“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things…”
Acts 3:19-21
“…then shall He sit upon the throne of his glory… Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you… For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat… Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren…’
Mt. 25:31, 34-35, 40
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
Rev. 20:12
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Subsection
Twofold Justification
Justification at Death
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Order of Contents
Westminster
Articles 7+
Quotes 15+
Will Believers’ Sins be Manifest? 2
Unbelievers 2
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Westminster
Larger Catechism
“Q. 90. What shall be done to the righteous at the day of judgment?
A. At the day of judgment, the righteous, being caught up to Christ in the clouds,[e] shall be set on his right hand, and there openly acknowledged and acquitted,[f] shall join with him in the judging of reprobate angels and men,[g] and shall be received into heaven,[h] where they shall be fully and for ever freed from all sin and misery;[i] filled with inconceivable joys,[k]…
[e] 1 Thess. 4:17
[f] Matt. 25:33. Matt. 10:32
[g] 1 Cor. 6:2,3
[h] Matt. 25:34,46
[i] Eph. 5:27. Rev. 14:13
[k] Ps. 16:11“
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Articles
1600’s
Ames, William – ch. 27, ‘Justification,’ sections 20-22 & 25-27, 29 in The Marrow of Theology (Baker, 1997), pp. 215-16
Bedford, Thomas – ch. 4, ‘That justification is not transacted all at once, nor [is there] any pre-remission of sin before it be committed’ in An Examination of the Chief Points of Antinomianism… (London: Field, 1647), pp. 33-40
Bedford argues from Isa. 53:11, “By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many,” that justification will have its culmination at Judgment Day, and in the process shows the unity of the various aspects of justification, past, ongoing and future. His discussion is very good.
Part of his argument is that future sins cannot be forgiven till they are committed (for until then one has not sinned), though the principle abides that they will be forgiven (this was a common reformed view). If so, then justification cannot be said to be complete and whole in all respects until Judgment Day. See also ‘On the Oneness & Unity of Justification & its Aspects’.
Goodwin, Thomas – p. 182, point 4 of bk. 2, ch. 2, ‘Paul & the Apostle James are Consistent…’ of Gospel Holiness in the Heart & Life in Works (London: James Nichol, 1861), vol. 7
“…in what sense a man may be said to be judged by his works at the latter day, in the same sense, and that sense only, he [James] intends this his justification by works, and in no other; for all judging and passing of sentence must have either a justification or a condemnation as the sentence of it in the close. So as there is no more danger to say, a man at the latter day shall be justified by his works, as evidences of his state and faith, than to say he shall be judged according thereto…
And in relation to this outward judgment at the latter day, our sentence of salvation is termed expressly a justification; and this very thing is asserted by Christ Himself: Mt. 12:36-37, ‘…for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.’ Neither is it anywhere said that God will judge men according to their faith only; nor will it be a sufficient plea at the latter day to say, ‘Lord, thou knowest I believed, and cast myself at thy grace.’ God will say, ‘I am to judge thee so as every one shall be able to judge my sentence righteous together with Me: 1 Cor. 4:5, ‘Therefore, show me thy faith by thy works;'”
Burgess, Anthony – Lecture 29 on Acts 3:19 in The True Doctrine of Justification Asserted & Vindicated… (London, 1651), pp. 254-63
This is a full discussion, with grounds, “That a complete and full absolution from all sin is not enjoyed till the day of judgement.” (p. 256) Burgess also surveys various protestant views on this subject (pp. 257-58). Note that the two kinds of justification of Ludwig de Dieu are very similar to that of the Aberdeen doctor, William Forbes (d. 1634) in bk. 4, ch. 6 of his Fair & Calm Consideration of the Modern Controversy concerning Justification. Burgess further critiques this position in True Doctrine of Justification, pt. 2, sermon 16, pp. 151-52, discussing also the views of Bucer, Calvin and Zanchi.
“The believers have not a full discharge till then: we are in this life continually subject to new sins, and so to new guilt, whereby arise new fears, so that the soul has not a full rest from all till that final absolution be pronounced at the Day of Judgment…
the Scripture do also call the Day of Judgment a time when sins shall be blotted out, because then is the public absolution of the godly, and according to philosophy, motions receive their names from the term to which they tend…
Thirdly, howsoever an absolution shall be completed at the Day of Judgment, yet our justification shall not abide in such a way, as it is in this life. Now our justification is by pardon of sin, and a righteousness without us imputed to us, which is instrumentally applied by faith, but this way shall then cease; for having perfect righteousness inherent in ourselves, we shall need no covering…
This seems to be undoubted, that the way of justification by faith in Christ, arises because of our imperfection and sinfulness remaining in us, and therefore is justificatio viae, not patriae, a justification of us in our way, not when we come to our home.
