The Church of Divine Guidance (CDG) Sunday morning adult bible study group is in a study on justification. These posts are my notes for each session. Please study with us. You can participate by asking your questions or making comments in the comments below. We welcome your thoughts and prayers.
Foundation Scripture
Romans 3:21-30 (HCSB)21 But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed—attested by the Law and the Prophets 22 —that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction.23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.24 They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.25 God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.26 ⌊God presented Him⌋ to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith.28 For we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.29 Or is God for Jews only? Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, for Gentiles too,30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Definitions
Justify
To declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.
Justification
Theology. the act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just, or free from guilt or penalty of sin
From Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
Justification is the declaring of a person to be just or righteous. It is a legal term signifying acquittal.
Justification is tied to grace. We are justified through God’s grace or favor. Again it’s not earned because we had nothing to do with it.
Justification is instant it is not a process. The moment that you make that confession in Romans 10:9-10 you are justified. Just as the thief on the cross acknowledged Jesus his joining Him in paradise was instant.
Justification is Instant
Justification is instant it is not a process. The moment that you make that confession in Romans 10:9-10 you are justified. Just as the thief on the cross acknowledged Jesus his joining Him in paradise was instant.
Review
Last session, two weeks age, we said that justification was promised in Christ.
Isaiah 53:11 (HCSB) He will see ⌊it⌋ out of His anguish, and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities.
Justification was promised in Christ but it is the Act of God
Let’s go back to our foundational scripture and read verse 30;Romans 3:30 (NKJV) since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
This scripture is specific in saying that it is God who will justify all those who believe, by and through faith.
Let’s explore that a little bit more we through scripture provide evidence that the justification promised in Christ is the act of God.
Let’s look at verses 21-26.
Romans 3:21-26 (HCSB) 21 But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed—attested by the Law and the Prophets22 —that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction.23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.24 They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.25 God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.26 ⌊God presented Him⌋ to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.
Isaiah 49:6 (HCSB) He says, “It is not enough for you to be My Servant raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the protected ones of Israel. I will also make you a light for the nations, to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
This includes us.
That is what God did in Christ, we had nothing to do with it. It was God solving the sin problem. In our study on Grace we learned that God’s solution to the problem of sin and death was the sacrifice of His Son Jesus.
Romans 5:14-17 (NKJV) 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
1) God's glory is upheld; 2) His wrath is satisfied; 3) The ransom is paid; 4) His righteousness is demonstrated.
Let’s look at each of them:
1) The injury that we have done to God's glory through our pride and sin would be repaired, because Jesus gave his life to glorify the Father
Romans 3:23 (HCSB) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
2) The wrath of God would be absorbed by Jesus and turned away from us as he gives himself as a propitiation by his blood-shedding
Romans 3:25 (HCSB) God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.
Definition of Propitiate - win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them.
Definition of Propitiation - the action of propitiating or appeasing a god, spirit, or person.
Vine’s Concise Dictionary of the Bible - It is never used of any act whereby man brings God into a favorable attitude or gracious disposition. It is God who is “propitiated” by the vindication of His holy and righteous character, whereby throuhg the provision He has made in the vicarious and expiatory sacrifice of Christ, He has so dealt with sin that He can show mercy to the believing sinner in the removal of his guilt and the remission of his sins.
From The Wycliffe Bible Commentary
God Accomplished Our Justification and Salvation without Our Help
Let’s look at verses 21-26.
Romans 3:21-26 (HCSB) 21 But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed—attested by the Law and the Prophets22 —that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction.23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.24 They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.25 God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.26 ⌊God presented Him⌋ to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.
Isaiah 49:6 (HCSB) He says, “It is not enough for you to be My Servant raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the protected ones of Israel. I will also make you a light for the nations, to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
This includes us.
That is what God did in Christ, we had nothing to do with it. It was God solving the sin problem. In our study on Grace we learned that God’s solution to the problem of sin and death was the sacrifice of His Son Jesus.
Romans 5:14-17 (NKJV) 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Here are Four Results of God Solution
1) God's glory is upheld; 2) His wrath is satisfied; 3) The ransom is paid; 4) His righteousness is demonstrated.
Let’s look at each of them:
1) The injury that we have done to God's glory through our pride and sin would be repaired, because Jesus gave his life to glorify the Father
Romans 3:23 (HCSB) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
2) The wrath of God would be absorbed by Jesus and turned away from us as he gives himself as a propitiation by his blood-shedding
Romans 3:25 (HCSB) God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed.
Definition of Propitiate - win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them.
Definition of Propitiation - the action of propitiating or appeasing a god, spirit, or person.
Vine’s Concise Dictionary of the Bible - It is never used of any act whereby man brings God into a favorable attitude or gracious disposition. It is God who is “propitiated” by the vindication of His holy and righteous character, whereby throuhg the provision He has made in the vicarious and expiatory sacrifice of Christ, He has so dealt with sin that He can show mercy to the believing sinner in the removal of his guilt and the remission of his sins.
