THE RELEVANCE OF PAUL'S CONCEPT OF DIKAIOSUNE IN ROMANS 5: 1-11.

Human beings have become enstranged from God as a result of their godlessness and wickedness. The solution to human's frailty is justification. The concept of Justification is a very important topic in Christianity. Scholars have variously defined "Diakosune" which is a Greek word as righteousness and justification. Justification means the removal of injustice, the prevailing of mercy, the restitution of the sinner, and the imperative of justice for the oppressed. Man stands condemned before God who is the Chief Judge but justification acquits and justifies him. Christians are declared righteous on the premise of justification. This paper adopted a theological approach in studying the relevance of justification. The pericope of the concept of justification reveals the relevance of Justification to the Christian faith. Justification earns a believer peace with God, access by faith into the grace of God, joy in the hope of the glory of God, joy in tribulation, the indwelling Holy Spirit and the love of God. This paper recommends that every Christian should strive to make peace with God and be reconciled to him. As a believer, through justification one can have joy in the midst of trials because God will use those trials in order to make him or her stronger in faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]