An Essay on Justification

Participating in the Justice of God through the Person of Jesus Christ

Below are some recent thoughts of mine on justification. Feel free to leave a comment below. I’d be interested to hear some thoughts. This was originally a response to some friends that were expressing criticism concerning the role of works in justification and salvation. I have drastically expanded and edited my original comments. I am passionate about this because I find many in Reformed and Protestant circles dismissing talk of works as being too “Catholic.” However, we cannot afford to dismiss good works because Scripture does not dismiss them. I have not read the magisterial protestants on this topic as extensively as I should, so I do not cite them here, but my impression is that they also have a high regard for works. If you detect an error in what is said below, please let me know.

The Westminster divines state in Question 28 of the Shorter Catechism, “At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.” What is this open acknowledgment and acquittal if not a final justification?

Christ’s was justified, in other words, vindicated. He was...vindicated by the Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16). When did this happen? At his resurrection. Romans 1:4 states that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. And why was he justified? So that we may share in his justification. Romans 4:25 states Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. This is the sense in which we are presently justified: by our union with Christ. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11). In baptism, we are baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and are justified with him. We are buried and raised up in baptism, participating in Christ’s death, resurrection, and open justification/vindication.

Yet, we will be justified in the future at our resurrection as Christ was justified in his resurrection. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God (1 Corinthians 4:5).

And elsewhere: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10).

And another place: He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury (Romans 2:6-8).

According to what will we be judged in the final judgment? What [we have] done in the body, whether good or evil (Corinthians 5:10). This cannot mean that we are merely justified in the end according to Christ’s works, because if this is so, Paul would say that we will be either judged by the merits of Christ or the evil we have done in our body, but this is not what Scripture says. What we have done will either be commended or condemned, and we will be rewarded or punished according to what we have done. Hence why Revelation does not say that we are clothed with the righteous deeds of Christ, but the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8).

But what of Christ’s works? Our works are from God’s grace in Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13). And again: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 1:10).

Christ himself says I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Christ is the root of our salvation.

Lastly, And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11).

Edward Pusey puts this beautifully in Letter 24 of The Spiritual Letters:

I think that you must wait with patience. Have you been able to show your father the places of my writings which I named to you? I am sure that I believe nothing as to the value of ‘Works’ which any Christian must not believe who believes the words of Holy Scripture, He shall reward every man according to his works. [Matthew 16:27 and Revelation 22:12] They are Christ’s works in us, not ours, if they are good, or in whatever degree they are good. There must be such things as “good works,” however little any of us may feel our works to be good. For Holy Scripture speaks of being zealous to maintain good works. [Titus 2:14] But any goodness which any of the best works of the Apostles had, came solely from the grace of Christ ; as St. Paul says, not I, but the grace of God which was with me. [1 Corinthians 15:10] I think, if people thought more of this, they would not be so much afraid of good works. Those who speak so against good works, must think that people think of them as their own. It is by the grace of God that we have the wish to do anything which pleases God. It is by the grace of God enabling us, that we do it, if we do it. It is by the grace of God that any persevere to the end. And in the end, those who are placed at the Right Hand shall be accepted only for the merits of Jesus, and (as St. Augustine says) ‘God will crown His own gifts in us,’ ‘Deus in nobis dona coronat sua.’

Bishop Alexander Penrose Forbes states, “The renovation of the inner man, whereby we who were stained and foul by sin, weakened and diseased, stripped of spiritual goods and half dead, become beautiful in God’s eyes, members of Christ, so closely united to Him, that what is done by and in us is by Him in us done: I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; I merit, yet not I, but Christ meriteth in me; I satisfy, yet not I, but Christ satisfieth in me.” I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

The truth that all of this teaches is that our good works are not distinct from the works of Christ. Our good works are, in fact, a result of our union and conformity to the image of Christ, our union with Christ being the basis of our salvation and our conformity to Christ being the basis of our continued enjoyment of salvation. We are saved initially not for anything we have done ourselves, not according to works. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). But Paul continues in Ephesians, saying, we are saved for good works (Ephesians 2:10).

If this is the end for which we have been saved, then we must strive to do good works. We do this by conforming ourselves to the image of Christ because the incarnation reveals what righteousness looks like in the form of a person. We must conform ourselves to the one who has saved us. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29).

Philippians 3:9-11 states this doctrine well, “And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

One can participate in Christ and yet not bear fruit. This person is condemned. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit…Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. (John 15:2,4-6).

Paul reiterates this: But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree (Romans 11:17-24).

Paul speaks here of those who are grafted into the child of promise and therefore become heirs of the covenant of promise in spite of the Jews partially forsaking the covenant and themselves being cut off. He warns those who are grafted in to not be arrogant. Arrogance is contrary to the one who they are grafted into. Persistent and willful arrogance merits condemnation and being cut off. To Paul, it is a state of the heart repugnant to grace.

To not bear fruit, and worse, to bear bad fruit, merits condemnation. Repentance and continued obedience through observing God’s law within a covenantal context in Christ merits commendation and eternal life. Given that this obedience is in Christ it is grace all the way through. Scripture portrays our good works as a result of grace and our union with Christ. Furthermore, Scripture portrays the good works of those in Christ as being the basis of justification in the final judgment. It is therefore not repugnant to the word of God to say that works are necessary for justification or salvation.

Those who hold to a rigid notion of the ordo salutis will disagree with this. “Justification happens only once and it happens prior to sanctification; therefore, it is done to us with no consideration of our works.” The latter part of this statement must be affirmed with respect to initial justification, but given that Scripture speaks of justification at the beginning and end of the life of a Christian, we cannot affirm that “justification happens only once” but it is something that also occurs individually and manifestly at the end of the age when God’s gifts are realized by sight rather than just by faith.

Obedience flows from initial salvation, which is given to us by union with Christ effected by the Holy Spirit. This post-salvation obedience is the means by which we attain the resurrection from the dead, which is our personal justification. We don’t simply participate in the justification of Christ, we come to own it over the course of our life through obedience. If we act contrary to the grace imparted in initial salvation, such as through arrogance, we will be severed from Christ and condemned on the Day of Judgment. The resurrection of the dead for those outside of Christ will be to their condemnation rather than justification.

All of what is said above comports well with the doctrine of justification as expressed by the Epistle of James. Faith without works is, in fact, dead.

One final thought before I conclude: Given that we are ultimately justified according to our works done in Christ, these works properly belong to us, but they also belong to Christ. These good works are Christ’s works. These good works are a participation in Christ’s good works. Our justification is a participation in Christ’s justification. The justification we have by faith in Christ is a participation in Christ’s justification, and at the end of the age, we participate in Christ’s justification by sight according to the works of Christ being made open and manifest in us through a life of sanctification. It is fitting and proper that we talk of two justifications—initial and final—however it is also fitting to speak of one justification—the justification of Christ.

God is just. God is eternal justice. His essence is a perfect expression of justice and therefore is never under a state of condemnation, not simply because there is no higher power that can condemn him, but also because there is nothing condemnable found in him. In becoming man, God makes his justice visible to the world in the person of Jesus Christ. The incarnate Son of God lives a perfect life as a consequence of his justice, and he imparts this justice to us by becoming one flesh with us by the Spirit. We are made partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). By participating in the divine nature we become partakers of his justice and are therefore enabled to pursue righteousness and participate in this eternal justice—the eternal justification.

There is much more that could be said. I have neither directly nor fully examined the Roman Catholic view on justification and how it contrasts with the Reformed. Others have done that, so it is not presently a concern of mine though it would add much to this discussion. Again, please leave a comment below with your thoughts.