Justification (theology)

== Biblical references ==
[[Image:Vega - De iustificatione doctrina universa, 1572 - 4322876.tif|thumb|[[Andreas de Vega]], ''De iustificatione doctrina universa'', 1572]]

=== New Testament ===
{{see also|Substitutionary atonement}}
Jesus used the idea of ransom, or redemption when referring to his work on earth ({{bibleverse|Matthew|20:28|NIV}}; {{bibleverse|Mark|10:45|NIV}}). Christ's death and resurrection (triumph over Satan and death) provide justification for believers before God. His righteousness becomes theirs, and his death becomes an offering to God in their place, to pay for all of their sins. According to [[Protestantism|Protestants]] this justification is by faith alone – not through good deeds – and is a gift from God through Christ. According to [[Roman Catholics|Catholics]] and [[Eastern Orthodox]] we are justified by God's grace which is a free gift but is received through baptism initially, through the faith that works for love in the continuous life of a Christian and through the [[Sacrament of Reconciliation (Catholic Church)|sacrament of reconciliation]] if the grace of justification is lost through [[Mortal sin|grave sin]].

The [[Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification]] (JDDJ), signed by both the [[Lutheran World Federation]] and the [[Roman Catholic Church]] on 31 October 1999, clearly stated that "consensus in basic truths of the doctrine of justification exists between Lutherans and Catholics."<ref name=":0"/>

In [[Roman Catholic]] and [[Lutheran]] [[doctrine]]s, as expressed under section 4.7 no.37, "we confess together that good works – a Christian life lived in faith, hope and love – follow justification and are its fruits. When the justified live in Christ and act in the grace they receive, they bring forth, in biblical terms, good fruit. Since Christians struggle against sin their entire lives, this consequence of justification is also for them an obligation they must fulfill. Thus both Jesus and the apostolic Scriptures admonish Christians to bring forth the works of love."

The declaration states that several theological views on justification held by Lutherans and Catholics, though not apparently similar to each other, are in fact explaining the same "basic truths of the doctrine of justification" at different angles.

An example can be cited from section 4.7 no. 38–39, "when Catholics affirm the 'meritorious' character of good works, they wish to say that, according to the biblical witness, a reward in heaven is promised to these works. Their intention is to emphasize the responsibility of persons for their actions, not to contest the character of those works as gifts, or far less to deny that justification always remains the unmerited gift of grace", in comparison with "the concept of a preservation of grace and a growth in grace and faith is also held by Lutherans. They do emphasize that righteousness as acceptance by God and sharing in the righteousness of Christ is always complete. At the same time, they state that there can be growth in its effects in Christian living. When they view the good works of Christians as the fruits and signs of justification and not as one's own 'merits', they nevertheless also understand eternal life in accord with the New Testament as unmerited 'reward' in the sense of the fulfillment of God's promise to the believer."

{{blockquote|Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed", but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.|{{Bibleref|James|2:15-18}}}}

D. James Kennedy explains this verse:

{{blockquote|James is dealing with people who profess to be Christians, and yet they don't evidence the reality of their faith by their works [deeds]. Over, and over again... people will say they have faith and they don't have works, and James is saying that real faith always produces works as a result... The question is, 'A man may say that he has faith, but will that faith justify him?' If it is just a 'said' faith—no, it won't!<ref>(D. James Kennedy in "Irreconcilable Differences," a roundtable discussion and television broadcast, Ft. Lauderdale FL, 1995) [http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aiia/james2-24.html Justification by faith - what about James 2:24?]</ref>|author=D. James Kennedy|title=Irreconcilable Differences}}

