Justification - The Judicial Metaphor
As we continue to look at this series of 'Metaphors of the
Cross' we come to Justification. Justification is a central idea, if fact some
might say it is the central idea of the cross. This is 'the Judicial Metaphor';
with sacrifice we might picture a team sport, the football field, where
one person is substituted for another. With Redemption the
picture is the prison cell; a picture of people in bondage and captivity and in
need of release. With Justification; the Judicial metaphor, the picture is of a courtroom - this is a legal process.
We have been found guilty of sinning against God, that
simply means doing anything that is contrary to his perfect will. We have
rebelled against his rule and authority by our actions and now stand convicted of that crime. With
sacrifice we have the idea that those crimes demand a punishment, but here with
Justification we home in particularly on the guilty verdict itself; the evidence has been heard and weighed and there is only one possible
verdict based on that evidence - guilty. Our sin has conferred that verdict
upon us and we need to be declared innocent. This is what Christ does on the
cross for us as we turn the spotlight on Justification, our verdict of guilty
is replaced with a verdict of innocent.
For our
sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God [2 Cor 5:21]
Justification defined
We can define Justification in this way:
An instantaneous legal act of God in which he:
(1) thinks of our sins as forgiven
(2) sees Christ's righteousness as belonging to us
(3) declares us to be righteous and holy in his sight
And we can explore these ideas with three points; The need for Justification, The means of Justification, and the extent of Justification
1) The need for
Justification
Firstly then, why do we need to be justified? Why do we need
this great courtroom metaphor and drama? To put it even more simply; Why is sin
such a big issue for God?
We know that we have done wrong, we accept that, but when we
wrong people in the world we ask for forgiveness and we move on. No need for
this 'wages of sin is death stuff'. No need for punishment and death and
retribution. Why can't God just accept that we are sorry and forgive us, as any
of us would do? Let me share two
quotes with you that might help:
"If anyone imagines that God can simply
forgive us as we forgive others, then that person has not yet considered the
seriousness of sin."
[Archbishop
Anslem 11th Century]
"Forgiveness to man is the plainest of
duties, to God it is the most profound of problems"
[Carnegie Simpson - Presbyterian preacher and
writer early 20th Century]
God cannot just overlook or even 'just' forgive sins. Sin
is totally repugnant to him, and is against his very nature because he is holy
and that is a word we need to understand.
In our world view we have two states, and this drives how we
think about practically everything. We regard things, and indeed people, in one
of two ways; as good and bad, and with
various degrees of goodness in the middle. We have a world view that looks
something like this:
There is good at the top, bad at the bottom, and because
there is a degree of good or bad in all of us we have this grey area, this
sliding scale. The popular world view - that most people, outside of the
kingdom would hold to would mean they, and indeed everyone else sits somewhere
on this scale. Mother Theresa might be right at the top, Hitler might be right
a the bottom, and we are all somewhere in the middle. And we can move up this
scale by getting better (whatever than means) or we can drop down it by getting
worse (and people will usually have a whole list of things that we can do that
will move us up or down this scale; help old ladies across the road move up a
bit, rob a bank, drop down a bit, something
like a spiritual game of snakes and ladders, and the key question of "how
good is good enough" to be acceptable to God is some arbitrary line that
most people would draw mid way up and say that is the level you need to reach,
if the good that you do out-weights the bad that you do - then you become
acceptable to God - and therefore, to put it bluntly that is the cut off point
at which we are saved or not saved,
This is not the full, or even the correct picture, because
God does not think in terms of two states and the Bible doesn't talk of things
being in these two states of good of bad, or part way between, there are in
fact three states that we need to understand. God talks of things being Holy,
that is one state, or he speaks of them being
common or clean, that is a second state, and then there is this third
state of those things that are unclean.
And rather than there being a sliding scale with degrees of 'goodness'
something either is, or is not, in one of these three states. Now they can
change states and move up or down:
Something that is unclean can be made clean by cleansing it
- we have to look no further than our kitchens and that oven that needs
cleaning to know the different between clean and unclean. And by the same token
something that is clean can be polluted (or dirtied) and so become unclean.
But God has this third state which is holy. Something that
is clean, however clean it is, is still not good enough for God, it has to be
consecrated so that it is holy, and likewise something that is holy can become
common by being profaned. Some long words there, don't worry so much about
them, the point is there is no sliding scale, something is or it isn't, and
then we ask that most important question again , how good is good enough? And
if we ask that question against this world view then we have a clear answer in
scripture:
"Consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for
I am holy. " [Leviticus
11:44]
That is the standard, and that is a big ask, maybe things
get modified a bit as we move into the New Testament. Well no they don't the
same principle applied:
"You therefore must be perfect, as your
heavenly father is perfect." [Matthew
5:48]
So where does that all important line get drawn? right at
the top - be holy.
If we put these two diagrams side by side, it shows that no
matter how good or bad be are we are not holy; no matter how much we try to do
the right thing and move ourselves up the scale we are not perfect, we are not
100% good.
