WLC 70

Q70. What is justification?

Justification is an act of God's free grace unto sinners, in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.

Proof texts

• Rom. 3:22,24-25 — [22] the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
• Rom. 4:5 — [5] And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
• 2 Cor. 5:19,21 — [19] that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. [21] For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• Rom. 3:22-25,27-28 — [22] the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. [27] Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. [28] For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
• Titus 3:5,7 — [5] he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, [7] so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
• Eph. 1:7 — [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
• Rom. 4:6-8 — [6] just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: [7] “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; [8] blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
• Rom. 5:17-19 — [17] For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. [18] Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. [19] For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
• Acts 10:43 — [43] To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
• Gal. 2:16 — [16] yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
• Phil. 3:9 — [9] 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 —

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Rom. 3:22,24-25 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 11 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. HC Q59 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. BC 6.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

HC Q59 · BC 6.1 · BC 6.2 · BC 6.3