Simul Justus et Peccator

 Perhaps the formula that Luther used that is most famous and most telling at this point is his formula simul justus et peccator. And if any formula summarizes and captures the essence of the Reformation view, it is this little formula. Simul is the word from which we get the English word simultaneously. Or, it means 'at the same time.' Justus is the Latin word for just or righteous. And you all know what et is. Et the past tense of the verb 'to eat.' Have you et your dinner? No, you know that's not what that means. You remember in the death scene of Caesar after he's been stabbed by Brutus he says, "Et tu, Brute?" Then fall Caesar. And you too Brutus? It simply means and. Peccator means sinner.

And so with this formula, Luther was saying, in our justification we are one and the same time righteous or just, and sinners. Now if he would say that we are at the same time and in the same relationship just and sinners that would be a contradiction in terms. But that's not what he was saying. He was saying from one perspective, in one sense, we are just. In another sense, from a different perspective, we are sinners; and how he defines that is simple. In and of ourselves, under the analysis of God's scrutiny, we still have sin; we're still sinners. But, by imputation and by faith in Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is now transferred to our account, then we are considered just or righteous. This is the very heart of the gospel.

Will I be judged in order to get into heaven by my righteousness or by the righteousness of Christ? If I had to trust in my righteousness to get into heaven, I would completely and utterly despair of any possibility of ever being redeemed. But when we see that the righteousness that is ours by faith is the perfect righteousness of Christ, then we see how glorious is the good news of the gospel. The good news is simply this, I can be reconciled to God, I can be justified by God not on the basis of what I did, but on the basis of what's been accomplished for me by Christ.

But at the heart of the gospel is a double-imputation. My sin is imputed to Jesus. His righteousness is imputed to me. And in this two-fold transaction we see that God, Who does not negotiate sin, Who doesn't compromise His own integrity with our salvation, but rather punishes sin fully and really after it has been imputed to Jesus, retains His own righteousness, and so He is both just and the justifier, as the apostle tells us here. So my sin goes to Jesus, His righteousness comes to me in the sight of God.

Efficient Cause of Our Justification

 What is the efficient cause of our justification?

The whole Trinity. All the persons in the blessed Trinity have a hand in the justification of a sinner: opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. God the Father is said to justify. 'It is God that justifieth.' Rom viii 33. God the Son is said to justify. 'By him all that believe are justified.' Acts xiii 39. God the Holy Ghost is said to justify. 'But ye are justified by the Spirit of our God.' I Cor vi ii. God the Father justifies, as he pronounces us righteous; God the Son justifies, as he imputes his righteousness to us; and God the Holy Ghost justifies, as he clears up our justification, and seals us up to the day of redemption.

-Thomas Watson

Appropriation, or applying Christ to ourselves. A medicine, though it be ever so sovereign, if not applied, will do no good. Though the plaster is made of Christ's own blood, it will not heal, unless applied by faith; the blood of God, without faith in God, will not save. This applying of Christ is called receiving him. John 1:12. The hand receiving gold, enriches. Just so, the hand of faith, receiving Christ's golden merits with salvation, enriches us.

-Thomas Watson

Possession of Faith versus of Profession of Faith

 You are not justified by a profession of

faith. You are justified by a possession

of it. You can't manipulate that. Only the

Holy Spirit can convert. Only the Holy

Spirit can change the disposition of the

soul and regenerate that person who is

dead in sin and trespasses. We can't force

that. And when we do? We put people

at everlasting peril by giving them a false

sense of security! RC Sproul

Another Kovach Post on Justification

 SUMMARY OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

The Scripture doctrine of justification may be briefly summed up in the following particulars.

1. It is God who justifies.

2. Justification is wholly gratuitous, without merit and without any works of our own, as its ground.

3. The merit of Christ, as Mediator, expressed in Scripture by his righteousness, his obedience, his blood, his death, his life, his sacrifice—is the true and only meritorious ground of a sinner's pardon and acceptance.

4. The justification of the ungodly includes the remission of sins, by which often it is expressed in Scripture; but it also includes their acceptance as righteous, for the sake of Christ's perfect righteousness reckoned to their account.

5. Justification is by faith, as the instrument of union to Christ, and the reception of his righteousness.

6. The faith which justifies is always a living, operative, fruitful faith. No one is justified by a faith which is alone, or unattended with good works.

7. Justification and sanctification, though inseparably connected, and equally necessary to salvation, are nevertheless distinct blessings of the new covenant; and the latter is the only certain evidence of the possession of the former.

8. Justification takes place at the moment of believing, and is as perfect at once as it can ever be, and there can be no place for a second justification in the sight of God, and in relation to his law; but there is a manifestation of the genuineness of our faith and sincerity of our profession, both in this world and at the day of judgment, which is also sometimes called justification.

9. No plan of justification which does not make a complete provision for the satisfaction of all the demands of law and justice, is honorable to God or agreeable to Scripture. By this single test may all erroneous theories of justification be tried and condemned.

