INTRODUCTION

It is the evil of human arrogance that assumes mankind has something to offer God. 

It was the evil of Satan that thought the same. 

Arrogance leads us to believe that we are worthy in some way on our own.  And arrogance can lead us to take scriptures out of context, to make the Bible say what we want it to say, so it feeds our own arrogance.

Our thoughts are not God’s thoughts, and His ways are much higher than our ways.

We like to fit God into our own little box, picking and choosing the scriptures we want to focus on, and often we make our own interpretation of our chosen verses, without even knowing it. 

But according to 2Pe 1:20, no scripture is open to private interpretation! 

And a thorough examination of a doctrine in the scriptures often reveals something against our human viewpoint, against what we always thought, or against what religion has taught us over the years. 

Isa 55:8-9

8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.  

OUR thoughts are that we must follow God’s commands if we want to go to heaven. 

OUR thoughts are that we must remain righteous, or God’s fury will take away our salvation and send us to hell for eternity. 

OUR thoughts are that we must do the works of the Lord, and if we do not, then maybe we really aren’t saved.  Maybe we really aren’t a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We are secure BEYOND what WE thought was possible. 

We are safe and secure because of HIS thoughts, the thinking of a God who went through the agony of sacrificing His own Son on an altar called the Cross, so that whoever believes in Him shall never perish, but have eternal life.  Joh 3:16-18

The Doctrine of Justification 

ROM 4:13  For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.  

ROM 4:14  For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;  

ROM 4:15  for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation.  

ROM 4:16  For this reason it is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,  

ROM 4:17  (as it is written, "A father of many nations have I made you") in the sight of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.  

ROM 4:18  In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, "So shall your descendants be."  

ROM 4:19  And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb;  

ROM 4:20  yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,  

ROM 4:21  and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.  

ROM 4:22  Therefore also it was reckoned to him as righteousness.  

ROM 4:23  Now not for his sake only was it written, that it was reckoned to him,  

ROM 4:24  but for our sake also, to whom it will be reckoned, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,  

ROM 4:25  He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Notice that He was raised from the dead for our justification.

And the reason is that whatever happens to Him will happen to us because of our union with Him.  

So in ROM 4:25  He was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.  

The Lord’s resurrection was the validation of the sacrifice of His spiritual death and the proof of our acceptance with God. 

Point 1  

The doctrine of Justification is the Etymology, which is the origin and historical development of a word, and how it was originally used in its earliest known use. 

The word for justification is the Greek noun dikaiosune which means anything pertaining to the integrity of God, His righteousness or justice. 

When used for man it refers to imputed perfect righteousness.

It means that we were made as perfect as God at the moment that we believed in TLJC. 

For example in 2CO 5:21  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

This is called the Great Exchange; the Lord took all our sins upon Him and in return He imputed (credited) to us His perfect Righteousness. 

This is directly related to Justification; how we are now Justified in the eyes of the Father. 

ROM 3:19  Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God;  

ROM 3:20  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.  

ROM 3:21  But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God [dikaiosune] has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,  

ROM 3:22  even the righteousness of God [dikaiosune] through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;  

ROM 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  

ROM 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;  

ROM 3:25  whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [dikaiosune], because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;  

ROM 3:26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness [dikaiosune] at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  

ROM 3:27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.  

ROM 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

Do you?   

Do you, defending the honor of our King and Lord and Savior, do you maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law? 

Or do you give in to the self-righteousness of religion and compromise true doctrine, going along with those who say works is necessary for salvation? 

So again the noun dikaiosune means anything pertaining to the integrity of God, His righteousness or justice. 

Next we have the adjective dikaios in the original language of the Bible which means "just," or "righteous."   

When used of God it refers to His integrity. 

For example this is used in ROM 3:26  for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just… 

And the reason why it says, in Rom 3:25, that the cross demonstrated God's righteousness, and in verse 26,  that this demonstration was to demonstrate His righteousness and that He might be just, is because we were born in sin not of our own free will. 

And if God just left us to ourselves and didn't do anything about our problem of sin then He would not have been just. 

