Category:Justification

Jus`ti*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. justificatio: cf. F. justification. See Justify.]

1. The act of justifying or the state of being justified; a showing or proving to be just or conformable to law, justice, right, or duty; defense; vindication; support; as, arguments in justification of the prisoner's conduct; his disobedience admits justification. I hope, for my brother's justification, he wrote this but as an essay or taste of my virtue. Shak.

2. (Law)

Defn: The showing in court of a sufficient lawful reason why a party charged or accused did that for which he is called to answer.

3. (Theol.)

Defn: The act of justifying, or the state of being justified, in respect to God's requirements. Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Rom. iv. 25. In such righteousness To them by faith imputed, they may find Justification toward God, and peace Of conscience. Milton.

4. (Print.)

Defn: Adjustment of type by spacing it so as to make it exactly fill a line, or of a cut so as to hold it in the right place; also, the leads, quads, etc., used for making such adjustment.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Justification - A forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which He pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; and so the person justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising from perfect obedience to the law (Romans 5:1). It proceeds on the imputing or crediting to the believer by God Himself of the perfect righteousness, active and passive, of His Representative and Surety, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:3). Justification is not the forgiveness of a man without righteousness, but a declaration that he possesses a righteousness which perfectly and for ever satisfies the law, namely, Christ's righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 4:6). The sole condition on which this righteousness is imputed or credited to the believer is faith in or on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is called a "condition," not because it possesses any merit, but only because it is the instrument, the only instrument by which the soul appropriates or apprehends Christ and his righteousness (Romans 1:17; Romans 3:25, Romans 3:26; Romans 4:20, Romans 4:22; Philippians 3:8; Galatians 2:16). The act of faith which thus secures our justification secures also at the same time our sanctification (q.v.); and thus the doctrine of justification by faith does not lead to licentiousness (Romans 6:2). Good works, while not the ground, are the certain consequence of justification (Romans 6:14; Romans 7:6). (See EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS.)