Definitions
The Oxford Dictionary defines justify as:
1) Show or prove to be right or reasonable and
2) Declare or make
righteous in the sight of God.
According to Paul in Romans 3:30 “since there is one God
who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through
faith. If those of us who are now one
body having been justified why are did he say that some of us (the circumcised
or Jew) are justified by faith and others (uncircumcised or Gentile) justified
through faith since all who believe are justified?
Here's the definition of justify from “Vine’s Concise Dictionary of the Bible”
“the act of pronouncing righteous, justification,
acquittal”; it is used twice in the Ep. to the Romans, and there alone in the
NT, signifying the establishment of a person as just by acquittal from guilt.
In Rom. 4:25 the phrase “for our justification,” is, lit., “because of our
justification” (parallel to the preceding clause “for our trespasses,” i.e.,
because of trespasses committed), and means, not with a view to our
“justification,” but because all that was necessary on God’s part for our
“justification” had been effected in the death of Christ. On this account He
was raised from the dead. The propitiation being perfect and complete, His
resurrection was the confirmatory counterpart. In 5:18, “justification of life”
means “justification which results in life” (cf. v. 21). That God “justifies”
the believing sinner on the ground of Christ’s death, involves His free gift of
life.
That last sentence in the Vine’s definition is the basis of my statement that justification was promised in Christ.
Here’s what it say in Isaiah
45:20-25 (HCSB) 20 “Come, gather
together, and draw near, you fugitives of the nations. Those who carry their
wooden idols, and pray to a god who cannot save, have no knowledge. 21
Speak up and present ⌊your case⌋— yes, let
them take counsel together. Who predicted this long ago? Who announced it from ancient
times? Was it not I, Yahweh? There is no other God but Me, a righteous God and
Savior; there is no one except Me. 22
Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and
there is no other. 23 By Myself I have
sworn; Truth has gone from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every
knee will bow to Me, every tongue will swear allegiance. 24 It will be said to Me: Righteousness and
strength is only in the LORD.” All who are enraged against Him will come to Him
and be put to shame.
25 All the
descendants of Israel will be justified and find glory through the LORD.
The Gentiles were invited to stop their idol worship and in
faith to the only God who can save from sin and death. He included all nations in this invitation. They are to be saved simply by looking in
faith to the Lord. All the descendants of Israel referred to in verse 25 are the spiritual
Israel. They that are those identified in Galatians 3:6-7 (HCSB)6 Just as Abraham
believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, 7 then understand that those who have faith are
Abraham’s sons..
What Does This Have to Do with Justification Promised in Christ?
The one that God is talking about in Isaiah to redeem his
people is Cyrus. Well that’s Cyrus and
not Christ you say. Well not so fast my
friend. Cyrus is a type of Jesus Christ; and many of
the promises to Cyrus in Isaiah have a spiritual fulfillment in the ministry
and life of Jesus. In fact God identifies Cyrus as His shepherd in Isaiah 44:28
and then as His anointed (Messiah) in 45:1.
Isaiah 44:28 (HCSB) who
says to Cyrus, “My shepherd, he will fulfill
all My pleasure” and says to Jerusalem, “She will
be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Its foundation
will be laid.”
Isaiah 45:1 (HCSB) The LORD says this
to Cyrus, His anointed, whose right hand
I have grasped to subdue nations before him,
to disarm kings, to open the
doors before him and the gates will not
be shut:
Both these titles are used for Jesus.
Acts
4:27 (HCSB) “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with
the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against Your holy
Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, (emphasis mine)
Acts 10:38 (HCSB) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing
all who were under the tyranny of the Devil, because God was with Him. (emphasis mine)
John
10:11 (HCSB) “I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (emphasis mine).
Now let’s look a more direct reference to justification
promised in Christ
Isaiah 53:11 (HCSB) He
will see ⌊it⌋ out of His anguish, and He will
be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities.
This is a specific prophetic reference to Christ. To see that we need to go back to Isaiah
Chapter 49. Verses 1-6 of the chapter is one of what many students of the Bible
call ‘Suffering Servant Songs’
Isaiah
49:3 (HCSB) He said to me, “You are
My Servant, Israel; I will be glorified in him.”
In this verse God says that Israel is His
servant however nowhere else in the Bible does it say that God will be
glorified in a person (servant), so I believe, as do many others, that in this context ‘Israel’ is a name for Jesus, the Messiah. Now reading 53:11 we see that Jesus the
Messiah will justify many. The many here
refers to Jews and Gentiles.
Then we come to the final ‘Suffering Servant Song’ in Isaiah
starting at Chapter 52:13 and ending at 53:12 which reads;
Yes our justification was promised in Christ the
anointed. He is doing what Israel, Isaiah and Cyrus did thousands
of years ago for Israel. Jesus has done it for the world!!