So the adjective dikaios means "just" or "righteous" and when used of God it refers to His integrity. 

However, when used of man it refers to man’s salvation adjustment to the justice of God which means that he is "a justified one" or a righteous man. 

Man has to adjust, or CHANGE HIS WAY of thinking, to line up with the thinking of the Justice of God. 

Again, our thoughts are not God’s thoughts! 

We think we must earn God’s favor.  But God says I will justify you if you simply accept My Son. 

This is man’s salvation adjustment to the justice of God. 

ROM 5:19  For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.  

Then we have the verb dikaioo which means to be made righteous and to have a relationship with the integrity of God, therefore, to justify, to vindicate, as in Rom 3:24. 

ROM 3:24  being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;  

And this verb is a present-passive-participle in the Greek, which is translated "being justified" because it is something that was done for you and not something you did for yourself. 

Christianity is about what God has done for man!  It is religion that teaches about what man can do for God. 

Then there's the phrase dikaiosune Theou which refers to "the righteousness of God," referring to various aspects of the integrity or thinking of God. 

Therefore Point 2 will deal with the definition of dikaiosune Theou. 

The "perfect righteousness of God" becomes the function of blessing from the justice of God to man.   

It all begins at salvation. 

This function of divine blessing from the justice of God at salvation is called dikaiosune Theou or the integrity of God, or dikaioo or justification, a judicial function of the justice of God. 

Remember God the Father is the perfect Judge in the courtroom of Heaven.  And from His Justice being satisfied He is able to cast forth blessings upon us, because of His Son’s accomplishments. 

Justification means an act of vindication.   

This is a judicial act of vindication, because we are born under condemnation, being spiritually dead. 

Therefore,..

Justification is an official judicial act which occurs every time anyone believes in Christ. 

The justice of God acts on our behalf pronouncing us justified, which means, having a relationship with God forever, having the perfect righteousness of God imputed to us.         

Justification means that God recognizes that He has given us His perfect righteousness.   

Therefore, justification is the judicial act by God, whereby He recognizes we have His perfect righteousness. 

And this is why we have such passages like… 

HEB 8:12  For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more. 

HEB 10:17  And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. 

Mic 7:18-19  Who is a God like thee, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession?

Yes you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 

PSA 103:8  The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. (grace) 

PSA 103:9  He will not always strive {with us}; Nor will He keep {His anger} forever. 

PSA 103:10  He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 

PSA 103:11  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness (grace) toward those who fear Him. 

Does that sound familiar?  Isa 55:8-9 

PSA 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 

ISA 38:17c  For You have cast all their sins behind their back. 

Jer 31:34c  For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. 

Col 2:13  He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us ALL our transgressions, 

Isa 43:25  "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake [because of my honor and integrity].  Furthermore, I will not remember your sin." 

Psa 85:2  You did forgive the iniquity of Your people; you did cover all their sin. 

Think of it, the Lord has not covered some of your sin, but all of your sin. 

And don’t worry,

the Bible says the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts!  Titus 2:11-14 

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 

It is the grace of God that does the motivating.  

Grace is what changes people and makes them useful to God. (i.e. Saul of Tarsus, Acts 9) 

When the believer truly understands grace and the total freedom they’ve been given, they will love God so much they won’t want to sin!  But they will desire to serve Him. 

In Eze 16:63 the Lord said to people who were involved with the grossest sins you could imagine "I will forgive you for all that you have done" 

Have you become so familiar with these verses and this principle of doctrine that it no longer has an effect on your life? 

1Jo 2:12 says that Your sins are forgiven for His names sake. 

Now, the mechanics at salvation adjustment to the justice of God include three logistical steps. 

a. Personal faith in Christ. The object of faith has all the merit. 

We are nothing until we have something of the integrity of God through maximum Bible doctrine in the soul. 

b. Secondly, the justice of God provides perfect righteousness to all who believe.                  

c. Then God judicially pronounces us justified, officially righteous. 

All of these steps occur simultaneously at the moment of faith.   

