1. Justification means: "a making right, making just and it may be either partial or complete." R5959:4[1-3] (Par.1 under the article Justification)
2. The subject of justification has not changed, but it has expanded and clarified. We "now see" that a justification to life is one thing, and a justification to more or less of friendship with God is another. Abraham, for instance, and the other faithful before Pentecost, were justified to friendship with God and to have more or less communication with Him by prayer, etc. But they could not have *full justification until the Blood of Atonement had been shed, and until it had been presented to and accepted by Divine Justice--the Father.Just so the sinner today approaching God might he said to be in the way of justification; he would have more of God's favor than if he faced toward sin. FF:7,8 (pg.iii par.1,2) *Justification to Life.
3. We "once spoke" of a sinner in this condition as being justified, because he believed in Jesus as his Redeemer and was reaching forward to a full consecration of himself. We "now" see that while the sinner's attitude, like that of the Ancient Worthies, might be styled "tentative justification," it would not reach the condition of a full, complete justification from sin until the sinner had "fully" presented himself in consecration to our great High Priest, Jesus, and had been accepted of Him in the name of the Father. Then, under the covering of the imputed merit of Christ's sacrifice, the sinner would be acceptable to the Father under Christ's Robe and begotten of the holy Spirit. Justification to life follows, never precedes consecration. R5775:8; FF:9 (pg.iii, par.3)
4. "It must be conceded that justification is a necessary prerequisite to our becoming New Creatures, but how can justification be effected for us? Must we be restored to absolute, actual perfection--physically, mentally, morally? We answer, "No" F103:top.
5. A person desiring to turn to God during this Gospel age finds Him gradually. First, he finds that God has made a provision whereby he can be just and yet be the Justifier of sinners. Next he finds that the death of Jesus is the way which God has provided. Next he finds his own weaknesses and sins--the defilements, and properly seeks to put these away. He may and should considerably cleanse himself from the filthiness of the flesh, but this does not justify him, does not make him perfect, because by heredity he is a sinner, imperfect, and can be cleansed only by the divine application of the merit of Jesus' sacrifice. After washing at the Laver--putting away the filthiness of the flesh--the believer approaches close up to the door of the Tabernacle and "ties" himself there--obligates himself by consecration vows, devoting himself fully to the Lord and his service, whatever that may be. (R5959:7, Sept. 1916).
6. While one is taking the above mentioned steps, he will have blessings of mind and heart and the approval of his conscience, and would be favored of the Lord in the sense that divine providence would open up before him a knowledge of the proper course to take for his *justification--"pointing out to him the necessity of the steps enumerated," including the devotion or tying of himself at the door of the Tabernacle. The sinner approaching God can do no more. It is now God's time to act. God's mercy toward the sinner is wholly through Jesus, who has been appointed the "Great High Priest." It is the part of Jesus to accept the devoted one (the goat) and to sacrifice him. And those whom Jesus, as God's High Priest, accepts are accepted of the Father, and such are begotten of the Father to the divine nature, etc. That moment when Jesus, and when divine justice, through Jesus, accepts the sinner is the "moment of justification." R5959: JUSTIFICATION – WHAT? WHEN? HOW? *Justification to life
7. Our justification, represented by the "Wedding Garment," put on when we are accepted of the Lord, covers not the new creature, but merely the flesh, which is legally reckoned dead, sacrificially. In other words, justification does not signify a process of being made right, but a right condition already attained. The putting on of the "Wedding Garment" signifies our entrance into the family of God as members of the church; the putting off of it would mean our rejection of the grace of God and would imply second death. R5960:c2p2
8. God is at peace only with the fully consecrated, justified, spirit begotten class, the sons of God, Rom.5:1. R5960:1
9. The world's justification will not be an instantaneous one, but will progress during the millennium. The world might then be said to be tentatively justified* through the Mediator and his Kingdom, but their justification will be a gradual making right as each individual will come into harmony with the divine requirements and receive more and more of restitution perfection. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that "It is God that justifies," and that the world will not be in God's hands until the conclusion of the Millennial Age. Then all approved of the Father and accepted of him to eternal life will be justified in the full sense. That will be an instantaneous act. God receives to everlasting life and to his family on any plane of existence only those who are perfect. R5959:6; R5960:c2p3. *Justification to life
10. Fortunate it is for the masses who have heard of Jesus and partially believed, that their standing with the Lord is not that of full justification, that He refuses to fully justify any until they have become by covenant His disciples, His footstep followers. This is because justification can come only once to each individual, and if he should misuse that justification* and fail to get eternal life, he would be in a worse state than if he had never been justified*. If not justified* and spirit- begotten in the present time, he is not of the Church, but will have a share in the merit of Christ's sacrifice and in the justification* which His Kingdom will offer to every member of the human family--aside from the Church-the Church receiving that better thing which God hath in reservation for them that love Him-- glory, honor, immortality, the Divine nature. FF:10. *justification to life