Justification for the Christian is being in a place where God is the one who declares who is worthy of entering His presence and experiencing His divine favor.
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God (Romans 5:1). Why is justification the consequence of faith and not based upon a demonstration of worth?
If we are going to justify our actions, we have to provide reasons that are acceptable to whoever we are attempting to gain agreement with.
In order to understand the subject of justification—even for salvation—it is helpful to consider the account of the two harlots who appeared before King Solomon.
When King Solomon had to decide between two harlots, each claiming to be the mother of the same baby, he would have had to justify his decision before all who were in attendance.
King Solomon was not a judge in the sense of one operating within a modern judicial system, with an ascending order of courts—beginning with small claims court, magistrate court, county court, appeals court, and ultimately the Supreme or High Court of a nation. His word was law.
Today, a case involving two women fighting over a child would be handled in family court, and DNA testing would be employed to determine the true mother.
Solomon, not having access to modern procedures such as genetic testing, had to resort to wisdom—often believed to be the providence of a learned judge. Since Solomon had no way of knowing which harlot was the true mother, he proposed that the baby be divided in two. We are not told whether he meant cutting the baby horizontally near the bottom of the rib cage or splitting the body longitudinally from head to pelvis.
In modern courts of law, judges write out the reasons for their decisions in detail. This judicial decision is known as the judgment (or sometimes the order) delivered or handed down by the court.
With Solomon, we have only a brief account of what happened. We must assume that his reasons were justified based on what we know of human nature.
The Scripture simply states that Solomon called for his sword to cut the child. One harlot was eager for the baby to be divided. The other pleaded that the baby be spared—even if she had to give it up to the sinister harlot. Based on this, Solomon declared that the woman who wanted the baby to live was the true mother.
Was Solomon justified in his declaration?
The Bible states:
All Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to render justice (1 Kings 3:28)
There is no more said about the harlot who falsely accused the mother of stealing her baby. Yet the false witness of the harlot, who would have been pleased to see the baby cut in two, appears not to have been dealt with by Solomon. There is no doubt that she was intent on evil. Punishment for false witnesses was severe:
If a malicious witness rises against any man to accuse him of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days; the judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you. And the rest shall hear, and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity; it shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. (Deuteronomy 19:16-21)
We can only assume that the two women presented their dispute to the priests and judges of those days, who then referred the case to King Solomon. It would have been highly unlikely that Solomon personally presided over every issue that arose within the kingdom (cf. Exodus 18:12–22). Being wise, he would have ensured that a system of justice was in place to handle disputes—though it was unlikely to have been as sophisticated as modern legal systems. Nevertheless, the Romans appeared to have developed a fairly sophisticated system by the days of the Apostle Paul, with provisions for appeals and differing jurisdictions.
From a moral viewpoint, it is worth noting that harlots were condemned to death by God only when a daughter of a priest became one; she was to be burned with fire (Leviticus 21:9). Not all of the tribe of Levi were designated as priests—only the descendants of Aaron. As for the other tribes, including the non-priestly clans of Levi, they were instructed not to turn their daughters into harlots. However, no specific punishment was prescribed for doing so. Instead, there was a solemn warning: if harlotry were permitted, the whole nation would become full of wickedness (Leviticus 19:29).
What we can observe is that responsibility within society operates in levels, especially when it comes to making judgments in human affairs. The higher up the chain of responsibility a matter is addressed, the more significant and widespread its ramifications.
Solomon could have looked at the harlots and asked them to draw straws from his hand, praying that the woman who gave birth to the child would draw the shortest (or longest) one. Alternatively, he could have placed a stone representing the baby in one of his hands, prayed, and asked one of the women to choose which hand held the stone. If she picked correctly, the child would be awarded to her. These kinds of methods would have been perfectly acceptable within the context of ancient society. In other words, Solomon could have found justification for complying with social norms.
Concubines were not considered harlots because they functioned more like servants (or sexual slaves, if you like), serving their master but lacking the marital and inheritance rights conferred upon a wife. Concubines were not necessarily sexual slaves in the crude sense; often, they were maids of a wealthy man's wife. The keeping of concubines was historically justified, since Abraham copulated with Hagar until she was at least pregnant (Genesis 16:1–4).
Hagar may have been considered a wife in a functional sense, but she did not possess the same status as Sarai (later Sarah). For later we read that she is still considered a slave.
