The Doctrinal
Heading for this section of questions (Q32-33) is The Benefits of Redemption:
Justification. (see Harmony
Index)
The preceding catechism study
dealt with the several benefits flowing from our effectual call in Christ.
Those benefits are justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several
other benefits which accompany our life in Christ. This study begins an
examination of each of these blessings, beginning with justification.
Again, we pray that the Lord would strengthen our understanding
and faith in the things of Christ. May the grace of our God guide all our
thoughts, words, and actions.
***********
WSC Q33. What is justification?
A. Justification is an act of God’s free grace[a], wherein he
pardoneth all our sins[b], and accepteth us as righteous in his sight[c], only
for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us[d], and received by faith
alone[e].
[a] Rom. 3:24
[b] Rom. 4:6-8; II Cor. 5:19
[c] II Cor. 5:21
[d] Rom. 4:6, 11; 5:19
[e] Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9
Question 33 asks what
justification is and answers that justification is the act of God’s free grace
by which he pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in his sight,
doing so only because he counts the righteousness of Christ as ours, received
by faith alone.
Comments and
considerations:
The doctrine of justification
is central to the gospel message.
The great question that this
doctrine answers is this: How can a guilty sinner be righteous before God? How
can one who has sinned against God’s perfect law, thus becoming guilty, and
subject to condemnation, be freed from this guilt and condemnation? What we
need to think of, if we are to understand justification, is a guilty person
standing before a just judge. “If there be controversy between men,” says
Moses, “and they come into judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they
shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked” (Deut. 25:1). It can
easily be seen, from this text, that when a judge justifies a man, he simply
declares that man to be righteous. Likewise, when a judge condemns a man, he
simply declares that he is wicked. This is very important. Justification is a
declaration. It is God’s judgment pronounced. It is His testimony that a
particular person is not guilty in His sight, and therefore under no
condemnation. But since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
(Rom. 3:23), the great difficulty is this: How can God declare a sinner to be
righteous?
The answer to this is that
God himself makes sinners righteous.
G.I Williamson, The Shorter Catechism for Study Classes Vol.
1, p. 130-131
He makes sinners righteous by
pardoning all their sins, and accepting them as righteous in his sight, only
for the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, an act of free grace received
by faith alone. It is essential that we understand what G.I. Williamson so
clearly states: “Justification is a declaration.”
Justification means to
absolve, to vindicate, or to set right. It is a judicial act of God based upon
Christ’s completed work. It is his divine declaration of “not guilty” expressed
toward sinners. It is the very opposite of condemnation. While justification
does not ignore God’s righteous requirements, it nevertheless declares that
these requirements are fully met in Christ and his work of redemption. A sinner
is declared righteous, based upon the righteousness of Christ imputed or
applied to him. (The business of making people
righteous takes place in a second great work of redemption, that of
sanctification. This second work speaks of the drastic change in character
accompanying those who have been justified.) In justification, Christ’s
righteousness is reckoned to that sinner’s account, and he is now “accepted in
the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6), clothed in righteousness not his own. As Paul says,
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom.
8:1).
I recall a trick question
used by a beloved pastor when discussing this topic. He would ask, “How many
imputations are there?” The response would invariably be two—our sins to
Christ, and Christ’s righteousness to us. The pastor would respond, “No, there
are three, beginning with Adam’s sin imputed to his posterity (I Cor. 15:22).
Next come the imputation of our sin and guilt to the Lord Jesus Christ (II Cor.
5:21a), and the imputation of his righteousness to his people (II Cor. 5:21b).”
The double imputation of justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein
he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the
righteousness of Christ. What an excellent definition of justification the
catechism provides for us!
“Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s
behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,
that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2Cor. 5:20-21).
Training Hearts and
Teaching Minds Questions:
1.
God is holy and just, righteous in his attributes and being. No
one can appear before God without perfect righteousness. What does Rom. 3:22-24
say about how God’s righteousness may be acquired? Can we earn it for
ourselves? On what basis is it received?
2.
Justification has two important parts. Looking at Ps. 32:1-2 and
Rom. 4:3-5, what are they? (1)
3.
How can a sinful person be made righteous in God’s sight? See I
Cor. 5:21.
4.
Is there anything that we need to do, or can do, to be justified
before God? See Rom. 3:27-28.
5.
Read Zech. 3:1-5. What does this vision describe? How does it
illustrate the topic of justification?
(1) Pardoning of sin
(forgiveness), and being made (or accounted) righteous.
Harmony
of the Standards: WSC Q# 33, WLC #70 - 71, & WCF
XI.I-VI.
WSC Q33. What
is justification?
A. Justification
is an act of God’s free grace[a], wherein he pardoneth all our sins[b], and
accepteth us as righteous in his sight[c], only for the righteousness of Christ
imputed to us[d], and received by faith alone[e].
