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The Doctrine of Justification (Part 1)
The Doctrine of Justification (Part 1)
Introduction
The Doctrine of Justification is all about God’s gracious judicial verdict in advance of the day of judgment whereby He pronounces guilty sinners, who turn, belief and trust in Jesus Christ, to be forgiven, acquitted of all charges and declared morally upright in His sight. Col. 1:12-13 ; Ephesians 2:8 ; Titus 3:5; Romans 5:1 ; Galatians 3:24 . In summary, justification is God’s plan to set mankind free of all guilt and punishment of sin before the day of judgment, based on his acceptance and faith in Christ Jesus.
But before going into the details of what the doctrine is all about, I see it necessary to first explain why man needs to be justified by God before the
judgment day.
Why do men need to be Justified by God.
The entire human race need to be justified because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Out of all the creations, man is unique, different from all other creations in these three things:
• He was created in God’s Image and Likeness. Gen. 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
• God communes with them. Gen 3:8-10, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
• God gave them a law. Gen 2:16 – 17 “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
This was the only law that God gave to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, to humble them, and to prove them, to know what was in their heart, whether thou would keep his commandments, or not. – Deut. 8:2
Obeying this single law would have foster the relationship of man with God, but very unfortunate, the devi was able to deceived them to disobeyed and ate from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Gen. 3:6 say, “…when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
The Judgement
Gen. 3:8-13 says, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”
To God, the most terrible thing was that they disobeyed this single commandment and not the reason why. You many have thousands of reasons for that atrocity you committed, none of them count before God, no matter how good they are to man. For their disobedience, they were liable to eternal death as it has been pronounced before in Gen 2:17 that “… in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” This was also confirmed in Rom. 3:23—“For the wages of sin is death….”
This single act of Adam and Eve cause every man to be sinners, Apostle Paul makes it clear in Rom 5:12 and said, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned….” And in Rom 3:23, he said, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
The sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden make all men guilty of death and come short of the glory of God. The fruit did a lot of damage to our nature to the extent that we can no more meet the righteousness requirement of God on our own. From then, man became wicked and doing things contrary to the will of God continually. Gen. 6:5 says, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Evil has took over the control of man’s heart to the extent that when “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. – Ps. 53:2-3.
However, apart from the sin of Adan that was credited to us all, we have all broken God’s laws in one way or another, every one of us has done something that contravenes a divine commandment. For example, the two greatest commands in the Bible are these: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30-31 ).
No-one on earth can claim to have fulfilled these commands to the letter, and therefore, as Romans 3:19 tells us, the whole world stands guilty before God. Now, because God is righteous and cannot overlook sin – His justice demands that wrongdoing must be punished. For Him to do otherwise would be unrighteous, and the sentence of divine law is that “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20 ). Eternal death is the wages of contradicting divine law (Rom 6:23 ) and we are all guilty of death.
Sin has separated us from the most righteous God and no human effort can bring us back to Him, the gap is too wide for anybody to jump. It’s like the children of Israel attempting to jump the red sea. We may try as much as we like, yet all will be to no advantage. Isa 64:6 says, “…we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” The whole of humanity is condemned.
The Rich Man came to Jesus—Matt. 19:16-30
A man came to Jesus and asked, “…what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life”? Jesus, knowing what was in his heart, played alone with him and said “…if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments….”
This man was so happy, and he answered Jesus, “…all these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?” Tell me another thing. Then “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”
No matter what law you have kept, no matter how righteous you may be, if you did not let go everything that can hinder you from following Jesus and then follow Him, you are before God, nothing but a filthy rag. The Bible said, “…when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” Matt. 19:22.
There is no ritual, no sacrament, no deed of the law that can make us worthy of the righteousness requirement of God outside Justification by faith in Christ Jesus. Apostle Paul says in Rom. 8:3-4 that “…what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” It is only by His grace, in response to our faith, that God has credited to us the holiness of His Son. Both Old and New Testaments say, “The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).
Disobedience to God’s will results in a death sentence. The righteous judge of all the earth is perfectly justified in pronouncing guilty sinners worthy of eternal damnation.
Romans 3:20 says: “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight.…”
Before any man can cross over, there is a need for Justification.
What is Justification
Justification Therefore is:
1. the act by which God moves a willing sinner from the state of sin (injustice) to the state of grace (justice) – the Bible said in Col. 1:12 – 13 that “…He made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light…delivered us from the power of darkness, and …translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”
2. a deliverance from the penalty of sin and is a past action for all believers in Christ death and resurrection.