Fourthly, although pardon of sin be completed at that great day, yet this is not to be understood, as if God’s pardon of any sin were imperfect, and something of sin did still remain to be done away… But because we commit new sins daily, and so need pardon daily, Therefore it is that we are not completely pardoned till then. As also because the perfect pardon we have here, shall then solemnly and publicly be declared to all the world.
…
Secondly, pardon of sin will at that day be perfected. Because all the effects of pardon will then be accomplished, and not so much as any scars remain, the wound will be so fully healed…
Thirdly, then and not till then may we say remission of sins will be completed, because then shall no more iteration of pardon be.” – pp. 256-60
Case, Thomas – pp. 133-38 in 2nd Use in Mount Pisgah, or a Prospect of Heaven, being an Exposition on the Fourth Chapter of the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians... (London: Milbourn, 1670), pt. 2
“…a second end of the saints meeting with Christ in the air, and that is their full and final justification; and this consists of two parts:
1. Their publick absolution.
2. The Judge’s pronouncing of them to be righteous.” – p. 133
Owen, John – ‘On Sentential Justification at the Day of Judgment’ (†1683) 3 pp. in The Doctrine of Justification by Faith, ch. 6, ‘Evangelical Personal Righteousness, the Nature & Use of it–Final Judgement, and its Respect unto Justification’ in Works (d. 1683; London: Johnstone & Hunter, 1850), 5:160-162
Owen was an English, congregationalist puritan. ‘Sentential’ means relating to a sentence.
“…that which is called sentential justification, at the day of Judgment. For of what nature soever it be, the person concerning whom that sentence is pronounced, was: (1) actually and completely justified before God in this world; (2) made partaker of all the benefits of that justification, even unto a blessed resurrection in glory (‘it is raised in glory;’ 1 Cor. 15); (3) The souls of the most will long before have enjoyed a blessed rest with God, absolutely discharged and acquitted from all their labors, and all their sins;
There remains nothing but an actual admission of the whole person into eternal glory. Wherefore this judgment can be no more but declaratory unto the glory of God, and the everlasting refreshment of them that have believed…
…
1. It is no where said that we shall be judged at the last day, ex operibus [‘out of works’]; but, only that God will render unto men secundum opera [‘according to works’].
2. …the Judgment at the last day is said to be according unto works, without any mention of faith.
…
5. In our justification in this life by faith, Christ is considered as our propitiation and advocate… But at the last day, and in the last Judgment he is considered only as the Judge.
6. The end of God in our justification is the glory of his grace, Eph. 1:6. But the end of God in the last Judgment is the glory of his remunerative righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8.
7. The representation that is made of the final Judgment, Mt. 7 and ch. 25, is only of the visible Church. And therein the plea of faith as to the profession of it is common unto all, and is equally made by all. Upon that plea of faith it is put unto the trial whether it were sincere, true faith or no, or only that which was dead and barren. And this trial is made solely by the fruits and effects of it; and otherwise in the public declaration of things unto all, it cannot be made.” – pp. 160-62
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1800’s
Girardeau, John – ‘The Office of Works of Charity in the Last Judgment’, a sermon on Mt. 25:40 in Sermons (1907), pp. 68-89
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2000’s
Beale, G.K. – ch. 15, ‘The Inaugurated Latter-Day Justification’ in A New Testament Biblical Theology (Baker Academic, 2011), pt. 5
The main jist of this chapter with block quotes is given in Jordan D. Harris, ‘G.K. Beale on the Doctrine of Justification and Future Judgment’ at Aquila Report.
Beale: “A mundane illustration may help to clarify.
In the United States, some large discount food stores require people to pay an annual fee to have the privilege of buying food at their store. Once this fee is paid, the member must present a card as evidence of having paid the fee. The card gets the members into the store, but it is not the ultimate reason that the person is granted access. The paid fee is the ultimate reason, the card being the evidence that the fee has been paid.
