Part 12 – The Cause of Justification
Continuing in its discussion of Justification, the Council now comes to describe the ‘Causes’ of Justification. But first, they give us a reminder of their definition of Justification:
This disposition, or preparation, is followed by Justification itself, which is not remission of sins merely, but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man, through the voluntary reception of the grace, and of the gifts, whereby man of unjust becomes just, …
We have already seen that [[Part 10 – The Nature of Justification|Justification]] is actually a legal matter, and involves one’s outward standing before God, not any inward change (Rom 3:26, Rom 4:5-8, Heb 8:12). Justification must be a legal matter, because sin is a legal matter (Rom 3:20, Rom 7:7 & 13, 1Co 15:56, Jam 2:9).
Of this Justification … the meritorious cause is His most beloved only-begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were enemies, for the exceeding charity wherewith he loved us, merited Justification for us by His most holy Passion on the wood of the cross, and made satisfaction for us unto God the Father;
This is true, provided the words “us” and “Justification” are defined biblically. As we’ve already seen, the word “us”, as used by the apostles in Ephesians 2:4 and 1st John 4:10-11, refers to those of us who believe the Gospel (see [[Part 9 – The World and All Men]]), while the word “Justification” refers to the legal act in which a person’s standing before God is changed from guilty to not guilty. This could only be accomplished by an act that appeases the full wrath of God against a person’s sin. Since the glory of God is infinite and eternal, any sin against him demands his infinite and eternal wrath. Thus his wrath could only be appeased by a sacrifice of infinite value. The one and only sacrifice that fits this description is the work of Jesus Christ:
The consummate act of obedience that Jesus Christ paid to the law was in suffering the ultimate penalty for the disobedience of His people that the law demanded. Thus, while upon the cross, Jesus Christ, as a perfect representative, substitute, and sacrifice for His people, became a curse for His people and suffered the unmitigated fury of God the Father, which was equivalent to suffering the very pains of hell. This was not for any guilt He had contracted Himself but for the sins of His people. Their guilt was imputed to Him, and He suffered the penalty their sins deserved. His finished work on the cross appeased God’s wrath in full toward all for whom He died and paid the ransom price in full for all for whom He died, guaranteeing the salvation of all for whom He died. [Gen 22:13; Exo 12:3-13; Lev 16:21-22; 17:11; Psa 22:1-18; 32:1; Isa 53:1-12; Dan 9:24-26; Zec 13:7; Mat 26:28; 27:35-50; Mar 15:24-37; Luk 23:33-46; 24:46; Joh 11:49-52; 19:16-30; Act 17:3; 20:28; Rom 3:24-25; 5:6-11; 1Co 1:30; 5:7; 6:20; 15:3; 2Co 5:21; Gal 1:4; 2:20; 3:13; 4:5; Eph 1:7; 2:13-17; Col 1:14,20-22; 2:13-14; 1Th 5:10; 1Ti 2:6; Tit 2:14; Heb 2:9-10,17; 9:12-14,26-28; 10:10-18; 13:12; 1Pe 1:18-19; 2:24; 3:18; 1Jo 1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10; Rev 1:5; 5:9] (Christian Confession of Faith, IV.C.2)
No work by any mere human could appease the infinite wrath of God.
The Council continues:
… the alone formal cause is the justice of God, not that whereby He Himself is just, but that whereby He maketh us just, that, to wit, with which we being endowed by Him, are renewed in the spirit of our mind, and we are not only reputed, but are truly called, and are, just, receiving justice within us, …
But Scripture is clear that the justice of God involves both the act of justifying his people, and God’s inherently just nature:
Announce it, and approach, and consult together. Who has caused this to be heard from the beginning, and who has foretold it from that time? Is it not I, the Lord? And is there some other god beside me? I am a just God who saves, and there is no one except me. (Isa 45:21, CPDV)
and by the forbearance of God, to reveal his justice in this time, so that he himself might be both the Just One and the Justifier of anyone who is of the faith of Jesus Christ. (Rom 3:26, CPDV)
The great truth of the Gospel is that, because of the work of Jesus Christ, God is able to legally justify his people, while remaining just and holy himself:
The gospel is God’s promise to save His people, giving them all the blessings of salvation from regeneration to final glory, conditioned exclusively on the atoning blood and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, totally apart from the sinner’s works and efforts. It reveals the righteousness of God — how God is just to justify the ungodly based on the work of Jesus Christ alone. The gospel is not merely the fact that Jesus lived, died, and rose again, considered apart from the purpose of these truths, which were accomplished to establish a righteousness for all whom Jesus represented. [Gen 15:5-6; Psa 103:2-12; 130:3-4; Isa 1:18; 45:21-25; Jer 33:14-16; Mat 1:21; Joh 3:16; Act 13:32-39; Rom 1:16-17; 3:21-26; 4:5-8,13-25; 10:4,15; 1Co 15:1-8; 2Co 1:20; 5:21; Eph 1:3-2:22; 3:6; Col 1:5; 2Ti 1:1,9-10; Heb 10:4-17] (Christian Confession of Faith, V.B.1)
Jesus Christ alone is the justifier of his people, because it is his work alone that satisfies the just wrath and violated Law of God on behalf of his people.
References
Catholic Public Domain Version of the Holy Bible. Ed and trans. Ronald L. Conte Jr. 2009. Web. SacredBible.org
Christian Confession of Faith. True Gospel Ministry, 2003. Web. The Gospel & Its Enemies.
Trent, The Council of: The canons and decrees of the sacred and oecumenical Council of Trent. Ed. and trans. J. Waterworth. London: Dolman, 1848. Web. Hanover Historical Texts Project.
See also:
What Did the Work of Christ Accomplish?
IV. Christology – The Doctrine of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ
The Gospel & Its Enemies 