Table of Contents:
CHAPTER I. OF JUSTIFICATION IN GENERAL:
“WHOM God called, them he also justified,” (Rom. 8:30); having therefore treated of calling, we must now treat of justification, which is, according to the great Luther, the article by which a church stands or falls. The word justification (to justify) answers to the Greek δικαιουν, and to the Hebrew הצדיק. But in the sacred writings it does not always admit the same sense as the word δικαιουν, which in profane authors signifies to punish any one for an injury done by him to another. The word justify is in general, indeed almost always, taken in a forensic sense—to acquit any one in judgment, to account and to declare him to be righteous. Take the following passages—“I will not justify the wicked”—“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, are both an abomination to the Lord”—“Wo unto them which justify the wicked for reward”—“By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned,” (Exod. 23:7; Prov. 17:15; Isaiah 5:23; Matt. 12:37.) Whenever, indeed, the scripture professedly speaks of the justification of man before God, as in the epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians, the term is always used in a forensic sense, and never for sanctification. Thus we read in Job 9:2, 20. "How should man be just with God? if I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me." And in Psalm 143:2. "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." In Rom. 3:19, 20. "Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, &c. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." And in Rom. 4:7, 8, to "justify" a sinner Paul explains by "remitting or forgiving sin," by "not imputing it," and by "covering it." And in Rom. 5:9, 10, justification and reconciliation with God by Christ's death are made synonymous. In Rom. 6:1, the apostle introduces this alleged objection against the doctrine of justification, "shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" Now if by justification he meant sanctification, or the infusion of righteousness, this objection would have been ridiculous. In Rom. 8:33, 34, justification is opposed to condemnation and accusation, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth;—who is he that condemneth?" See also Gal. 2:16. All this is confirmed by the sacred writers constantly using the terms of a judicial process, since they represent the accusing law, the guilty party, the handwriting or bond against them, divine justice demanding punishment, the advocate pleading our cause, satisfaction for sin and righteousness imputed, the throne of grace before which we are acquitted, and the judge who acquits us. All this leads to the conclusion, that justification ought to be understood as in the case of a guilty person, who deserves condemnation, and yet is justified or acquitted.
In other passages of scripture, where the subject of justification is not handled, we do not deny that the term may be used in a different sense from the above. Thus it is said, "They that justify many (the word in the original) i.e. turn many to righteousness, shall shine," &c. (Dan. 12:3); and "he that is dead is justified (δεδικαίωται,) i.e. freed from sin," (Rom. 6:7). We may here observe these three things—first, that Paul sometimes describes the benefits of justification and sanctification under the general term washing; thus 1 Cor. 6:11. "Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." For there are two things in sin to be washed away, its guilt and its stain, which is done by Christ and the Spirit, the former having merited both benefits, the latter sanctifying, and giving also the sense of justification; unless we had rather consider the apostle as ascribing justification to the "name" of Christ, and sanctification to the "Spirit." Secondly, that in the Epistle to the Hebrews the writer does not use the word justification, but the words sanctification, consecration, purification, seeing that all his allusions are to the sacrifices of the old dispensation, which were said to sanctify, to consecrate, and to purify. Thirdly, that Peter and John in their writings have not used the word justification, but other words and expressions conveying the very same meaning.
Now as man may be considered under three characters, either as innocent and upright; or as a sinner, but penitent and believing; or as regenerate, and following after holiness, so we may view a three-fold justification, corresponding with their characters. It is the justification of man as a sinner, of which we are now particularly to speak; but previously we may say a word or two about the justification of man, as innocent and upright. Now we say that, if the first man had persevered in innocence, he would have been justified by the fulfilment of the natural law which God had engraven on his heart, and of other commandments which God might have enjoined on him; in short, by perfectly loving God and his neighbour. If he had done this, he would have been pronounced righteous, and would have acquired a right to eternal glory, not indeed as if he had properly merited it, for the creature can merit nothing from the Creator, but according to the free promise and covenant of God. We must however observe, that in this case, we cannot use the word justification with much accuracy, for justification does not properly take place where there is no guilt or no accusation. The manner, therefore, in which God would have justified innocent man, would have been simply a declaration of man's holiness and righteousness; justification in this sense may be defined the act of God as a judge, by which he bestows on man perfectly holy, eternal life and glory; thus the proper condition required of innocent man in this case, would have been perfect holiness, and the foundation of his acceptance the meritorious worthiness of good works, although, as we have said, he could not, strictly speaking, have merited any thing at the hands of his Maker.