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Theology - Soteriology: Jesus and justification

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Jesus doesn’t talk much about justification, and when He does He doesn’t sound very Pauline (Matthew 12:37). The publican is justified – apparently not by his faith but by his humility (Luke 18:14). So, Jesus doesn’t teach justification by faith? Wrong.

“Yahweh has taken away judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst; you will fear disaster no more.” Thus Zephaniah (3:15). That means:

1) Yahweh has condemned Judah for her sins, but now He is going to reverse that condemnation. ”There is now therefore no condemnation” against Judah. This is a declaration of justification.

2) This condemnation has taken the concrete historical form of oppression by enemies; in reversing Judah’s condemnation, Yahweh will disperse her enemies. ”No condemnation” is a “deliverdict.”

3) Why will the enemies be dispersed? Because Yahweh the warrior King of Israel will come to the rescue. Yahweh’s arrival is the reversal of condemnation, because condemnation meant Yahweh’s departure from His people. Yahweh the King comes to be with His people because, and as a sign of, the fact that “there is no condemnation” against Judah.

4) Thus, to say “Your king comes” is just to say “there is no condemnation,” and “judgment has been taken away,” and “your enemies are cleared away.” When Jesus announces the coming of the kingdom of God, He is announcing the removal of condemnation, a favorable verdict, deliverance from enemies and from the hand of all who hate His people.

5) It is a remnant that enjoys this deliverance and favorable judgment – the remnant that has been humbled by the Lord’s previous disciple (Zephaniah 3:12-13). Not the proud one (cf. Habakkuk 2:4) but the humble rejoices in the King’s coming. Zephaniah with Habakkuk says that the just shall live by his faith.

Jesus, in short, talks about justification by faith all the time. Justification by faith is the gospel of Jesus. Because “justification by faith” means “Your king comes.”

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 5:11 am

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Theology - Soteriology: Jesus and justification

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