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Fast Fact - Justification by Infused Grace |
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Defense of Infused Grace. |
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The following references demonstrate that God not only calls us righteous, but makes us or constitutes us righteous in Justification. (The hyperlinks will open an online NASB to the chapter referenced) Major Texts Romans 5:19 - "For just as through one man's disobedience the many were made (constituted) sinners... one man's obedience.... many made (constituted) righteous." 1 John 3:7 - "... a person who acts righteous is righteous just has he is righteous." Titus 3:5-7 - "...he saved us through the washing of water...so that, being justified by his grace..." Minor Texts Isaiah 55:11 - "The word that comes forth from my mouth will not return void..." Ephesians 2:10 - "...[F]or we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus..." Matthew 5:6 - "...thirst for righteousness ...will be satisfied."
"'...to declare his righteousness.' What is declaring of righteousness? Like the declaring of His riches, not only for Him to be rich Himself, but also to make others rich, or of life, not only that He is Himself living, but also that He makes the dead to live; and of His power, not only that He is Himself powerful, but also that He makes the feeble powerful. So also is the declaring of His righteousness not only that He is Himself righteous, but that He both also makes them that are filled with the putrefying sores of sin suddenly righteous." (Chrysostom, Homily on Romans, 7:24-25) written in AD 391). "But then who are thoes gods, or where are they, of whom God is the true God? Another Psalm saith, 'God hath stood in the synagogue of gods, but in the midst He judgeth gods.' As yet we know not whether perchance any gods be congregated in heaven, and in their congregation, for this is in the synagogue,' God hath stood to judge. See in the same Psalm those to whom he saith, 'I have said, Ye are gods, and children of the Highest all; but ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.' It is evident then, that He hath called men gods that are deified of His Grace, not born of His Substance. For He both justify, who is just through His own self, and not of another; and He doth deify who is God through Himself, not by partaking of another. But He that justifieth doth Himself deify, in that by justifying He both make sons of God. 'For He hath given them power to become the sons of God.' If we have been made sons of God we have also been made gods: but this is the effect of Grace adopting, not of nature generating. For the only Son of God, God, and one God with the Father, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, was in the beginning the Word, and the Word with God, the Word God. The rest that are made gods, are made by His own Grace, are not born of His Substance, that they should be the same as He, but that by favour they should come to Him, and be fellow-heirs with Christ. For so great is the love in Him the Heir, that He hath willed to have fellow-heirs. What covetous man would will this, to have fellow-heirs?" (Augustine, On the Psalms, 49/50, 2, written AD 418).
The Council of Trent taught that God makes us acceptable to Himself, not merely by declaring us righteous, but also making us righteous (Council of Trent, Session 6). The Eastern Church call this justification "Theosis" or "deification" because we made to participate in the life of God. |
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