Justification
 
 A forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is
 the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those
 who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as
 righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its
 demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification
 declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of
 the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The
 law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in
 the strictest sense; and so the person justified is declared to be
 entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising from perfect
 obedience to the law Ro 5:1-10 It proceeds on the imputing or
 crediting to the believer by God himself of the perfect
 righteousness, active and passive, of his Representative and Surety,
 Jesus Christ Ro 10:3-9 Justification is not the forgiveness of a man
 without righteousness, but a declaration that he possesses a
 righteousness which perfectly and for ever satisfies the law, namely,
 Christ's righteousness 2Co 5:21 Ro 4:6-8 The sole condition on which
 this righteousness is imputed or credited to the believer is faith in
 or on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is called a "condition," not
 because it possesses any merit, but only because it is the
 instrument, the only instrument by which the soul appropriates or
 apprehends Christ and his righteousness Ro 1:17 3:25,26 4:20-22
 Php 3:8-11 Ga 2:16 The act of faith which thus secures our
 justification secures also at the same time our sanctification (q.v.);
 and thus the doctrine of justification by faith does not lead to
 licentiousness Ro 6:2-7 Good works, while not the ground, are the
 certain consequence of justification Ro 6:14 7:6 
 
   See GALATIANS, EPISTLE TO 24413