Justification = declared "not guilty," given right-standing before God's Court" and given (imputed, reckoned, accounted to) only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Justification is the righteousness that saves.
Firstly, thanks for the response.
Mind citing your source for "Justification = ..." It sounds theological vs. lexical.
No. . .that would mean Abraham had 40 years of an incomplete faith and wasn't righteous (justified) until then, 40 years after God credited righteousness to him.
NKJ 1 Thess. 3:9-10 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and
perfect what is lacking in your faith?
Seems there is such a thing as an incomplete faith for someone who has come to faith.
First of all, faith is not a "work". . .secondly, faith is a gift (Php 1:29; Ac 13:48, 18:27); 2Pe 1:1; Ro 12:3)
A few responses
- I've not said faith is a work. You must have misunderstood.
- The gift of faith is another discussion, I'd prefer to defer for now. We'd probably mostly agree, but maybe not on all referenced verses???
- Even assuming faith to be a gift, it is tested, which is how James begins his letter:
NKJ James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
Faith is not a "work" by which we become righteous.
God has already declared that "no one is righteous, not even one" (Ro 3:10) because no one has been completely obedient to the Law.
Righteousness is according to the Law, which is why no one is righteous, not even one.
We must have the righteousness of Jesus Christ which is imputed, credited to us through faith to be righteous.
- Agree with your first statement.
- Agree that this is what Paul is quoting.
- There is righteousness according to law and righteousness that came separate from the law (Christ). Again agree with with what I understand you to be saying.
- Agree that we must have Christ's righteousness credited to us from faith in what God commands us to believe.
- Should note here that our righteousness does not stop at credited righteousness: NKJ 1 John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Paul is pointing out that "Salvation belongs to the Lord" (Rev 7:10; Ps 37:10; Isa 43:11), that no one can boast of anything (Eph 2:9; 1Co 1:29-31, 4:7) one has done regarding it, that if Abraham were justified by works, then he would have something to boast about, but not before God with whom Abraham would be in disagreement that "salvation belongs to the Lord," not to Abraham.
- This is one of the issues I mentioned re: being in theological boxes. You seem to be equating Justification, which I was discussing, with Salvation. The 2 words are not equal and do not mean the same thing.
- Paul is in fact talking about our entrance into God's Salvation.
- I think we agree that when we enter God's Salvation, we are justified from faith apart from works, and there is no boast on our part because this entrance is God's work into His Salvation. Even from there, our boast is always in Christ as everything we do in God's Salvation is founded on His work and involves His empowerment.
- My point is that James is not talking about our entrance into Salvation, but talking about being tested after we enter God's Salvation.
See definition of "justification" above.
There is only one justification. . .when one comes to believe, there is no other, for it is a permanent right-standing before God; i.e., "not guilty," no longer deserving of the condemnation of Ro 5:18.
What follows from thereon is sanctification, not more justification.
- Still need your citation for the definition of justifaction.
- I think James disagrees with you re: only 1 justification. I think those who canonized may also disagree with you. I see no disagreement between James and Paul.
- It seems we could get into disagreement re: permanency, so I'd prefer to set it aside for now as another discussion.
- What if I asked you if sanctification is exclusive to only referring to the growth & development of one who has already believed? NKJ 1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
- If I'm correct in how I'm seeing James & Paul, then when we first believed, and God credited Christ's righteous to us, and we were thus first justified/declared righteous, and we were first sanctified, and washed, etc..., within God's Salvation Plan, we then are trained and developed as His Children to maturity, and along this course our faith is developed and completed through continued sanctification, and additional justifications as we are tested by God.
- I know the Salvation/Justification > Sanctification > Glorification theological box. I've come out of it by studying the terminology of Scripture as it is actually used.
I think I see what the problem is here. In the NT:
Justification = righteousness,
Sanctification = righteousness, where
Justification (righteousness) is a one-time permanent forensic action of God's Court--delared "not guilty," but it does not include holiness,
Sanctification (righteousness) is an on-going process of growing in holiness.
- The problem with my analysis, or yours? No rudeness intended.
- I understand your points. I too was trained in theologies. I don't think James was speaking of the justification you're speaking of. I think the longer we remain in that theological box, the longer this alleged conflict between Paul & James remains. I've proposed part of what I see as the potential solution.
Rather than leave you to do the work to cite things, I'm going to provide the following. The Greek word here is "dikaioō" in case you don't read Greek. So, just pick up the English. I'm taking it from "justified" in the
1 Cor 6:11 verse I inserted above. You'll see that there is much more range in the meaning of the word than the theological definition you're presenting.
