The term “justification” is a term that is discussed often
in ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Protestants. The basic question asked is “how is sinful
man and woman justified?” In other words, how can a sinful person
become righteous before God? All
orthodox Christians believe that nothing unholy can enter the presence of
God. Man, wounded by original sin, in and of
himself, is not holy. Therefore, he, in
his natural state alone, is not righteous, not worthy to be in the presence of
God.
Catholics and Protestants both believe that the redemptive
death of Jesus Christ on the cross paid the price for our sins, and makes it
possible for man to receive the justification he needs, to become righteous,
and to be worthy to enter the presence of God.
It is through this death that justification is merited. We read in the Catechism (p.1992) Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ
who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God,
and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Most Protestants would agree with
that statement.
Protestants would also agree with Catholics that justification
frees us from the power of sin. We read
in paragraph 1990: Justification detaches man from sin which
contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification
follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles
man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals. Most Protestants would have no problem with
that statement, either.
There are some, however, important difference between the
Catholic and Protestant understanding of justification.
1)
Protestants tend to explain
justification as God declaring us righteous.
We are righteous because we accept the forgiveness of Christ. Catholics go beyond that, and say God makes us truly righteous, not just righteous because he says so. We become righteous on the inside. We are not just
“bathed” in the blood of Christ. We are
not just clean “on the outside”. No, we
are made clean and justified on the inside, too. We read in the Catechism (p. 1989) a quote
from the Council of Trent: "Justification
is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal
of the interior man.”
2)
Protestants tend to focus justification
on the saving action of Jesus Christ.
Catholics agree that without that act, salvation and justification would
be impossible. However, Catholics state
that justification goes beyond just receiving the forgiveness of Christ from
the Cross. We must do that, but also,
the Holy Spirit has to come into us. The
normal way for the Holy Spirit to make his entrance into the soul is through
Baptism. In its discussion on
justification, the Catechism several times notes how Baptism is just as crucial
to justification as is faith in Jesus.
Paragraph 1987 reads: The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power
to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us
"the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and
through Baptism. In paragraph
1992 we read: Justification is conferred
in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of
God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Baptism is necessary for justification, not
just receiving Christ as Lord and Savior. Justification is merited on the Cross, but not granted there. It is granted at Baptism.
3)
Protestants tend to believe that we
receive God’s own righteousness when we are justified. Catholics do not agree with this. They believe as the Catechism says that when
we are justified we accept the righteousness of God. Paragraph 1991 states: Justification is at the same
time the acceptance of God's
righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the Catechism, nor in the Bible
for that matter, does it say that we receive
the righteousness of God. We become
righteous, yes, in justification, but in our own way, not the same way God is
righteous.
4)
Protestants believe that justification
is a one-time thing, that we are justified forever when we accept the forgiveness of
Christ and that eternal justification never changes or develops. We are no more justified, they
say, when we enter heaven than we are when we first accept Jesus as Lord and
Savior. Catholics believe, however, in
progressive justification, that we become more justified the more holy we
become. For Catholics, conversion and
sanctification is a lifelong thing. In paragraph 1995 we read: (Justification)
entails the sanctification of
(man’s) whole being.
Since sanctification (becoming holy) is a lifelong process. so, therefore, is
justification.
5)
Finally, Protestants believe that
justification can never be lost once it has been received. Once a person receives Jesus as Lord and
Savior, he is justified forever.
Catholics, on the other hand, believe that justification can be lost by
mortal sin, but also that it can be reattained through the grace of receiving
the Sacrament of Penance. If you recall
in the last post on grace, we spoke of the possibility of sanctifying grace
being lost through mortal sin, but then reattained through the Sacrament of
Penance. When we are not in a state of
sanctifying grace, we are not justified.
If we die and are not in a state of grace, we go to hell. If
you recall earlier, we said that Catholics and Protestants agree that justification
detaches us from sin, and frees us from enslavement to sin. However, justification does not remove sin from our
experience. We still have to fight it,
and once in a while, we may lose a battle, but with the grace of Christ through
the Sacraments, we can ultimately win the war.
So, are you justified? To
answer that question, you need to ask yourself a few more questions:
1)
Have I been baptized? If so, you at least were justified, and could
very well still be. Baptism is the only
normal means of justification. If you
have not been baptized, you are not justified.
Please seek Baptism ASAP.
2)
Have I committed serious sins since Baptism? If so, please get to Confession ASAP. If you have committed serious sin that has
not been repented of, you are not justified.
(I would recommend rereading my posts in Baptism and Penance
in the recent series on the seven Sacraments to see why they are important, and
tips for celebrating them worthily.)
Even after answering these questions, and doing what we need
to resolve them, while we can have great assurance that we are justified, we cannot
ever be 100% rock certain that we are (This may be
one more area where Catholics and Protestants disagree.) Only when we see God face to face, and
everything becomes visible, will we know for sure one way or the other. But, if we have done everything we can: if we
have been Baptized, if we have done what we need to get in a state of
sanctifying grace, then we can indeed be at peace, and have assurance of our
justification, and therefore, our salvation.
We do not become righteous on our own efforts alone. The Catechism (p.1993) states: Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's
freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the
Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the cooperation of charity
with the prompting of the Holy Spirit who precedes and preserves his assent. Justification necessitates cooperation with
the Holy Spirit. God and us work together for our justification. In response to his love, we in turn do acts
of love that increase our sanctification, and therefore, increase our justification. This is what becoming justified is all about. In the end, being justified is not some dry legal
concept. It is about becoming new men
and new women on the inside, filled
with the Holy Spirit, and as a result, living a life of holiness.
Are you justified?
Let’s do what we can to be able to say, “By the grace of
God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I believe I am.”
Joseph most just, pray for us.
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