Countless books and theological papers have been written on the subject of justification. What does it really mean? Why is justification so important to God? How can we become justified?

What is justification?

The words “justification,” “justify,” “justified” and “just” are found numerous times in both the Old and New Testament. Both the Hebrew tsadaq and the Greek dikaiosis refer to “justification,” meaning “made righteous.” Thus, justification means to be made righteous in God’s sight.

Why is justification so important in God’s sight?

Paul encouraged us to understand the importance of being justified, or made righteous, before God because it has a lot to do with our precious calling and being part of His family.

“Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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?” (Romans 8:30-32, emphasis added throughout).

It is clear from the Scriptures that being justified, or made righteous, is an important part of our personal salvation.

Paul dealt with confusion regarding justification

The apostle Paul had to address certain misconceptions that those in the Church had concerning justification.

It is clear from the Scriptures that being justified, or made righteous, is an important part of our personal salvation.

On one hand, Paul had to address Jews in the Church who prided themselves in law keeping and boasted in their supposition that one earned salvation through “works.” Apparently, they felt God owed it to them to give them salvation, thus abusing the proper use of the law. “Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God” (Romans 2:17). “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith” (Romans 3:27).

On the other hand, he had to correct the gentiles in the Church who were also proud of their newfound knowledge and spiritual gifts. They felt that God was somehow indebted to them to reward them with salvation: “What do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1Corinthians 4:6-7).

Paul answered the extremism of both camps when he said: “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” (Romans 11:34-35, New International Version).

It is a common fault among humans to think that by the good things we do, God owes us salvation.

How can we become justified in God’s sight?

It is important to understand that we don’t earn righteousness by self-righteously keeping God’s laws and then claiming that we are righteous before God. Paul explained that we need to understand that “a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

In other words, there is a proper sequence to becoming righteous in God’s sight.

Living faith includes and is demonstrated by works of obedience and service.

That sequence begins when God calls us and gives us spiritual understanding of His Word. We come to believe in His Word and have faith in the “true God” (1 John 5:20). When we grow in faith, we see our sins, our wrong thinking, wrong words, wrong actions and our need to repent, which means to be deeply sorry for breaking God’s laws and to dedicate one’s life to not sinning.

Our faith in God drives us to repent of our sins and be baptized. At this point, we are forgiven by God’s grace (free unmerited pardon) and are considered righteous before God.

We continue to remain righteous in God’s sight when we continue to obey and live by His laws, and repent, confess our sins and ask for forgiveness whenever we slip up and sin (1 John 1:9). We become converted to the mind and conduct of Christ (Philippians 2:5).

The apostle James clarified this point by saying: “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). Living faith includes and is demonstrated by works of obedience and service. Once we set our course to live God’s way, by faith in Him and by repentance of our sins, we are to follow Him and live by His laws and right way of life, not our own customs and religious ceremonies. If we slip, we should exercise faith and repentance immediately, and make the course correction to follow God’s laws.

Each year during the Passover service, we participate in the foot washing and partake of the unleavened bread and the wine. These symbols are an annual reminder of our baptism when we were forgiven and made righteous or justified in God’s sight. Daily in our prayers and lives, we should put to death the old man or old woman, just as Paul admonished us (Ephesians 4:22-24), and be renewed in our minds daily with God’s Holy Spirit, to be the new converted man or woman.

It is then, through daily faith, sincere repentance and loving obedience that we will be considered justified, or righteous, in God’s sight.