Word Studies

Justification

I. Understanding The Word:
A. In many English Bibles, the word justification only appears three times (Romans 4:25; 5:16, 18).
1. But the concept is also conveyed in other such terms as atonement, vindication, acquittal.
2. It may be helpful to begin with the Greek terms found in the New Testament, and then identify the parallel terms on the Old Testament.
B. To Grasp the concept in the New Testament, it is helpful to see the entire family of terms that are associated justification.
1. dikaios (adjective) dik'-ah-yos - right (in relation to a standard), just, fair
2. dikaios (adverb) dik'-ah-yos – justly, correctly, uprightly
3. dikaiousune (noun) dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay – justice, righteousness, uprightness.
4. dikaioo (verb) dik-ah-yo'-o – to vindicate by granting a favorable verdict
5. dikaiosis (verb) dik-ah'-yo-sis -justification, vindication, acquittal
C. The noun form of righteousness refers to the status of being regarded as right in relation to God’s standards.
1. The verb form means to be vindicated or regarded as righteous.
2. In English we do not have a verb form of righteousness (such as “righteoused”), so translators often used the verb justified to translate the idea of being made/reckoned/counted righteous.
3. The noun form justification can refer to either the act of acquitting someone or the means by which the acquittal is obtained.
D. The classic passage from the Old Testament that conveys this same idea is Genesis 15:6, about Abraham: And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)
1. The noun for righteousness is tsidqah - (tsed-aw-kaw') - which has a cognate verb tsdq, which can mean “to be in the right”, “to make someone appear upright”, “to declare as in the right”.
2. Thus the Old Testament terminology again confirms the idea that justification is an act by which a person is declared to be righteous.

II. Reading the Word:
A. Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3, and Galatians 3:6 help us understand this term.
1. In his argument against Judaizers, Paul finds a powerful ally in Genesis 15:6.
2. These Christians with a Jewish background argue that in addition to faith in Christ, one still needs to keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved.
3. Paul argues that it is possible to be counted righteous in the eyes of God without the Law because Abraham was justified by faith before the Law was ever given.
4. It is one thing to attempt to obtain the status of “righteous” by law keeping, and another altogether to have it conveyed to you by God all at once.
B. In Isaiah 53:11, the prophet declares that the Suffering Servant will:
He shall see the labor of His soul and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)
1. This language resonates with the atonement theology of the Mosaic sacrificial system.
2. In the Day of Atonement ceremony (Leviticus 16), the sins of the people are confessed over the sacrificial goat, and a second goat (the “scapegoat”) is released into the wilderness to carry the iniquities of the people away.
3. The results of this sacrificial service is that the sins of the people are no longer held against them.
4. Not until the New Testament did we come to understand that the true atonement takes place at the cross, but what we learn form all of these symbols is that through vicarious atonement, the guilt of one party can be removed and he/she can be declared righteous.
5. Thus justification comes through atonement.
C. During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He sometimes simply declares people forgiven (Mark 2:5; Luke 7:48) which grants them justification.
1. In the heart of the parable of the father with two sons (Luke 15:11-32), we see the same principal illustrated when the prodigal returns and is immediately given a robe, a ring, and shoes by the father.
2. The status from lost to found, from dead to live, is symbolic of the change from an unrighteous status to a righteous status, made possible through the justification provided through Christ’s blood.
D. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul gives a shocking list of sins that the Corinthian Christians formerly committed, and he urges them to leave off these practices because
And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)
1. This passage helps illustrate that justification is concurrent with forgiveness.
2. This text is also especially relevant today because of the list of sexual sins including homosexuality.
3. It reminds us that these are not new sins, that the blood of Christ can deal with them, and that they are not practices that should continue for Christians,
E. The theme of justification through the sacrifice of Christ permeates the New Testament, but an especially poignant statement of it is found in Hebrews 10:14, which says:
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
1. This statement emphasizes that our status as perfect in the eyes of God is not a status achieved by self-made righteousness.
2. Righteousness is accomplished by the work of Christ who sanctifies us.
3. He was perfectly just, and He suffered injustice so that the unjust might be justified in the eyes of God.

