What Does It Mean to Be Justified By Faith and What Does Justification Mean?

The doctrine of justification is not solely a Protestant Reformation idea. It is fundamentally Christian in its message of how Jesus saves us.

Justification: What Is It?

The Baker's Biblical Dictionary defines justification as the declaration of someone as being just or righteous. Many people today find it offensive because it is a legal term that denotes acquittal. We have a tendency to dislike legalism and hence reject everything that has a legalistic bent. It is important to understand that the biblical authors did not share our reluctance. In their time, it was axiomatic that a wealthy and prominent citizen would not be treated in a legal proceeding similarly to a minority.In fact, this was occasionally stipulated in laws. For instance, the ancient Code of Hammurabi states that if a citizen knocks out the tooth of another citizen, he or she must also have his or her own tooth knocked out. However, if the victim was a vassal, paying a minor punishment was sufficient. No one anticipated exact justice in human courts, but the authors of the Bible were confident that God is a God of justice. Justice is a theme that is fundamentally important in the Bible.

As a result, thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, we enjoy peace with God after being justified by faith. (Rom. 5:1)

Dr. Charles Stanley elucidates the definition of "justification" as it is used in Romans 5:1 in his book "Christian Living."

The Greek verb tense in this phrase denotes a final transaction, he explains.

We have received a justification, or a final finding of innocence.

Justify is a word that has both theological and judicial or legal connotations."Shall not the Judge of the earth treat justly?" is a query that dates back to the book of Genesis. (NASB, Gen. 18:25). Accepting the Lord Jesus Christ, who died in our place, results in our justification, peace, and immunity from punishment.

The Importance and Meaning of Justification

The Protestant Reformation did not exclusively preach about justification. The message is fundamentally Christian. Whether or not the Reformers understood justification correctly has recently been the subject of much debate. Some claim that fresh research on the New Testament necessitates a "new look" at justification. Without getting into the nitty-gritty of that argument, I firmly believe that justification is a biblical doctrine, not a Reformation theory.

The following list includes four techniques to make justification important as well as two reasons why it does:

First, the Bible teaches it.

(Romans 4:5)

But the man who does not labor but relies on the righteousness of God, who justifies the impious, is counted as righteous because of his faith. It is true that the doctrine of justification can be improperly taught, i.e., without appropriately highlighting the necessity for the fruit of the Spirit to likewise result from justification.

But opposing something because it might be used improperly is like to avoiding cars because some drivers drive too fast. Not only can justification be delivered incorrectly, it can also be delivered poorly. For example, you might mistake a formulation of "sound" words for the message itself or feel pressured to convey certain technical concepts rather than the heart and soul of the message. Preaching justification is essentially the same as preaching Jesus, neither more nor less.

In order for us to comprehend that Jesus alone—and nothing else—is the source of our salvation, preaching justification entails demonstrating from the Bible how the atonement functions. Technical arguments regarding the precise mechanics of justification are irrelevant; what counts is who works: you, me, or Christ? In Christ Alone" is the justification song.

Second, Experience backs it up.

Our practice should be guided by our Bibles rather than our experience. However, experience can be a helpful means of confirming the accuracy of the Bible, which it frequently uses as a teaching resource. In this instance, a wealth of evidence reveals that once the message of justification is firmly and confidently enshrined at their core, churches and ministries regain vitality, health, and strength.

Our churches are not a platform for moral development. To be able to offer gospel hope, our churches must have a proper appreciation for, knowledge of, and preaching of justification as its basis.

Read more: 15 steps to forgive someone who has hurt you

Perhaps you are already aware with historical figures like Martin Luther, John Wesley, and Jonathan Edwards. But we would be wise to keep in mind that the example of God using his message of the gospel - unadulterated, unperverted, and unashamed - for massive revival can be found in Luther reading and studying Galatians (his "Katharina von Bora" as he called it), Wesley hearing Luther's preface to Galatians read (and his "heart was strangely warmed"), and Edwards preaching "justification by faith alone" (and many were converted. 

Justification has a proven track record of softening hard hearts and repairing shattered hearts in missionary work, cross-cultural evangelism, and reaching the religiously nominal. It elevates God, humbles people, and keeps salvation at the center of our churches rather than politics, cultural warfare, or any other type of "works."

