Thematic Bible: Justification before God
Thematic Bible
Justification before God » Under the gospel » By imputation of Christ's righteousness
Him who never knew sin God made to be Sin, on our behalf; so that we, through union with him, might become the Righteousness of God.
Verse Concepts
But you, by your union with Christ Jesus, belong to God; and Christ, by God's will, became not only our Wisdom, but also our Righteousness, Holiness, and Deliverance,
Verse Concepts
Briefly then, just as a single offence resulted for all mankind in condemnation, so, too, a single decree of righteousness resulted for all mankind in that declaration of righteousness which brings Life.
Verse Concepts
The Divine Righteousness which is bestowed, through faith in Jesus Christ, upon all, without distinction, who believe in him.
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the law » Man cannot attain to
For 'no human being will be pronounced righteous before God' as the result of obedience to Law; for it is Law that shows what sin is.
Verse Concepts
While Israel, which was in search of a Law which would ensure righteousness, failed to discover one. And why? Because they looked to obedience, and not to faith, to secure it. They stumbled over 'the Stumbling-block.'
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Is not of faith and works united
You have severed yourselves from Christ--you who are seeking to be pronounced righteous through Law; you have fallen away from love.
Verse Concepts
But certain persons came down from Judea, and began to teach the Brethren that, unless they were circumcised, in accordance with the custom enjoined by Moses, they could not be saved. This gave rise to a serious dispute, and much discussion, between Paul and Barnabas and these men, and it was therefore settled that Paul and Barnabas and others of their number should go up to Jerusalem, to consult the Apostles and Officers of the Church about the matter under discussion. The Church, therefore, sent them on their journey, and they made their way through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling the story of the conversion of the Gentiles, to the great joy of all the Brethren. read more.
On their arrival at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the Officers, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do. Some of the Pharisees' party, however, who had become believers in Christ, came forward and declared that they were bound to circumcise converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses. The Apostles and the Officers of the Church held a meeting to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter rose and said: "You, my Brothers, know well that long ago God singled me out--that through my lips the Gentiles should hear the Message of the Good News, and become believers in Christ. Now God, who reads all hearts, declared his acceptance of the Gentiles, by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between them and us, when he purified their hearts by their faith. Why, then, do you now provoke God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our ancestors nor we were able to bear? No, it is through the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved." Every voice in the assembly was hushed, as they listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they gave an account of all the signs and wonders which God had shown among the Gentiles through them. After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. "Brothers," he began, "hear what I have to say. Simon has described the manner in which God first visited the Gentiles, in order to take from among them a people to bear his Name. And that is in harmony with the words of the Prophets, where they say-- '"After this I will return; and I will rebuild the House of David which has fallen--its very ruins I will rebuild, and will set it up once more; That so the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the Gentiles on whom my Name has been bestowed." Says the Lord, as he does these things, foreknown from of old.' In my judgment, therefore, we should not add to the difficulties of those Gentiles who are turning to God, But we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood. For in every town, for generations past, there have been those who preach Moses, read as he is in the Synagogues every Sabbath." It was then decided by the Apostles and the Officers, with the assent of the whole Church, to choose some of their number, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Those chosen were Judas (called Barsabas) and Silas, who were leading men among the Brethren. They were bearers of the following letter--'The Apostles, and the Brothers who are the Officers of the Church, send their greetings to the Brethren of Gentile birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. As we had heard that some of our number had upset you by their assertions, and unsettled your minds--without instructions from us-- We met and decided to choose certain men and send them to you with our dear brothers Barnabas and Paul, Who have sacrificed themselves for the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are accordingly sending Judas and Silas, and they will tell you by word of mouth what we are now writing. We have, therefore, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to lay no further burden upon you beyond these necessary conditions-- That you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.'