But there is a logistical sequence even in simultaneous things. 

For example,  

Mankind can only be justified by the justice of God.  

This only happens when we possess what justice possesses, which is perfect righteousness. 

The justice of God guards the essence of God.   

And perfect righteousness guards justice.  

So justice cannot go wrong, because perfect righteousness is behind it.   

So, at salvation we receive God's perfect righteousness, and His justice must recognize that very same perfect righteousness which backs Him. 

God's perfect righteousness is the principle of His integrity. 

And His justice is the function of His integrity.   

And always behind the function of God's justice is the principle of God's perfect righteousness.   

Justice cannot function without the principle of perfect righteousness being fulfilled. 

Justice cannot act unless righteousness is present. 

The Judge wants to make a just decision, but righteousness must be present in the courtroom. 

And if God gives us perfect righteousness at the point of faith in Christ, and He does, think of what God's justice can do with us now!  Rom 8:29-33 

And that's what Paul mentions in ROM 8:29 For whom He foreknew (us), He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;  

ROM 8:30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.  

Notice these are in the past tense, these things have already been done for us. 

ROM 8:31  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?  

ROM 8:32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?  

If He did the greatest for us, sacrificing His own Son, won’t He now be willing to do all other things for us? 

ROM 8:33  Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;    

And so HE did, He already chose to justify us, so how can we bring a charge against another believer? 

Now,..

Understanding this doctrine of justification means that you understand that if you sin, you haven't changed your status with God.   

You are still justified.   

You still have perfect righteousness and therefore eternal salvation.   

So you are justified forever.   

The justice of God can only judge sin with divine discipline.

But if we rebound first, the justice of God can only forgive us. 

We have cited a previous case in the courtroom of Heaven, the case of the Cross, which already paid for our sins. 

1JO 1:9 "If we acknowledge [name and cite] our sins, He is faithful and just, with the result that He forgives us our sins [known sins] and purifies us from all unrighteousness [unknown sins]." 

Notice we only have to acknowledge our sins, we don’t have to pay for them again, because our sins cannot be judged again. 

The Greek word for acknowledge, homologeo, originally meant to cite a previous courtroom case that proves your contention! 

In this sense, you name or cite a case that already went to court!  That case is the judgment of your sins in Christ on the Cross. 

You already accepted this fact when you believed in Christ for salvation. 

However, until perfect righteousness is imputed there can be no justification.   

We can never be justified until we first receive perfect righteousness.   

No perfect righteousness imputed means no justification.

And all human categories of righteousness are excluded.   

Remember that God doesn't think much of your personality or self-righteousness nor of mine.   

He isn't impressed with anything but His own perfect righteousness. God loves His perfect righteousness with an eternal love. Psa 11:7, 33:5, 37:28, 45:7 

PSA 11:7  For the Lord is righteous; He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face. 

PSA 33:5 He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord. 

PSA 37:28 For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever; But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off. 

PSA 45:7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee (a prophecy about TLJC) with the oil of joy above Thy fellows. 

God the Father is pleased with the perfect righteousness of His Son, and this is the only thing that could take us to heaven, His righteousness. 

Perfect righteousness is the only thing we have that counts with God. 

So…

Justification is the possession of divine perfect righteousness imputed to us at salvation.   

Justification frees the justice of God to pronounce the fact we have His perfect righteousness. 

And now He is free to give you eternal life.   

So justification is another way of describing our salvation relationship with the integrity of God.   

Justification is not forgiveness.   

Forgiveness is subtraction, justification is addition by grace.

Forgiveness subtracts sin, justification adds the perfect righteousness of God.  

Justification is the work of the integrity of God.   

Specifically it is the modus operandi of divine justice after imputation of divine perfect righteousness.   

At the point of faith in Christ, justification is the judicial act of God whereby the imputation of divine perfect righteousness is recognized as valid for vindication.   

Justification, then, is the completion of the believer's salvation adjustment to the justice of God.   

It is the consummation of the salvation work of God logistically. 

Logistically means that God has supplied all that is required. 