[a] Rom. 3:24
[b] Rom. 4:6-8; II Cor. 5:19
[c] II Cor. 5:21
[d] Rom. 4:6, 11; 5:19
[e] Gal.
2:16; Phil. 3:9
WLC Q70. What is
justification?
A. Justification is an act of God's free grace
unto sinners[a], in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth
their persons righteous in his sight[b]; not for any thing wrought in them, or
done by them[c], but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of
Christ, by God imputed to them[d], and received by faith alone[e].
[a]
Rom. 3:22, 24-25; 4:5
[b]
2Cor. 5:19, 21; Rom.
3:22, 24-25, 27-28
[c]
Titus. 3:5, 7; Eph. 1:7
[d]
Rom. 5:17-19; 4:6-8
[e]
Acts 10:43; Gal. 2:16;
Phil. 3:9
WLC Q71 How is
justification an act of God's free grace?
A. Although Christ, by his obedience and death,
did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in the behalf
of them that are justified[a]; yet in as much as God accepteth the satisfaction
from a surety, which he might have demanded of them, and did provide this
surety, his own only Son[b], imputing his righteousness to them[c], and
requiring nothing of them for their justification but faith[d], which also is
his gift[e], their justification is to them of free grace[f].
[a]
Rom. 5:8-10, 19
[b]
1Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 10:10;
Mat. 20:28; Dan. 9:24, 26; Isa. 53:4-6, 10-12; Heb. 7:22 Rom. 8:32; 1Pet.
1:18-19
[c]
2Cor. 5:21
[d]
Rom. 3:24-25
[e]
Eph. 2:8
[f] Eph. 1:17
THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION
OF FAITH
CHAPTER.
XI.
Of
Justification.
I. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also
freely justifieth;[a] not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning
their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for
anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor by
imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience
to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction
of Christ unto them,[b] they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness
by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.[c]
[a] Rom. 8:30; Rom. 3:24; Rom. 5:15-16
[b] Rom. 4:5-8; II Cor. 5:19, 21; Rom. 3:22-28;
Titus 3:5, 7; Eph. 1:7; Jer. 23:6; I Cor. 1:30-31; Rom. 5:17-19
[c]. John 1:12; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:38-39; Phil. 3:9; Eph. 2:7-8; John
6:44-45, 65; Phil. 1:29
II. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ
and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification:[d] yet is it
not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other
saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.[e]
[d] John 3:18, 36; Rom. 3:28; Rom. 5:1
[e] James 2:17, 22, 26; Gal.
5:6
III. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully
discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper,
real, and full satisfaction to his Father's justice in their behalf.[f] Yet, in as much as he was given by the Father
for them;[g] and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead;[h] and
both, freely, not for anything in them; their justification is only of free
grace;[i] that both the exact justice, and rich grace of God might be glorified
in the justification of sinners.[k]
[f] Mark 10:45; Rom. 5:8-10, 18-19; Gal. 3:13; I
Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 1:3; Heb. 10:10, 14; Dan. 9:24, 26; see Isa. 52:13-53:12
[g] Rom. 8:32; John 3:16
[h] II Cor. 5:21; Eph. 5:2; Phil. 2:6-9; Isa.
53:10-11
[i] Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7
[k] Rom. 3:26; Eph. 2:7; Zech. 9:9; Isa. 45:21
IV. God did, from all eternity, decree to justify
all the elect,[l] and Christ did, in the fulness of time, die for their sins,
and rise again for their justification:[m] nevertheless, they are not
justified, until the Holy Spirit doth, in due time, actually apply Christ unto
them.[n]
[l] Rom. 8:29-30; Gal. 3:8; I Pet. 1:2, 19-20
[m] Gal.
4:4; I Tim. 2:6; Rom. 4:25
[n] Eph. 2:3; Titus 3:3-7; Gal. 2:16; cf. Col 1:21-22
V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those
that are justified;[o] and, although they can never fall from the state of
justification,[p] yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly
displeasure, and not have the light of his countenance restored unto them,
until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their
faith and repentance.[q]
[o] Matt. 6:12; I John 1:7, 9; I John 2:1-2
[p] Rom. 5:1-5; Rom. 8:30-39; Heb. 10:14; cf. Luke
22:32; John 10:28
[q] Ps. 89:30-33; Ps. 51; Ps. 32:5; Matt. 26:75; Luke 1:20; I Cor.
11:30, 32
VI. The justification of believers under the old
testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification
of believers under the new testament.[r]
[r] Gal. 3:9, 13-14; Rom. 4:6-8, 22-24; Rom.
10:6-13; Heb. 13:8
Questions for further study:
Note
how the Short Catechism’s answer is in the first person and the Larger is in
the third person in the answering what is
justification. Is it possible to read
into our father’s thoughts in might they might have wanted to convey in this
arrangement? Consider XI.II - Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ
and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification:[d] yet is it
not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other
saving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
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