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Bible Study Justification

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Douglas Summers

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The procuring grounds of "Justification" in Scripture are: 1. "By His grace" (Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:7) 2. "Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24) 3. "By Faith" (Rom. 3:28, 30; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:8, 24) 4. "By His Blood". (Rom. 5:9). 5. "In the name of our Lord Jesus". (1 Cor. 6:11). 6. "In Christ" (Gal. 2:17).

In God's act of Justification, God is said to be "just", and while it is true that it is God's mercy that gave us Salvation for lost men, it is not His Mercy, but His Justice that Justifies the believing sinner in Christ's death. A "just" and Holy God could not allow sin to go unpunished of unrepentant nature of man (For being sorry is not repentance) It may lead to repentance, but in itself, it is not. So we are justified by God, by the carrying out of the justice for man who is under condemnation by God's Law. (The whole Law of Moses was of Condemnation and a shadow of Justification), So we are justified by Christ, who took our stripes (Isaiah 53:4-6).

So "Justification" differs from "forgiveness" in that forgiveness remits sin forever, that someone (Christ) has met the claim of the law, and forever separates the sinner from his sins (Christ, our propitiation) (1 John 2:1-2).
While "Justification" treats the believer with all the merits of Christs character and work. "To forgive means Subtraction (of our sins). While Justification means to add (adding the character of Christ to the believer) (Rom. 8:28-30).
Conclusion: So, to declare, I Say, at this time His righteousness, that He might be "Just" AND The Justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. WHERE is the BOASTING then? IT IS EXCLUDED!!! By the law??? NAY, but by the LAW OF FAITH. Therefore we conclude, a man is JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, not by the deeds of the law (or flesh).
Note* In all the a fore mentioned Scriptures, Refute (Rom. 2:6-7) as being used to show works of the flesh to reach or keep Salvation (It is hypothetical). For he states later that no man is righteous, "no not one." (Rom. 3:9-20) Then he goes on in the rest of Romans how a man is justified by faith and rebirth.

In God's Mercy and Grace in our Savior Jesus
Douglas Summers
 
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I like the thought of 1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? . . .
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

I either heard, or read this somewhere, and that is that in Christ our Father looks on us with having Jesus' righteousness, and it's just as if we never sinned.
 
Eugene said:
I like the thought of 1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? . . .
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

I either heard, or read this somewhere, and that is that in Christ our Father looks on us with having Jesus' righteousness, and it's just as if we never sinned.
Click to expand...
God never sees our sins for we are Justified (added to Christ merit on the cross) in Christ, and if Christ is our Eternal High Priest (and he is) (Book of Hebrews). And if we are forgiven (takes away) our sins, Then we are Sanctified (Holy, Born again, walking in the Spirit of Christ), and Christ is our righteousness, and all this and more is Imputed to us. How can God not deliver us unto Himself, He has even called us son's of God. For if God is for us...who can be against us? We have access to the Throne of God.....And all of it is by Faith, which changed mine and your lives....along with many others......Boy, that is powerful. And there is Scripture for everything I posted.
What a merciful God.
I know that sickness, such as depression, guilt, and such illness's cause many to not see the grace of God.....we need to pray for them. They are missing soundness in God......I know, I have been there.
In God's Eternal mercy and Grace
Douglas Summers
 
Faith is the very foundation of our justification as Christ is our faith through that of Gods grace to all who will believe are saved.
 
Here's another view.
First:
The Greek word for "justify" is δικαιόω (dikaioō).
The Greek word for "just" is δίκαιος (dikaios)
The Greek word for "righteousness" is δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē)
These words carry with them the pagan Greek concept of justice by which good and evil are balanced as in scales. So and evil act must be balanced by a equal punishment.
Thus the view that an offense against God who is infinitely good, requires a punishment of infinite worth in order to satisfy justice.

That is not the Hebrew concept of God's justice which is found in the Old and New Testaments.
Perhaps the beginning of the mistaken interpretation of the word justice in the Holy Scriptures was its translation by the Greek word DIKAIOSUNE. Not that it is a mistaken translation, but because this word, being a word of the pagan, humanistic, Greek civilization, was charged with human notions which could easily lead to misunderstandings.

First of all, the word DIKAIOSUNE brings to mind an equal distribution. This is why it is represented by a balance. The good are rewarded and the bad are punished by human society in a fair way. This is human justice, the one which takes place in court.

