The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q33. What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins,[1] and
accepteth us as righteous in His
sight,[2] only for the righteousness of Christ
imputed to us,[3] and received by faith alone.[4]
[1]
Romans 3:24–25; 4:6–8; [2] 2
Corinthians 5:19, 21; [3] Romans
5:17–19;
[4] Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9.
Justification refers to the pronouncing of a person as legally righteous and therefore not liable for condemnation.
We mentioned in our treatment of WSC
29 that there is a sense in which the justification of the elect occurred in
eternity,—with the decree of redemption and in history,—when Christ completed
His work of substitutionary atonement; and there is a sense in which it occurs
in time, in the life of the elect. The
first part of justification is objective, whereas the second part is subjective
and occurs in the conscience of the elect sinner. It is this second,
subjective, aspect of justification that is given emphasis in our catechism
because the elect are deemed “not justified, until the Holy Spirit doth in due
time actually apply Christ unto them” (WCF
11.4; cf. Col 1:21–22; Gal 2:16).
Several points may be highlighted from the answer. First, it must be noted that
it is an act of God’s free grace: “Being justified freely by His grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24). This means that we are
justified not by our own works or righteousness, “otherwise grace is no more grace”
(Rom 11:6).
Thus, secondly, when the Scripture speaks of the elect being “justified by
faith” (Rom 3:28; 5:1), it does not mean that faith is the meritorious cause of justification. Rather, as the catechism
states, Justification is “received by faith alone,” or in other words, faith is the instrumental cause of justification.
Thirdly, we note that it is received by faith alone. This refutes the Romish doctrine that we are justified by
faith and works together. When James says that “by works a man is justified,
and not by faith only” (Jas 2:24), he is not speaking of “justified” in the
technical sense of the word, but in the sense of “proved to be true” (cf. Lk
7:35). James is saying that good works proves that a Christian is for real.
Which also means that a justified person will also receive sanctification in
which righteousness is formed within us. Justification not accompanied by
sanctification cannot be true.
Fourthly, we note that justification comprises two parts: pardon and
acceptance. The pardoning of our sins was accomplished by Christ’s propitiatory
atonement, i.e., His taking the punishment due us on Himself (2 Cor 5:21; Col
2:14). This is sometimes known as Christ’s passive obedience. Our being
accepted as righteous is not only because our sins have been atoned for, but
also because the righteousness of Christ—in His perfect keeping of the Law
throughout His earthly ministry—is imputed to us, He being our covenantal
representative (Rom 5:17–19). We may say that Christ is the meritorious cause or ground of
justification; and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness by grace is the formal cause of justification.