The importance of the doctrine of a sinner's justification before God, is not exceeded by that of any other in the whole circle of divine truth. Without justification it is evident that no man can be saved. It is then a vital subject. Eternal life is involved in it. For let it be considered, that there is here no middle ground. He who is not in a state of justification must be in a state of condemnation; and if he continues in that state, he must perish forever. One unpardoned sin will sink the soul to hell. What then must be the condition of sinners who are pressed down with the guilt of innumerable transgressions? Justification must never be considered without reference to the believer’s union with Christ. The justified person is found “in Christ” (Phil 3:8-9). Union with Christ is central to the believer’s whole salvation from effectual calling to glorification and justification is one of the crucial elements and must never be isolated from the rest (Rom 8:30). This does not make superfluous the truth concerning the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness not union with Christ is the ground of our justification. Justification is based not only upon the Spirit’s work of regeneration and renewal but more importantly on the person and work of Christ. He is the Suffering Servant of whom Isaiah prophesied. The guilt of God’s people was transferred to him and he paid the price by receiving the punishment due, and the obedient Servant’s righteousness was transferred to them so that they were accounted righteous (Isa 53:5-6,11). This is the wondrous exchange that Luther found so precious: Christ takes our sins and he gives us his righteousness. God is able to pardon the ungodly on the grounds of Christ’s redemptive death. (Rom 3:24-26). He paid the penalty and made full satisfaction for every believer’s sins. God considered their sin as belonging to Jesus, his Son, who was sinless, and on the cross he endured the awful consequences (1Pet 2:24). God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us (2Cor 5:21a). Secondly, he is able to pronounce the ungodly righteous because they are given Christ’s righteousness. This is the righteousness from God which consists of Christ’s obedience to the Father in life and death (2Cor 5:21b; Phil 2:7-8; 3:9). As all humanity were constituted sinners in Adam so in Christ believers are constituted righteous (Rom 5:18-19). The clothing metaphor is often used in Scripture to signify the believer’s standing in the righteousness of Christ (Gen 3:21; Isa 61:10; Matt

Quotes on Justification

 Thomas Watson quotes on justification by faith:

* "God does not justify us because we are worthy, but by justifying us make us worthy."

* "It is absurd to imagine that God should justify a people and not sanctify them, He should justify a people whom He could not glorify."

* "Justification is not an act of making us righteous, but of declaring us righteous."

* "Faith is the hand that receives Christ, and the eye that sees Him."

* "Justification is the work of God, not the work of man."

* "We are justified by faith alone, not by faith plus works."

* "Justification is the foundation of our salvation, and it is the ground of our assurance."

* "Justification is the beginning of our sanctification, and it is the source of our hope."

These quotes highlight the importance of justification by faith in the Christian faith. They emphasize that justification is not something that we earn by our own works, but is something that is given to us by God through faith in Christ. This justification is the foundation of our salvation and the source of our assurance.

Here are some A. W. Pink quotes on justification by faith:

* "Justification is not a process, but an instantaneous act of God whereby He declares the ungodly righteous in His sight, not for anything 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."

* "Justification is not the making of us righteous, but the declaring us righteous. It is not the imparting of a new nature, but the reception of a perfect righteousness into our account."

* "Justification is not a matter of degree, but of absolute perfection. We are either justified or not justified; there is no middle ground."

* "Justification is the ground of our acceptance with God. It is the basis upon which we stand before Him as His children."

* "Justification is the foundation of our hope of eternal life. It is the assurance that we have been forgiven our sins and will one day be with God in heaven."

These quotes emphasize the importance of justification by faith in the Christian life. They teach that justification is an act of God's grace, not something that we can earn or achieve. It is the basis of our acceptance with God and our hope of eternal life.

Some quotes on justification by faith:

* **John Calvin:** "We are justified, not by works, but by faith in Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for our sins, and rose again for our justification."

* **John Owen:** "Justification is God's act of declaring us righteous, not on the basis of our own works, but on the basis of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us by faith."

* **Thomas Watson:** "Justification is not the making of us righteous, but the accounting of us righteous; not the infusion of righteousness into us, but the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to us."

* **William Gurnall:** "We are justified, not by giving anything to God, but by receiving from God what Christ has done for us."

* **Richard Sibbes:** "Justification is the greatest act of God's grace, whereby He makes us righteous in His sight, not for anything in us, but for the sake of Jesus Christ."

These are just a few examples of the many quotes on justification by faith. These quotes emphasize the importance of faith in Christ as the only means of justification before God. They also stress that justification is a gift of God's grace, not something that we can earn by our own works.

