Chapter 11

 

OF JUSTIFICATION

 

Paragraph 1. Those whom God effectually calls, he also freely justifies,1 not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous;2 not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone;3 not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ’s active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith,4 which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.5
1 Romans 3:24;  Romans 8:30
2 Romans 4:5-8; Ephesians 1:7
3 1 Corinthians 1:30,31; Romans 5:17-19
4 Philippians 3:8,9; Ephesians 2:8-10
5 John 1:12; Romans 5:17

 

Paragraph 2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;6 yet is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love.7
6 Romans 3:28
7 Galatians 5:6; James 2:17,26

 

Paragraph 3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those who are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due to them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice in their behalf;8 yet, in as much as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them,9 their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.10
8 Hebrews 10:14;   1 Peter 1:18,19; Isaiah 53:5,6
9 Romans 8:32;  2 Corinthians 5:21
10 Romans 3:26; Ephesians 1:6-7; Ephesians 2:7

 

Paragraph 4. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect,11 and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;12 nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit in time does actually apply Christ to them.13
11 Galatians 3:8;  1 Peter 1:2;  1 Timothy 2:6
12 Romans 4:25
13 Colossians 1:21,22; Titus 3:4-7

 

Paragraph 5. God continues to forgive the sins of those that are justified,14 and although they can never fall from the state of justification,15 yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure;16 and in that condition they usually do not have the light of his countenance restored to them, until  they humble themselves, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.17
14 Matthew 6:12;  1 John 1:7,9
15 John 10:28
16 Psalm 89:31-33
17 Psalm 32:5; Ps. 51; Matthew 26:75

 

Paragraph 6. 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.18
18 Galatians 3:9; Romans 4:22-24

 

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Romans 3:24
24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Romans 8:30
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 4:5-8
5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Ephesians 1:7
7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
1 Corinthians 1:30,31
30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Romans 5:17-19
17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Philippians 3:8,9
8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9And 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:
Ephesians 2:8-10
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
John 1:12
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Romans 5:17
17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Romans 3:28
28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Galatians 5:6
6For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
James 2:17,26
17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Hebrews 10:14
14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
1 Peter 1:18,19
18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Isaiah 53:5,6
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Romans 8:32
32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
2 Corinthians 5:21
21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Romans 3:26
26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Ephesians 1:6-7
6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Ephesians 2:7
7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:8
8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
1 Peter 1:2
2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
1 Timothy 2:6
6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Romans 4:25
25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Colossians 1:21,22
21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Titus 3:4-7
4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5Not 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;
6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Matthew 6:12
12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
1 John 1:7,9
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John 10:28
28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Psalm 89:31-33
31If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
32Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
33Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
Psalm 32:5
5I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Matthew 26:75
75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Galatians 3:9
9So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Romans 4:22-24
22And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

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