III. Preaching the Word:
A. Principle:
1. The transition from unjustified to justified needs to be emphasized dramatically, in accord with the perfect power of the blood of Christ as the Scriptures we just emphasized.
2. In comparing ourselves to others, we could use a scale of 0 to 100 in three categories of bad, better, and best.
3. We can illustrate the lie of self-righteousness that we tell ourselves when we compare ourselves to others.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)
4. In a comparison with God, we must add a fourth column for God and assume that He is 100 times better than the best of us, then our self-righteousness drops dramatically, almost to a flat line at the bottom of the chart.
5. In the third comparison, we see the justification that can be given to any sinner who comes to be in Christ, all columns are equal – Bad, Better, and Best as compared to God.
B. Principle:
1. The transition that occurs in God’s eyes when a person moves from outside of Christ to inside of Christ is shocking to us because it is hard to envision that total, instantaneous change of status.
2. The truth of this point can be illustrated, from the Gospels, through the many instances in which the scribes and Pharisees are appalled at Jesus’ acceptance of “sinners” (Luke 5:30; 7:34, 39; 15:2; 19;7).
C. Metaphor:
1. The profound justifications of the sinner is also illustrated in many metaphors through our the Scriptures.
2. Many of these could be illustrated visually.
a. From scarlet to white a snow (Isaiah 1:18)
b. From filthy garments to clean robes (Zechariah 3:1-5)
c. From bankruptcy to debt free (Luke 7:41-50)
d. From dead to alive (Ephesians 2:1-5)

IV. A Right Standing With God: Romans 3:21-26
A. The 2006 movie Amazing Grace chronicles much of the extraordinary life of William Wilberforce, the abolitionist responsible for the end of British involvement in transatlantic slave trade.
1. Wilberforce’s childhood preacher was John Newton, a former slave ship captain prior to his conversion.
2. Newton found that he was haunted greatly by “20,000 ghosts” from those terrible days.
B. There is an emotional scene where Wilberforce visits his old friend Newton and discovers he has recorded his account of those terrible slave ship days.
1. His eyesight is gone, Newton hands Wilberforce the record and insists, “You must use it!
2. Names, records, ship records, ports, and people.
3. Everything I remember is in here.
4. Although my memory is fading, I remember two things very clearly: I’m a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior!”
B. Like John Newton, I am a great sinner.
1. However, faith, repentance, and baptism, sin atoned for (Hebrews 9:24-26), and the wrath of God propitiated (or appeased, 1 John 2:2), so that He is no longer angry over my sin.
2. But something is missing from the equation.
3. If all Jesus’ blood did was forgive my sin and appease God’s anger, I would still stand before a holy God as a great sinner.
C. The good news is I have received justification!
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:23-24)
1. I am as guilty as can be of sin: all the evidence is against me.
2. But because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, I am not guilty and free from the condemnation, innocent and upright. (Romans 8:1).
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
3. That’s justification.
4. I have been given a right standing before God.
5. Christ is a great Savior!
6. This Thanksgiving Day, thank God for the blood of Jesus that forgives our sins and gives us a right standing before an Almighty God.

V. Grace is God’s Gift Romans 3:23-24
A. Are you old enough to remember the old TV show called “The Millionaire”?
1. It ran for five seasons (1955-1960) and I was never a recipient of one of those millions.
2. The premise of the show was an anonymous millionaire would give a one-million-dollar gift to some unsuspecting soul each week.
3. As you can imagine, those who received the gifts had great difficulty believing it was free; surely there is something they must do.
4. It was a free gift to those individuals.
B. Do you ever doubt God’s offer of grace, no strings attached?
1. Do you ever still live in fear of God’s anger and the Day of Judgement?
2 You feel like you should attempt to do more to earn His favor.
3. God’s grace can’t be that easy, can it?
C. The Greek word charis is translated “gift”.
1. Justification is not given because of any merit on our part.
2. On our own we are helpless to save ourselves, but God’s grace has been freely given as a gift through Jesus Christ.
3. Paul clarifies this further in Romans 5:9:
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, (Romans 5:9a)
4. Who’s blood?
5. The blood of Jesus shed on the cross at Calvary.
we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:9b)
6. Our debt is paid, we are delivered from /god’s anger, and we are given a right standing before God.
D. No amount of good living or church attendance can give you justification.
1. The old church hymn affirms it, “What can wash away my sins?
2. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
3. What can make me whole again?
4. Nothing but the blood of Jesus”.
5. It is not from sitting in a pew, standing for a song, bowing for a prayer, contributing a check, teaching a class, or serving the poor.
6. Justification is God’s gift.
E. The good news is that the fear of God’s judgment is a thing of the past.
1. The punishment our sins deserve is paid in full by Jesus Christ.
2. No, it is not fair that Christ should die for our sins and we should get off scot-free.
3. We absolutely deserve punishment, but praise God, we have been given grace.
4. When we sing “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus”, reflect on the gracious way God justifies His children.

