A. Justification has been shown to be a forensic term. A man may, indeed, be conceived of as just, in either of two senses: (_a_) as just in moral character,—that is, absolutely holy in nature, disposition, and conduct; (_b_) as just in relation to law,—or as free from all obligation to suffer penalty, and as entitled to the rewards of obedience. So, too, a man may be conceived of as justified, in either of two senses: (_a_) made just in moral character; or, (_b_) made just in his relation to law. But the Scriptures declare that there does not exist on earth a just man, in the first of these senses (Eccl. 7:20). Even in those who are renewed in moral character and united to Christ, there is a remnant of moral depravity. If, therefore, there be any such thing as a just man, he must be just, not in the sense of possessing an unspotted holiness, but in the sense of being delivered from the penalty of law, and made partaker of its rewards. If there be any such thing as justification, it must be, not an act of God which renders the sinner absolutely holy, but an act of God which declares the sinner to be free from legal penalties and entitled to legal rewards. _Justus_ is derived from _jus_, and suggests the idea of courts and legal procedures. The fact that “justify” is derived from _justus_ and _facio_, and might therefore seem to imply the making of a man subjectively righteous, should not blind us to its forensic use. The phrases “_sanctify the Holy One of Jacob_” (_Is. 29:23_; _cf._ _1 Pet. 3:15_—“_sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord_”) and “_glorify God_” (_1 Cor. 6:20_) do not mean, to _make_ God subjectively holy or glorious, for this he _is_, whatever we may do; they mean rather, to _declare_, or _show_, him to be holy or glorious. So justification is not making a man righteous, or even pronouncing him righteous, for no man _is_ subjectively righteous. It is rather to count him righteous so far as respects his relations to law, to treat him as righteous, or to declare that God will, for reasons assigned, so treat him (Payne). So long as any remnant of sin exists, no justification, in the sense of making holy, can be attributed to man: _Eccl. 7:20_—“_Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not._” If no man is just, in this sense, then God cannot pronounce him just, for God cannot lie. Justification, therefore, must signify a deliverance from legal penalties, and an assignment of legal rewards. O. P. Gifford: There is no such thing as “salvation _by_ character”; what men need is salvation _from_ character. The only sense in which salvation by character is rational or Scriptural is that suggested by George Harris, Moral Evolution, 409—“Salvation by character is not self‐righteousness, but Christ in us.” But even here it must be remembered that Christ _in_ us presupposes Christ _for_ us.