FOREWORD
The doctrine of justification by faith, in which faith produces good works as its fruit, is built on Paul’s radical reinterpretation of the Law. Yet when we examine the Torah, a striking contrast emerges. The Law repeatedly promises blessings for obedience (Deuteronomy 28; Leviticus 26) and frames God’s commands as achievable. By setting standards for human behavior, God calls people to follow them faithfully, implicitly assuming that obedience is possible in principle.
Paul, however, dismisses this possibility entirely. He argues that no one can achieve perfect obedience because of inherent human sinfulness (Romans 3:20; 7:18–19). From his perspective, if obedience were possible, it would justify; since it is not, only faith in Christ can secure salvation. This interpretation seems to contradict the Torah itself. The Law, when understood in its proper context, was not intended to be an impossible burden; it was normative, guiding, and promising real blessings for faithful adherence. Even the ceremonial aspects were regarded as a joy rather than a weighty obligation (Deuteronomy 30:10–14; Psalm 119).
Paul’s teaching misrepresents the Torah’s purpose. By asserting that salvation cannot come through works of the Law, he transforms a system designed to cultivate moral growth and covenantal fidelity into proof of human incapacity and dependence on grace alone. This raises serious historical and theological questions: it is impossible to imagine that Jesus himself, a faithful Jew who upheld the Law, would endorse the notion. His own Jewish followers, assuming he lived, would have opposed Paul severely.
THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION
Definition
Justification, in Christian theology, is the act by which God declares a sinner to be righteous. It is a legal or relational declaration: the sinner is acquitted, considered not guilty, and placed in right standing with God. While related to forgiveness, justification is not identical to it. Forgiveness removes the penalty of sin; justification goes further by declaring the forgiven sinner righteous in God’s sight, thus qualifying them for eternal life.
Forgiveness vs. Justification
Forgiveness can be understood as God choosing to treat a sinner as if they are not guilty. Justification is the formal declaration that, in God’s eyes, the sinner is righteous. Some theologians describe forgiveness and justification as two complementary aspects of salvation: forgiveness addresses the guilt of sin, while justification addresses the sinner’s standing before God. One cannot be justified without first being forgiven, for declaring someone righteous without forgiving them would imply condoning sin rather than addressing it.
Disagreements in Christian Theology
Christians differ on the nature of justification and its effect on the sinner: whether it is imputed (credited by God but not intrinsic to the person) or infused (making the person truly righteous).
Imputed righteousness: Some Protestant traditions describe justification as the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believer. In this view, God declares the sinner righteous because of Christ’s obedience and sacrifice, though the sinner’s moral nature has not yet changed. This is sometimes called a “forensic” or legal declaration. Critics argue that this resembles a legal fiction, but proponents note that justification is properly a legal term; it concerns the sinner’s standing before God, not their inherent moral state.
Infused righteousness: Catholic theology generally teaches that justification involves both the forgiveness of sin and the actual transformation of the believer, making them truly righteous. According to this view, God’s declaration corresponds to a real change in the believer’s moral character, though the person remains dependent on God’s grace to continue growing in holiness.
The Role of Christ’s Sacrifice
The imputation of Christ’s merits implies that salvation is made possible through atonement: Christ bore the consequences of sin on behalf of believers. This is distinct from the idea that God must punish someone else in place of the sinner. Forgiveness itself does not require substitutionary punishment, though the imputed view of justification emphasizes Christ’s obedience and sacrificial role.
Justification and Works
A common question arises: if humans are sinful, how can the justified perform good works? Scripture affirms that believers can do works that are good, even if their nature remains imperfect. Theological interpretations differ:
Some, following Luther, hold that the works of the saved remain tainted by sin, though they may produce beneficial outcomes in the world.
Others emphasize that God credits the works of believers as good, applying Christ’s merit to their actions. Thus, “good works” may be considered good from God’s perspective, even if humanly imperfect.
Faith and Justification
Paul consistently teaches that justification is by faith. Importantly, he does not suggest that the justified person becomes morally perfect at the moment of justification. Instead, justification refers to the person’s status before God—acquitted, forgiven, and declared righteous—rather than their immediate moral state. Paul emphasizes that justification leaves no room for boasting, as it is entirely a gift of God’s grace.
Summary
Forgiveness: God ceases holding sins against the sinner; the sinner is no longer guilty.
Justification: God declares the sinner righteous and in right standing before Him. For Catholics, this may involve actual transformation and cooperation with grace through good works. For many Protestants, it primarily involves the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.
Good works: While humanly imperfect, these are either credited by God as good or aligned with His purposes.
Relationship of the two views: Imputed and infused righteousness are not mutually exclusive. One can affirm that God declares a sinner righteous while also providing the grace and means for moral transformation.
Ultimately, justification is a declaration of righteousness in God’s sight that may or may not coincide with immediate moral perfection, but it always brings the sinner into right standing with God and provides the foundation for a life of faith and obedience.
APPENDIX The Implications of The Great Acquittal on Justification
In The Great Acquittal, the author emphasizes that “Justification is no legal fiction, but God’s righteous declaration that the believer is within the covenant” (p. 31). This statement carries significant theological weight, particularly in the ongoing conversation between Protestant and Catholic understandings of justification. By framing justification as a declaration that is not a legal fiction, the book challenges interpretations that treat righteousness as merely imputed or credited without any grounding in reality.
The phrase “no legal fiction” suggests that justification, while a legal or judicial declaration, corresponds to a true relational reality: the believer is genuinely part of God’s covenant community. This contrasts with the idea of forensic imputation, where Christ’s righteousness is credited to the believer without implying immediate moral transformation. By rejecting the legal fiction model, The Great Acquittal implies that God’s declaration is faithful to the facts—it affirms a realignment between the believer and the covenant promises, rather than a mere formal or pretend status.
The theological implications are profound. First, it underscores the seriousness of God’s covenant: justification is not simply a technicality or symbolic accounting; it is a divine act that establishes a genuine relational and moral standing before God. Second, it reframes the Protestant concern with imputed righteousness. Even if a believer does not yet embody perfect holiness, God’s declaration situates them within the covenant in a way that anticipates and enables true moral transformation. The declaration is both legally valid and morally coherent—it affirms the believer’s new status while respecting the reality of their ongoing sanctification.
Finally, the statement from The Great Acquittal encourages a careful distinction between appearance and reality in theology. Justification is not God pretending a sinner is righteous; it is God recognizing the covenantal reality that has been inaugurated in Christ and applied to the believer. In this sense, the book bridges a subtle gap between legal and moral perspectives on justification: it affirms that God’s declaration is legally binding, relationally meaningful, and ultimately transformative.
Reid, Gavin, ed. The Great Acquittal: Justification by Faith and Current Christian Thought. London: Collins (Fount Paperback), 1980. ISBN 9780006261117