J USTIFICATION Brian Robson 26 January 2014

Theology is…. A study of the person and character of the Living God And of the wonders of all his works in creation and redemption “Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out!” Romans 11:33 (NJKV)

Justification

1. What does it mean?

A few Greek words Δικαιοω (dikaio-o) – I justify Δικαιος (dikaios) – just, right, righteous Δικαιοσυνη (dikaiosyne) – righteousness

Modern meaning of ‘justify’ to provide, or be, a good reason for (something) : to prove or show (something) to be just, right, or reasonable e.g. ‘I can’t really justify taking another day off work.’

Biblical meaning of ‘justify’ to declare (someone) to be righteous to show (someone) to be righteous to declare innocent, acquit legal term, the opposite of ‘condemn’

Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the L ORD (NJKV) NIV USES “ ACQUIT ”

Isaiah 5:22,23 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine And champions at mixing drinks Who acquit the guilty for a bribe but deny justice to the innocent. (NIV) NJKV “justify” and “the righteous”

Luke 7:29 And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptised with the baptism of John. (NJKV) NIV “acknowledged that God’s way was right” NLT “agreed that God’s way was right”

2.How does it work?

Romans 3: Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe.

Romans 3:23-24 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 …. To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Psalm 32:1-2/Romans 4:7-8 1 Blessed is the he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man to whom the L ORD does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit.

“Impute” To ascribe, attribute, reckon, credit, count … Adam’s sin to us Our sin to Christ Christ’s righteousness to us

Genesis 15 4 Then the word of the L ORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 Abram believed the L ORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

James 2:21 Problem passage? ‘Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?’ Justified here means ‘shown to be righteous’ Story of Isaac is in Genesis 22, whereas Abraham was declared righteous back in Genesis 15!

Robe of righteousness I delight greatly in the L ORD ; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

Robe of righteousness Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the L ORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The L ORD said to Satan, “The L ORD rebuke you, Satan! The L ORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” Zechariah 3

Romans 7 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

1 John 1 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

3. How does it affect us?

We are righteous God justifies us on the basis of our faith. We are declared righteous from the time we believe. This is our legal status. It doesn’t change when we sin (though sin needs to be dealt with). The accuser is wasting his breath!

We have peace with God ‘Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1) God is not our enemy, He’s a loving heavenly father. We enjoy a loving relationship with Him

No condemnation 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8

Romans 8 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Your prayers are powerful The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16

And finally No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.