We may refer to the paid fee as the “necessary causal condition” of store entrance and to the evidential card more simply as a “necessary condition.” The card is the external manifestation or proof that the price has been paid, so that both the money paid and the card issued are necessary for admittance, but they do not have the same conditional force for gaining entrance. We may call the paid fee a “first order” or “ultimate” condition and the card a “second order” condition.
Likewise, Christ’s justification penal death is the price paid ‘once for all’ (Heb. 9:12; cf. 9:26-28) and the good works done within the context of Christian faith become the inevitable evidence of such faith at the final judicial evaluation.”
Corley, Brandon – ‘Final Justification [by Works in some Respect] is Biblical, Reformed & Confessional’ (2025)
Corley writes in stream of consciousness and is a bit all over the place, but nonetheless the article has a fair amount of relevant material, references etc. that may be useful on the topic.
“For final justification [by works in some respect] in the Reformed:
Richard Muller
Mark Jones
Michael Lynch
David Sytsma
Joel Beeke
Mark Garcia
D. Patrick Ramsey
Steven Wedgeworth
Ian Clary
Ryan Hurd
Against final justification in the Reformed:
J. V. Fesko
Michael Horton
Harrison Perkins
R. Scott Clark
Sam Waldron
Tom Hicks
Richard Barcellos”
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Quotes
Order of
Napier
Perkins
Rollock
Pareus
Cameron
Bradshaw
Placeus
Walker
Ball
Bedford
Ambrose
Spanheim
Goodwin
Baxter
Vincent
Manton
Mastricht
Fisher
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1500’s
John Napier
A Plain Discovery of the Whole Revelation of St. John… (Edinburgh: Waldegrave, 1593), ch. 20, pp. 242-43 Napier (1550-1617) was a Scottish mathematician (who discovered logariths), physicist and astronomer in the reformed tradition.
“By ‘works’ here [Rev. 20:12-13] are we judged and justified, and not by faith only, as also James 2:24 testifies, meaning hereby that of lively faith and of the good works that follow thereupon man is justified, and not of that dead faith that is by itself alone, without any good works: otherwise were the words of Paul (Rom. 3:28) express contrary to this text, and to James; for, says Paul, ‘We are justified by faith, without the works of the Law,’ that is to say, not without good works whatsoever, but meaning that we are justified by lively faith with such small good works as our weak nature will suffer that faith to produce, although it be without the precise works that the Law requires:
and for confirmation of this interpretation, and union of these texts, ye shall find both James and Paul agree in diverse places, that faith without works is a dead faith, and serves nothing to justification. And again, they agree both that all works (how good soever they seem) that proceed not from faith, are evil. And so it is all one to say with Saint Paul, We are justified by fruitful faith, or faith that produces good works, although not the works that the Law requires, or to say with James, and here with Saint John, we are justified by faithful works, seeing a working faith and faithful works are inseparable, and none can have the one without the other. So for conclusion, these works, by the which here we are judged, are to be esteemed good or evil, not in themselves, or insofar as they satisfy the Law (for so were all works evil and imperfect), but insofar forth as they have or want faith adjoined with them, they are accounted good or evil only.”
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William Perkins
An Exposition of the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles… (Cambridge: Legatt, 1595)
p. 385
“For as at the bar of an earthly judge, the malefactor is brought out of prison and set before the judge, and there examined: even so in that great day shall every man without exception be brought before the Lord to be tried. But how shall this trial be made?
Answer: By works, as the apostle says:
‘We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things which are done in his body according to that He has done, whether it be good or evil.’ (2 Cor. 5:10)
And the reason is, because works are the outward signs of inward grace and godliness. And though we be justified by faith alone without works, yet may we be judged both by faith and works. For the Last Judgment does not serve to make men just that are not, but only to manifest them to be just indeed, which were just before and in this life truly justified. The consideration of this very point should move us all to repent us of our sins past and to reform ourselves throughout, and to be plentiful in all good works. And undoubtedly if we seriously think upon it, it will hold us more straightly to all good duties than if with the Papists we held justification by works.”