Point 3. 

Justification is related to salvation adjustment to the justice of God in Rom 3:28, 5:1; Gal 3:24. 

ROM 3:28  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.  

ROM 5:1  Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  

GAL 3:24  Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 

Point 4. Justification is related to the principle of grace, Rom 3:24; Tit 3:7. 

ROM 3:24  being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;  

TIT 3:7  that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

When justice functions in the field of blessing, it is always grace.   

Imputed perfect righteousness comes through grace, not human merit.   

The integrity of God provides everything integrity demands. 

Point 5. Justification is not related to human works, Rom 3:20, 28; Gal 2:16. 

ROM 3:20  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. 

GAL 2:16  nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. 

Point 6. Mechanics of Justification, Gen 15:6; Rom 3:22.         

GEN 15:6  Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.  

ROM 3:22  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;  

From these passages it is obvious that the mechanics of justification involves on the part of man a non-meritorious function, believing...,  

and on the part of God, the total work of Christ on the cross bearing sin, and God the Father judging those sins. 

***And when we believe, God must perform the added work of the imputation of perfect righteousness, so that by recognizing His perfect righteousness in us, He justifies us. 

That's why in Rom 4:4-5, the person who works for salvation receives nothing from God because the justice of God is not free from grace to give him anything.   

ROM 4:4  Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due.  

ROM 4:5  But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,  

Instead their works are credited to them as debt.   

ROM 9:30  What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;  

ROM 9:31  but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.  

ROM 9:32  Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,  

ROM 9:33  just as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed."  

Point 7. The judgment of sin frees the justice of God for the blessing of justification.         

The justice of God guards the perfect righteousness of God by judging sin, so that there is no compromise in God's essence.   

And again in Rom 4:25, the integrity of God is never free to bless man if there is compromise of God's essence. 

ROM 4:25  He (TLJC) who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.  

By judging sin, the justice of God is free to bless man with salvation.   

Salvation in the Bible means justification, because it reveals the Source, the mechanics and grace.   

God did all the work by imputing perfect righteousness to us. 

Remember that Christ was "raised up from the dead because of our justification." 

And that's why there was no resurrection until God had done everything necessary to provide justification.         

Rom 5:8-9, Christ died spiritually for us.   

ROM 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  

ROM 5:9  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  

Physical death is still waiting for all of us, other than the Rapture generation. 

So if Christ died for us physically why do we still have to die?  He didn’t die for us physically, but spiritually.   

Spiritual death means separation from God.  He was separated from His Father so we would not have to be, and this is how we are able to live with God forever in heaven.   

Justification is the word that emphasizes the total integrity of God.   

"Blood" is the word that emphasizes the total work of Christ.         

So justification is the work of the integrity of God in providing a relationship between man and God.   

And in verse 9, blood refers to redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation as parts of salvation. 

Justice is never free to bless unless justice can keep the whole essence of God from compromise. 

The justice of God is the second half of the integrity of God, the functioning half.   

Perfect righteousness, the other half, is the principle part of divine essence. 

You must have the principle from which there is function.                  

The justice of God is never free to bless man if any part of the essence of God is compromised.   

So the objective is no compromise for the essence of God. 

The judgment of sin frees the justice of God for the blessing of justification. 

ROM 4:25  He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.  

The cross was the place Christ was delivered over for judgment. 

Justice judged sin.   

And so Paul's basic thesis is that the justice of God had to judge our sins on the cross before the justice of God is free to bless us with salvation. 

We, as believers, have one-half of the integrity of God in the imputation of perfect righteousness.   

But getting the other half (by reaching maturity) is the hard part. 

In God's relationship with man, love is not the issue.   

The cross set-up the issue.   

Our first contact with the essence of God is with His justice, not His love.   

And where creatures are concerned, God always places His integrity before His love. 

That's why JOH 3:16 says "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." 

However, love cannot save, only justice can. 

God the Father always loved His Son in Hypostatic Union.   

Yet even though His love for the Son was total and maximum, there was something more important than love: the justice of God.  

Why?   