On their arrival at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, as well as by the Apostles and the Officers, and gave an account of all that God had helped them to do. Some of the Pharisees' party, however, who had become believers in Christ, came forward and declared that they were bound to circumcise converts and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses. The Apostles and the Officers of the Church held a meeting to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter rose and said: "You, my Brothers, know well that long ago God singled me out--that through my lips the Gentiles should hear the Message of the Good News, and become believers in Christ. Now God, who reads all hearts, declared his acceptance of the Gentiles, by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between them and us, when he purified their hearts by their faith. Why, then, do you now provoke God, by putting on the necks of these disciples a yoke which neither our ancestors nor we were able to bear? No, it is through the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus that we, just as they do, believe that we have been saved." Every voice in the assembly was hushed, as they listened to Barnabas and Paul, while they gave an account of all the signs and wonders which God had shown among the Gentiles through them. After they had finished speaking, James addressed the Council. "Brothers," he began, "hear what I have to say. Simon has described the manner in which God first visited the Gentiles, in order to take from among them a people to bear his Name. And that is in harmony with the words of the Prophets, where they say-- '"After this I will return; and I will rebuild the House of David which has fallen--its very ruins I will rebuild, and will set it up once more; That so the rest of mankind may earnestly seek the Lord--even all the Gentiles on whom my Name has been bestowed." Says the Lord, as he does these things, foreknown from of old.' In my judgment, therefore, we should not add to the difficulties of those Gentiles who are turning to God, But we should write to them to abstain from food that has been polluted by being sacrificed to idols, from impurity, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from blood. For in every town, for generations past, there have been those who preach Moses, read as he is in the Synagogues every Sabbath." It was then decided by the Apostles and the Officers, with the assent of the whole Church, to choose some of their number, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Those chosen were Judas (called Barsabas) and Silas, who were leading men among the Brethren. They were bearers of the following letter--'The Apostles, and the Brothers who are the Officers of the Church, send their greetings to the Brethren of Gentile birth in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. As we had heard that some of our number had upset you by their assertions, and unsettled your minds--without instructions from us-- We met and decided to choose certain men and send them to you with our dear brothers Barnabas and Paul, Who have sacrificed themselves for the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are accordingly sending Judas and Silas, and they will tell you by word of mouth what we are now writing. We have, therefore, decided, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to lay no further burden upon you beyond these necessary conditions-- That you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating the flesh of strangled animals, and from impurity. If you guard yourselves against such things, it will be well with you. Farewell.'
For we conclude that a man is pronounced righteous on the ground of faith, quite apart from obedience to Law.
Verse Concepts
But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love.
Verse Concepts
But, when I saw that they were not dealing straightforwardly with the Truth of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, who were born a Jew, adopt Gentile customs, instead of Jewish, why are you trying to compel the Gentile converts to adopt Jewish customs?" We, though we are Jews by birth and not outcasts of Gentile origin, know that no one is pronounced righteous as the result of obedience to Law, but only through faith in Christ Jesus. So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.' read more.
If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be outcasts, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid! For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong. I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not reject the love of God. If righteousness comes through Law, then there was no need for Christ to die!
If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be outcasts, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid! For, if I rebuild the very things that I pulled down, I prove myself to have done wrong. I, indeed, through Law became dead to Law, in order to live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. So it is no longer I that live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and, as for my present earthly life, I am living it by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not reject the love of God. If righteousness comes through Law, then there was no need for Christ to die!
Justification before God » By faith » Excludes boasting
So that-in the words of Scripture-'Let him who boasts make his boast of the Lord!'
Verse Concepts
So that in his presence no human being should boast.
Verse Concepts
What, then, becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what sort of Law? A Law requiring obedience? No, a Law requiring faith.
Verse Concepts
If he was pronounced righteous as the result of obedience, then he has something to boast of. Yes, but not before God.
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Is by faith alone
Therefore, having been pronounced righteous as the result of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Verse Concepts
In truth I tell you that he who listens to my Message and believes him who sent me, has Immortal Life, and does not come under condemnation, but has already passed out of Death into Life.
Verse Concepts
Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is only one God, and he will pronounce those who are circumcised righteous as the result of faith, and also those who are uncircumcised on their showing the same faith.
Verse Concepts
And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.
Verse Concepts
So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.'
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Is not of works
What Law could not do, in so far as our earthly nature weakened its action, God did, by sending his own Son, with a nature resembling our sinful nature, to atone for sin. He condemned sin in that earthly nature,
Verse Concepts
And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved.
Verse Concepts
So we placed our faith in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be pronounced righteous, as the result of faith in Christ, and not of obedience to Law; for such obedience 'will not result in even one soul's being pronounced righteous.'
Verse Concepts
Again, it is evident that no one is pronounced righteous before God through Law, for we read--'Through faith the righteous man shall find Life.'
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the law » Requires perfect obedience
It is not those who hear the words of a Law that are righteous before God, but it is those who obey it that will be pronounced righteous.
Verse Concepts
For Moses writes that, as for the righteousness which results from Law, 'those who practice it will find Life through it.'
Verse Concepts
For a man who has laid the Law, as a whole, to heart, but has failed in one particular, is liable for breaking all its provisions.
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Frees from condemnation
Who will bring a charge against any of God's People? He who pronounces them righteous is God! Who is there to condemn them? He who died for us is Christ Jesus!-or, rather, it was he who was raised from the dead, and who is now at God's right hand and is even pleading on our behalf!
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Is of grace
But, in his loving-kindness, are being freely pronounced righteous through the deliverance found in Christ Jesus.