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pp. 388-90
“The reason of this calling [into God’s eternal kingdom], is taken from works as from signs, in these words, ‘For I was hungry and ye gave Me meat, etc. when He says, ‘For I was hungry,’…
We are not to do them [works of mercy] of any sinister respect, as for praise of men or commodity, but we must propound unto ourselves the party to whom we do any good, and in him look on Christ, and so do it as unto Christ and for Christ’s sake only; and this is a good work indeed. Christ says, ‘Whosoever shall give a cup of cold water to a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall not loose his reward.’ (Mk. 10:42) It is but a small gift, but yet the manner of doing it, namely in the name of a disciple, that is, in respect that he is a member of Christ, does make it an excellent work of mercy. It is a special mark of a child of God to show mercy on a Christian because he is a Christian.”
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Robert Rollock
‘Treatise on Justification’ tr. Aaron Denlinger & Noah Phillips MAJT 27 (2016), 1.4.2. ‘The Imputation of Righteousness’, pp. 108-9 Rollock (c. 1555-1599) was a Scottish minister.
“The question remains whether Christ will in the future, on the day of judgment, justify those who have believed in this life? And if so, is it not true that justification is actually perfected in the life to come rather than in this life?
I respond that Christ will not, on that day of judgment, justify believers. He will, rather, declare on the basis of their works that they have believed and have been justified in this life. Indeed, the verb “justify” sometimes has the meaning of “declare justified.” James uses the word in this very sense when he speaks of the man who is justified according to his works.
…
But justification, someone will say, is a judicial sentence of life. And life is not perfected until Christ’s second coming. Is it not the case, therefore, that justification itself will not be perfected until Christ’s second coming?
I respond that it is one thing for the judicial sentence of life to be complete, and another thing for life itself to be perfected. The sentence of life is surely complete already in this life, but life itself will not be perfected until Christ’s second coming. This argument, therefore, is fallacious and captious.”
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1600’s
David Pareus
in Richard Baxter’s Confession of his Faith… (London: 1655), ch. 10, sect. 3, pp. 404-5
On Mt. 25:42
“As to the causal ‘for’ [in Mt. 25:42], I say that it does indeed signify a cause, but not meritorious of the Kingdom, but declaratory of the righteous sentence passed by the Judge; that of right the Kingdom is adjudged to the sheep, because by works they declared themselves truly sheep, that is, believers. Some there be that grant (which I would not do) that works are an efficient cause of the Kingdom, but not by way of merit, but as a way and means, etc.”
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Bellarmine Castigated, ‘On Justification’, bk. 5, ch. 3, p. 1246
“And doubtless when the business of the Last Judgment is not to examine whether Christ has satisfied for us or not, but whether we have performed the conditions on our part, on which the benefits of his satisfaction, especially eternal life, were promised; it must needs follow that so far our iustitia causae [our righteousness of the cause] in that trial will lie in our actual performance of those conditions, which is our personal evangelical righteousness; and according thereto we shall be justified; that is, adjudged to be the heirs of life, and not of damnation.”
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John Cameron
Works… (d. 1625; Geneva: Chovet, 1658), Arguments Proposed in Disputation against the Preceding Theses, with Solutions, To Corollary V, pp. 364-65, trans. ChatGPT-5
“Objection. In the same way as Abraham was justified, so also are we justified, as children of Abraham. But Abraham was not justified by faith alone, but also by works, as the apostle James testifies (Jm. 2:21).
Response. A person is said to be justified either before himself and in his conscience, or before God. Abraham was not justified before himself and in his conscience by faith alone, but also by works—I grant it. He was not justified by faith alone before God—I deny it.
I explain: a godly person sometimes doubts whether he is among those who are justified; that is, he acknowledges indeed that he must be justified by true faith, but doubts whether his faith is true. This, however, he discovers and recognizes from the warmth of faith, namely charity.
James does not treat of that justification which is before the tribunal of God, but of that by which we are justified in our own conscience, when our righteousness is made evident to us. Therefore, we are justified—that is, our righteousness is made manifest to us—not only by faith but also by good works, insofar as they are evidences of sincere faith; but we are not thus justified before God, who regards faith alone.
Objection. If God regarded faith alone, he would not mention good works in judgment. But in judgment he does mention the good works of the faithful. Therefore—
Response. The judgment of God is twofold: one which is carried out according to the Law, the other which is carried out according to the Gospel of Christ. Likewise, there is a twofold throne: namely, of strict justice and of grace. If in the judgment according to the Law our works were brought forward and examined, it would be over with us, according to that saying, “Enter not into judgment with thy servant,” etc. But if works are brought forward in the throne of grace, it is not over with us, because it is a throne of grace. Those who are justified in the throne of grace are not justified by works; yet their good works are mentioned, not as causes, but as means and signs of true justification, namely of faith.