δικαιόω fut. δικαιώσω; 1aor. ἐδικαίωσα; pf. pass. δεδικαίωμαι; 1aor. pass. ἐδικαιώθην; 1fut. pass. δικαιωθήσομαι; (1) generally make right or just; (2) as behaving in a way expected of the one δίκαιος (righteous, just) obey God's requirements, live right, do right (RV 22.11); (3) as demonstrating that someone is δίκαιος vindicate, show to be right (LU 10.29); (4) as acknowledging that someone is just justify, vindicate (LU 7.29); (5) as a religious technical term; (a) of imputed righteousness, as God's judging and saving activity in relation to persons justify, declare righteous, put right with (himself) (RO 3.24); (b) experientially, of imparted righteousness as freedom from sin's power make free, release, set free; passive be set free (RO 6.7) Friberg Lexicon
δικαιόω
(a) to put right with 34.46
(b) show to be right 88.16
(c) acquit 56.34
(d) set free 37.138
(e) obey righteous commands 36.22
Louw-Nida Lexicon
δικαιόω, Ion. impf. δικαιεῦν: f. ώσω and ώσομαι: aor. i ἐδικαίωσα
ass., aor. i ἐδικαιώθην: (δίκαιος):
I. to set right: Pass., δικαιωθείς proved, tested, Aesch.
II. to hold or deem right, think fit, demand, c. inf., Hdt., etc.; inf. omitted, as οὕτω δικαιοῦν (sc. γενέσθαι) Id.:-to consent, δουλεύειν Id.; οὐ δ. to refuse, Thuc.:-c. acc. pers. et inf. to desire one to do, Hdt.
III. to do a man right or justice, to judge, i.e.,
1. to condemn, Thuc.: to chastise, punish, Hdt.
2. to deem righteous, justify, N.T. Hence δικαίωμα
Liddell Scott Lexicon
δικαιόω fut. δικαιώσω; 1 aor. ἐδικαίωσα. Pass.: 1 fut. δικαιωθήσομαι; 1 aor. ἐδικαιώθην, subj. δικαιωθῶ, ptc. δικαιωθείς; pf. δεδικαίωμαι Ro 6:7; 1 Cor 4:4; ptc. δεδικαιωμένος Lk 18:14 (Soph., Hdt.; Aristot., EN 1136a; et al.; pap, LXX; En 102:10; TestAbr A 13 p. 93, 14 [Stone p. 34]; Test12Patr; ApcSed, 14:8 p. 136, 15 Ja.; Jos., Ant. 17, 206; Just.; Ath., R. 53, 1; 65, 14) to practice δικαιοσύνη.
1.to take up a legal cause, show justice, do justice, take up a cause τινά (Polyb. 3, 31, 9 ὑμᾶς δὲ αὐτοὺς … δικαιώσεσθε ‘you will (find it necessary to) take up your own cause’ = you will sit in judgment on yourselves; Cass. Dio 48, 46 ‘Antony was not taking Caesar’s side’ in the matter; 2 Km 15:4; Ps 81:3) δικαιῶσαι δίκαιον take up the cause of an upright pers. 1 Cl 16:12 (Is 53:11); τινί χήρᾳ (χήραν v.l.) 8:4 (Is 1:17 ‘take up the cause of the widow’).
2. to render a favorable verdict, vindicate.
a. as activity of humans justify, vindicate, treat as just (Appian, Liby. 17 §70; Gen 44:16; Sir 10:29; 13:22; 23:11 al.) θέλων δ. ἑαυτόν wishing to justify himself Lk 10:29; δ. ἑαυτὸν ἐνώπιόν τινος j. oneself before someone=‘you try to make out a good case for yourselves before the public’ 16:15 (δ. ἐαυτόν as En 102:10; but s. JJeremias, ZNW 38, ’39, 117f [against him SAalen, NTS 13, ’67, 1ff]). ὁ δικαιούμενός μοι the one who vindicates himself before (or against) me B 6:1 (cp. Is 50:8). τελῶναι ἐδικαίωσαν τὸν θεόν βαπτισθέντες tax-collectors affirmed God’s uprightness and got baptized i.e. by ruling in God’s favor they admitted that they were in the wrong and took a new direction (opp. τὴν βουλὴν τ. θεοῦ ἀθετεῖν) Lk 7:29 (cp. PsSol 2:15; 3:5; 8:7, 23; 9:2).
b. of experience or activity of transcendent figures, esp. in relation to humans
α. of wisdom ἐδικαιώθη ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς is vindicated by her children (on δικ. ἀπό cp. Is 45:25. S. also Appian, Basil. 8: δικαιόω=consider someth. just or correct) Lk 7:35; also ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς Mt 11:19 (v.l. τέκνων). On this saying s. DVölter, NThT 8, 1919, 22-42; JBover, Biblica 6, 1925, 323-25; 463-65; M-JLagrange, ibid. 461-63. Of an angel Hm 5, 1, 7.