We need to be justified because we cannot make ourselves
good enough, we need God to act in our lives, but also, God has to do so much
more that just 'forgive our sins'. And again this is important because
'forgiving our sins' sounds like a good thing, and it is, but of itself it is
not enough - remember these three states. If God just forgave our sins it would
mean he no longer sees us a bad people, he sees us a good people, but good and
bad are not what it is about, God has to actively do something in our lives -
we have to become Holy. So how does this happen?
2) The Means of
Justification.
There is a phrase that I have used a couple of times now
that you might not have picked up on, but which is quite shocking. It is a
shocking thing to say that God 'forgiving us' is not enough, and I
have indeed said that on a couple of occasions now, so let me explain what I
mean.
God is a God of Justice - everything that he does is correct
and, seeing as we are using a courtroom for our metaphor, everything that God
does is legal, and so allowing someone to go free when they are guilty is
wrong. We would not accept that in our legal system, how can it be then be
right for God just to declare those who are guilty to be innocent?
If someone were to commit a serious crime and when they came
before the Judge he said; "It's ok I forgive you, go free", we would
not think much of that judge or the way he upheld the law and our justice
system - and the same is true for God - he can't just ignore our sin, nor can
he just 'forgive our sin.' And so God is faced with this incredible dilemma, he
loves us, he loves us so much, and does not want to punish us, but the law, and
his justice, demands that we be punished.
And God solved this dilemma by coming into the world in the
person of Jesus Christ and dying for us, and on the cross and an incredible
exchange takes place that is actually the reason why God can forgive us and
still be just.
Outside of Christ we carry the weight and punishment for our
sin, it is a dark cloud separating us from God, whereas Christ, who is perfect,
enjoys that intimate relationship with the father that we so long for:
On the cross a wonderful exchange took place; As Christ died
in our place, our sins were placed on him and he bore our punishment which was
death both physically and spiritually as he is separated from God. and just as
importantly, his righteousness was placed on us. The legal term. and remember
we are in a courtroom, is 'imputed'. Our sin in 'imputed' to Christ and his
righteousness is 'imputed' to us. And we are now free to have that perfect
relationship with God
And so this legal exchange takes place, a perfectly just and
legal exchange, our sins are on Christ, his righteousness is on us and so now
God can come close to us, the barrier has been broken, and more precisely when
he looks on us he no longer sees our sin - and in that sense our sins are
forgiven. Not because God has simply ignored them, not because of some legal
loophole, but a just and satisfactory transfer has been made.
Yes, God forgives our sins, praise God that he forgives our sins,
but he does so and declares us righteous, and just (that is we have been
justified) because of this glorious exchange - our sins for Christ's
righteousness. It is not that God declares us to be righteous when he knows
full well that we have sinned, it not that we are now righteous in our own
right, but because of this transfer he
can declare that we have Christ's righteousness and we are now clothed with the
perfect righteousness of Christ.
3) The Extent of
Justification
Let us move and look at the Extent of Justification. It
permeates all of scripture, and it answers that most important question; how do
I receive this gift of favour from God and eternal life, how do I become a
Christian?
- Justified by Grace
Three things then. Firstly we are justified by Grace - so
important to remember this - we do not achieve this righteousness through our
own efforts; it is not that we are bad people trying to be good and now all we
have to do if try even harder to be holy - no, it a gift from God
"For all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God, and are justified by his grace..." [Romans
3:23]
Paul makes it clear that it is God who justifies, freely of
his own will. Since we are not righteous we cannot justify ourselves so it is
good to know it is God who justifies
- Justified by blood
Secondly we are Justified by Blood. Justification is not
just as granting an amnesty, of overlooking or forgetting sins even though
those sins still exist. There is a real cost to be paid, a real punishment to
be borne, that Christ took upon himself on the cross, and we should never
forget that, so that Paul can say we are
justified by his blood.
"since therefore we have now been justified
by blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God" [Romans 6:5]
- Justified by faith
And then lastly we are Justified by Faith
"For we hold that one is justified by faith
apart from works of the law." [Romans
3:28]
All Christ's sacrifice is for nought if we still believe there is something in us
that means us acceptable to God, if we think we can jump that 9 meter gulf. It
is only when we humble ourselves and trust in Christ alone for our salvation
that we receive this wonderful gift.
" ...And can it be" {Lou Fellingham and Phatfish)
Conclusion
That we are Justified through the cross is the most
remarkable expression of love that we can imagine. I expect any people reading
this already know Christ as their Lord and Saviour and that these notes have
helped you appreciate that all the more, but if you are someone that has not
yet made that step then I pray that you would see these truths and come close
to Jesus, the one who Justifies us and makes as acceptable to God.
Questions for consideration
1) It is permissible for someone to take the punishment for
someone else in minor crimes, say when a fine is due, however penal
substitution (taking the penalty for someone else) is not legal in capital
offences (where the punishment is death). How would you resolve the suggestion that Christ cannot legally take our place as the punishment is death?
2) Our punishment is eternal separation from God, yet Christ
rose again after three days. If he took our guilty verdict how is that eternal
separation satisfied by three days of separation?
3) can you think of any examples in scripture i.e. stories
in the Old Testament, that give us a picture or framework with which to
understand the doctrine of Justification?
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