Is Justification a “Component” of Salvation?

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Justification by faith is essential to salvation. It is the center of one’s relationship with God. Failing to understand either the importance of justification or its nature is a serious problem. Ideas that cause us to misunderstand justification directly affect our faith and our saving relationship with God.

In the discussion of the nature of justification, I have addressed in previous blogs what I believe are some of the wrong and harmful notions of justification by faith. So far we have talked about the idea of “re-justification.” As I shared:

The error of the term “re-justification” is the same as the mistaken idea of “transformational justification.” Justification is a once-for-all-time reality that has vital, ongoing consequences in the future life of the Christian. The justified person does not need to be re-justified. Just like in our natural, physical birth, a person is born once. This event is the beginning of a long life of being a “born” person. But there is no need to be born (in the natural sense) again or repetitively. This fact is so obvious that it sounds ridiculous to even state it. But, the idea of “re-justification” is just as ridiculous as saying a person has to be repetitively born . . . Therefore, using the phrase “re-justification” is as unnecessary as saying one must be “born again” again.

In another blog I talked about the idea of “instantaneous” justification. The use of this term assumes that there are parts or levels of justification, the first of which is instantaneous. I wrote:

In the Bible, when a person believed God, they were justified at that moment. “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (Rom. 4:3 ESV) The context of Romans 4 Paul is discussing the nature of justification as illustrated in the faith of Abraham. In Galatians, Paul teaches that NT believers are children of Abraham by faith. (Galatians 3: 6-14) When was Abraham counted righteousness? When he believed God.

The same response goes for the concept “initial” justification. It faces the same problem.

First of all, just like “re-justification” and “instantaneous” justification the idea of “initial” justification is unwarranted. All of these qualifiers change the biblical meaning of justification by faith as it is taught in Scripture. As I have stated, justification is not a process, the equal of sanctification. It is a once-for-all-time work of God. Here is the fundamental reason it is not a process: the righteousness by which one is justified is Christ’s righteousness and not one’s own.

Justification is a whole, occurring at the moment of truth faith (as I recently blogged) and is effective for the rest of one’s walk of faith. Justification as an event is not a process, neither is it a progressive work, as if we become increasing justified or need to renew or recharge our justification. Nonetheless, its effect is an ongoing reality in the life of the justified. There is a progressive effect of justification on our lives as we learn the power of living the justified life. This is certainly a process as we live by faith. But this does not define the meaning of justification as a progressive process.

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