On what basis is a sinner justified before God?
a passage states it a passage rules it out
Common ground
These are affirmed by more than one position, so a passage saying only this counts for none of them.
- Salvation is by God's grace and through Christ's death
- Faith is necessary
- Good works follow true faith
- Paul's 'justified by faith, not by works of the Law' quoted without further claim
- Becoming partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) quoted without saying how it relates to justification
By faith alone, with Christ's righteousness imputed
Lutheran Reformed Anglican Baptistthat God forgives us our sins out of pure grace, without any work, merit, or worthiness of ours preceding, present, or following, that He presents and imputes to us the righteousness of Christ's obedienceFormula of Concord, Epitome, III.2 (1577)
What sets it apart: The passage says justification is God's verdict counting the sinner righteous on account of Christ's righteousness reckoned to him, received by faith without works.
Formally defined: Augsburg Confession IV (1530); Formula of Concord III (1577); Westminster Confession 11 (1646)
No early passage in the library states it yet.
By faith working through love, with righteousness infused
Catholic Orthodoxthe charity of God is poured forth, by the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of those that are justified, and is inherent thereinCouncil of Trent, Session 6, ch. 7 (1547)
What sets it apart: The passage says the justified are made righteous by grace or love dwelling in them, or that faith justifies together with love or works.
Formally defined: Council of Trent, Session 6 (1547); Synod of Jerusalem, Decree 13 (1672)
No secure early statement. Earliest, from a work of uncertain authorship: Severianus of Gabala, c. 400.
Salvation as union with God (theosis)
OrthodoxWhat sets it apart: The passage describes salvation as becoming god by grace or sharing in the divine nature, and treats this, not a legal verdict, as what saving righteousness is.
Formally defined: No conciliar definition; a frame of Orthodox theology
No early passage in the library states it yet.
Every deciding passage, earliest first
Severianus of Gabala, c. 400
Doubtful authorship: Transmitted among Chrysostom's spurious works; given to Severian only by modern attribution.
The Savior, having received this voice, says: 'Today salvation has come to this house' (Luke 19:9). He justified himself, not because he simply saw Christ, but because he obeyed the laws of Christ. Today salvation has come to this house, because this man also is a son of Abraham. Before doing the works of Abraham, he does not call him a son of Abraham, but calls him Zacchaeus by the bare appellation; but when he fulfilled the works of the patriarch, promising charity and the restitution of the injustice, then he says: 'And this man also is a son of Abraham.'
- Rules out: By faith alone, with Christ's righteousness imputed
- States: By faith working through love, with righteousness infused