“but now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known…
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” Rom 3:21, 23-24
God the Father sits in His courtroom behind the bench. The bench is so elevated you cannot even see Him. His credentials hang on the bench in front of you. Nervously you begin reading: Perfect in Holiness (Lev 11:44; Ps 145:17; Mt 5:48; Rev 4:8, 15:4; 1 Pet 1:15-16; Isa 6:3), Righteous Judge (2 Tim 4:8; Ps 11:7, Jn 17:25, Isa 45:21; Jer 23:6), Just Judge (Ge 18:25; Isa 30:8; Job 34:12; Ps 103:6; 146:7), the Truth (Ex 34:6; Nu 23:19,\; Rev 16:7), Omniscient (Ps 147:5, 139:1-4; Heb 4:13, 11:36; 1 Jn 3:20), Omnipotent (Ps 115:3; 135:6; Lk 1:37; Jer 32:17), Omnipresent (Ps 139:7-8; Heb 13:5; Mt 28:20; Deut 31:6), Good (1 Chr 16:34; Nah 1:7; Ps 25:7, 34:8, 100:5, 145:9), Impartial ( 2 Chr 19:7; Dt 10:17; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 2:6, 2:11) and on and on it goes. Your eyes begin to blur and you cannot even begin to take it all in.
It slowly begins to dawn on you that you are seated in the presence of ABOSOLUTE PERFECTION. There is a distinct sinking feeling from deep inside you. Your own soul which seemed almost white to you before now is fading to a deep gray and then to utter blackness as you realize the incredible holiness in front of you. Suddenly you remember your utter wretchedness; the deeds of your childhood come flooding in on you and then your adult life as well—and these were deeds for which you “knew better.” The certainty of your sentence begins to weigh on you. There is no way—no hope—that you could even begin to compare to His holiness. You are, without-a-doubt, a law-breaker. And you are very aware that it is His law you have broken.
The Attorney’s door opens and in walks Jesus, alone (Rom 8:33-34; Isa 50:8-9). Wait a minute, this cannot be right…isn’t Satan supposed to be the prosecutor? Jesus walks over to your table and sits with you. You rise to your feet as the bailiff announces the case, your case, he utters your name and then chimes in, a little too happy for your liking, “ vs. the Law of Almighty God. Most Highly Exalted Father God, Creator of all that is, Sovereign Ruler over all, Omnipotent Potentate¸ and Righteous Judge presiding.” As Father God enters, your heart sinks as does your posture, in fact, you feel very week in the knees. As you collapse into your seat and the trial starts, Jesus looks at you with a smile and then approaches the bench. “Father this one is written in the book of life for this one has believed in me.” (Ex 32:32; Dt 29:20, Da 12:1; Mal 3:16; Lk 10:20: Rev 3:5, 20:12, 15) The book is opened and your name is found. You’ll never forget the Father’s next words as He makes pronouncement on the case—you have been justified by belief in Jesus Christ who has given you His own righteousness…You have been pronounced Righteous. Praise the Lord!
In order to understand justification, we must first understand what is meant by the word “righteousness.” “The NT [New Testament] uses righteousness in the sense of conformity to the demands and obligations of the will of God, the so-called ‘righteousness of the law.’”1 “Righteousness is conceived as judged by the standard of God’s holy law, which is derived from His holy character…”2 So righteousness is the absolute conformity to God’s law and character (His holiness); it is to be faultless or guiltless.3
Interestingly, the Greek root word “dik” conveys “the essential idea of righteousness, or rightness.”4 Several Greek words use this same root. The Greek word for “righteousness” is “dikaiosyne” which means “the quality of rightness or justice”5 The Greek verb “dikaioo” means “to justify.”6 The Greek noun “dikaiosis” means “the act of making right, or justification.”7 So we seek the ideas of justification and righteousness are tied closely together. The verb “dikaioo” is commonly used when speaking of justifying and it means “to acquit,” “to vindicate” or “to pronounce righteous.”8 In Romans, Paul evokes a scene from a courtroom in which God sits as judge on the judgment seat of God and makes the case for justification by faith.
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. – Rom 3:21-26
The tenants of the case are as follows: (Please look up these Scriptures.)
- God is just. (He always does what is right.) – Rom 3:26
- The law makes us conscious of our sin. – Rom 3:20
- All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (no one conforms absolutely to God’s law and character—no one is faultless or guiltless). – Rom 3:23
- No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law. – Rom 3:20
- God is righteous. – Rom 3:21
- Man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. – Rom 3:28
- God is the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. – Rom 3:26
- God gives His righteousness to those who through faith in Jesus Christ trust in His atoning sacrifice as payment for their sins. – Rom 3:22; 4:5; Phil 3:9
So justification is the process by which—through God’s redemption, freely by His grace—righteousness is imputed (or credited) to those who believe in Jesus Christ as a sacrifice of atonement for their sins. – Rom 3:22,24-25; 4:21-25; 2 Cor 5:21
“Justification is the judicial aspect of the conversion experience in which the believer is viewed from God’s perspective. God the Father, because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, imputes, or credits the righteousness of Christ to the believer. Paul says this “credited righteousness” is not really our own, but is Christ’s (Php 3:9). God the Father sees believers wrapped in the perfect righteousness of Christ. This is what allows God to accept mortals in his heaven—since no one can ever be good enough to merit heaven. The term justification is best understood in the analogy of a courtroom. Jesus Christ is our advocate, or attorney, who is able to present us before the Father as being credited with his righteousness.”9
Footnotes
1 Milne, B. A. "Rigtheousness." The New Bible Dictionary. Second ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1962. 1031. Print.
2 Buswell, JR., James Oliver. "Rigtheousness." The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House, 1967. 723. Print.
3 Leitch, A. H. "Righteousness." The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids: Regency Reference Library, 1976. 104. Print.
4 Buswell, 723.
5 Buswell, 723.
6 Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. "Romans, Letter to the." Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998. 735. Print.
7 Buswell, 723.
8 Richards, Larry. "Justify/Justification." Expository Dictionary of Bible Words. Grand Rapids, MI: Regency Reference Library, 1985. 373. Print.
9 Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. "Biblical Words for Salvation." Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. 1733. Print.
References
All Scriptures not otherwise specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.