From The Wycliffe Bible Commentary
This work is an objective transaction, a particular act of God which involved the person of his Son. It was a necessary act. The necessity was not imposed upon God from without, for then he would not have been God. It was imposed upon him from within, by virtue of his own nature. Whom (Christ Jesus) God displayed publicly as a means of propitiation in his blood through faith. Here Paul brings together God and Christ, the work accomplished, and man's response to this work. God publicly displayed Christ as a means of propitiation in or by his blood. The death of Christ was a fact to be observed by all. But the atoning aspect—that which propitiates sin—was the giving up of his life. This is seen in the fact that his blood was shed or poured out. These details are given not to arouse sympathy but to show the reality of this death. God was the offerer. Christ was the sacrifice. Human sin was covered, i.e., blotted out forever.
Yet for this propitiation to be effective in the life of the individual, faith must be present. The faith or trust is in God, first of all, but it also involves what he has done. He took sin into his his own being (2 Cor 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. ), dealt with it there objectively, and by doing this gave proof of his righteousness. But did God let go unpunished the sins which happened before Christ's death? The objective, public death of Christ at Calvary proves that the Lord did not let these sins go unpunished. We know that he was dealing with human sin there—with the past sins of mankind as well as with those presently being carried out, and those yet to be committed—because he declared it through his apostles and prophets. These past sins were done in the sphere of God's forbearance (Rom 3:25whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,). The Lord did not forget these sins, although he did not deal with them immediately. God's action in the cross was more than a vindication of himself in regard to past human history. It was also the proof of his righteousness in the present (Rom 3:26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.). The Lord must be just or righteous now as he declares righteous the one who believes in Jesus. He did not pass a law that he who believes in Jesus would be declared righteous simply because He said so. Rather, He acted. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit entered into the arena of human sin. The Almighty laid the basis upon which he could forgive sin, and upon which he could declare sinners righteous and still himself be righteous.
3) An infinitely valuable ransom would be paid to release us from the guilt of sin - the redemption which is in Christ Jesus
Romans 3:24 (HCSB) They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary again;
Yet for this propitiation to be effective in the life of the individual, faith must be present. The faith or trust is in God, first of all, but it also involves what he has done. He took sin into his his own being (2 Cor 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. ), dealt with it there objectively, and by doing this gave proof of his righteousness. But did God let go unpunished the sins which happened before Christ's death? The objective, public death of Christ at Calvary proves that the Lord did not let these sins go unpunished. We know that he was dealing with human sin there—with the past sins of mankind as well as with those presently being carried out, and those yet to be committed—because he declared it through his apostles and prophets. These past sins were done in the sphere of God's forbearance (Rom 3:25whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,). The Lord did not forget these sins, although he did not deal with them immediately. God's action in the cross was more than a vindication of himself in regard to past human history. It was also the proof of his righteousness in the present (Rom 3:26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.). The Lord must be just or righteous now as he declares righteous the one who believes in Jesus. He did not pass a law that he who believes in Jesus would be declared righteous simply because He said so. Rather, He acted. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit entered into the arena of human sin. The Almighty laid the basis upon which he could forgive sin, and upon which he could declare sinners righteous and still himself be righteous.
3) An infinitely valuable ransom would be paid to release us from the guilt of sin - the redemption which is in Christ Jesus
Romans 3:24 (HCSB) They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary again;
“Redemption” is deliverance from bondage by the payment of a price, or ransom. Thayer says of this word, “deliverance effected through the death of Christ from the retributive wrath of a holy God and the merited penalty of sin.” Based on His death, redemption is located in Him, and we enjoy that deliverance when faith becomes active in obedience. Men can be acquitted (pronounced righteous) because God has acted. He has provided redemption. Originally the word meant the buying back of a slave or captive, the making him free by the payment of a ransom (Arndt, apolytrÅsis, p. 95).
Here redemption refers to the release provided by Christ from sin and its consequences.
4) The righteousness of God would be demonstrated and vindicated
We just talked about that when we talked about propitiation. God Himself propitiated Himself in order to deliver the punishment for sin which was carried out on His Son Jesus. If God had not punished sin then He would not be righteous so His righteousness was proven on the cross and because the penalty was paid those who enter into that propitiation by faith have been redeemed, or purchased from the slavery of sin. Because of the righteousness of Jesus God was now able by His grace to place on those who by faith accept that sacrifice as being made for them.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Paul now begins to point out the implications of his teaching. God became involved in man’s dilemma in order to accomplish his plan. He handed over his Son on behalf of us all. Christ was handed over for our benefit, on our behalf, and in our stead. God could not spare his Son and carry out his plan of redemption. So he handed him over to death that we might be redeemed. Paul draws certain conclusions from this action by God. With Christ he will graciously give us all things, though we may not have all of them right now. No one can bring any charge against God’s chosen or elect ones or condemn them, because God and Christ have participated in this divine action of handing over Christ.
The result of God’s act of justification
Romans 8:28-33 (NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.The Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Paul now begins to point out the implications of his teaching. God became involved in man’s dilemma in order to accomplish his plan. He handed over his Son on behalf of us all. Christ was handed over for our benefit, on our behalf, and in our stead. God could not spare his Son and carry out his plan of redemption. So he handed him over to death that we might be redeemed. Paul draws certain conclusions from this action by God. With Christ he will graciously give us all things, though we may not have all of them right now. No one can bring any charge against God’s chosen or elect ones or condemn them, because God and Christ have participated in this divine action of handing over Christ.
Next week we will start a study of Paul’s letters to Timothy
MORE INFORMATION ON JUSTIFICATION
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