According to Deut. 25:1 it means to declare, or to cause to appear
innocent or righteous; Rom. 4:2-8: to reckon righteous; Psa. 32:2:
not to impute iniquity. One thing at least is clear from these
verses, and that is, that to justify does not mean to _make_
one righteous. Neither the Hebrew nor Greek words will bear such
meaning. To justify means to set forth as righteous; to declare
righteous in a legal sense; to put a person in a right relation.
It does not deal, at least not directly, with character or conduct;
it is a question of relationship. Of course both character and
conduct will be conditioned and controlled by this relationship.
No real righteousness on the part of the person justified is to be
asserted, but that person is declared to be righteous and is treated
as such. Strictly speaking then, Justification is the judicial act
of God whereby those who put faith in Christ are declared righteous
in His eyes, and free from guilt and punishment.