3. an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ. Not because of any work of righteousness done, but simply because he believes or have faith in Christ. – Act 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Note:
• no matter how great or numerous and terrible your sins may be, they cannot hinder you from God’s justification, once you have faith / believe in Jesus Christ, you shall be justified.
One of the thieves on the cross with Christ – Luke 23:42-43
Apostle Paul says in 1Tim. 1:15 that “…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” You know the atrocities he performed – killing the children of God and taking many captive.
—Act 8:1 “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.”
• Your background – being an idol worshipper, or from a cursed family is never a hindrance.
The Canaanite woman was accepted by Jesus – Matt. 15: 21-28
***Justification is therefore the first step of God in bring the sinful man that willingly put his/ faith in Jesus Christ back into relationship with Him.
Justification is a completed work of God, and it is instantaneous, not like sanctification, which is an ongoing process of growth by which we become more Christlike (the act of “being saved,” 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). Sanctification follow justification.
Without an understanding of justification by faith in Christ alone, we cannot truly perceive the glorious gift of grace. God’s “unmerited favor” will become “merited” in our minds, and we begin to think we deserve salvation. The doctrine of justification by faith helps us maintain “pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). Holding on to justification by faith keeps us from falling for the lie that we can earn heaven.
It is very important that all Christian should understanding the doctrine of justification.
• First, it is the very knowledge of justification that motivates good works and spiritual growth; thus, justification leads to sanctification.
• Also, the fact that justification is a finished work of God means that Christians have assurance of their salvation. In God’s eyes, believers have the righteousness necessary to gain eternal life.
“…how can man be just with God?” (Job 9:2 )
Job presents this question before his friends, who were unable to give a reasonable and correct answer. But glory be to God Almighty, Jesus in some of His parables like the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14 , here we saw a man, a Publican, termed to be a sinner by his counterpart, who claimed to be a righteous man, the bible says that he was a Pharisee. The two of them went into the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed with pride, self-exultation and self-righteousness, condemned the Publican saying, “…I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” But the publican, “…standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus concluded in verse 14 and said, “…this man went down to his house justified rather than the other….”
Another was the story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11 , reading from verse two the bible says “And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou”? This woman was brought to Jesus inside the temple right before all people present, accused of committing adultery, what a public disgrace. The scribes and the Pharisees are all ready to execute judgement on her right there inside the temple, standing all of them with stone, but only wanted to hear what Jesus have to say, asking Him, “…Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou”? “…But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.”
What a loving Jesus, Ps. 103:10 says “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” And Acts 17:30-31 says, “…the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Jesus again stooped down and wrote on the ground. “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
These and many other parables and events in Jesus’ time made it clear that it is possible for God to justify sinful men. But how can sinful humanity ever be justified by the God who judges justly since “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord” (Prov 17:15; see 24:23-24). God himself states that “I will not acquit the wicked?” (Exod. 23:7) and calls on judges to act justly by “acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty” (Deut. 25:1). And yet Paul declares that this same God justifies the ungodly (Rom 4:5).
This sin of Adam and the judgement of death placed on human race demanded that man be justified before he could pass from death to life. In the justification of sinners, God does what is humanly impossible. He has provided a righteous way for declaring sinners righteous in his sight without breaking the edge or contradicting Himself. (Rom 1:16-17; 3:21-26). This is what the doctrine of Justification is all about....
To be continue....
The Doctrine of Justification (Part 2)
The Doctrine of Justification (Part 2)
Introduction
In part 1, we are able by God's grace to establish the fact that man needed to be justified before he can stand right before God, and this is because all have sinned and come short of the grace of God, and secondly, that no man could be justified by his personal effort or works of the law. Romans 3:20 says: “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight.…” and thirdly, that justification can only be attained through faith and trust in Christ Jesus.
We therefore define Justification as ...an act of God whereby He pronounces a sinner to be righteous because of that sinner’s faith in Christ. Not because of any work of righteousness done, but simply because he believes or have faith in Christ.
Part 2
The Doctrine of Substitution
The doctrine of Justification is never a complete course without the doctrine of substitution. Both were interwoven.
In Justification, there are two major problems which needed to be solved:
· The first have to do with the attributes of God, love. Because of His love to man, He do not desire anyone’s death John 3:16-17– as a loving Creator, His desire is that all the world should be saved. However, being a just God demands that He gives man what he deserves as a sinner – death. How then can God simultaneously be loving and yet just?
