By Jesus all that believe are justified
[Acts xiii. 38]
Causes of Justification
G.F. MacLear wrote that there are five causes for our justification: the moving cause, meritorious cause, efficient cause, instrumental cause, and receptive cause.
The moving cause of our Justification is God's love and mercy - free and unmerited. John wrote, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" [Jn iii. 16]
The meritorious cause for our justification is Christ, based on his perfect obedience and his perfect sacrifice. Paul wrote of "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" [Rom iii. 24] and said, Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses [Acts xiii. 38-39]. Peter wrote, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" [1 Pe iii. 18]. Finally John wrote, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." [1 Jn iv. 10] Man is not able, of himself, to do anything to merit his justification, for Paul says: "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin". [Rom iii. 20], and It is God that justifieth. [Rom viii. 33]
The efficient cause is the Holy Spirit through grace working in us. Paul wrote, "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." [Php ii. 13]
The instrumental cause is baptism in the Holy Spirit, signified by water baptism into the Church Militant. Paul wrote, "but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." [1Cor vi. 11]. Along with justification, comes sanctification, wherein we grow and mature in Christ, mortifying the desires of the flesh and walking in the spirit. Our sanctification is strengthened through the grace of God, in the hearing and doing God's will, by the efficiency of the truth of the Word heard and acted upon, and through our abiding in Christ signified through our Communion. Jesus said, " He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." [Jn vi. 56]
The receptive cause is faith. Paul wrote, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." [Rom iv. 3], and, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. [Rom iii. 28]
Some ancient teachings of the Church fathers which touch on justification:
We, having been called through his will, are not justified through our own wisdom or understanding or piety or works which we wrought in holiness of heart, but through faith, whereby the Almighty God justified all men that have been from the beginning ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen [Clement of Rome writing to the Corinthians]
Let us therefore without ceasing hold fast by our hope and by the earnest of our righteousness which is in Jesus Christ who took up our sins in his own body upon the tree, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, but for our sakes suffered all things, that we might live in him. [Polycarp to the Phillipians]
All men fall short of the glory of God, and are justified not by themselves, but by the coming of the Lord [Irenaeus]
I will not glory because I am righteous, but because I am redeemed. I will glory, not because I am free from sins, but because my sins are forgiven me; not because I have profited, nor because anyone hath profited me, but because Christ is my advocate with the Father, and because Christ's blood has been shed for me [Ambrose]
The Rev. Mark Carroll, prepared for Tuesday in Easter week, based upon Introduction to the Articles of Religion of the Church of England by G.F. MacLear, pgs 162-170.
finis