Reference: JUSTIFICIATION
American
The being regarded and treated as if innocent; or acquittal from the consequences of guilt before the tribunal of God. "Justification by faith" means that a person, on account of true and living faith in Christ as manifested by good works, will be delivered from condemnation on account of his sins; that is, his sins will be forgiven, and he be regarded and treated as if innocent and holy. Thus, besides the remission of sins and their penalty, it includes the restoration and everlasting enjoyment of the favor of God.
We obtain justification by faith in Christ. Yet neither this nor any other act of ours, as a work, is any ground of our justification. In acquitting us before his bar, God regards not our works, in whole or in part, but the atoning work and merits of Christ. He was treated as a sinner, that we might be treated as righteous. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus;" the moment we believe, our justification is as perfect as the infinite worthiness of our Redeemer. Its validity does not depend on the measure of our assurance of hope, nor on spotless holiness of life. Sanctification, indeed, or progressive growth in holiness, commences simultaneously with justification, and must in the end reach the same perfectness. Yet it is important to distinguish between the two, and to observe that, could the believer's holiness become as perfect as an angel's, it could not share with the atoning merits of Christ in entitling him to admission to heaven.
The best obedience of my hands
Dares not appear before thy throne;
But faith can answer thy demands,
By pleading what my Lord hath done."
True justification, by the gratuitous gift of the Savior, furnishes the most powerful motive to a holy life. It is followed by adoption, peace of conscience, and the fruits of the Spirit in this life; and by final sanctification, acquittal in the day of judgment, and admittance to heaven, Ro 3:20-31; 5; 8:1-4; 10:4-10; Ga 2:16-21; Eph 2:4-10.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Therefore no flesh shall be justified by works of law: for through law there is a perfect knowledge of sin. And now the righteousness of God without law has been made manifest, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; read more. but the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ is unto all who believe: for there is no difference, for all sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being freely justified by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus: whom God sent forth an expiation through faith in his blood, unto the manifestation of His righteousness through the remission of the sins which are passed, in the forbearance of God; unto the manifestation of his righteousness at the present time, so that he is just, and justifying him who is of the faith of Jesus. Then where is boasting? It is excluded. By what law? of works? No; but by the law of faith. For we conclude that a man is justified by faith without works of law. Whether is he the God of the Jews only? is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yea, also of the Gentiles: truly there is one God, who will justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. Then do we make void the law through faith? It could not be so: but we establish the law.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has made thee free from the law of sin and of death. read more. For there was an impotency of the law, in which it was weak through depravity, God having sent his own Son in the likeness of the sin of depravity and for sin, condemned sin in depravity: in order that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to depravity, but according to the spirit.
For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one who believes. For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, that the man having done this shall live in it. read more. But the righteousness of faith speaks thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend up into heaven? that is, to bring Christ down: or, Who shall descend into the abyss? that is, to bring him up from the dead. But what says it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if you may confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and may believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved: for with the heart it is believed unto righteousness; and with the mouth it is confessed unto salvation.
knowing that a man is not justified by works of law, but through the faith of Christ Jesus, and we have believed into Christ Jesus, in order that we may be justified by faith of Christ, and not by works of law, because by works of law no flesh shall be justified. But if seeking to be justified in Christ, we may also be found sinners, then is Christ the minister of sin? it could not be so. read more. For if I again build the things which I have destroyed, I constitute myself a transgressor. For I through law died to law, in, order that I may live unto God. I am crucified along with Christ; and I live no longer, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness was through law, then Christ died gratuitiously.
but God, being rich in mercy, on account of his great love with which he loved us, created life in us in Christ, who were dead in trespasses, by grace you have been saved, read more. and he has raised you up, and caused you to sit in the heavenlies, in Christ Jesus: in order that he may show in coming ages the superabounding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, in order that no one may boast: for we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them.