Justification By Works (postscript 2)

"who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed 

and purify for Himself His own special people, 

zealous for good works" 

(Titus 2: 14 nkjv)

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.  Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?" (James 2: 21-25 nkjv)

In the last postscript to my article on Justification I gave commentary on what was meant by James saying that faith was "made perfect" by works. In this postscript I will be commenting upon what James meant in saying that Abraham's faith being accounted for righteousness was "fulfilled" in his act of obedience to God's single command to sacrificially kill his only begotten son Isaac and the "Angel of the Lord" (who is the Son of God, the "Malek Yahweh" who was in the burning bush and identified as "I Am That I Am"; See my post on that here) saying to him -- "now I know that you fear God." 

Questions

1. Why is the one obedient act of offering his son the fulfilling of the declaration of Abraham's faith being accounted as righteousness and not some other act of obedience? Or, why was the one act of Rahab in protecting the Israelite messengers singled out as being when she was justified by works?

2. Is every act of obedience the fulfillment of God's declaration of imputation (accounting or reckoning) of righteousness (justification) at the time of the initial act of faith? If yes, how so? If no, answer question number one.

3. Was Abraham forensically declared just when he first believed God and his word in Genesis chapter fifteen?

4. If every good work justifies or fulfills God's declaration of freedom from condemnation and accounts a believer as righteous (which is what justification is), does this support the Catholic idea that justification is not forensic but is a continuous making of a believer more and more just or righteous?

The Greek word for "fulfillment" (kjv 'fulfilling') in the above text is "plērōma" from plēroō ("fulfilled"). This word has been variously translated into English. It is rendered as "perfect," and is also translated as "finished," or "complete," "full," as in when Jesus said "fill ye up" (Matt. 23:32). It means to bring to a conclusion, to reach the end purpose of a thing. It is also used of children who have reached maturity in wisdom and knowledge, as it was said of Christ: "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with (fulfilled) wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him." (Luke 2: 40 kjv) It may denote "filled full" as when it is said that the fishnet was "full" of fishes or fulfilled. (Matt. 13:48) Jesus spoke of what he was to "fulfill" or "accomplish" by his death on the cross. (Luke 9: 31) It is also translated by the word "ended" as in Luke 7: 1: "Now when he had ended all his sayings." (kjv) It is also translated by the word "supply" as when Paul wrote: "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4: 19 kjv)

What then does James mean when he says the scriptural declaration of Abraham's justification by faith in God and his promise was "fulfilled" when he obeyed God in sacrificing his only begotten son Isaac? Does that mean that he was not declared righteous and was justified in Genesis chapter fifteen where it is said that he was so justified by faith? Answer: No. Abraham was declared to be righteous by means of his faith at least thirty years before he obeyed God in Genesis chapter twenty two in attempting to sacrifice Isaac. Therefore, the justification that came by works cannot be a re-justification. 

The End Design In Justification

Justification is an end (goal or purpose) but it is also a means to an end. Justification, or the divine verdict or declaration of "not guilty," is designed to deliver a guilty person from legal condemnation for crimes and the punishment attached to those crimes. But, it is not designed to encourage the acquitted criminal to go out and repeat the same crimes. Rather, it is designed to prevent such recidivism by making a change of the acquitted criminal's heart possible, what we call sanctification. Did faith only serve as a means of justification, such recidivism would be inevitable. That is why we insist, as do the Bible authors, that justification occurs simultaneously with sanctification, though the former logically precedes the latter. 

God's giving of faith and his declaration of justification (accounting or reckoning) for a believer to be made righteous and free from condemnation is not the only end, there being no other ends, but is also a means to an end, that justification may produce regeneration, sanctification, holiness, godliness, good works. See my series on justification preceding sanctification. (See this Page here which will give you several articles I have written on this) The divine declaration of Genesis 15:6 of being declared legally righteous or justified, though true at the time, was yet also an anticipation of what was afterwards to be realized more fully. What was then reckoned as righteousness was to be continued reckoned as such.

The text at the head of this article says that the purpose of redemption, which would be true of justification and imputation of righteousness and of the forgiveness of sins, is so that those redeemed and justified would thereby become "zealous of good works." We have also drawn attention to Ephesians 2:10 where the apostle Paul said that believers in Christ have been "created in Christ UNTO good works." The word "unto" literally means "upon," "on," "at," or "to," and when joined with the dative case noun "works," as in this text, often denotes a basis, goal, purpose, or direction. That is why some translations say created in Christ Jesus "for" good works. One of the purposes of being created in Christ, or being justified, is in order that good works may follow. So, we may say that being created in Christ is fulfilled in doing good works.

