We hear the term “justification” spoken from the pulpit, and we hear it from other Christians. But what exactly does this term mean? If you’re like me, I like to keep things simple. Without minimizing the meaning and depth of the term by putting it in layman’s terms, I find the answer to be quite simple.

Let’s say we committed every crime known to man, we were arrested and imprisoned while awaiting trial. Then, after the trial, we were found guilty of all crimes and sentenced to death. However, someone in the courtroom “willingly” steps forward and says, “Judge, I will pay the penalty on your behalf. The judge accepts the offer, bangs the gavel, rules that we are acquitted and are now free to go.” go home.” Wouldn’t that surprise you? Keep in mind that we committed every crime known to man, and due to double jeopardy, we can never be charged for any of these crimes ever again. Also, since we were acquitted, these crimes will never appear. in our registry. That is what it means to “be justified in Christ.” Note that the term is in the past tense, meaning that Christ has already paid the penalty so that he can never again be charged, imprisoned, or sentenced to death.

Let’s take a look at the original Greek definitions of the words just, justified, and justification.

• The Greek translation of the word “righteous” is dikaios, (present tense) which means “innocent of any charge.”
• The Greek translation of the word “justified” (past tense) is dikaioo, which means “free from blame or any charge.”
• And finally, the Greek translation of the word “justification” is twofold; the one in Romans 5:16 is dikaioma, meaning “a judicial decree of God,” and the other two in Romans 4:25 and 5:18 are dikaiosis, meaning “acquittal,” and both are done by God through the death of Christ.

Like me, you may wonder why “justification” is only mentioned three times in the entire Bible. The answer is because the “judicial decree” has already been made to have been acquitted for the fact that Christ paid the penalty for us. Many Christians still operate under the idea that when God accepted Christ’s offering on our behalf, it was not good enough and we still have to pay for the crimes of which we were acquitted. If this were true, then the free gift that Christ gave us that day in court would be sending the message that he died for nothing, the judge’s decree was a sham, and double jeopardy applies.

However, Paul tells us that this is not true; the results of this act are explained in Romans 5:1 which basically says that “having been” justified by “FAITH” we now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. Note that this is by “faith” only. Therefore, Faith is the means by which one comes to the acceptance of the justification that was already done by Christ at the moment of his death death of Christ.

So what use is all this information? Information only becomes powerful “if” it produces revelation, and having the revelation that by the will of Christ to come forward and intercede for us, we have been acquitted and set free. Paul explains this position in 2 Cor 5:17 by saying, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, new things have become. Old things are not habits or daily failures.” , but rather “a position”. Justification, therefore, is when the criminal (sinner) has a right standing in the sight of God (Judge) when he is in Christ. By faith he is justified by the death of Christ without any human effort or cause.