Is this the meaning of God's justice, however?
The word DIKAIOSUNE, "justice", is a translation of the Hebraic word “tsedaka.” This word means "the divine energy which accomplishes man's salvation". It is parallel and almost synonymous to the other Hebraic word, “hesed” which means "mercy", "compassion", "love", and to the word, “emeth” which means "fidelity", "truth". This, as you see, gives a completely other dimension to what we usually conceive as justice. This is how the Church understood God's justice. This is what the Fathers of the Church taught of it.
(From "River of Fire")

Douglas Summers said:
it is not His Mercy, but His Justice that Justifies the believing sinner in Christ's death.
Click to expand...
Actually, it is very definitely his mercy.
God was under no necessity or compunction to save anyone.
God was in no manner required to satisfy the demands of justice. That would subordinate God to the necessity of justice.
God saves man because of His love for mankind and His mercy.

Christ's death had the purpose of destroying Satan's power to cause death through sin. Because of Jesus' death and resurrection as a man, no one will remain dead. The power of sin to cause permanent destruction of the image of God in mankind has been destroyed by Christ's death and resurrection.

The doctrine that our offenses had to be punished was the result of the introduction of Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy initiated by Augustine of Hippo, further developed by the Roman Catholic scholastics (most notable being Thomas Aquinas) and succinctly laid out in the tract "Cur Deus Homo" (Why God became man) by Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury in the late 11th- early 12th century. (see below)

The idea that God will punish us if we do not believe in Jesus suggests a rather odd concept.
It tells us that when someone is "saved", he is "saved" from God who will punish him with hell fire for all eternity if he refuses to repent and believe the Gospel.

So that is essentially the Hebraic view of God's righteousness of the ancient Church as being love and mercy.


Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 – 21 April 1109)

In Cur Deus Homo ("Why did God become Man?"), Anselm undertook to explain the rational necessity of the Christian mystery of the atonement. His philosophy rests on three positions—first, that satisfaction is necessary on account of God's honor and justice; second, that such satisfaction can be given only by the peculiar personality of the God-man Jesus; and, third, that such satisfaction is really given by this God-man's voluntary death.


Anselm expounds on these three positions by beginning with the statement that all of Man's actions are for the Glory of God. If Sin exists, wounding God's honor, Man himself can give no satisfaction, but God's justice demands satisfaction. Because God is infinite, however, any wound to his honor must also be infinite. It follows that satisfaction must also be infinite: it must outweigh all that is not God.


Because humans are not infinite, such acts of satisfaction can only be paid by God himself and, as a penalty for Man, must be paid under the form of Man. By this, Anselm reasons that satisfaction is only possible through the sinless God-man Jesus. Because he is exempt from the punishment of Sin, the God-man's passion is voluntary. The merit of the act is therefore infinite, God's justice is thus appeased and His mercy may extend to Man.


This theory has exercised immense influence on church doctrine, providing the basis for the Roman Catholic concept of the treasury of merit and the evangelical doctrine of penal substitution as developed by John Calvin. Anselm's philosophy is very different from older patristic philosophies, insofar as it focuses on a contest between the goodness and justice of God rather than a contest between God and Satan.

iakov the fool
 
Jesus tells us we must render to Caesar what belongs to him, and God what is His (Matthew 22:21). My question is, are we justified if we are is unfaithful with money, respecting honesty and giving to God? Are we saved?

Jesus says, "If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches (Luke 16:11 NKJV)?
 
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iLOVE said:
See question #6 again...edit complete.
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So, essentially, you are asking if your are saved if you commit a sin.
That would depend on whether or not you confessed and repented. (And returned what you misused.)
If someone continues in unrepented sin then I doubt that he is saved.
 
Jim Parker said:
So, essentially, you are asking if your are saved if you commit a sin.
That would depend on whether or not you confessed and repented. (And returned what you misused.)
If someone continues in unrepented sin then I doubt that he is saved.
Click to expand...
Jesus says, "If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches (Luke 16:11 NKJV)?
 
iLOVE said:
Jesus says, "If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches (Luke 16:11 NKJV)?
Click to expand...
Ok. You're not giving me clear responses and I have no desire to attempt to guess what it is you're thinking.
Have a nice day.
 