Because justice is the operational part of divine integrity.   

Therefore, divine love was set aside. 

Always where God is related to man, justice comes before love.  

And even in the human realm, great lovers always have integrity behind their love. 

The big word for our relationship with God is justification, because justification reveals and describes the Source of salvation.                            

(a) God the Father did the judging. 

(b) God the Son received the judgment. 

(c) God the Holy Spirit reveals the judgment.  Joh 16:7-11 

John 16:7-11
7 "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.  8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;  9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;  10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;  11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
NASU 

Included in salvation are redemption, reconciliation, and propitiation, which are all part of the bigger doctrines of justification and the blood of Christ. 

Point 8. Justification is related to ultimate sanctification. 

Because the justice of God must judge sin before it is free to bless man, and because this work of justification was accomplished through the work of the cross, Christ has been resurrected from the dead and this links justification with the strategic victory of Christ. 

Resurrection is the link between the victory of the integrity of God opening the way for the justice of God to bless us and the strategic victory of the angelic conflict, Rom 4:25. 

Hence, justification is related to ultimate sanctification, which has to do with our resurrection in the future. 

ROM 8:29  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;  

ROM 8:30  and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.  

The integrity of God saves us and carries us all the way to glory.   

God's perfect righteousness is a down payment on ultimate sanctification.   

It is God's integrity guaranteeing you a resurrection body. 

Now point 9 has to do with being justified in our experience, what we’ve noted in the past called “Experiential Sanctification”. 

Point 9.  Maturity adjustment to the justice of God results in vindication by production.  Mat 11:18-19, Luk 7:33-35 

Now that we are already justified by faith in Christ in our position, “Positional Sanctification”, we now have the opportunity to be justified by works before men, “Experiential Sanctification”. 

We have production when we reach spiritual maturity, Mat 11:18-19.   

MAT 11:18  "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!" 

MAT 11:19  "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated (or justified) by her (wisdom’s) deeds." 

John the Baptist was slandered by the Pharisees because of his ascetic lifestyle.   

Also Christ's capacity for life is slandered, "Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds."         

The production (divine good works) of John and our Lord set aside any reality of this slander.   

Production is the means of justifying and therefore neutralizing the slander of mankind.         

LUK 7:33  "For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, 'He has a demon!" 

LUK 7:34 "The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!" 

LUK 7:35 "Yet wisdom is vindicated by all her children." 

A synonym for production.   

There are different types of production. 

For example, Jam 2:21-26, the offering of Isaac was the production of an ultra-supergrace believer.   

JAM 2:21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?  

JAM 2:22  You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;  

JAM 2:23  and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God.  

JAM 2:24  You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.  

JAM 2:25  And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?  

JAM 2:26  For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.  

Abraham did it as a result of maximum Bible doctrine in the soul.

Abraham was already justified by faith alone in Christ alone, in Gen 15:6 and Romans 4!  But now he was given the chance to reveal his justification before men, therefore sharing the light of Christ with others, and giving maximum glory to God for what HE has done.  

Justification by works is production from maximum Bible doctrine in the soul.   

Production is the follow through of maximum Bible doctrine in the soul. 

                                               The Direct Statement of Scripture:  

Faith alone in Christ alone is required for salvation, and all these doctrines of salvation come true at that moment.

    1.  Jn 16:8-9, "When He [Holy Spirit] comes, He will convince [convict] the world concerning sin; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me."

 a.  Our personal sins are not an issue in salvation.  They were an issue at the cross, and Jesus Christ was already judged for every one them. 

 b.  Therefore, the Holy Spirit, who convicts us with regard to salvation never convicts us with regard to our personal sins.  The one sin He convicts us of is the only sin for which Christ could not die:  the sin of rejection of Him, the sin of unbelief.

    2.  Jn 3:15, "That everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life."

    3.  Jn 3:16, "For God loved the world so much that He gave His Son, the unique One, in order that anyone who believes in Him shall never perish [eternal security] but have eternal life."

    4.  Jn 3:18, "He who believes in Him [Christ] is not judged, but he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the unique person of the Son of God."   

