Of Justification

Chapter 11 confesses the great Reformation doctrine: those whom God effectually calls he also freely justifies — not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins and accounting and accepting their persons as righteous, not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone.

Justification is by faith alone in Christ alone. Faith is the only instrument of justification, but the faith that justifies is never alone — it is always accompanied by every other saving grace, and is no dead faith but works by love.

This is the doctrine on which the church stands or falls. Without justification by faith alone, the gospel collapses into self-salvation. With it, the sinner has firm ground beneath his feet — the righteousness of Christ, imputed and unbreakable.

Read the Chapter

For the full text of this chapter with scripture proofs, see the1689confession.com or Founders Ministries.