An Apologetical Explanation of

Justification

What is justification?

It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.  (Rom 2:13)

We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by men and hating one another; but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.  (Ti 3:3-7)

Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith.  (Rom 3:21-25)

Justification means the forgiveness of our sins, sanctification, and interior renewal through faith and the state of being on the path to eternal life—in other words, being in the state of grace.

Under the Old Law the People of God remained in God’s favor as long as they kept the Law of Moses.  Under the New Law of Love instituted by Christ, the Commandments are enriched and perfected; they are now understood not as the sole benchmark of righteousness but as the indispensable expression and response of true faith.  Christ is the “end” of the Law; we are made righteous, or justified, by faith in Christ, who gives us grace through the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom 3:22).  (Cf. CCC 1953, 1987-1989)

Justification cleanses us from sin and puts us in right order with God, i.e., in the state of grace.  We are reconciled and no longer slaves to sin.  We are justified first of all in Baptism (cf. Rom 6:3-4) and remain justified as long as we freely cooperate with God’s grace.  We do this by keeping the moral law and the laws of the Church.  It requires continual interior conversion.  Justification is lost by mortal sin but can be restored through the Sacrament of Penance.  (Cf. CCC 1990-2016)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraphs 1987 and 2020.

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