Notice believe is repeated three times in this verse; no works are added to believe.

    5.  Jn 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."   

The issue in salvation is that you either believe in Christ once,
or you do not believe.

    6.  Jn 6:47, "Truly, truly, I say to you:  he who believes in Me has eternal life."

    7.  Jn 11:25, "Jesus said to her [Martha], `I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me shall live, even if he dies.'"

    8.  Jn 11:26, "And everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die."   

You have to believe while you're alive; there is no second chance after you die.

    9.  Jn 20:31, "But these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His person."

  10.  Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved; and if anyone in your household believes in Christ, they too are saved." 

Notice that the command is to believe; nothing is added to it. 

  11.    Gal 3:26, "For you are all the children of God [royal family] by faith in Christ Jesus."   

Notice that nothing is added to faith.

12.  Rom 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, also to the Gentile."   

Everyone is saved the same way, both Jew andGentile.  They are saved, not by keeping the Law, but only by believing in Christ.

  13.  Rom 3:20-22, "Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for through the Law is the knowledge of sin.  But now, apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets [Old Testament], even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe."

  14.  Rom 3:28, "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law."

  15.  Rom 4:4-5, "Now to the one who works for salvation, his wages are calculated, not on the basis of grace, but on the basis of debt.  But to him who does not work for salvation, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith receives credit for righteousness."

  16.  Rom 4:14, "For if those who by means of the Law are heirs, then faith has been made void, and the promises have been canceled."

  17.  Gal 2:16, "Nevertheless, knowing that a [spiritually dead] person is not justified by the works of the Law, but through 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; because by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified."

How are we justified in the eyes of God? 

  18.  Rom 5:1, "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

  19.  Eph 2:8-9, "For you have been saved by grace through faith, and this [salvation] is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast."

        a.  The only way of salvation is one act of personal faith in Jesus Christ with nothing added to it.

        b.  To add to faith in Christ for salvation is no salvation at all.  If when you believe in Christ, you are depending upon something else besides faith in Christ, you are not saved.

  20.  Phil 3:9, "And may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith."

  21.  2 Tim 3:15, "And that from childhood, you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to give you wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus."

 Even if you later renounce your faith in Christ, you are still saved.   

22.  2 Tim 2:11-13, "Faithful is the Word, for if we have died with Christ [and we have: retroactive positional truth], we shall also live with Christ.  If we endure [suffering for blessing], we shall reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will deny us [escrow blessings for time and eternity].  If we do not believe [after we're saved], He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself."   

God the Father cannot deny the indwelling of the Trinity.

  23.  1 Jn 5:11-13, "And this is the deposition:  that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life.  These things I have written to you who believe in the person of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life."

  24.  Salvation is said to be by grace.

        a.  Rom 3:24, "Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."   

Grace excludes human works.

        b.  Rom 4:4-5, "Now to the one who works for salvation, his wages are credited, not on the basis of grace, but on the basis of debt. But to him who does not work for salvation, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness."

        c.  Rom 4:16, "For this reason, it is by means of faith, in order that it might be on the basis of grace."

        d.  Rom 5:1-2, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have obtained an introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand."

        e.  Rom 5:15, "But the free gift of salvation is not like the transgression.  For if by the transgression of one man [Adam] many died [spiritual death], much more did the grace of God and the gift by grace of that one man, Jesus Christ, abound to many."

        f.  Rom 5:17, "For if by the transgression of one [Adam], [spiritual] death reigned through one [Adam], much more those who have received the abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through that one, Jesus Christ.

        g.  Eph 1:6-7, "Resulting in the praise of the glory of His grace, by which grace He has graced us out in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace."

        h.  2 Tim 1:8-9, "Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of his prisoners, to join with me in suffering with reference to the Gospel on the basis of the power of God [doctrine of common grace], who saved us and called us with a holy calling [divine call], not according to our works, but according to His own purpose in grace which He has given to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity past."

        i.  Heb 2:9, "We see Jesus, made a little lower than angels, for the sake of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death as a substitute for all."