Justification by Faith Fulfilled in Obedience

"And the scripture was fulfilled which says "Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 

So, we see that James intends to say that the purpose of salvation, including justification, is so that good works may be possible. We might also say that justification is fulfilled in sanctification. In the Book of Romans Paul first speaks of justification in chapters three through five and then begins speaking of sanctification (which includes regeneration and renewal) in chapter six. So he began that chapter by writing:

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Justification, if it did not come with sanctification, would lead people to say "if I have been acquitted, and can no longer be condemned, then I can sin with impunity." Justification is what is done for us, apart from us, what is done objectively. Sanctification is what is done in us, what is done subjectively. Believers become "dead" in two ways. They become "dead to the law" (Rom. 7:4; Gal. 2:19) so that being condemned by the law is no longer possible. They also become "dead to sin" by having union with Christ and a new nature that hates sin and loves righteousness as a sure result. So Paul wrote further in verses five through eleven:

"5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

A believer is "dead to sin" and "dead to the law" in two ways. He is dead to sin and the law in justification in a legal or forensic sense, and is dead to sin (but not to the moral law*), in sanctification (including regeneration), in nature and habit. In both cases the purpose, as in all aspects of salvation, is in order to produce holy and godly living children of God. 

*"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law." (Rom. 3: 31 nkjv)

The Catholics see justification as essentially the same thing as sanctification. The word "just" is virtually synonymous with the word "righteous." So, we see how these two English words are used interchangeably in the scriptures. "The just" are the same people as "the righteous." Also, to be righteous may be viewed in two ways. First, an unrighteous person may instantly become righteous in the eye of God and his law when the perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed or credited to him by faith. Second, a person may be called "righteous" as respects his obedience to the laws of the Lord. Once a person has been justified and made righteous or just by imputation there then follows being made righteous in thought, word, and deed by the indwelling Spirit and the work of sanctification. 

So, we may say that our justification by faith is "fulfilled" in sanctification, in good works, because the end goal has been attained. Notice how the word "fulfilled" is used in this text:

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." (Rom. 13: 8 kjv) 

This fulfilling of the law by those who have a heart of love via sanctification and regeneration is continuous. It is also true that justification is being continuously fulfilled in sanctified lives and is what James means when he speaks of justification by faith being fulfilled in good works. Notice how the word "fulfilled" is used in other verses, such as in this:

"Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect (peplērōmena) before God." (Rev. 3: 2 kjv)

The words "works perfect" is the same Greek word for "fulfilled" and so it may be read "have not found your works fulfilled" as in the English Revised Version, Literal Standard Version, and in Young's Literal Translation. The Greek word is translated in other English translations as "finished" "complete" "full" and "perfect" as in the KJV. We also read of the same Greek word for fulfilled used in these verses about joy:

"And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves." (John 17: 13 kjv)

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15: 11 kjv; See also vs. 24)

"Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance." (Acts 2: 28 kjv)

Surely Christian joy is continuously being fulfilled. So too is justification by faith continuously being fulfilled in the life of a Christian.

"And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." (Rom. 15: 14 kjv)

"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Eph. 3: 19 kjv)

"...desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Col. 1: 9 kjv)

"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2: 10 kjv)

"...that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." (Col. 4: 12 kjv)

In all these verses we see where fulfillment in goodness, knowledge, and joy, etc. is continuous. In fact we should especially focus on how Christians are being constantly "fulfilled with all the fulness of God," and "fulfilled in Christ," and "fulfilled in all the will of God." Now let us notice another interesting verse in this same vein.

"14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing 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. 17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!  For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.  For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” (Gal. 2: 14-21 nkjv)

Why does Paul speak of justified believers as still seeking "to be justified by Christ"? And, what does he mean when he says that "if while seeking to be justified we are found sinners"? And, how would such a case make Christ "a minister of sin"? Bible commentators are not uniform in their explanations of this statement and line of argument from the apostle and some confess that Paul is hard to understand. Before I comment on this further, let me cite from a couple commentaries on these words of the apostle.