So she [Sarah] said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman [Hagar] with her son [Ishmael]; for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” (Genesis 21:10)
We read that Jacob had children from the maids (slaves) of his two wives (Genesis 30:2–10). The tribes of Dan (Judged), Naphtali (My Wrestling), Gad (Good Fortune), and Asher (Happy) were conceived through slaves, as was Ishmael (God Hears) through Hagar. The idea of having concubines may be unacceptable today among Jews and Christians, but this was not the case in Solomon's day—they were able to justify it. Of course, the next step beyond concubinage is the acceptance of prostitution, which leads to even greater wickedness.
Hagar was the short-term wife of Abraham (then Abram). He fathered Ishmael through her. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that within Islamic culture, prostitution is frowned upon, while the concept of short-term wives remains acceptable and is even promoted by some Imams. They can draw justification for this from the fact that Ishmael—the forefather of the Arabs (and, by extension, Islam)—was born of a short-term wife who had no inheritance rights:
After Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. (Genesis 16:3; cf. 21:10-14)
However, Solomon was to be exalted above all men in his day. This is the promise that was given to Solomon:
And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. (1 Kings 3:11-13)
When speaking of justification, at the root of the idea is that of "correct judgment" having been made.
Often, when a judge is making a decision based on the facts presented to the court, there may be missing information. Consequently, an incorrect or inadequate judgment might be rendered—though it may still be the best one possible under the circumstances at the time.
When Solomon made the decision to slay the baby the two harlots were fighting over, the true mother could not bear to see her son slain and was willing to hand him over to the woman who didn’t care if he died. The latter, having lost her own child, was filled with grief, anger, and despair. The audacity of Solomon was seen as an act of wisdom, even though he did not use the occasion to purge prostitution from the Kingdom of Israel.
Many praise the wisdom of Solomon in resolving the dilemma of which woman was the true mother of the child. Yet they also point out that he later made poor judgments in marrying many women and keeping concubines. This raises the question of whether the book of Kings is justified in stating that God said to Solomon:
I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
However, what we are overlooking at this point, and many do, is the condition that follows this statement regarding God giving Solomon a wise and discerning mind. For we read in the next verse:
And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days. (1 Kings 3:14)
God gave Solomon a wise and discerning heart, provided he walked in His ways. And when it comes to there being none like Solomon for having a wise and discerning mind, the example of the two harlots serves as a clear demonstration of this.
Scripturally, there was every justification for Solomon to have both women executed and the child raised by a foster mother—or even to have the baby slain as well—as an example to deter others from becoming harlots. This, too, could have been seen as within the purview of a wise and discerning heart.
However, had the two women been executed (with or without the child), no one would have discovered who the real mother of the boy was. Solomon was vindicated in his decision to let the harlots live, because he demonstrated that the truth of a situation can be revealed by creating circumstances in which people expose their true nature.
Had the grieving harlot been of a loving disposition, she may not have lost her own son—as she claimed—by lying on him while asleep. Regardless, had she possessed the compassion of a loving mother, she would not have wanted the true mother of the boy (whom she was willing to see killed) to suffer the same pain she was feeling.
Implicit in the account of the two harlots fighting over the child is the presence of one with a good heart and the other with an evil heart.
This is what justification is all about when it comes to being granted right standing in the presence of God.
Because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. For, “every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)
An evil heart (Hebrews 3:12) begins when doubts arise in the mind—doubt being the seed of unbelief. Whoever believes that God can raise the dead recognizes that the universe was created by the Creator and that the whole of creation bears witness to the glory of God.
Anyone who doubts whether God can raise the dead holds the view that there is nothing more to life than being born to die.
A person with an evil heart resists the idea that a better hope exists beyond the futility of living a life bookended by suffering and death. They do not want others to consider the possibility of eternal life.
No one who believes that God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth will be put to shame.
The belief that people are born only to die is ultimately unsatisfying, especially when we can conceive of eternity. If we can comprehend the concept of eternity—something without end—and yet know that our own lives are finite, we are left with a pressing question: Why should humans grow old, suffer, and die?
Anyone who believes that God is the Creator will naturally be inclined to believe that He can also raise the dead. From the believer’s perspective, there is nothing to lose by trusting God. The believer is willing to die now—there is no need to wait for the appointed biological time (which does not necessarily mean our days were numbered before birth; rather, that under certain conditions—such as nutritional deficiency, organ failure, or exposure to toxins—we will die regardless). Spiritually, the appointed time is today—now. Today is the day for us to seek and receive salvation. Today is the day to accept that Lord Jesus Christ died for us, rose from the dead, and invites us into union with Him, because we believe that God can raise the dead.
We are justified before God and eligible to receive from Him if we believe He has the power to raise the dead. This is the precondition for having access to His ear at the Throne of Grace. If we cannot believe that God raises the dead, then we are not speaking of the Creator who made the heavens and the earth.
