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Note:
For
$
, always translated “righteousness,” see
RIGHTEOUSNESS
.
B. Verb.
(
, 1344) primarily “to deem to be right,” signifies, in the NT, (a) “to
show to be right or righteous”; in the passive voice, to be justified, Matt. 11:19; Luke
7:35; Rom. 3:4; 1 Tim. 3:16; (b) “to declare to be righteous, to pronounce righteous,” (1)
by man, concerning God, Luke 7:29 (see Rom. 3:4, above); concerning himself, Luke
10:29; 16:15; (2) by God concerning men, who are declared to be righteous before Him
on certain conditions laid down by Him.
Ideally the complete fulfillment of the law of God would provide a basis of
“justification” in His sight, Rom. 2:13. But no such case has occurred in mere human
experience, and therefore no one can be “justified” on this ground, Rom. 3:9-20; Gal.
2:16; 3:10, 11; 5:4. From this negative presentation in Rom. 3, the apostle proceeds to
show that, consistently with God’s own righteous character, and with a view to its
manifestation, He is, through Christ, as “a propitiation … by ( , “instrumental”) His
blood,” 3:25,
RV
, “the Justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus” (v. 26), “justification”
being the legal and formal acquittal from guilt by God as Judge, the pronouncement of
the sinner as righteous, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. In v. 24, “being justified”
is in the present continuous tense, indicating the constant process of “justification” in the
succession of those who believe and are “justified.” In 5:1, “being justified” is in the
aorist, or point, tense, indicating the definite time at which each person, upon the exercise
of faith, was justified. In 8:1, “justification” is presented as “no condemnation.” That
“justification” is in view here is confirmed by the preceding chapters and by verse 34. In
3:26, the word rendered “Justifier” is the present participle of the verb, lit., “justifying”;
similarly in 8:33 (where the artide is used), “God that justifieth,” is, more lit., “God is the
(One) justifying,” with stress upon the word “God.”
“Justification” is primarily and gratuitously by faith, subsequently and evidentially by
works. In regard to “justification” by works, the so-called contradiction between James
and the apostle Paul is only apparent. There is harmony in the different views of the
subject. Paul has in mind Abraham’s attitude toward God, his acceptance of God’s word.
This was a matter known only to God. The Romans epistle is occupied with the effect of
this Godward attitude, not upon Abraham’s character or actions, but upon the contrast
between faith and the lack of it, namely, unbelief, cf. Rom. 11:20. James (2:21-26) is
occupied with the contrast between faith that is real and faith that is false, a faith barren
and dead, which is not faith at all.
Again, the two writers have before them different epochs in Abraham’s life—Paul,
the event recorded in Gen. 15, James, that in Gen. 22. Contrast the words “believed” in
Gen. 15:6 and “obeyed” in 22:18.
Further, the two writers use the words “faith” and “works” in somewhat different
senses. With Paul, faith is acceptance of God’s word; with James, it is acceptance of the
truth of certain statements about God, (v. 19), which may fail to affect one’s conduct.
Faith, as dealt with by Paul, results in acceptance with God., i.e., “justification,” and is
bound to manifest itself. If not, as James says “Can that faith save him?” (v. 14). With
Paul, works are dead works, with James they are life works. The works of which Paul
speaks could be quite independent of faith: those referred to by James can be wrought
only where faith is real, and they will attest its reality. So with righteousness, or