This is a unique collaboration blog of three individuals. This blog explains the word justified/justification in three ways. First, it uses the legal definition. Second, a Biblical definition. Finally, a parishioner’s definition. Hopefully you enjoy this project. If so, please comment below.
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Justified – Legal Meaning
The word Justified in a legal sense is used to describe someone who had a justification. Justification is an affirmative defense. A defendant in a case uses an affirmative defense in the following manner, “Yes, I did the action that I am accused of, but under the circumstances, I should not be punished for my actions.” A justification is an acceptable excuse or explanation made in court for an act that is otherwise unlawful; showing why the defendant committed the offense for which he is accused that would serve to relieve the defendant of liability. So now that you know the meaning of Justification in the legal sense, let’s look at some examples of where an individual would be Justified.
Criminal Justification – Self Defense: A defendant has shot and killed another individual. That Defendant would be Justified in that killing if the individual who was killed first tried to kill the Defendant with a reasonable likely means. This means that if someone is actively trying to kill you, and they possess the ability to carry out that action in an immediate fashion, you can justifiably defend yourself. Even if that means you commit a crime in that defense.
Civil Justification – Trespass: You are boating on a lake when a dangerous storm blows in. You take refuge at the dock of a personal private property owner. You are charged with civil trespass which allows for punitive damages. Because you are taking refuge from a storm which could be life threatening, you will only be liable for the rental cost of using the dock. Your actions would be Justified because the risk to life outweighed the damage done through trespass. Therefore, you would only be liable to the property owner for rental costs, and not punitive damages.
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Justified – Biblical Meaning
These two words are easily found in the Apostle Paul’s writings, but are not often easily understood. They have association with legal language, both in the ancient world and today. Yet Paul uses them in a specific way that illuminates a couple of important questions: What did Jesus accomplish on the cross, and how does the work of Christ apply to my life?
To be Justified, in Paul’s essential meaning, is to be found not guilty. The bible teaches that all of us are sinners, have offended God by our rebellion against his perfect law and will, and are therefore guilty before him. On the cross Jesus bore both the sin and the punishment that sin affords: Death. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul states it this way: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…” Because Jesus bore our sin and took our punishment, we are declared “not guilty” in the eyes of God. The legal requirements of the law have been satisfied.
Yet there is more to the biblical idea of Justification. It is not enough that we be found “not guilty”. We know that many criminals who receive at trial a verdict of “Not guilty” have in fact committed crimes that the prosecution simply has not been able to demonstrate according to legal standards. The person, though declared “not guilty” still bears the ultimate responsibility for their actions. The work of Jesus on the cross goes farther than a simple legal verdict. To be Justified also means that the Righteousness of Christ … his pure right relationship with His heavenly Father… is given to us by faith. When we believe in the work of Jesus for us on the Cross, the Righteousness of Jesus becomes ours. Here is the whole of 2nd Corinthians 5:21: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus became sin for us, so that we might receive his righteousness.
There is no greater Reversal of Fortune. Declared guilty and deserving of death, Jesus took our place and our punishment, and now we are declared “not guilty” and more than that “righteous..pure and holy in the eyes of God.”
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Justified – A Parishioners Story
God’s help with the unexpected: a salvation story
I had just transferred from Illinois State University in Normal, IL to Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. During my first semester at TSU, I enrolled in a heavy 17 credit-hour class schedule. As an African-American female, born and raised on the west side of Chicago, I was proud of the hard work I had done to beat the odds. As the eldest of six children, I was on my way to being the first in my immediate family to get a college degree.
Sometimes if you don’t follow God’s way the unexpected may block your way. I had married a fellow ISU student who was now attending graduate school in Nashville. I moved with him to Nashville. I was 20 years old and pregnant with our first child. In addition to morning sickness, mood swings, crying spells, my husband and I argued about money and our car. I began crying out to God “I am trying to do everything right, why are you abandoning me.” Then God reminded me the ways in which he was blessing me and how I was disobeying him.
As I prayed for forgiveness and guidance, God answered by sending a woman who took me to her church. I realized it had been seven years since I had been a part of a Christian community. I listened to sermons, mediated on the songs, read the bible, and, of course continued to pray. After reading the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, I realized that as a human, I did not measure up to God's standards. Then, I read John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” So, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior.
Through the power of God's grace (justification) and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I became more aware of my sin nature and was able and willing to fight against it. I was no longer at sins “beck and call.” I had more patience in working through disagreements with my spouse. I reduced my course load and called Mama regularly on the telephone. She came for the birth of our beautiful baby boy in the spring of 1975 and helped care for my baby so, I could finish college. All of this allowed me to keep my sanity and graduate with honors.
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I would like to send out a special thanks to Patricia Adaranijo and Evan Goranson. Their contributions in the parishioners portion and the biblical meaning is much appreciated. If you would like to contribute to the blog, email us and we will do our best to get your post live on the site. Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you this Sunday at:
14401 West Avenue
Orland Park, IL 60462