"Before he goes any further, he meets with the objection which abhorred this doctrine of free justification by faith, because, they say, men are by this means withdrawn from the performing of good works. And in this sort is the objection: if sinners should be justified through Christ by faith without the Law, Christ would approve sinners, and should as it were exhort them to sin by his ministry. Paul answers that this conclusion is false, because Christ destroys sin in the believers: for so, he says, do men flee to Christ through the terror and fear of the Law, that being acquitted from the curse of the Law and justified they may be saved by him." (Geneva Study Bible)

"To me it seems probable that Paul here has reference to an objection which has in all ages been brought against the doctrine of justification by faith, and which seems to have existed in his time, that the doctrine leads to licentiousness. The objections are that it does not teach the necessity of the observance of the Law in order to acceptance with God. That it pronounces a man justified and accepted who is a violator of the Law. That his acceptance does not depend on moral character. That it releases him from the obligation of law, and that it teaches that a man may be saved though he does not conform to law. These objections existed early, and have been found everywhere where the doctrine of justification by faith has been preached...If now it shall turn out that you are sinners; that your lives are not holy; that you are free from the wholesome restraint of the Law, and are given up to lives of sin, will it not follow that Christ is the cause of it; that he taught it; and that the system which he introduced is responsible for it? And is not the gospel therefore responsible for introducing a system that frees from the restraint of the Law, and introduces universal licentiousness?" (Barnes)

Justification by simple penitent faith alone is not a blank check for the justified to sin with impunity. That is what Paul is essentially saying. It is what he has said in both his Roman and Galatian epistles. So, the above commentaries are correct in their interpretation. Notice these words from his Roman letter:

"For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Rom. 8: 3-4 nkjv) 

Notice once again the word "fulfilled." How is the requirement of the law fulfilled in believers? Earlier we saw where the apostle said that "love is the fulfilling of the law." Though the believer is "dead to the law," the moral law, so that it cannot condemn him, nevertheless he observes the moral law as a rule of life and because Christ, the lawgiver of the new covenant, commands us to keep his commands which are in essence the same as the ten commandments, and which Christ narrowed down to two commands, 1) love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and 2) love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–34; Luke 10:25–28) Christians, though justified and free from being condemned by the law, nevertheless do not become lawless. 

Future Justification

In the above text Paul speaks of believers, including himself, "seeking to be justified by Christ." I think by this he shows us that there is a future justification yet to be realized at the judgment seat of Christ. Notice these other verses that affirm this fact:

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12: 36-37 nkjv)

"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." (Rom. 2: 13 kjv)

Jesus says, “For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matt. 16:27). Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10; See also Romans 14: 10-12). The resurrected and ascended Christ says: “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” (Rev. 20:12 22:12)

As we have seen, those who are justified by faith are the same people who are said to be people that love God and their neighbors, and thus they have "fulfilled the law." (Rom. 13:8) We have seen that believers, as a result of Christ justifying believers through his condemnation of sin, have the "law fulfilled" in them since they absolutely walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. (Rom. 8: 3-4) Those who are free from condemnation are they who are "in Christ" and "who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." (vs. 1)

Just as salvation is both a past and present reality, so too is salvation a future happening. Notice what Paul said in confirmation of this statement:

"8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Phil. 3:8-11 nkjv)

Why does Paul speak of suffering the loss of all things so that he may "gain Christ"? Does he not already possess Christ? Why does he likewise speak of being "found in Christ" in the future? Is he not already found in Christ? Why does he likewise suffer loss so that he might be found in the future to "have the righteousness that is from God by faith in Christ"? Does he not already have the righteousness of Christ imputed to him by faith? Why does he labor in trials for the purpose of coming to "know him and the power of his resurrection"? Does he not already know him and that power? Etc.? 

Surely he means that he desires, prays, and labors in order that what is true now in regard to these things will be found to be true in the day of judgment and resurrection, and that he will know superbly and more intimately Christ and the power of his resurrection, and possess him in a far greater degree, and be fully transformed into the likeness of Christ and completely conformed to his death. Likewise, we who have already been justified may also say that we count all things as worthless rubbish so that we might be found justified in the end.

A declaration or verdict may be uttered more than once per the setting or circumstance. God declares the believer justified and freed from condemnation when he penitently believes in Christ and he will declare it again in the day of judgment. 

I declared my love for my wife when I fell in love with her, then when we were married, and many times since. A spouse has often said to his/her beloved when shown love in some way -- "he/she loves me!" That declaration does not imply that the spouse was not loved before that exclamation. 

Justification at the judgment for the believer will simply be a proclamation before the assembled universe of the justification of everyone who has put his or her faith in the one true God and in his Messiah. That justification will also be a vindication. The works of the believer who had been justified when he/she believed in Christ will be proofs, evidences, of the justified condition of them. They will be justified in the same way that God is said to be justified (as we stated in our first article in this series).