Topical Bible: Justification Before God is the Act of God

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Topical Encyclopedia

Justification is a central tenet of Christian theology, referring to the divine act whereby God declares a sinner to be righteous on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. This concept is foundational to understanding salvation and the believer's relationship with God. In the Berean Standard Bible, justification is depicted as an act of God, emphasizing His sovereignty and grace in the process of salvation.

Biblical Foundation

The doctrine of justification is primarily rooted in the writings of the Apostle Paul. In Romans 3:24, Paul states, "and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." This verse highlights that justification is a gift from God, granted freely by His grace, and is made possible through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. It underscores that human effort or merit plays no role in achieving justification; it is entirely an act of God.

Romans 5:1 further elaborates, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Here, justification is linked to faith, indicating that it is through trusting in Christ that believers are declared righteous. This peace with God signifies the restoration of a right relationship between the believer and the Creator, a relationship that was fractured by sin.

The Role of Faith

Faith is the means by which individuals receive justification. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul writes, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." This passage reinforces the idea that justification is not earned by human works but is a divine gift received through faith. Faith is not a work in itself but the channel through which God's grace is applied to the believer.

Imputed Righteousness

A key aspect of justification is the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul explains, "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." This exchange—Christ taking on the sin of humanity and believers receiving His righteousness—is central to the doctrine of justification. It is through this imputation that believers are seen as righteous before God, not because of their own deeds, but because of Christ's perfect obedience and sacrifice.

Legal Declaration

Justification is often described in legal terms, as it involves a judicial declaration by God. In Romans 8:33-34, Paul poses the rhetorical question, "Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?" This legal imagery portrays God as the judge who declares the believer righteous, rendering any accusation against them null and void. This declaration is irrevocable and assures the believer of their standing before God.

The Role of Grace

Grace is the unmerited favor of God, and it is the foundation of justification. In Titus 3:5-7, Paul writes, "He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life." This passage emphasizes that justification is an act of God's mercy and grace, not a result of human effort.

Conclusion

Justification before God is a divine act, rooted in His grace and accomplished through faith in Jesus Christ. It involves the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer, resulting in a legal declaration of righteousness. This doctrine underscores the sovereignty of God in salvation and the assurance of peace with Him for those who are justified.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 50:8
He is near that justifies me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is my adversary? let him come near to me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 8:33
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

On the Justification of Man Before God
... laid down according to the Scriptures, we conclude, that justification, when used
for the act of a ... 3:6, 7;) or that man is justified before God, of debt ...
/.../the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 19 on the justification.htm

On the Justification of Man as a Sinner, but yet a Believer ...
... to him before he justifies him through faith? 9. Or, which is the same thing, Is
the object about which God is occupied in the act of justification, an elect ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/on the justification of man.htm

The Justification of Man Before God
... so that faith itself, as an act performed according ... the command of the gospel, is
imputed before God for or ... In the theses on justification, which were disputed ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/ix the justification of man.htm

Sanctification and Justification (Continued).
... God; the second to the act of conforming ... ancient theologians correctly expressed
it: "Justification acts for ... he knows that he stands before God perfectly right ...
/.../the work of the holy spirit/iv sanctification and justification continued.htm

Certainty of Our Justification.
... God does indeed declare the ungodly just before he believes ... justifying act is the
creative act of God, in which is ... there is in this act of justification not the ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxiii certainty of our justification.htm

Justification from Eternity
... Then he could not be justified before he existed and ... must disappear, and the Lord
our God be sovereignly ... Hence the Sacred Scripture reveals justification as an ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxii justification from eternity.htm

Justification
... A: It is an act of God's free grace, whereby he pardons ... we must have our sins forgiven,
and be brought into God's favour by justification, before we can ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/3 justification.htm

Regeneration the Work of God.
... summing up of the things which God accomplished for us before we existed. Hence
our election, foreordination, justification, and glorification precede the ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxi regeneration the work of.htm

The Whole of that in which we Appear Before God, Justifies Us. But ...
... down according to the Scriptures, we conclude, that JUSTIFICATION, when used for
the act of a ... who believes; or that man is justified before God, of debt ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/article xxv v the whole.htm

Justification.
... Justification is an act of God, by which He accounts ... a change in his standing in
the sight of God. Before justification he stands in the sight of God, guilty ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xxi justification.htm