Always Reforming to Scripture: Justification

Justification
- Legal standing
- Once for all time
- Entirely God’s work
- Perfect in this life
- The same in all Christians

Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Justification — a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; and so the person justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising from perfect obedience to the law (Rom. 5:1–10).

It proceeds on the imputing or crediting to the believer by God himself of the perfect righteousness, active and passive, of his Representative and Surety, Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:3–9). Justification is not the forgiveness of a man without righteousness, but a declaration that he possesses a righteousness which perfectly and for ever satisfies the law, namely, Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 4:6–8).

The sole condition on which this righteousness is imputed or credited to the believer is faith in or on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is called a “condition,” not because it possesses any merit, but only because it is the instrument, the only instrument by which the soul appropriates or apprehends Christ and his righteousness (Rom. 1:17; 3:25, 26; 4:20, 22; Phil. 3:8–11; Gal. 2:16).

Grudem's Systematic Theology states, "Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight." –Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1994), 723

James White's, The God Who Justifies, has a good defintion:
“To be justified means to be declared right with God by virtue of the remission of sins accomplished by Jesus: Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer, and the believer’s sins are imputed to Christ, who bears them in His body on the tree. Justification is from beginning to end a divine action, based upon the mercy of God the Father and the work of Jesus Christ the Son.” James White, The God Who Justifies (Bloomington, Minn: Bethany House, 2001), 73

Scriptures Dealing With Justification

Rom 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Rom 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

Phil 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from {the} Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which {comes} from God on the basis of faith,

2 Cor 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin {to be} sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Romans 5:9-11 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Learn these truths: “We are saved by grace alone (Romans 3:24; 5:15-21); through faith alone (Romans 1:16-17; 3:22-31; 4:1-25; 5:1; 10:4) in Christ alone (Romans *3:22-26; 5:15-21; 6:23; 8:1; 10:4).”

Check out the following sites for more info:
http://www.monergism.com/

- Justification - Salvation is By Grace Through Faith by J.I. Packer
- The Doctrine of Justification by James Buchanan (.pdf) New!
- Series of Articles on Justification by Cornelis P. Venema
- Faith & Justification by Theodore Beza
- Justification is by Grace Alone by John Calvin
- The Everlasting Righteousness by Horatius Bonar
- The Immediate and Only Ground of Justification by James Buchanan (1804-1870)
- A Study on Justification by David H. Linden
- The Rent Veil by Horatius Bonar
- The Method and Fruits of Justification by Martin Luther
- Justification part 1 , part 2, part 3 by A.A. Hodge
- Justification (from Outlines of Theology) by A.A. Hodge
- Justification by by Wilhelmus a Brakel
- Justification: Forensic or Moral? Francis Turretin
- Overview of the Concept of Justification in Romans Marcelo P. Souza
- A Reminder to the Covenant God By John Hendryx
- The “Justification” of Christmas By Charles R. Biggs
- SOLA FIDE: THE REFORMED DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION by J.I. Packer
- Justification By Faith and its Consequences from Romans, An Interpretive Outline by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas
-Counted Righteous in Christ by John Piper
Should We Abandon the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness? (pdf) + Chapters 1-2 +Chapter 3 +Chapter 4, Bibliography, Index +Purchase "Counted Righteous in Christ"

I also look forward to reading my preordered book by John Piper, The Future of Justification A Response to N. T. Wright .

I had preodered it from Amazon because I was ordering another book but--you can get it here for 5.oo if you order it before October 31st (what an important date in Church history!)

**I just finished listening to a great program on The White Horse Inn called “Why Faith Alone Justifies” at http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/The_White_Horse_Inn/archives.asp?bcd=9/23/2007

In connection with The White Horse Inn you should also check out the latest issue of Modern Reformation