The Importance of Justification by Faith Alone

Guy Waters writes,

“Justification is as simple as A-B-C-D. Justification is an act of God. It does not describe the way that God inwardly renews and changes a person. It is, rather, a legal declaration in which God pardons the sinner of all his sins and accepts and accounts the sinner as righteous in His sight. God declares the sinner righteous at the very moment that the sinner puts his trust in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:21-26, 5:16; 2 Cor. 5:21).”

Philippians 3:9 states:

“and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”

Sola Fide (Faith Alone) describes the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone. The word “alone” does not mean there are no other forces at work in the New Birth. Certainly, the work of the Holy Spirit is present in grace (Sola Gratia), the preaching of the Word (Sola Scriptura), and the Substitutionary Atonement (Solus Christus). “Alone” means that faith does not need to be accompanied by any work of man.

In Philippians 3 the Apostle Paul makes a powerful point about justification by faith. It is important to note that justification and righteousness are inseparable. When a sinner is converted he is declared just before God. Another way of saying it is that the converted sinner is now righteous. Declared just or declared righteous are interchangeable. The new believer has a righteousness that is not obtained by any work of merit (i.e. keeping the Law) but is obtained through faith in Christ.

Even within the church, there are those who attack justification by faith alone. Without justification by faith alone we are forced into a works-based religion that cannot save, it can only condemn. In short – we are under the weight of bondage contained in the Law.

 

This is kind of what I was getting at when I wrote, "The word “alone” does not mean there are no other forces at work in the New Birth." Being Reformed in my soteriology, I believe regeneration precedes faith in the Ordo Salutis. Again, that does not mean other forces are not at work, even simultaneously.