1. Justified

2. Justified
The words “justified”, “justify” and “justification” are used many times in the New Testament.
Every time I checked these words were translated from the Greek word “dikaioo” or some variation of this word.
The meaning of this Greek word is: just, innocent or righteous.
This word is used a couple of times in the New Testament in the context of being justified in the eyes of men.

3. Justified Being justified in the eyes of men is used in a bad context.
The vast majority of the time in the New Testament being justified is talking about how Christians are viewed in the eyes of God.
In other words those who are justified are:
Those whose past sins are forgiven
They are right in the sight of God
They can expect a home in Heaven when this life is over.

4. Justified
Since that is what it means to be justified then surely all of us would want to be justified in the eyes of God.
I want us to spend the next few moments looking at what the Word of God says justifies us.
You might be surprised how many different things play into our justification.
The Apostle Paul tells the Christians at Rome they were justified by faith.

5. Justified
Ro 5:1 ¶ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
He tells this same group of Christians in chapter 3 that both Jew and Gentile will be justified the same way.
Ro 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
It’s important to understand the law Paul is talking about here is the Law of Moses.

6. Justified
Ro 3:29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
The circumcised is the Jew
The uncircumcised is the Gentile
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

7. Justified
Paul also explains to the Christians at Galatia that we are justified by faith in Jesus.
Ga 2:16 "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Once again the Law being referred to here is the Law of Moses.

8. Justified
Now a lot of people would want to stop right there and say “see, we are justified or saved by faith”
That is true. We are justified or saved by faith.
But, the New Testament does not say that we are justified by faith alone.
On the contrary, the New Testament teaches there are many other things that play a part in our justification.

9. Justified
Not only did Paul tell the Christians at Rome that we are justified by faith, he also told them we are justified by Grace.
Ro 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Grace is the undeserved favor of God.
Question: are we justified by our faith alone or do we also need the grace of God in order to be made right in the eyes of God?
It takes both doesn’t it?

10. Justified There are more things that we are justified by.
Jesus says humility plays a part in our justification in the parable of the two prayers.
Lu 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

11. Justified
Lu 18:12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

12. Justified Which of these men was justified?
The one who humbled himself.
Humility is an attribute we must have in order to be justified in the eyes of God!
1Pe 5:5 ¶ Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

13. Justified
1Pe 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
Do we want to be exalted by God on the day of judgment by hearing “well done thou good and faithful servant”?
Then we had better humble ourselves and submit to His will!
This is why James says we need to submit to God so that we might obtain the grace of God that is necessary for justification

14. Justified
Jas 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
God has given us a law to live by (New Testament).
Submitting only to the parts of that law that we like is not submission at all!
That is not humility.

15. Justified
Not only are we justified by faith, grace and humility we are also justified by our works.
A lot of preachers will tell you that works have nothing to do with our justification or salvation.
But the Bible teaches plainly that they do.
James uses the example of Abraham to teach this lesson.
Jas 2:20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

16. Justified
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

17. Justified The works that justify are good works.
These are not what man may think are good works.
Pr 14:12 ¶ There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
The good works that justify are found in the Word of God
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

18. Justified
Are we engaging in the good works that will justify us in the eyes of God?
The Apostle Paul lists off many of these good things we are supposed to do in order to be justified.
Col 3:5 ¶ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

19. Justified
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 ¶ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

20. Justified
Col 3:11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
12 ¶ Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

21. Justified
Col 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

22. Justified
Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Other good works that are part of our being justified are.
Praying:
1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing
Attend worship:
Heb 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

23. Justified
So far we have seen that we are justified by faith, grace, humility and good works
Another thing that will justify or condemn us are the things that come out of our mouth.
Mt 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

24. Justified
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.“
Do we realize the things we say could make us either pleasing or displeasing in the eyes of God?
We are going to have to answer to God for everything we say either good or bad.
Some things that may come out of our mouth that would cause us to be condemned would be.

25. Justified Lies: False doctrine:
Re 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.“
False doctrine:
2Pe 2:1 ¶ But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

26. Justified Filthy Language:
Col 3:8 ¶ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
If these type things proceed out of our mouth it will prevent us from being justified before God.

27. Justified
Some things that may proceed from our mouth that would play a part in justifying us are:
Speaking the Truth (Gospel) in love
Eph 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ
Singing in the worship service
Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

28. Justified Words of comfort: Words of edification:
1Th 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Words of edification:
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Make no mistake the Bible teaches we will either be justified or condemned by the words that come out of our mouth.

29. Conclusion So what does it take to be justified in the eyes of God?
Is it just one thing?
No, it takes all of the things we have mentioned and more.
Faith, Grace, Humility, Works and Our Words.
We can’t pick and choose the ones we like and leave the others out.
We have to put all of God’s Word in practice in our life if we expect to be justified by God and have a home in Heaven!