Lord Jesus said that the Scriptures bear witness to Him (John 5:39). The first sentence of Scripture reads: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Lord Jesus is God. We know that everything was created through Him because of what is written in the book of John, which states that He is the Word through whom all things were made. The Apostle Paul affirms the same truth, saying that all things came into existence through our Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:16). In the book of John, we also find that Lord Jesus declares He will raise the dead and give them life (John 5:21; 6:39, 40, 44, 54). In this respect, the confession that Jesus is Lord is what seals our salvation.
When we say that no one who calls upon the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, will be put to shame, this is not just wishful thinking or a comforting idea—it is a practical truth that can be tested and proven in real life. In a time of need, call upon the Lord and He will deliver you. This does not necessarily mean that Lord Jesus Christ will appear personally and perform a visible miracle. Your need may be met through another person or through changed circumstances. But the truth remains: if you call upon the Lord, you will not be put to shame.
Indeed, this is the test. This is the catalyst that breaks down unbelief. Many unbelievers who have done this have found themselves confronting a powerful truth: if Jesus answers the cry of a heart in difficulty, then raising the dead is no longer inconceivable—it is the ultimate proof. No difficulty in this life surpasses the finality of death.
When someone says, “I believe that God raises the dead,” how is this belief justified? A person can provide reasons for their belief, and in their own heart, that will serve as justification. The Bible states that whoever believes God raises the dead is justified and has access to the Throne of Grace. This may be sufficient for some, but for others, vindication must come in a tangible form if they are to acknowledge that belief in the resurrection is truly justified. This vindication comes when Lord Jesus Christ honors those who call upon His name and openly acknowledge Him before others. This is the defining moment in following Lord Jesus and discovering God's will for one’s life.
One example involves a Buddhist woman from Nepal. When asked if she believed in God, she replied that she did not. She was then asked: if a Creator exists who made the heavens and the earth, wouldn’t that Creator have the power to raise the dead? She agreed that this would be logical. She was then asked: if such a Creator could raise the dead, would it not also be possible for Him to raise her from the dead? Again, she acknowledged that this would follow. The challenge was then presented to her: if the Creator exists and has raised Jesus Christ from the dead, is it not possible to know Him now? She admitted that this made sense. She then prayed, forgiving those who had wronged her, and asked to know Lord Jesus if He had in fact been raised from the dead. Afterward, she was encouraged to tell someone what she had just done. To her surprise and joy, upon sharing her experience, she felt a deep sense of elation unlike anything she had known before.
Essentially, anyone who is willing to believe that God can raise the dead—and who believes that Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised by God—can prove this truth today by calling upon His name and publicly acknowledging it. That former Buddhist woman did exactly this. She discovered that the Bible truly bears witness to the truth of Lord Jesus Christ as the way to eternal life and was vindicated through her own encounter with Him.
Solomon was also vindicated when he drew his sword to divide the child, revealing the true mother by her compassionate response. The false mother’s callousness contrasted sharply with the genuine love of the real one.
We are justified in many actions based on what is socially or morally acceptable. Vindication, however, is another matter. Jesus said that wisdom is justified by her deeds (Matthew 11:19), just before praising God for hiding His truths from the worldly wise and revealing them to the humble (Matthew 11:25–29). Vindication of divine wisdom is seen in the transformed lives of people once considered insignificant—lives that begin to influence others for good and bring about lasting change. As Luke records, “Wisdom is justified by all her children” (Luke 7:35).
The fruit of worldly wisdom is often seen in ambitious individuals who gain power through cunning and violence. The wisdom of God, however, is evidenced by humble people bringing the message of eternal life to others, who in turn are transformed by the justification they find in calling upon Lord Jesus Christ.
While some claim that they are justified by grace alone, this is not entirely accurate. God's unmerited favor indeed extends to all people, but it does not justify their sin or ungodly lifestyles if they are not bringing glory to our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul does say that "we are justified by grace as a gift," but to isolate this statement from its context is to distort the truth. That passage in Romans deals with the nature of depravity, the necessity of grace, the cost of ransom, the purpose of atonement, and the condition of faith. We read:
Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:23-25)
This is not to say that we are not justified by grace, just not grace alone. For the grace that is imparted to us is something that we grow in, the same as we grow in faith. Yet it is faith that justifies to enter the presence of God and be justified before the Throne of Grace (unmerited favor). When we say unmerited favor, this is juxtaposed to works, which people often believe will gain them favor with God.