· The second problem is that men cannot make themselves right and live the righteousness requirement of the law by their own effort, no matter how hard we tried. Even if we have kept some commandments, it does not undo the fact that we have broken others. James 2:10-11 makes it clear that to break one commandment is to be guilty of breaking all: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’” Now if we do not commit adultery, but murder, we have become a transgressor of the law.
It seems therefore as if there are only two possible options in such a situation:
its either God must be true to His righteousness and punish mankind, or He must allow His mercy to override the demands of justice and allow mankind to escape the requirements of the Law. The problem is that both the love and the righteousness of God are fixed idea: He cannot sacrifice either of them. How then will the problem be solved?
This is where Substitution comes in. Substitution is the process by which the guilt of a repentant sinner is transferred to the Lord Jesus, and the righteousness of the Lord Jesus is reckoned to the sinner and because the Lord Jesus Christ has borne the punishment in that sinner’s place, God is able, righteously to forgive his sins and receive him back to Himself and bless him.
God has provided a substitute for guilty sinners. When Christ died on the cross, He bore the punishment that righteousness demanded and thereby satisfied the demands of justice, because punishment has been carried out, on the other hand, God is able to express His love and offer forgiveness to those who put trust in the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. It is not automatic; sinners need to willing put his faith in Jesus Christ. John 3:14-15 read also Num. 21:4-9.
When a repentant sinner places his trust in the Lord Jesus, Christ becomes his substitute–all
the guilt of the sinner is placed on Christ, and the righteousness of Christ is in return imputed to the sinner. When you trust Him, His death becomes your death, and, as far as the law of God is concerned, all the punishment for your sins has been meted out at the cross. This means that you are set free, since the penalty for your sins has been paid.
Galatians 3:20 tells us that “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us….” – that is, He bore the curse so that those who belong to Him need not bear it. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Here is a clear statement of substitution – He took His people’s place under the judgement of
God so that they could be made righteous in God’s sight. Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 5:21; Mark 10:45; Matthew 20:28.
In the Gospel according to St. John, there are two references to Christ as the Lamb of God.
Both are made by John the Baptist, who when he saw Jesus said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
In Revelation Apostle John makes mention of Christ as the Lamb almost thirty times—Rev. 4:6-7; 6:15-17; 13:8.
The Old Testament portrayed the Lamb of God as a sacrificial lamb. At the first Passover a lamb
had to be slain and its blood was to be put on the door frames of the Israelite’s homes that the angel of death may pass over their homes and spare the firstborn within the house. The death of the lamb provided life for the firstborn.
The Old Testament promises of God was fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of the Most-High God, (Rom 1:1-3). He is God’s answer to human predicament. The Son took human
nature to rescue humans by representing them in their predicament and became a substitutionary sacrifice. As Adam was the original representative head of humanity and all are united to him in his sin, condemnation and death (Acts 17:26; Rom. 5:12-21; 1Cor. 15:21-22) so Christ as the last Adam is the representative head of those who belong to him and took their place in judgement. He is also their substitute. As a result of his obedient life leading to his atoning death and resurrection, Jesus is given the name “Lord” (see Isa 45:21-25; Phil 2:6-11) having gained the victory over the principalities and powers (Col 2:15).
But he also has the name “Savior” as his earthly name, (Matt 1:21; Isa 45:15,21-22; Luke 2:11; Acts 5:31; Titus 2:13). Christians not only confess that Jesus is Lord but with the Samaritans they testify that he is the world’s Savior (John 4:42; see 1 Jn 4:14). The justification of sinners is one of the key components of God’s saving activity in Christ.
John 3:16-18 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already,
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Justification– the Central Message of Christianity.
Justification is the foundation of the work of Christ to save the perishing souls and therefore becomes the central message of Christianity. It is the bases upon which the program of God
to redeem the perishing souls rested. No other way – “This is the stone, which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Act 4:11-12.
Justification by Faith through Christ presents real hope to guilty and rebellious humans who
deserve nothing but the wrath of God to fall upon them. By the substitutionary program of God, Christ became sin for us, “…that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Co 5:21.
The Two Parts of Justification:
1. The remission of sins – this involves the forgiveness of and the taking away of our sin on the account of Christ crucifixion– John 1:29; Rom 4:6-8. Sin is no longer reckoned to the believer’s account. Psalm 32:1-2; Rom. 8:1.
2. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness – since all our righteous acts are like a filthy rag before God—the most Righteous, through Justification, God credited to thebeliever’s account the righteousness of Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21). Justification is not about a change of nature, rather it is about a righteous status that results from the righteous character of Christ being credited to believers (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:1-5; 5:19; Rom. 10;4; 5:17; 4:5; 5:19; Philip. 3:9).
To be continue....