’s acceptance with God.
a-2. Unfavorable, as condemnation, judgment, implying punishment,
Revelation 15:4, “For thy judgments are made manifest.”
Psalms 119:75, “I know O LORD, that thy judgments are right.”
Psalms 119:137, “Righteous art thou, O LORD.”
Justification spreads it influence through the whole body of theology, runs through all Christian experiences, and operates in every part of practical godliness.”
b. Generally: Justification is a decree, as defining and establishing what is right and just, as a law, ordinance, and precepts.
1. Luke 1:6, “Walking in all the commandments and ordinances = (justification) of the Lord blameless.”
2. Romans 1:32, “Who knowing the judgment = (justification) of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death.”
Justification is an essential and fundamental truth of Christianity. Man’s salvation depends on God’s justification through all eternity. All men have sinned, there is none righteous no not one. Mankind is under the sentence of death by God’s righteous law, excluding all from any hope or mercy. Therefore, Imputed righteousness is righteousness without law, provided by grace and revealed to us through the Scriptures.
3. Romans 2:26, “Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness = (justification) of the law, shall not His uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?”
God’s boundless grace is given freely and graciously this considering the condition and character of men to whom the blessing is granted. The Father appoints the way, Jesus performed the conditions of our acceptance, making the atonement, fulfilling the terms, thus providing the righteousness by which we are justified before the Father.
Titus 2:14, “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
4. Romans 8:4. “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.”
God appoints the way, provides the means, and imputes the righteousness. This is in agreement with the demands of His offended law, and the rights of His violated justice.
5. As in respecting worship,
Hebrews 9:1, “The first covenant had also ordinances of Divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.”
6. As in carnal, Hebrews 9:10, “Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings and carnal ordinances.”
Ungodly men have not, will not, and cannot perform any good works. But, those that are justified are made godly, being justified by God’s grace, this grace standing is direct opposition to man’s works.
7. Septuagint, Exodus 15:25, “there he made for them a statute and an ordinance,” with,
Verse 26, “If thou wild diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee– for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”
Leviticus 25:18, “Wherefore ye shall do my statutes and keep my judgments.” Ex.21:1, “These are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.”
Numbers 36:13. Deuteronomy 30:16, “I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments.”
C. Spoken of a saint’s character, righteousness, virtue and holiness towards God.
Revelation 19:8, “the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
Of Christ, as manifested in His obedience,
Romans 5:18-19, “By the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Our faith is considered only as the instrument, and not the cause of justification. A sinner’s obedience is justified by the righteousness of faith and is represented as revealed by faith.
That which is the end of the law is our righteousness, which certainly is not faith, but the obedience of our exalted Substitute, Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Deuteronomy 25:1, “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; and they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.”
Proverbs 17:15, “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.”
Matthew 12:37, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
If man therefore cannot be justified by his own works, or by faith itself, not even by the graces of the Holy Spirit, how then shall we find righteousness by which we can be justified?
Scriptures give us the answer.
1. Acts 13:39, “By Him (Jesus) all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
2. Romans 4:25, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
3. Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
Jesus perfect obedience, through His bitter suffering, and the accursed death, He being our surety, establishes that very righteousness by which all sinners are justified before the Father. Now this righteousness is imputed to us, therefore we are not justified by any personal righteousness.
4. Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
5. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He (the Father) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God (the Father) in Him (Jesus.)”
6. Philippians 3:9, “Be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”
7. Jeremiah 23:6, “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, the LORD our righteousness.”
8. Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon the holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”
God from eternity past laid the plan of justification. This plan was executed by Jesus Christ; and that the blessing is only manifested, received, and enjoyed, when we are regenerated. In this, the blessings of justification are peace, access to the Father through Christ, acceptance with God, and a confidence and security under any present conditions or troubles and eternal salvation.
Phillip LaSpino www.seefirstwisdom.com