Jim Parker said:
Here's another view.
First:
The Greek word for "justify" is δικαιόω (dikaioō).
The Greek word for "just" is δίκαιος (dikaios)
The Greek word for "righteousness" is δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē)
These words carry with them the pagan Greek concept of justice by which good and evil are balanced as in scales. So and evil act must be balanced by a equal punishment.
Thus the view that an offense against God who is infinitely good, requires a punishment of infinite worth in order to satisfy justice.
Click to expand...
"Justification" and "righteousness" are inseparably united in Scripture by the fact that in the Greek NT, the original words come from exactly the same root. The sinners is "Justified" by being accounted "righteous". I have considered only the NT doctrine here, since "righteousness" in the OT has the same meaning as the Greek.
It is God's Justice that brought about His Mercy. It was the transgression of the Law that required Justice to God (His Laws and His requirement to the transgression of the law...DEATH) The penalty had to be paid! Justice had to be fulfilled, the curse of death came to all! God's Mercy came in the order of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans Chapters 1-12). The expression, "righteousness of God" (Rom. 3:21-22) is central to any real understanding of Salvation by Grace. This phrase of Scripture is not meant to describe an attribute of God as his Divine Character, nor does it refer to the personal character of the believer. But the simplest and most conclusive understanding is that found in (1 Cor. 1:30) "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is UNTO US OUR righteousness.
In other words, The Righteousness of God, is made our righteousness (imputed) from Christ. All that Christ is, all that Christ has done is imputed to the believer....we have no bragging rights. There should not be one drop of pride in our walk....but Joy should abound.

I don't care what other people believe....this is what I believe Jim. The Justified believer is counted as righteous in Christ Jesus. (imputed) Law, sin, justice, death.

Note* I'm not saying that God's Mercy did not move Him toward men to provide lost men with Salvation. I'm saying...it is not His mercy that Justifies a man, it is God's justice (of which Christ paid) that justifies a man.....and that is imputed to us as if we have all paid the price in Christ. In such a Salvation as this...who could deny it?

In His Eternal Love through Jesus Christ
Douglas Summers
 
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Douglas Summers said:
It was the transgression of the Law that required Justice to God (His Laws and His requirement to the transgression of the law...DEATH) The penalty had to be paid! Justice had to be fulfilled, the curse of death came to all! God's Mercy came in the order of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Yeah.
That is the conclusion of the Roman Catholic scholastics.
Unfortunately, most of the Protestant world has followed suit.
God so loved the world that HE sent Jesus to die for us.
Not to satisfy justice but to rescue us from the power of sin to cause death.
Now no one will stay dead.
The legal part of justice will be when hell, Satan and all the demons are cast into the lake of fire.
Douglas Summers said:
"But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is UNTO US OUR righteousness.
In other words, The Righteousness of God, is made our righteousness (imputed) from Christ.
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OR, in modern English (a language in which I am fluent)
1Co 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
So in modern English (not Late Middle English) the meaning becomes a bit different.
For our sake, Christ became God's wisdom, righteousness (the power by which God saves) sanctification and redemption.
That is more in line with the Hebrew understanding of justice than the pagan Greek which crept into western theology via the RC scholastics.
Douglas Summers said:
I don't care what other people believe....this is what I believe Jim.
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That's fine. Believe as you like.
I'm just attempting to explain where that view came from.
I don't think we're going to have to pass a theology test in order to can get past the pearly gates.
Douglas Summers said:
I'm not saying that God's Mercy did not move Him toward men to provide lost men with Salvation. I'm saying...it is not His mercy that Justifies a man,
Click to expand...
The issue is with the word "justify."
The pagan Greek meaning is a legal one which comes from man's view of justice in which every offense requires an appropriate punishment.
The Hebrew view (and Christianity is Hebrew not Greek) is very different. God acts toward mankind with divine mercy, not cold, human, justice.
Jesus didn't die because God was so offended at our sin and insisted in being compensated for the insult and Jesus was the only one who could pay the fine. (John 3:16 does not read: "Go was so angry at the world because He had to send His only begotten son to die for damned sinners...")
God does not need justice to be served.
In fact, God has shown a habit of being unjust by forgiving sin and not requiring any penalty be paid.
Psa 32:1 A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.

Jesus died because man needed to be rescued from the power of death and Jesus (God made man) was the only man who could destroy the power of death. So God sent His son, as a man like all men except for sin, to destroy death's power and give eternal life to any sinner who repented and believed. Eternal life is what we were supposed to have in the first place.

It does not make sense to me that God would be offended by our sin when, because He is omniscient, He knew from before the beginning that all men would sin; would die because of sin; would have to be rescued from death; and would need to be given eternal life as a gift.

And that's how I see it.
 