Verse Concepts
That is why all is made to depend upon faith, that all may be God's gift, and in order that the fulfillment of the promise may be made certain for all Abraham's descendants-not only for those who take their stand on the Law, but also for those who take their stand on the faith of Abraham. (He is the Father of us all;
Verse Concepts
For if, by reason of the offence of the one man, Death reigned through that one man, far more will those, upon whom God's loving- kindness and his gift of righteousness are lavished, find Life, and reign through the one man, Jesus Christ. Briefly then, just as a single offence resulted for all mankind in condemnation, so, too, a single decree of righteousness resulted for all mankind in that declaration of righteousness which brings Life. For, as through the disobedience of the one man the whole race was rendered sinful, so, too, through the obedience of the one, the whole race will be rendered righteous. read more.
Law was introduced in order that offences might be multiplied. But, where sins were multiplied, the loving-kindness of God was lavished the more, In order than, just as Sin had reigned in the realm of Death, so, too, might Loving-kindness reign through righteousness, and result in Immortal Life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Law was introduced in order that offences might be multiplied. But, where sins were multiplied, the loving-kindness of God was lavished the more, In order than, just as Sin had reigned in the realm of Death, so, too, might Loving-kindness reign through righteousness, and result in Immortal Life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Justification before God » By faith » Does not make void the law
Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is only one God, and he will pronounce those who are circumcised righteous as the result of faith, and also those who are uncircumcised on their showing the same faith. Do we, then, use this faith to abolish Law? Heaven forbid! No, we establish Law.
To those who have no Law I became like a man who has no Law- -not that I am free from God's Law; no, for I am under Christ's Law-to win those who have no law.
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the gospel » By the resurrection of Christ
For Jesus 'was given up to death to atone for our offences,' and was raised to life that we might be pronounced righteous.
Verse Concepts
And, if Christ has not been raised, your faith is folly-your sins are on you still!
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Promised in Christ
Justification before God » By faith » Revealed under the old dispensation
For in it there is a revelation of the Divine Righteousness resulting from faith and leading on to faith; as Scripture says- -'Through faith the righteous man shall find Life.'
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Is the act of God
Who will bring a charge against any of God's People? He who pronounces them righteous is God!
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the gospel » In the name of Christ
Such some of you used to be; but you washed yourselves clean. You became Christ's People! you were pronounced righteous through the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the Spirit of our God!
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Exemplified » Paul
More than that, I count everything as loss, for the sake of the exceeding value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. And for his sake I have lost everything, and count it as refuse, if I may but gain Christ and be found in union with him; Any righteousness that I have being, not the righteousness that results from Law, but the righteousness which comes through faith in Christ--the righteousness which is derived from God and is founded on faith.
Justification before God » Typified
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Blessedness of
Justification before God » Exemplified » Abraham
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Ensures glorification
And those whom God destined for this he also called; and those whom he called he also pronounced righteous; and those whom he pronounced righteous he also brought to Glory.
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » The wicked shall not attain to
Justification before God » Under the gospel » By the blood of Christ
Much more, then, now that we have been pronounced righteous by virtue of the shedding of his blood, shall we be saved through him from the Wrath of God.
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Illustrated
This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, while every one who humbles himself shall be exalted."
Verse Concepts
Justification before God » Under the gospel » Entitles to an inheritance
that, having been pronounced righteous through his loving-kindness, we might enter on our inheritance with the hope of Immortal Life.
Verse Concepts
Related Topics
- Accepting Christ
- Assurance, nature of
- Atonement, in NT
- Boasting
- Boasting Excluded
- Christ Our Righteousness
- Credit
- Faith
- Faith In God
- Faith Kjv
- Faith, As Basis Of Salvation
- God Vindicates
- God's Salvation Made Known
- Gospel, Historical Foundation Of
- Grace
- Guilt, Removal Of
- Having Faith
- Imputation
- Imputed Righteousness
- Justice, In Believers' Lives
- Justification
- Justification By Faith
- Justification Is Not By The Law
- Justification Is Not By Works
- Justification Under The Gospel
- Justification, Necessity Of
- Justification, Results Of
- Justified By Grace
- Justified By Works
- Keeping Faith
- Law, And Gospel
- Law, Purpose Of
- Legalism
- Life Through Faith
- Paul, Teaching Of
- Redemption
- Righteous By Faith
- Righteous, The
- Righteousness
- Righteousness imputed
- Righteousness, As Faith
- Salvation Not By Works
- Salvation, Boasting Impossible
- Salvation, Nature Of
- Sanctification
- Saving Grace
- Self Justification
- Self Righteousness, And The Gospel
- Sin Separates From God
- Sin, Deliverance From God
- Sin, God's Remedy For
- Sin, Universality Of
- Spiritual Warfare, Armour
- The Blood Of Jesus
- Union With Christ, Nature Of
- Union With Christ, Significance Of
- Works Of The Law
- Accusations
- Law
- 8 more topics on Justification
- 21 more topics on God