Few words in the New Testament have caused as much debate as “justify” and “justification.” At the heart of this debate is the Greek verb δικαιόω (dikaióō), usually translated as “to justify.” But what does it really mean? Does it mean only that God “declares us righteous,” as some Protestant traditions teach, or does it also mean that God truly “makes us righteous”?

For Orthodox Christians, the meaning of δικαιόω is vital, because it shapes our whole understanding of salvation, grace, and the life in Christ.

When Christians hear the word “justification,” many imagine a legal setting: a judge declaring a guilty person “not guilty.” This was the understanding at the heart of the Protestant Reformation, where the doctrine of sola fide — justification by “faith alone” — became central.

Orthodox Christianity, however, sees justification not as a cold legal act but as a living transformation. To be justified is to be restored to communion with God, to begin a new life in Christ, and to set out on the journey towards theosis, deification. St Paul makes this clear when he writes, “Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Justification, in the Orthodox vision, is not merely being acquitted of guilt, but entering into a relationship of peace and communion with God.