β. of God be found in the right, be free of charges (cp. TestAbr A 13 p. 93, 14 [Stone p. 34] ‘be vindicated’ in a trial by fire) Mt 12:37 (opp. καταδικάζειν). δεδικαιωμένος Lk 18:14; GJs 5:1; δεδικαιωμένη (Salome) 20:4 (not pap). Ac 13:39 (but s. 3 below); Rv 22:11 v.l; Dg 5:14.—Paul, who has influenced later wr. (cp. Iren. 3, 18, 7 [Harv. II 102, 2f]), uses the word almost exclusively of God’s judgment. As affirmative verdict Ro 2:13. Esp. of pers. δικαιοῦσθαι be acquitted, be pronounced and treated as righteous and thereby become δίκαιος, receive the divine gift of δικαιοσύνη through faith in Christ Jesus and apart from νόμος as a basis for evaluation (MSeifrid, Justification by Faith—The Origin and Development of a Central Pauline Theme ’92) 3:20 (Ps 142:2), 24, 28; 4:2; 5:1, 9; 1 Cor 4:4; Gal 2:16f (Ps 142:2); 3:11, 24; 5:4; Tit 3:7; Phil 3:12 v.l.; B 4:10; 15:7; IPhld 8:2; Dg 9:4; (w. ἁγιάζεσθαι) Hv 3, 9, 1. οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο δεδικαίωμαι I am not justified by this (after 1 Cor 4:4) IRo 5:1. ἵνα δικαιωθῇ σου ἡ σάρξ that your flesh (as the sinful part) may be acquitted Hs 5, 7, 1; δ. ἔργοις by (on the basis of) works, by what one does 1 Cl 30:3; cp. Js 2:21, 24f e;;ργον 1a and πίστις 2dδ); δι᾽ ἐαυτῶν δ. by oneself=as a result of one’s own accomplishments 1 Cl 32:4. (cp. κατὰ νόμον Hippol., Ref. 7, 34, 1).—Since Paul views God’s justifying action in close connection with the power of Christ’s resurrection, there is sometimes no clear distinction between the justifying action of acquittal and the gift of new life through the Holy Spirit as God’s activity in promoting uprightness in believers. Passages of this nature include Ro 3:26, 30; 4:5 (on δικαιοῦν τὸν ἀσεβῆ cp. the warning against accepting δῶρα to arrange acquittal Ex 23:7 and Is 5:23; δικαιούμενοι δωρεάν Ro 3:24 is therefore all the more pointed); 8:30, 33 (Is 50:8); Gal 3:8; Dg 9:5. For the view (held since Chrysostom) that δ. in these and other pass. means ‘make upright’ s. Goodsp., Probs. 143-46, JBL 73, ’54, 86-91.
3. to cause someone to be released from personal or institutional claims that are no longer to be considered pertinent or valid, make free/pure (the act. Ps 72:13) in our lit. pass. δικαιοῦμαι be set free, made pure ἀπό from (Sir 26:29; TestSim 6:1, both δικ. ἀπὸ [τῆς] ἁμαρτίας) ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν οὐκ ἠδυνήθητε ἐν νόμω Μωϋσέως δικαιωθῆναι from everything fr. which you could not be freed by the law of Moses Ac 13:38; cp. vs. 39. ὁ ἀποθανὼν δεδικαίωται ἀπὸ τ. ἁμαρτίας the one who died is freed fr. sin Ro 6:7 (s. KKuhn, ZNW 30, ’31, 305-10; EKlaar, ibid. 59, ’68, 131-34). In the context of 1 Cor 6:11 ἐδικαιώθητε means you have become pure.—In the language of the mystery religions (Rtzst., Mysterienrel.3 258ff) δικαιοῦσθαι refers to a radical inner change which the initiate experiences (Herm. Wr. 13, 9 χωρὶς γὰρ κρίσεως ἰδὲ πῶς τὴν ἀδικίαν ἐξήλασεν. ἐδικαιώθημεν, ὦ τέκνον, ἀδικίας ἀπούσης) and approaches the sense ‘become deified’. Some are inclined to find in 1 Ti 3:16 a similar use; but see under 4.
4. to demonstrate to be morally right, prove to be right, pass. of God is proved to be right Ro 3:4; 1 Cl 18:4 (both Ps 50:6). Of Christ 1 Ti 3:16.—Lit. s. on δικαιοσύνη 3c.—HRosman, Iustificare (δικαιοῦν) est verbum causativum: Verbum Domini 21, ’41, 144-47; NWatson, Δικ. in the LXX, JBL 79, ’60, 255-66; CCosgrove, JBL 106, ’87, 653—70.—DELG s.v. δίκη. M-M. EDNT. TW. Spicq.
BDAG Lexicon