Some quotes on justification by faith from John Owen:

* "Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith." (The Doctrine of Justification by Faith)

* "We are justified by faith alone, but not by that faith which can be alone. Alone respects its influence unto our justification, not its nature and existence." (The Doctrine of Justification by Faith)

* "Justification is not only the forgiveness of sins, but also the communication of Christ's righteousness unto us, so that we are reputed righteous in God's sight, as if we had never sinned." (The Doctrine of Justification by Faith)

* "Justification is not a work of man, but a work of God; it is not something that we earn or deserve, but something that is freely given to us by grace through faith." (The Doctrine of Justification by Faith)

* "Justification is the foundation of all Christian life and experience. It is the basis of our assurance of salvation, and it is the source of our strength to live a holy life." (The Doctrine of Justification by Faith)

These quotes highlight the importance of justification by faith in Owen's theology.

Spurgeon quotes on justification by faith in a professional tone:

* "Justification by faith is the grand central artery of the Christian system. It is the mainspring of all our hopes, the foundation of all our joy, and the root of all our comfort."

* "Justification by faith is the most glorious truth that ever shone upon a darkened world. It is the sun of righteousness, which brings light and life to the soul."

* "Justification by faith is not a mere legal fiction, but a real and substantial change in the condition of the sinner. It is a change from guilt to innocence, from condemnation to acquittal, from death to life."

* "Justification by faith is not a work of our own, but a free gift of God's grace. It is not something that we earn, but something that we receive by faith."

* "Justification by faith is the only way to be saved. There is no other way to be reconciled to God and to obtain eternal life."

These quotes highlight the importance of justification by faith in the Christian faith. Spurgeon emphasizes that justification is not a work of our own, but a free gift of God's grace. It is the only way to be saved and to obtain eternal life.

Concise Meaning of Justification

Justification is not something that occurs in man, nor is it a process. It refers to the legal, judicial and forensic declaration of God. “It is to declare forensically that the demands of the law as a condition of life are fully satisfied with regard to a person, Acts 13:39; Rom. 5:1, 9; 8:30-33; I Cor. 6:11; Gal. 2:16; 3:11.”2 The ground of justification is Christ’s sacrificial death and perfect obedience to the law (i.e., “the righteousness of God,” Rom. 3:21).

When a man by faith lays hold of Jesus Christ and His merits, God imputes that person’s guilt for sins past, present and future upon Christ on the cross. God also imputes Christ’s perfect righteousness to that sinner. The Father then declares that man righteous or just in the heavenly court. Because Christ has removed the guilt of that man’s sins past, present, and future legally before God, it is as though that man never committed sin. He is white as snow (Isa. 1:18). His record is perfect. Judicially, he is just as righteous and perfect as Jesus Christ. Since Christ’s perfect obedience is imputed to him, he has eternal life because Christ merited it for him."

Here is the explanation of our justification by faith alone: faith is the instrument which receives Jesus Christ and, consequently, which receives His righteousness, that is to say, all perfection. When therefore, after St. Paul (Rom 1: 17 ; 3:21-27 ; 4:3 ; 5:1 ; 9:30-33 ; 11:6 ; Gal 2:16-21 ; 3:9 ,10 ,18 ; Phil 3:9 ; 2 Tim 1:9 ; Titus 3:5 ; Heb. 11:7 we say that we are justified by faith alone, or freely, or by faith without works (for all these ways of speaking give the same sense), we do not say that faith is a virtue which makes us righteous, in ourselves, before God. For this would be to put faith in the place of Jesus Christ who is, alone, our perfect and entire righteousness.

But we speak thus with the Apostle, and we say that by faith alone we are justified, insomuch as it embraces Him who justifies us, Jesus Christ, to whom it unites and joins us. We are then made partakers of Him and the benefits which He possesses. These, being imputed and gifted to us, are more than sufficient to make us acquitted and accounted righteous before God.

Theodore Beza (1519-1605) FAITH---------------------------------------------------------------

FAITH...the "Hand that Receives"...

...Faith is essential as it alone unites a sinner to Christ, but faith is not conditional in any meritorious sense.. is it proper to regard faith as the "hand" that receives Christ? Isn't the natural man being attributed some ability by this metaphor? since faith is always both God's gift (Ephesians 2:8) and God's work ("This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath seen" [John 6:29]), how can faith be designated as a "hand"?

The natural man indeed has no ability to reach out to accept the salvation of God in Christ. The natural man is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). He will never "accept Christ" of his own free will (Matthew 23:37; John 5:40). Scripture teaches that a sinner does not first move toward God, but God first moves toward a sinner to unite him with Christ by faith, for a sinner would never of his own will or desire turn to Christ in faith (Romans 9:16). Even when tormented with the terrors of divine judgment, the natural man cannot be persuaded to flee to God by saving faith for salvation ((Proverbs 1:24-27).

But in regeneration the Holy Spirit grants the gift of a living, empty hand that can turn nowhere else than to Jesus. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13; cf. Psalm 110:3).

Faith is not called a hand because it works or merits justification in any way, but because it receives, embraces, appropriates Christ upon divine imputation. Faith is not a creative hand, but a receptive hand. As Abraham Booth notes, "Hence,in justification we read of the precious faith in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1) and of 'faith in His blood' (Romans 3:25), and believers are described as 'receiving the atonement' and receiving 'the gift of righteousness' (Romans 5:11, 17)...