Definition and Doctrine of Justification in Christian Theology

Definition and Doctrine of Justification

Justification is a forensic term that refers to God's judicial act of pardoning the sins of those who believe in Christ and declaring them righteous ^[1]. This doctrine is rooted in biblical passages such as Romans 3:26, which states that God "might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus" ^[3].

The concept of justification is closely tied to the idea of righteousness, which is a perfection of God's nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does ^[2]. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified, and it is the act of a judge, not a sovereign ^[1].

Different Christian traditions have varying interpretations of justification. The Lutheran tradition, as expressed in the Augsburg Confession, emphasizes that justification is by faith alone, and that this doctrine is central to the Christian gospel ^[8]. Similarly, the Reformed tradition, represented by John Calvin, understands justification as a forensic declaration of righteousness based on the imputed righteousness of Christ ^[9].

In contrast, the Catholic Church, as represented by the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, teaches that justification involves the infusion of righteousness into the believer, and that good works play a role in the process of justification ^[11]. The Eastern Orthodox tradition, as represented by John of Damascus, also emphasizes the importance of theosis, or deification, in the process of salvation, which includes justification ^[10].

The Protestant Reformers, including Lutherans and Reformed theologians, argue that justification is a one-time event in which the believer is declared righteous, whereas Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions see justification as a process that involves the transformation of the believer. For example, Adam Clarke, a Methodist/Wesleyan commentator, notes that justification is "God's method of saving sinners" and is "by faith, and not by the works of any law" ^[12].

The doctrine of justification has been a point of contention throughout Christian history, with different traditions emphasizing different aspects of the doctrine. However, most Christian traditions agree that justification is a fundamental aspect of the Christian gospel, and that it is closely tied to the concept of faith ^{[5, 6, 7]}.

The biblical basis for justification is found in passages such as Romans 1:17, which states that "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" ^[4]. The apostle Paul's writings, particularly in Romans and Galatians, provide a detailed explanation of the doctrine of justification, emphasizing that it is by faith alone, and not by works ^{[5, 6]}.

The historical development of the doctrine of justification has been shaped by various controversies and debates, including the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, for example, were a response to the Protestant Reformers' emphasis on justification by faith alone ^[11].

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justification — A forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; an”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
Romans “to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. -- Romans 3:26”
King James Version “[KJV] Romans 1:17 — For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified - See the notes on Rom 1:17; Rom 3:24 (note), Rom 3:27 (note); Rom 8:3 (note). And see on Act 13:38 (note) and Act 13:39 (note), in which places the subject of this verse is largely discussed. Neither the works of the Jewish law, nor of any other law, could justify any man; and if justification or pardon could not have been attained in some other way, the world must have perished. Justification by faith, in the boundless mercy of God, is as reasonable as it is Scriptural and necessary.”
Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 4:16: Therefore, &c.--A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith--whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer."”
Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 5 (introduction): The apostle, having made good his point, and fully proved justification by faith, in this chapter proceeds in the explication, illustration, and application of that truth. I. He shows the fruits of justification (Rom 5:1-5). II. He shows the fountain and foundation of justification in the death of Jesus Christ, which he discourses of at large in the rest of the chapter.”
Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article IV. Of Justification.: Article IV. Of Justification.”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:2 1:26 1:27 1:31 2:7 2:7 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:23 3:7 3:9 3:12 3:15 3:15 3:15 3:22 4:4 4:7 4:10 4:13 6:3 6:5 6:6 6:18 7:21 8:21 9:6 12:12 12:17 14:18 14:18 15:1 15:1 15:5 15:17 16:9 17:7 17:7 17:10 17:10 17:13 17:15 17:27 18:2 18:23 20:3 20:7 21:1 21:12 21:24 22:1 22:8 22:16-18 23:4 23:19 24:7 24:10 26:27 27:28 27:38-39 28:12 28:20 29 30:2 31:19 31:20 31:40-41 32 32:10 32:13 32:29-30 33 34 36:22 37:18 37:28 37:33 38:18 42 43 43:14 45:5 47:9 47:9 47:29-30 48:14 48:16 49:5-6 49:18 Exodus 2:12 3:2 3”
CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 105: 9:5 9:5 9:5 9:19 9:21 9:21 10:4 10:4 10:6-9 10:13-21 10:17 11:8 11:25-27 11:28 11:32 11:33-36 11:36 11:36 11:36 12:3 12:13 15:10 15:12 16:25-27 1 Corinthians 1:9 1:10 1:17-25 1:20 1:20-25 1:23 1:23 1:23-24 1:24 1:24 1:24 1:27 1:27 2:2 2:7-8 2:8 2:8 2:8 2:10-11 2:11 2:12 2:12 2:14-15 3:8 3:8 3:16 3:17 3:19 7:2 7:25 7:31 8 8:5 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:7 10:1 10:17 10:31 11:2 11:24-26 11:29 11:31-32 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:4-7 12:4-11 12:5-6 12:5-6 12:8 12:8 12:8-10 12:11 12:12 12:24 13:10 14:32 14:37 15:3-4 15:16-17 15:20 15:2”
Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent on Justification (Catholic) “Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent on Justification (Catholic, 1547), « Prev The Decree of Pope Pius IX. on the Immaculate… Next » 211: « Prev The Decree of Pope Pius IX. on the Immaculate… Next » 211”
Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 1:17: For therein - In the Gospel of Christ. Is the righteousness of God - God's method of saving sinners. Revealed from faith to faith - Shown to be by faith, and not by the works of any law; for Abraham, the father and founder of the Jewish people, was justified by faith, before even the law was given; and by believing, in reference to the spiritual object held forth in the various ordinances of the law, and now revealed under the Gospel, he and all his believing descendants have been justified. And thus the faith of the old covenant led on to the faith of the new coven”

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