Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.
S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Simply put, to justify is to declare righteous, to make one right with God. Justification is God's declaring those who receive Christ to be righteous, based on Christ's righteousness being imputed ...
Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.
Tom howard
Romans 4:25," Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification." It was His rising from the dead that procured our (just as if I'd never sinned) ethical relationship. Roman 5:1 continues, that because of that, we now have peace with God. " Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"
Only through his resurrection are we justified, for without that we could not obtain, nor have imputed to us, His righteousness! 1 Corinthians 15:13,17, "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:....And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins."
So, 'Justification' is like a verdict in court ('just as if I'd' never sinned), our positional relationship.
'Righteousness' is an ethical quality derived from that relationship, (imputed).
Its our ('just as if I'd' never sinned) position by His resurrection that gives us the right to receive His righteousness!
A good sentence to help show the relationship between the two is, "A justified person is not to take his imputed legal righteousness for granted."
WE do not grow in justification, we grow in 'behavioral' righteousness (which is personal holiness)Titus 2:11,12, through the sanctification process.
While the empowerment of God's Spirit enables one to continue in the imputed 'legal' righteousness.
That is why we are called Justified Saints.
Larry Truelove
While often, the word justify means to be made righteous before God, there are exceptions. Luke 16:15, Romans 3:4 and James chapter 2 are notable exceptions. Luke 16:15 speaks of some who "justify yourselves IN THE EYES OF OTHERS..." (Not God). (NIV) Of God Himself: "that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge." (NIV) "That you may be justified in your words..." (ESV) Justified can mean proved right, proved righteous, vindicated, or approved. It can be in the view of other people, oneself, or in the eyes of God. In modern times, it can be thought of in view of the law as in the case of someone who can be aquitted of a crime on the basis of justifiable homicide (self-defense).
Jack Gutknecht
Ryrie says that one of THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION is to be justified (Rom. 3:24). Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 3:24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (NET BIBLE) Just verse 24 says in the NET translation, "But they are justified 1 freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." NET Notes: 1 Or “declared righteous.” Grk. “being justified,” as a continuation of the preceding clause. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Rom 3:24), which means that Jesus' atoning death is critically important in our justification. Similarly, we are justified "by his grace" (Rom 3:24), "by his blood" (Rom 5:9), "in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 6:11), and "in Christ" (Gal 2:17), which are all ways of saying that it is the saving work of Jesus that brings about the justification of sinners. --John Alfred Faulkner, https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/justification/ I am called to a different destiny so that I would experience what it means to be made right with God. He [actually] called me by name and set me on a solid basis with himself. And then, getting me established, He is staying with me to the end... Glorious! I love Ben Everson's rendition of the old hymn, "Complete in thee, no work of mine." Author: Aaron R. Wolfe! "Complete in Thee" Ben Everson Complete in Thee, No work of mine Could take, dear Lord, The place of Thine. Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And I shall stand Complete in Thee. Yea, justified, oh, blessed thought, And sanctified, salvation wrought. Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And glorified I, too, shall be. And Ben's fabulous ending to his acapella song, with the repetition of the refrain: Yea, justified, oh, blessed thought, And sanctified, salvation wrought. Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And glorified I, too, shall be. Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And glorified I, too, shall be. Source: Musixmatch Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me; Buried, He carried my sins far away; Rising, He justified freely, forever; One day He’s coming: O glorious day! --John Wilbur Chapman (1859-1918) wrote this hymn in 1910.
Add your Answer
All answers are REVIEWED and MODERATED.
Please ensure your answer MEETS all our guidelines.
A good answer provides new insight and perspective. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone.
- Adhere to the eBible Statement of Faith.
- Your answer should be complete and stand-alone.
- Include supporting arguments, and scripture references if possible. Seek to answer the "why".
- Adhere to a proper tone and spirit of love and understanding.
- For more info see The Complete Guide to eBible