Here are four ways  for making justification relevant:

1. Avoid telling anyone.

That is to say, avoid always using the word "justification." Of course you can, and you must do so whenever you encounter chapters that utilize that biblical term. However, the goal of preaching justification is not to tick off certain boxes in our theological terminology, but to preach Christ, the release from guilt, and the proclamation of righteousness through faith in him.

Although justification terminology is rarely used directly, justification theology is frequently included into Jesus' parables. Without being justified, David could not be "a man after God's own heart." If you think that's a stretch, think of Paul's case study of Abraham, who had his faith credited to him as righteousness. If there isn't a power of justification at work, sometimes directly, more often implicitly, how else could Abraham be a model of godliness?

2. Show everyone.

I don't mean introducing on-stage props for show-and-tell or visual aids (though I suppose I have nothing against that in theory; Jesus had a little child sit with them as an illustration, after all). I'm talking about using visuals to tell stories and vice versa. For examples on how to achieve this, read Edwards. Although he doesn't use many "illustrations" in his sermons, his sentences are jam-packed with running metaphors. The sight of the rising sun beyond the horizon of comprehension is what gives language life.

You can use that analogy to describe justification, which obviously has a specific law court metaphor. You aren't, in my opinion, constrained to it. According to my understanding of justification, various atonement analogies are built upon it. For this reason, and since I strongly believe in the justification by faith alone message, I am able to preach friendship metaphors (reconciliation) and rescue metaphors (redemption). To put it another way, you don't need to follow every rule precisely every time you preach justification; all you need to do is convey the meaning and message in a way that our largely visual brain can understand.

Although Jesus did use the word "justification" on occasion, I don't recall ever seeing him use it frequently. Instead, I see him embodying a statement of righteousness toward the wicked by living, breathing, acting, and serving with mercy and compassion toward even the worst sinners.

3. Inform people of the appropriate workspaces.

You will be doing a great damage to people's relationship with God, to God's holiness and honor, and to the health of the church if you fail to convey the importance of purity to them. Paul, Jesus, and the entire Bible stress the value of holiness, the need for Christians to work on their holiness, and the fact that without holiness, no one would be able to see the Lord.

You must thus teach how something works. But you must refrain from preaching pharisaically to them. Our standing before God is not based on our works, but rather on their fruit. This does not imply that they are any less significant or necessary. Nice trees produce good fruit; poor trees produce bad fruit. It takes more than just repeating a few words from the Bible or "making a decision" to be assured of my standing before God. More people than any other incorrect belief, in my opinion, have been unwittingly sent to hell as a result of such thinking.

People who believe they are saved and already know everything have become immune to the gospel message, in my experience, because their lives show no evidence of the fruit of the Spirit. Being lenient toward their sin serves no purpose for such people. They must be brought on their knees to beg for mercy before an omnipotent and holy God because they have failed to follow God's commands or show any real growth in their love for him, his people, and the world. In other words, justification cannot be maintained unless the significance of the actual obedience that arises from regeneration is also emphasized.

4. Promote renewal.

My main takeaway from Paul's letter to the Galatians is that justification is not a "dry" doctrine but rather needs to be taught in the context of a strong emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit. I have seen this paralleled in Edwards' work on justification by faith alone. Those who are allergic to the influence of the Holy Spirit of God will not remain justified for very long. They will perceive justification as a theory, a fantastic notion, and a dry legal metaphor. But if we closely examine Galatians, we can see that Paul simultaneously preaches the great work of the Spirit while still upholding justification.

We are in Christ and Christ is in us, according to Paul's similar idea of our "position" in Christ. This message asks whether we really believe that, after starting with the Spirit, human effort will be sufficient to achieve our goals. Because of this, Paul applies his message to the fruit of the Spirit, which enables us to put to death the works of the fles of Galatians (not as an afterthought or an afterthought). Justification can only flourish in an environment of regeneration.

This is consistent with what I have observeinth individuals who have difficulty comprehending reasoning. Instead of focusing solely on justification, consider other aspects of salvation that are connected to it, such as the work of the Spirit, our standing in Christ, and regeneration. Doing so will help us understand justification more fully and clearly.