Justification

Expounded by Scripture
Justification Quiz

Bible Study

Part One

Test your knowledge of justification! Each question below presents two statements. One statement reflects the biblical view of justification held by Scripture and taught by Luther and the Lutheran Confessions. The other statement reflects a false, human view of justification held either by the Roman Catholic Church or by Reformed or Evangelical sects. For each question select the correct, biblical statement by circling A or B. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. A. God gives a man right standing with himself by mercifully accounting him innocent and virtuous. B. God gives a man right standing with himself by mercifully making him innocent and virtuous. A. God gives a man right standing with himself by placing Christs goodness and virtue to his credit. B. God gives a man right standing with himself by placing Christs goodness and virtue into his heart. A. God accepts the believer because of the moral excellence found in Jesus Christ. B. God makes the believer acceptable by infusing Christs moral excellence into his life. A. If a Christian becomes transformed in character, he will achieve right standing with God. B. If a sinner achieves right standing with God by faith, he will then experience transformation in character. A. We achieve right standing with God by faith alone. B. We achieve right standing with God by faith that has become active by love. A. We achieve right standing with God as Christ lives in us and he lives out his life of obedience in us. B. We achieve right standing with God by trusting the fact that Christ obeyed the law perfectly for us. A. We achieve right standing with God by following Christs example, with the help of his enabling grace. B. We follow Christs example, because his life has given us right standing with God. A. God first declares that we are good in his sight, and then he gives us his Spirit to make us good. B. God sends his Spirit to make us good, and then he declares that we are good. A. Christs intercession at the right hand of God gives us favor in the sight of God. B. Christs dwelling in our hearts gives us favor in the sight of God.

10. A. Only by faith in the doing and dying of Christ can we fully satisfy the claims of the Ten Commandments. B. By the power of the Holy Spirit living in us we can fully satisfy the claims of the Ten Commandments. 11. A. To justify means to make righteous. B. To justify means to account as righteous. 12. A. Man is justified by intrinsic righteousness, that is a righteousness from God placed into man. B. Man is justified by extrinsic righteousness, that is a righteousness from God wholly outside of man. 13. A. Justification is a declaration of the fact that Jesus, who stands in mans place, is righteous. B. Justification is a declaration of what a man in Christ has become by the working of the Spirit in him. 14. A. The believer is pronounced righteous, because the Spirit of Grace has made him righteous. B. The believer is pronounced righteous because Christ, his substitute, is found righteous before God. 15. A. Regenerating grace enables God to justify the believer. B. Justification enables God to bring regeneration and sanctification to the heart of the believer. 16. A. God considers works done by believers as good, because they are done in the righteousness of Christ. B. God considers works done by believers as good, because they are done in the power of the Holy Spirit. 17. A. Man is justified because of his faith in Christs death on the cross. B. Man is justified because of Christs death on the cross. 18. A. Forgiveness + faith = justification. B. Forgiveness = justification.

2 19. A. God forgives our sins as a consequence of Jesus death on the cross. B. God forgives our sins as a consequence of true contrition (sorrow) and repentance. 20. A. Justification eradicates sin; only concupiscence (a tendency toward sin) and weakness remain. B. Sin still remains in mans nature after justification, but it is not taken into account by God.

Search the Scriptures

Scripture teaches that justification is objective (completely the doing of God) and universal (applying to all human beings), as well as subjective (personally received through faith in Jesus). Look up each Bible passage below, and indicate whether the passage speaks of objective, universal, or subjective justification. (Some passages may speak of justification in more than one sense.) Be prepared to discuss with the group your answer(s) for each passage. Objective John 1:29 John 19:30 Acts 10:43 Romans 3:22 Romans 3:23, 24 Romans 3:26 Romans 3:28 Romans 4:5 Romans 4:24 Romans 4:25 Romans 5:16 Romans 5:18, 19 Romans 8:30 2 Corinthians 5:19 2 Corinthians 5:20 2 Corinthians 5:21 Hebrews 9:26 Hebrews 10:17, 18 1 John 2:2 Universal Subjective

For further consideration

We live in a culture with a very pragmatic worldview, in which we frequently hear the questions, How does this affect me in my daily life? Why does this even matter? What is your answer?

Bible study by Pastor Jon D. Buchholz Prepared for the 58th Biennial Convention of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Meeting at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota July 26, 2005