Justification

Justification

Definition:Justification is God’s act of grace by which He pardons a sinner and accepts him as righteous on account of the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Remission of sin, absolution from guilt, and freedom from punishment are part of justification.

In order to be justified, a person must be given a righteousness equivalent to God’s perfect righteousness. Hence, imputation precedes justification. Imputation is the charging to the account of one person something which properly belongs to another. The Lord Jesus Christ shares his perfect righteousness with the believer, Rom. 3:22; 4:11; 9:30-32; 4:4, 5.

Because righteousness has been imputed to us, God calls us “justified”. “Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Hence, imputation of righteousness on the basis of faith brings about justification.

The means of justification is redemption, > Rom. 3:24. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Justification produces reconciliation. Rom. 5:1

Because God the Father is satisfied (propitiation), we are freely justified.

Justification occurs at the moment of a person’s faith in Jesus Christ, Rom. 3:28; 5:1; Gal.3:24.

Justification does not occur through keeping the Law of Moses, Gal. 2:16.

Justification during the believer’s lifetime is described in James 2:21-25. This is the function of the faith rest principle in living the Christian way of life under grace.

The principle of temporal justification is found in Matt. 11:19 and Luke 7:35.

Related Topics: Reconciliation, Propitiation, The Barrier and Imputation