Justification is a term used in Christianity to describe God's declaration that a sinner is without sin because of God's forgiveness. ===Views on justification=== Justification is often understood as the action of [[God]] in giving or reckoning the [[righteousness]] of [[Jesus]] to a [[sinner]], so that the sinner is declared by God as being righteous under the [[Law]]. In other words, justification is the term that describes the removal of sins from a person. In the [[Book of Isaiah]] the concept of justification is stated beautifully - [[Isaiah 1:18]]: "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." There are however significant differing views on justification among Christians. ====[[Justification by faith plus works]]==== The [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teach that justification and cleansing from sin requires both faith in [[Christ]]'s redemptive work on the cross as well as obedience and good works. This is no known as [[justificationby faith plus works]]. ====[[Justification by faith alone]]==== [[Protestant]] churches traditionally have taught that justification and cleansing from sin requires only faith in [[Christ]]'s redemptive work on the cross, itand does not require any good works on the part of the sinner. This is known as [[justification by faith alone]], and was one of the core reasons for the Protestant break-away from the Roman Catholic Church in the [[Reformation]]. Passages such as [[James 2:24]] which discuss justification through works are explained by viewing good works as evidence of the justification that has already through the believer's faith. ====The [[New Perspective on Paul]]==== Some Protestant scholars, most notably [[N.T. Wright]], have recently questioned the traditional Protestant understanding of justification. This has lead to the development of the [[New Perspective on Paul]], which is a term that actually refers to a wide variety of more recent interpretations on the theology of the [[Apostle Paul]]. According to Wright, justification is not the process of how a sinner becomes right in God's sight, but rather is simply the truth because declaration that a book person is already right with no proof says God. Wright has argued that justification is more about [[ecclesiology]], or who belongs to the church, than [[soteriology]] (the theology of salvation). He suggests that when Paul has stated that a person is justified by faith apart from the Law, what Paul means is that a person belongs to the family of God (the church) by virtue of his faith alone and not by virtue of his ethnic identity as a Jew. This shift of emphasis has caused ripples among some Protestant Christians, who question the implication this perspective has on the contribution of good deeds or works to salvation. ===Biblical passages on justification=== The word justification is derived from the [[Koine Greek]] word [[Δικαιοω]] (dikaioo). It is used in a variety of settings in the New Testament, especially by the [[apostle Paul]], who spoke strongly about [[justification by faith]], for example in [[Romans 3:28]]: ''{{web_verse|Romans|3|28}}'' The [[apostle James]] also speaks of justification. He speaks of it in terms of justification by faith and works, for example in [[James 2:24]]: ''{{web_verse|James|2|24}}'' ==Quotes== [[N.T. Wright]] in : ''In theology, therefore, justification isnot the means whereby it becomes possible to declare someone in the right. It is simply that declaration itself. It is not how someone becomes a Christian, but simply the declaration that someone is a Christian. It is not the exercise of mercy, believe but the just declaration concerning one who has already received mercy. This is a crucial distinction, without which it damnit!is impossible to understand the biblical material.'' ==Links==* [http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Justification_Biblical_Basis.pdf NT Wright on the Biblical Basis of Justification]* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=MtKsruztz30&rel=1&feature=related Related YouTube Videos] {{returnto}} [[Christian doctrine and debates]]