G.  Syllogistic logic deduces salvation is by faith alone.

    1.  The form of argument from Aristotle is called a syllogism, which is an argument whose conclusion is supported by two premises.  There is a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion.   

The major premise contains the major term which is the predicate of the conclusion.  The minor premise contains the minor term which is the subject of the conclusion.

        a.  For example, all A is B.  All B is C.  Therefore, all A is C.  This is called deductive reasoning.

        b.  For example, all persons are born spiritually dead.  I am a person.  Therefore, I am born spiritually dead.

    2.  The inference system includes the five indemonstrables.

        a.  If 1, then 2.  But 1, therefore 2.

        b.  If 1, then 2.  But not 2, therefore not 1.

        c.  Not both 1 and 2.  But 1, therefore not 2.

        d.  Either 1 or 2.  But 1, therefore not 2.

        e.  Either 1 or 2.  But not 1, therefore 2.

     3.  The five indemonstrables applied to the Word of God.

        a.  If Christ died for the sins of the world, then He is the only Savior.  But Christ died for the sins of the world, therefore He is the only Savior.

        b.  If salvation is by works, then only good people or working people are saved.  But only good people are not saved, therefore salvation is not by works.

        c.  You are not saved by both faith and works.  But by faith alone, therefore not by works.

        d.  Either you are saved by grace through faith alone or by works.  But you are saved by grace through faith, therefore not by works (Eph 2:8-9).

        e.  Either you are saved by works or by faith alone.  But you are not saved by works, therefore you are saved by faith alone.

H.  Christ died as a substitute for us once; we believe in Him once.

    1.  Heb 9:27-28, "And just as it is destined for mankind to die once, but after this the judgment, so also Christ having been sacrificed once for the purpose of taking away the sins of the many."

    2.  Rom 5:8 has the preposition of substitution:  HUPER plus the genitive of EGO in the plural.  "But God demonstrates His own love toward us [impersonal love for all mankind in the status of real spiritual death] in that while we were yet sinners [objects of divine impersonal love], Christ died as a substitute for us [substitutionary spiritual death on the cross]."

    3.  1 Pet 3:18, "Because Christ also died once for our sins, the righteous One [impeccable humanity of Christ] as a substitute for the unrighteous ones."

        a.  Notice how this word "once" keeps occurring.  It is the Greek word HAPAXZ.

        b.  HUPER plus the genitive of advantage of ADIKOS means "on behalf of the unrighteous ones," or better, "as a substitute for the unrighteous ones."

        c.  In both Rom 5:8 and 1 Pet 3:18, Christ died as a substitute for us.  Also both verses say Christ died once.  So our response to the one act of sacrifice is one act of faith, and faith alone.

    4.  Jn 3:16, "For God loved the world so much [impersonal love for all mankind] that He gave His Son [deity of Jesus Christ in Hypostatic Union], the uniquely-born One [humanity of Jesus Christ in Hypostatic Union], that everyone who believes in Him shall never perish but have eternal life."  By one act of faith, we have eternal life.

    5.  Gal 3:13, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law by means of becoming a curse instead of [in place of, on behalf of, as a substitute for] us; for it stands written [Deut 21:23], `Cursed is everyone who hangs on a cross.'"

        a.  The Law puts a curse on sin.  Jesus Christ as our
substitute was judged for our sins.

        b.  So again, we find HUPER plus the genitive of advantage plural from EGO, translated on behalf of (instead of, as a substitute for) us.

        c.  In Gal 3:13 the doctrine of redemption is used because it is talking about the Mosaic Law.  The Mosaic Law is designed to put us into the slave market of sin.  The only way we can be redeemed from the slave market of sin, as members of the human race, is for someone to pay for our freedom. Jesus Christ paid for our freedom on the cross.  That is the meaning of redemption.

        d.  Yet the Mosaic Law is used by many as a means of salvation. Such people add the works of the Law to faith in Jesus Christ.   

©2003-2008 Scott Grande, Free Gift Ministries - All rights reserved