====Paul====
It was Paul who developed the term justification in the theology of the church. Justification is a major theme of the epistles to the [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] and to the [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]] in the New Testament, and is also given treatment in many other epistles. In Romans, Paul develops justification by first speaking of God's just wrath at sin ({{bibleverse|Romans|1:18-3:20}}). Justification is then presented as the solution for God's wrath ({{bibleverse|Romans|3:21-26}}, {{bibleverse|Romans|5:1}}). One is said to be 'justified by faith apart from works of the Law' ({{bibleverse|Romans|3:28}}). Further, Paul writes of sin and justification in terms of two men, Adam and Christ ({{bibleverse|Romans|5}}). Through Adam, sin came into the world bringing death; through Jesus, righteousness came into the world, bringing justification unto life ({{bibleverse|Romans|5:15-17}}). In this connection, Paul speaks of Adam's sin being 'imputed' or 'accounted' (Greek ελλογειται) and speaks of justification as acting in analogy to sin ({{bibleverse|Romans|5:13}}; {{bibleverse|Romans|5:18}}). In chapter 8, Paul connects justification with predestination and glorification ({{bibleverse|Romans|8:30}}). He further states that those who are justified cannot be separated from the love of Christ ({{bibleverse|Romans|8:33-39}}). Several of these passages are central in the debate between Roman Catholics, and the various streams of Protestantism (while there is broad agreement on justification by faith, there is no complete doctrinal uniformity on justification among all Protestant denominations), who can understand them in quite different ways. In Galatians, Paul emphatically rejects [[Legalism (theology)|justification by works of the Law]], a rejection sparked apparently by a controversy concerning the necessity of [[Circumcision controversy in early Christianity|circumcision]] for salvation ({{bibleverse|Galatians|2:16}}, {{bibleverse|Galatians|5:4}}; see also {{bibleverse|Romans|5:1-12}} and [[Council of Jerusalem]]). He also adds that the only thing that counts is the "faith [which] works by love"({{bibleverse|Galatians|5:6}}).

====Other New Testament writers====
The [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] also takes up the theme of justification, declaring that Jesus' death is superior to the Old Testament sacrifices in that it takes away sin once for all ({{bibleverse|Hebrews|10}}). In Hebrews, faith in Jesus' sacrifice includes steadfast perseverance ({{bibleverse|Hebrews|10:19-31}}, {{bibleverse|Hebrews|12:1}}). [[Epistle of James|James]] discusses justification briefly but significantly,<ref>Note especially the context of this much-cited passage in James: in context, he is speaking to christian believers, exhorting the rich to accept the poor into their church gatherings, thus being good trees (see {{bibleverse|Mt|7:17|}}) and merciful, true believers ({{bibleverse|James|2:1}}). To be merciful is to "keep" (τελεῖτε) "the royal law" ({{bibleverse|James|2:8}}; cf. {{bibleverse|Mt|5:48}}//{{bibleverse|Lk|6:36}}). For mercy reflects the Father of Jesus Christ ({{bibleverse|James|1:17}}).</ref> declaring that a faith that is without works,<ref>Note that the specific Greek word referenced here, χωρὶς, is used in both {{bibleverse|James|2:26}} and in {{bibleverse|Romans|3:28}}, usually being translated as "apart from" in both instances. Yet the meaning of James' usage of χωρὶς may be found in {{bibleverse|James|2:17}}, where this "faith" is said to be καθ’ ἑαυτήν, "by itself." This "faith" is what we would refer to in English as "mere assent," or, alternatively, a "belief." Even the demons have a "faith," a "belief" – they believe that God is one ({{bibleverse|James|2:19}}), yet they certainly are not justified by said faith!</ref> a fruitless faith (cf. {{bibleverse|Matthew|7:17}}), cannot be a justifying faith, because faith is made perfect or completed by works ({{bibleverse|James|2}}, especially {{bibleverse|James|2:22}}; see also {{bibleverse|Romans|4:11}}). Indeed, works are required for justification because "man is justified by works, and not by faith alone" ({{bibleverse|James|2:24}}), though the sense of the word ''justified'' in this passage is disputed.<ref>Catholics and others take it in its most common sense, whereas Protestants believe that that sense introduces a contradiction with Paul and so take the meaning in James to be "proved right" as in {{bibleverse|Matthew|11:19}}. Some also point to the difference between the episodes in the life of Abraham referenced by Paul and James.  In {{bibleverse|Romans|4}} Paul refers to Abraham's being counted righteous by faith in God's promise in {{bibleverse|Genesis|15}}, whereas James talks about Abraham's being "justified" in a sense more like "vindicated" in his faithful willingness to offer Isaac on the altar later in {{bibleverse|Genesis|22}}.</ref> The writer of James emphasizes the Jewish belief that faith and deeds go together. However, in James, it is possible that ''justification'' is referring to how believers are to behave as believers, not how an unbeliever becomes a believer (i.e., salvation).<ref>''Justified in the Spirit'', Macchia, Frank D 2010, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. pp. 211–215</ref> Faith without works is counterfeit. The faith must produce good fruit as a sign lest it become the occasion for [[self-justification]].