Justification by Faith

The hinge-point of so much of the confusion about **scriptural** justification by faith and the righteousness of God is that most people believe that Jesus is involved in them. He is not.

Most people imagine that Jesus makes people justified, so that when they approach God, God is just "doing his job" by declaring them not guilty, because he can't tell the difference between an "alien righteousness" (the vicarious law-keeping of Jesus) and the real article. The person has no sins when they approach God because Jesus took them away.

This is all wrong.

The scriptural perspective is that **God** is the one who justifies by counting a person's **faith** as righteousness and **graciously** forgiving sins.

Rom 8:33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect?36 ***It is God who justifies.***

"Justification by faith" is just that: God counts someone righteous **because of their faith**:

Rom 4:3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited 4 to him as righteousness."5

Note that justification by faith existed long before Jesus was born:

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard8 constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Note that sins are not "paid for" but are **freely** forgiven by God:

Mat 6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves17 have forgiven our debtors.

1Jn 1:9 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous [justified],22 forgiving23 us our sins and cleansing24 us from all unrighteousness.

What must one believe? That **God** raised Jesus from the dead (not that Jesus raised himself up):

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Note that faith is not a "gift from God" but rather something that a man does with his "heart."

So where does Jesus come in? Well, Christ became the gospel when he was resurrected by God, and that resurrection became the vehicle of justification by faith and the righteousness of [from a gracious, forgiving] God. This is a difficult image for some, where Jesus' flesh and blood became food that gives live, by virtue of him becoming gospel:

Joh 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jesus provided the justification for God to forgive sins by demonstrating to the public that he was not being remiss in not punishing the wicked:

Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22 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:
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 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;
Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his [God's] righteousness: that he [God] might be just[ified], and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

But once someone is justified on the basis of their faith, there is a **gracious corrollary** and that is adoption by God, union with Jesus and everlasting life. These do not follow from justification, but rather are kindness to the restored person:

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom **also** [this is a second kindness] we have access by faith into this grace [favor] wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Adoption as sons is the destiny of the believer:

Eph 1:5 [God] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by [means of] Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his [God's] will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his [God's] grace [favor], wherein he [God] hath made us accepted in the beloved.

So Luther's analogy of marriage to Christ is appropriate, but only as a second blessing (justification by faith being the first).

The other thing I would point out relates to works. When Paul speaks of justification by faith apart from "works" it is clear that he is referring to "activities of the law."

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified 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.

When James speaks of "works" he is referring to "acts of obedience," which is clear by the example he uses:

Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

It should be obvious that Paul is not teaching that disobedient people will be counted righteous by God:

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [of] the spirit [breath] that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Much of the scriptures say that believers will endure a "trial by ordeal" and if they do not act appropriately in the test then they will forfeit their justification, just as surely as Abraham would have if he had disobeyed God in the matter of the offering up of his son:

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Jas 1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
Jas 1:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
Jas 1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

One last point...

"Believing" is inceptive, not a one time thing. That is, "when you believed" is not in the past, it only began in the past. "Faith" is a race that has a distinct beginning, but must not end until the race is over, or you lose the race:

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

A momentary belief does not secure "fire insurance":

Luk 17:32 Remember Lot's wife.

I hope that you will find this helpful.