RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Jurisdiction, Ecclesiastical Justification
JUSTIFICATION.
I. New Testament Doctrine.
Paul's Doctrine of Righteousness
(§ 1).
Relations of Faith and Righteousness (§ 2).
Johannean Doctrine (§3).
Other New - Testament Writers (§4). II. History of the Doctrine.
1. New-Testament Doctrine: In the Scriptural presentation one starts naturally with Paul. He alone of the first witnesses of the Gospel had the inner experience of the sharp opposition between Old-Testament piety and the new thing in Christ out of which as an inevitable interpretation the doctrine of
justification arose. After his converi. Paul's sion he was completely occupied with Doctrine of the contrast between his own right- Righteous- eousness and God's righteousness, beness. tween the works of the law and faith, between Law and Gospel. Any mistake alleged against Paul's earlier life could not be attributed to the law; nor may one adduce a radical distinction between Galatians and Romans. Both affirm that the law was given " because of transgressions " (Gal. iii. 19), " that sin might
become exceeding sinful" (Rom. vii. 13); in the redemptive history, however, both see in the law a divine ordinance, and in faith in Christ a fulfilment of this law (Rom. xiii. 8, 10; Gal. v. 14). For his failure to fulfil the law Paul blames neither the law nor his own zeal (Phil. iii. 6). A bitter experience had convinced him of the impossibility of a perfect righteousness under the law. One who with such sincerity and energy seeks to unify his action, can hardly have failed before his conversion to struggle with the doubt (cf. Rom. vii. 7 sqq.) whether he could really fulfil the law of God. As a Pharisee he could not resolve this doubt by a renewed effort after a righteousness of his own, and therefore a righteousness proceeding from the law. The appearance of the exalted Lord convinced him that the one he was persecuting in the name of God was the Messiah. This experience was indeed individual, but it was an instance of the universal weakness of man's fleshly nature (Rom. viii. 3) which no law could quicken (Gal. iii. 21). In the Epistle to the Romans Paul showed that with reference to justification by faith the Jew has no advantage over the Gentile. The law which pronounces a curse upon all men can not, however, be given for this purpose, but for a " schoolmaster, to bring us to Christ " (Gal. iii. 24).
The righteousness of God with which the Gospel is concerned can mean only either an attribute or a relation of God (Rom. i. 17, 19), or else a righteousness created by God (II Cor. v. 20 ;
2. Rela- Rom. x. 3). In any case, it is directly tions of opposed to Pharisaic self-righteous- Faith and ness under the law; having its sole
Righteous- source in God, man is only a recipient ness. of it. The significance of faith appears in two characteristic passages of Paul (Rom. iii. 26 and II Cor. v, 21). Thus righteousness or communion with God is possible
Patristic Doctrine till Augustine
(§1). Augustine's Teaching (§ 2). Scholastic and Roman Catholic
Teaching (§ 3). The Lutheran Position (§ 4). Later Views (§ 5). Ritschl and Dorner (§ 6). III. Doctrinal Discussion.
The Fundamental Position (§ 1).
Justification Establishes New Relations with God (§ 2).
Conditions of Justification (§ 3).
Relations of Faith and Justification (§4).
Justification and Baptism (§ 5).
Conclusion (§ 6).
Additional Note (§ 7).
in Christ, since only in him in virtue of his atonement is there righteousness. This divine arrangement for salvation must be realized by the subordination of man in the form of faith (Rom. x. 3 sqq.). Legal justification being impossible, faith in Christ alone remains. The distinction between law-works and faith was for Paul the fundamental question of religion, viz., whether communion with God is from man or from God; if the latter, it can be experienced by faith alone. Faith includes an intellectual element — related to historical facts, as the death and resurrection of Jesus, yet only so far as by means of these facts Christ has become what he is for man. According to its peculiar nature, however, faith is essentially trust in the person of the Lord in its historical and present meaning. Whereever faith is there is also a condition of justification as God's act. This signifies not a making but a declaring righteous (cf. Luke xviii. 14; Matt, xii. 37; Gal. iii. 11; Rom. iii. 20, iv. 4; also the notion of forgiveness of sin, Rom. iv. 7). Further, this meaning accords with the entire understanding of Paulinism. Moreover, justification is both a result and a completion of the historical redemptive work of Christ. This has its continuity in the Word, and aims at the justification of the individual. Paul does not teach empirical sinlessness. He refers to a conflict of the flesh with the spirit and does not underestimate the danger of a Christian's falling into sin. He even applied this warning to himself and toward the end of his life knew of remaining imperfection; but this does not destroy the Christian position. One's safety lies in a constant renewal of that which the Christian has essentially, i.e., Christ and his righteousness. Joined with this in Paul's thought was the certainty of future perfection and blessedness. He urges the Christian to self-examination, but at the same time to a looking wholly away to Christ in faith. But faith is derived from the Holy Spirit, in it is given the possession of the Spirit — a witness of sonship, and even pledge and seal of salvation. According to the Synoptics Jesus' preaching seems at first opposed to Paul's message; over against his doctrine of justification, Jesus emphasized the permanent demand of the law, the judgment of works and even reward for the same. One asks only whether Paul's doctrine is a necessary inference from Jesus' self-witness. Jesus connects the kingdom, salvation, and the judgment with his own person, a fact which the disciples first understood after his suffering and death. Two remarks of Jesus concerning the meaning of his death (Matt. xx. 28, xxvi. 28) coincide with the ideas of Paul. With Jesus, forgiveness of sin occupies a central place, likewise dikaiosyne, " righteousness," al-
Justification