Douglas Summers said:
God never sees our sins for we are Justified (added to Christ merit on the cross) in Christ, and if Christ is our Eternal High Priest (and he is) (Book of Hebrews). And if we are forgiven (takes away) our sins, Then we are Sanctified (Holy, Born again, walking in the Spirit of Christ), and Christ is our righteousness, and all this and more is Imputed to us. How can God not deliver us unto Himself, He has even called us son's of God. For if God is for us...who can be against us? We have access to the Throne of God.....And all of it is by Faith, which changed mine and your lives....along with many others......Boy, that is powerful. And there is Scripture for everything I posted.
What a merciful God.
I know that sickness, such as depression, guilt, and such illness's cause many to not see the grace of God.....we need to pray for them. They are missing soundness in God......I know, I have been there.
In God's Eternal mercy and Grace
Douglas Summers
Click to expand...

He doesn’t see our sin unless we have unforgivness.

Then the justification we once had goes out the door.

32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Matthew 18:32-35

The person did indeed receive forgiveness, but the because of unforgiveness, he lost the very forgiveness that he so desired, and pled for, whereby he was required to pay the consequences in full, when at one time he was free from his obligation.


He had forgiveness of the debt that was beyond his ability to pay, but because he wouldn’t forgive someone else a little debt, he end up losing his forgiveness.


No longer having a zero balance with the master, he was required to pay all the debt.



JLB
 
Jim Parker said:
Yeah.
That is the conclusion of the Roman Catholic scholastics.
Unfortunately, most of the Protestant world has followed suit.
Click to expand...
I don't follow either one Jim, I'm satisfied and secure where The Lord has called and kept me. We fellowship daily. I go nowhere that he is not with me.
 
Jim Parker said:
The "Satisfaction" view of the atonement is the conclusion of the RC Scholastics.
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You misunderstood Jim, I'm satisfied where God has taken me.....Christ did not atone (cover) for my sins. Atonement is an OT word for the sin sacrifices that covered their sins from season to season. The word atonement is not used of Christ's death and resurrection in the NT. In the NT, "reconciled' is used (changed thoroughly or completely) (Rom. 5:11 "and not only so, but we JOY in GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BY WHOM WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE RECONCILIATION.) For He did not cover our sin as in the OT, But He took them completely away....as far as the east is from the West! They are gone...not covered. Atonement is an RC and protestant doctrine. They really do not then, understand what Christ did. That is what Hebrews is about, written to the Hebrews or Jews. They kept trying to atone for their sins after they received Christ. (Heb. 6:4-6; 9:11-15). Very few understand what God did in Jesus Christ. They can quote Scripture, they teach Sunday school, even preach atonement, but they do not have the Spirit of being reconciled to God. The visible church is full of teachers and preachers, but not many believers in these last days. Atonement has a completely different meaning then Reconciliation.

In Gods Mercy and Grace, which brings peace
Douglas Summers
 
Douglas Summers said:
The word atonement is not used of Christ's death and resurrection in the NT.
Click to expand...
Rom 5:10-11 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (KJV)
That's the only place I see it.
Douglas Summers said:
For He did not cover our sin as in the OT, But He took them completely away....as far as the east is from the West!
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Absolutely.
Douglas Summers said:
They kept trying to atone for their sins after they received Christ.
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That's not 100% accurate but it does have a connection with concepts like Purgatory and the "Treasury of Merit."
Douglas Summers said:
Very few understand what God did in Jesus Christ.
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I agree.

Good points. :thumbsup

iakov the fool
 
Jim Parker said:
Rom 5:10-11 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (KJV)
That's the only place I see it.
Click to expand...
It is not in the original Script....it was changed from reconciliation to atonement. The King James 1611 committee used the archaic English word "at-one-ment" for "reconciliation". "atonement" in old "archaic" English meant: To make amends or at one with each other (friends). The meaning for "atonement" in OT Scripture means to cover. It just shows you how much the visible church understand what Christ did. He did not cover (atone) for our sins, He wiped them out and "reconciled" us unto God. The OT sacrificial laws of Moses only atoned for our sins "Covered" until Christ wiped them away on the cross, And the father approved of the debt paid by the resurrection of Christ that made us one with God The Father or "reconciled" us unto God. (Rom. 5:10-11) (2 Cor. 5:17-19).
In Christ, who alone, "reconciled" us unto, God and the First fruits of our resurrection
Douglas Summers
Good discussion Jim.
 
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