VI. Boasting in Our Salvation Romans 3:25-28
A. Jesus tells a story about a Pharisee and a tax collector who both go to the temple to pray (Luke 18:9-14).
1. The Pharisee prays loudly, thanking God that he is a righteous man, not like other men who were robbers and adulterers, and especially not like that tax collector who is there.
2. He reminds God how he fasts and tithes regularly.
3. The tax collector is unable to pray that kind of prayer.
4. He knows that he is not a good man.
5. He could not even lift his eyes to heaven, so he beats his chest and prays, “Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.”
6. What is amazing is Jesus says it is the tax collector who goes home justified, not the Pharisee.
7. Why is that?
B. The Pharisee is convinced there are numerous good qualities found in him.
1. He chooses only to see good in himself and bad in others.
2. However, the tax collector recognizes his only hope is to throw himself on the mercy of God.
3. The Pharisee needs God mercy too, but he just does not recognize it.
C. There is no room for boasting about personal righteousness.
1. “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).
2. We are justified by faith in Christ Jesus, not keeping the law.
D. You and I have no righteousness to call our own.
1. When we stand before God’s throne in judgment one day, He will not see our good works, church attendance, contribution checks, or our Sunday clothes: our Sunday best will be as filthy rags.
2. He will only be able to see the blood of His Son that has purified us of sin.
E. Edwin Mote wrote close to one hundred hymns, but in 1834 he penned the words to his best known:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness:
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
When He shall cone with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found,
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne
1. Spend a few minutes in the Gospel and find another parable Jesus uses to illustrate the mercy of God.
2. After you read it, Thank God for the merciful way He allows you and I to stand before Him “dressed in His righteousness.

VII. Our Great Privilege Hebrews 4:14-16
A. Have you ever been approached by people who are obviously timid about what they say?
1. They want to request a favor from you but are too embarrassed to know how to ask.
2. They shuffle their feet and stammer their words trying to say it just right.
3. You may think we should approach God the same way.
4. But the Hebrews writer explains,
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
5. Being justified and having a right standing before God, we don’t come to God covered in sin, crawling on our hands and knees to grovel.
6. We can boldly and confidently draw near to God to receive mercy.
7. What an amazing thought!
B. Scientist tell us there are at least one trillion galaxies we know of in the universe.
1. In the midst of all the galaxies is a relatively small one called the Milky Way.
2. Within this galaxy are over one billion stars.
3. Around one of those are over seven billion people, and we are just a few of them.
4. No wonder the psalmist says of God,
“What is man that you are mindful of him? (Psalm 8:4)
C. To make matters worse, we are sinners.
1. There is no rhyme or reason to think an Almighty God would give two cents worth of thought about us.
2. But He does!
3. He doesn’t just save us: He tells us can boldly come before His throne.
4. Certainly not with a spirit of pride, but with confidence in Jesus our great high priest and the blood that was shed for us.
5. Just the fact that God cares about us is, in and of itself, astounding.
6. Knowing that He forgives us is staggering.
7. But realizing He eagerly allows us to approach Him with confidence is beyond imagination.
8. But that is the great privilege of our justification!
9. Look at the stars tonight, take a few minutes to remember that though you are only one person, God is mindful of you.

VIII. Dressed in a Righteousness Not Or Own Revelation 3:5
A. There is a preacher’s story about a wealthy English businessman who traveled to live in New York City for a few years.
1. He had his Rolls Royce shipped to the U.S.
2. After a time, a mechanical failure occurred in the car.
3. The man called England to explain the problem to the rolls Royce headquarters.
4. Their response was, “We understand, sir.”
5. We apologize for any inconvenience, and you may expect a mechanic there within 48 hours to repair your automobile.”
B. They put a mechanic on a plane with the necessary Rolls Royce parts and flew him to the States.
1. Soon the Rolls was fixed to the owner’s satisfaction, and the mechanic was on a plane back to England.
2. The time came for the businessman to return home, so he had the Rolls put on a ship and sent back to England.
C. Several months later he realized he had never received a repair bill.
1. So he wrote the home office a letter, saying, “This date last year there was a problem with my Rolls Royce and you flew a mechanic over to repair it, and I was completely satisfied.
2. But to date I have not received a bill.
3. I am happy to pay for any repairs.”
4. He received a letter back that simply stated: “Our records here indicate that has never been anything wrong with the rolls Royce you speak of.”
D. That is our justification!
1. Jesus says in Revelation 3:5:
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Revelation 3:5)
2. One day we will stand before God dressed in white robes of purity.
3. We will have a righteousness that is not our own, but was given to us because of our faith in the One who made us clean and upright.
4. Dressed in the righteousness of Christ, God will acknowledge us saying, “My book indicates there is no record of sin in your life.
5. Come and share in your Father’s happiness.”

By Gary D. Murphy

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