Chapter 11: Of Justification
1. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth,
not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins,
and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for
anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone;
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, which
faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.
(
Romans 3:24;
Romans 8:30;
Romans 4:5-8;
Ephesians 1:7;
1 Corinthians 1:30, 31;
Romans 5:17-19;
Philippians 3:8, 9;
Ephesians 2:8-10;
John 1:12;
Romans 5:17
)
2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness,
is the alone instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the
person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces,
and is no dead faith, but worketh by love.
(
Romans 3:28;
Galatians 5:6;
James 2:17, 22, 26
)
3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt
of all those that are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself
in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due
unto them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice
in their behalf; yet, inasmuch 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, 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.
(
Hebrews 10:14;
1 Peter 1:18, 19;
Isaiah 53:5, 6;
Romans 8:32;
2 Corinthians 5:21;
Romans 3:26;
Ephesians 1:6,7;
Ephesians 2:7
)
4. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and
Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for
their justification; nevertheless, they are not justified personally,
until the Holy Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.
(
Galatians 3:8;
1 Peter 1:2;
1 Timothy 2:6;
Romans 4:25;
Colossians 1:21,22;
Titus 3:4-7
)
5. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are
justified, and although they can never fall from the state of
justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's
fatherly displeasure; and in that condition they have not usually
the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble
themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and
repentance.
(
Matthew 6:12;
1 John 1:7, 9;
John 10:28;
Psalms 89:31-33;
Psalms 32:5;
Psalms 51;
Matthew 26:75
)
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.
(
Galatians 3:9;
Romans 4:22-24
)
Back to the 2nd London Baptist Confession of Faith
