The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines justification, Par 1989, “Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the inner man ”.

In Par 2020, “Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ. It is granted to us through Baptism. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who justifies us. It has for its goal the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life. It is the most excellent work of God’s mercy”.

This definition shows a different understanding of the meaning of justification which merges justification with sanctification and reaffirms Trent’s statement that, “ If anyone says that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works, but that those works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not the cause of its increase, let him be anathema” Council of Trent, Canon 24.

THE EVANGELICAL STAND

 The Bible makes a clear distinction between the new status before God acquired by the Christian at the new birth, and the life that is made manifest in the Christian as he grows in the “grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ”. The Bible calls this latter sanctification.

This is illustrated in 2 Peter 1:3-9.” 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.    5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

In Evangelical theology justification is defined as referring to God’s wholly objective, wholly forensic judgement concerning the sinner’s standing before the law. By this judgement, God declares that the penitent sinner who trusts Christ is righteous in His sight because of both the imputation of his sin to Christ, on which ground he is forgiven, and the imputation of Christ’s perfect obedience to him, on which ground he is constituted righteous before God.

Romans 9:30-32, “Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law”,

This clearly demonstrates that seeking to observe the Law is classified as works. So we must contend that anything done in accordance with whatever the law demands, whether moral or ritual, with the intention of achieving justification before God, is doomed to failure. The moment the penitent sinner trusts in God’s mercies found in Christ, God pardons his sins; and constitutes him righteous before Him by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to him.

Acts 10:43, “ To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”

Rom 4:6,7 “  Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7  Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”

Rom 5:” Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Rom 5:19 “ For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

2Cor 5:21  “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

On the basis of constituting the ungodly man righteous by His act of imputation, God simultaneously declares the ungodly man to be righteous in His Sight.

SCRIPTURAL CONFIRMATION

 Acts 13:38,39, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses.”

Rom 3:20-23, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them, that believe: for there is no difference .”

 Rom 3:26, “That he (God) might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

 Rom 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

 Rom 4:2-6, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. ”

Rom 4:7,8, “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin”.

Rom 4:13,14, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they, which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect” .

Rom 9:30-32, “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone”.

 Rom 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth”.

 Rom 11:5,6, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”.

 Gal 2:16, “ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified”.

Gal 3:10,11, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith”

 Eph 2:8-10, “For .by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”.

 Phil 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”.

 Titus 3:5-7 , “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.

 The doctrine of justification declares that in God’s sight the ungodly man, now ‘in Christ’, stands justified before God, not because of his own righteousness but because of a perfect righteousness outside himself, that is reckoned to him by faith.

Dermot Nash