JUSTIFIED DEFINED - GALATIANS 2

JUSTIFIED DEFINED

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified¹³⁴⁴ 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: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Susie: The second of our key terms is “justified.” Let’s start with the Strong’s definition of the Greek word and Webster’s definition of its English translation.

1344 dikaiŏō – to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent—free, justify (-ier), be righteous

American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.

justify - In theology, to pardon and clear from guilt; to absolve or acquit from guilt and merited punishment, and to accept as righteous on account of the merits of the Savior, or by the application of Christ's atonement to the offender.

Susan: Susie shared an acronym for grace. I remember one for justified:

JUST as IF I’D never sinned.

Susie: In the Old Testament, sacrifices had to be offered over and over again to atone for sin. Jesus became the final sacrifice to cleanse us from sin and present us to God as spotless, justified. Paul explains this well in a passage from his letter to the Romans:

Romans 3:20-26 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Susan: When we have received Jesus as our Savior, then the Father no longer sees our sin. Instead He sees us through the righteousness of Jesus which is pure, holy, and perfect.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Susie: Remember the story of Jonathan and David? As a part of their covenant of friendship, Jonathan put his own robe on David (1 Samuel 18:4) This would say to others that he was under the protection of the prince and to be treated as if he were Jonathan himself. Jesus clothes us in His righteousness, and the Father sees us as joint heirs with His Son. Jesus shed His own blood in order to justify us, to cleanse us from our unrighteousness.

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Susan: Jesus took my sin and threw it into the sea of forgetfulness never to be remembered by Him or myself again. I am freed from the guilt and penalty that my sin caused because Jesus’s death on the cross on my behalf rendered me justified with the Father. Jesus’s blood is the soap of His love that washed my sin away, cleansing me from all unrighteousness. God sees me as holy because He sees His Son in me. This is the only way that we can fulfill this verse:

1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.