Bible Study #6
Justification
1. To justify, according to the Bible, does not mean “to make a person righteous,” but “to declare that he is righteous.” According to the law, who must be acquitted and who must be condemned?
(Deuteronomy 25:1) If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, they shall acquit the righteous and condemn the guilty.
2. Whom did God say He will by no means justify?
Exodus 23:7Keep far from a false matter; and do not kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.
Exodus 34:7Who keeps mercy for thousands, who forgives iniquity, rebellion, and sin, and who by no means will hold the wicked as innocent; who visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.
3. Why can no man be justified before God by his own righteousness?
Job 15:14-16What is man, that he could be clean? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous? Behold, He puts no trust in His saints, and even the heavens are not clean in His sight; how much less man, who is abominable and filthy, who drinks iniquity like water?
Job 25:4-6How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? Behold, even the moon does not shine, nor are the stars pure in His sight; how much less man, who is a worm, and the son of man, also a worm?
4. For what reason can no one be justified by the law?
Galatians 2:16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
Galatians 3:10-12For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. But that no one is justified by the law before God is evident, for: The righteous shall live by faith; yet the law is not of faith, but it says: The one who does these things shall live by them.
5. The law only justifies the man who obeys it perfectly, and condemns the guilty. How many of mankind have been able to live without sin and obtain justification before God by their own works? (Romans 3:10-23)
As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands. There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become useless; there is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they practice deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips; their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of the Lord before their eyes. But we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God; since by the works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe in Him. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
6. In the Old Testament, God affirmed that He will by no means justify the wicked (Exodus 23:7;) Keep far from a false matter; and do not kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.
Exodus 34:7Who keeps mercy for thousands, who forgives iniquity, rebellion, and sin, and who by no means will hold the wicked as innocent; who visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.
7. Why can God now, in the New Testament, justify the sinner?
Romans 4:5-8 But to him who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the wicked, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works, saying: Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.
Romans 3:26 To demonstrate at this time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
8. On what basis can God justify the guilty today?
(2 Corinthians 5:21) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
(Romans 3:21-26) But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe in Him. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at this time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
9. What is the means of being justified before God?
A. By FAITH alone
“The righteousness of God through Faith in Jesus Christ…” (Romans 3:22)
“…Propitiation through Faith in His blood…” (Romans 3:25)
“That He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26)
B. By GRACE alone
“… Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8)
C. By CHRIST alone
“… Being justified… through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”(Romans 3:24).
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1)