The problem with works is that people overlook the truth that they did not ask to be born, therefore whatever they do is of no value. Once a person asks to be born again, works becomes evidence of a new life. This is why James says that Abraham and Rahab were justified by works:
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? (James 2:21-25)
Their works alone did not justify Abraham and Rahab before God, rather that their faith was completed by works. Their faith was vindicated by being actively expressing where their allegiance lay. In both cases, they believed God would provide, therefore their actions demonstrated this.
While it seems contradictory for Paul to argue that we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1; Galatians 3:24) and not by works, the two apostles are talking bout two different matters. To use an analogy, a horse is used to pull a cart and is not used to push a cart. Likewise, works follow us and justify our conviction that God rewards those who seek Him. Works do not go before us to determine our worthiness for salvation.
Just saying that we believe God exists without acting upon this is not an expression of faith, therefore, merely acknowledging the existence of God is insufficient for salvation (cf. James 2:19), even though this is permitted by His grace, which extends to all; except all, unfortunately, have not been saved. The reason they haven't been saved is salvation comes through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15), never by grace alone.
Being justified by what we do after having received the assurance of salvation is different to attempting justify ourselves by our own efforts. Hence, we read in the Scriptures that the blood of Jesus justifies us (Romans 5:9) and so does calling upon the calling upon the name of Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:11).
From a spiritual perspective that transcends what we know from a human viewpoint, the blood of Jesus justifies us because it is innocent blood (Matthew 23:35), it is righteous blood (Matt. 27:4; Rom. 3:25) and it is God's blood (Acts 20:28), therefore, everlasting blood that belongs to an eternal covenant (Hebrews 13:20) that cleanses us today (1 John 1:7).
By being innocent the blood of Jesus means it was taken not given as a sacrifice. By being righteous this means that no corruption was to be found in it. By being God's blood, this means that it was not of the same as human blood that comes through the male line and has the power to give eternal life, for it is everlasting. The same blood cleanses and protects all today who walk in the light.
From a human point of view, biologically, life ceases when the blood is drained from the body. Oxygen is critical for cellular function, and this is carried by the blood, along with other essential nutrients necessary for the maintenance and working of the physiological systems of the body.
God told Moses that the blood was able to be used for atonement because the life of the body was in the blood (Leviticus 17:11). However, the blood of creatures was ineffective when it come to eternity because it only gave life temporarily to creatures. They died as did humans. The blood of Jesus on the other hand was everlasting and able to impart eternal life. The recognition of this, gives ample reason for a person acknowledging that the life is in the blood to accept that they have the right to approach the Throne of Heaven and be heard.
Justification occurs because we, being human, accept that God's ways are higher than our ways and it is in our interest to acknowledge that we are not omniscient, whereas our Creator is all-knowing. We need to learn from Him, not present our limited understanding of the Universe as the basis for our being accepted by God. Instead, we are justified when we trust God and express this by demonstrating faith in Him.
If the dead are not raised then our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). Therefore, when speaking of the faith that Abraham expressed being reckoned to him as righteousness, the Apostle Paul points to this as being do with the death and resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. His death dealt with our trespasses. His resurrection justifies accepting his death as the atoning sacrifice for sin, because if God has the power to raise the dead, then He has the power to forgive sins.
That is why his faith was “reckoned to him as righteousness.” But the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:22-25)
If we can believe that God has the power to raise the dead, then we can also believe that He has the power not only to forgive sins but to wipe away the memory of our sins. When Cain left the presence of God, he was afraid that someone—whether his father, mother, or one of his other brothers—would seek revenge for his slaying of Abel (Genesis 4:14–16).
To demonstrate that He had the power to forgive sins, Jesus healed a paralytic (Matthew 9:6). Humans may think it is easier to say that a person's sins have been forgiven than to heal a paralytic, but saying is not the same as doing. Jesus' death on the Cross of Calvary would have been in vain if He had not been raised from the dead. Therefore, our faith in His resurrection enables us to believe that our sins have been both forgiven and forgotten.
When a woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus for condemnation, her accusers eventually left. Jesus asked her how many of her accusers remained:
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again. (John 8:10)
Once we are forgiven and have repented of our sins, we are not to return to them. We turn away from our sin and walk by faith in God, because we believe He can raise the dead. If we truly believe that God can raise the dead, then we are justified in seeking Him. Our justification is vindicated by allowing God to create a new life in us.
This is the free gift given to us: a new life in Christ without condemnation (Romans 5:16). What justification could there be for rejecting this? There is none. When it comes to accepting this free gift, the justification we have for doing so not only makes sense from a human perspective, but it is vindicated by God putting His seal of adoption upon us..
Translations used:
World English Bible (WEB) by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
RSV (Revised Standard Version of the Bible) copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 Used by permission.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT) by Public Domain
KJV (King James Version)
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