Objection. But in the judgment wherein God will judge men according to the Gospel, “according to patient continuance in well-doing” (Rom. 2), and zeal for good works will be mentioned not only as signs but also as antecedents of eternal life, as the Apostle testifies (Romans 2). Therefore—
Response. There is a twofold antecedent: one as a cause, another as a reason or argument—just as we say something precedes a conclusion in a syllogism. Thus, when from smoke we infer and conclude fire, smoke is an antecedent not as a cause of what follows, but as an indication. So if a father says to his son, “Because, my son, you have obeyed me, I will that you be an heir,” the right of inheritance does not belong to the son because he obeyed, but because he is a son; yet obedience is mentioned because by that obedience the son has shown himself to be a son.
Another Argument: Objection: If many conditions are required in those who are to be justified, then we are not justified by mere grace. But the first is true. Therefore—
Response: I distinguish the conditions. If many conditions are required in those to be justified which have proportion to the justice of God, I grant it. But if the conditions required in those to be justified have no proportion to the justice of God, I deny that it follows that justification is not of mere grace. For not all conditions are excluded, but only those which could have the character of merit.”
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William Bradshaw
A Treatise of Justification… (London: Creede, 1615), ch. 16, sect. 7-8, pp. 92-93 Bradshaw (1571-1618) was an English, congregationalist puritan.
“7. Man may be justified before man, not by man only, but by God also.
8. God also may justify us before man by our formal and inherent righteousness. Thus by sundry means here upon earth He sometimes justifies his children against the sundry calumniations and slanders of wicked men: But more specially He will do it at the Day of Judgment, in the face of the whole world, manifesting not only that righteousness of theirs, which they have in and by Christ; but the inherent innocency, integrity and sincerity of their hearts and ways, so much belied and traduced by the wicked enemies of sanctity and religion.”
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Joshua Placeus
‘Theological Theses on the Justification of Man before God’ (1634), pp. 9-10
“XL. Are good works therefore unnecessary for our justification? To become righteous from being guilty and liable to punishment—that is, to receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness—they are not necessary as antecedents. But they are absolutely necessary as consequences.
They are the fruits and ends of justification, from which justification ought not and cannot be separated. For in the New Covenant, God has first promised us the forgiveness of sins, and then sanctification. Christ has been made for us not only righteousness, but also sanctification. Faith embraces both promises, and draws both benefits from the fullness of Christ, into whom it inserts us. Thus, a faith that does not produce good works as its fruits reveals itself not to be true faith at all, but a rotten corpse of faith, which mimics the outward appearance of faith but has no power, movement, or activity.
Therefore, in order that we may be declared righteous, and that it may be shown (whether in the court of our conscience or in the final judgment) that God has truly granted us forgiveness of sins, good works are necessary as posterior evidences, as they say. For faith is known by its works, just as a tree is known by its fruits. References: Heb. 10:16; 2 Cor. 1:30; James 1:11.
XLI. This may perhaps be more clearly explained in this way: Justification is opposed to accusation. But in the divine court, we are burdened by two accusations: That we are sinners—i.e., guilty of breaking the condition of the legal covenant. That we are unbelievers—i.e., that we have not fulfilled the condition of the gracious covenant, namely, faith. From the first accusation, we are justified by faith alone, by which we embrace the grace and righteousness of Christ. From the second accusation, we are justified also by works, insofar as our faith is demonstrated by them.
Looking to the second accusation, James rightly affirmed that man is justified by works, and not by faith alone (James 2:24). Looking to the first, Paul insisted that man is justified by faith without works, in many important passages.
XLII. On the Day of Judgment, since the covenant of grace holds the force of law or right (having been proclaimed throughout the world by suitable messengers), it will be required to prove one thing: that we had the condition of the covenant of grace, namely faith. Therefore, works—especially those of charity—will be presented as effects and evidences of that condition, i.e., of faith, in the manner commonly called a posteriori demonstration.
XLIII. Since the promise of righteousness, or forgiveness of sins, requires only faith as a condition from us, our faith must be exercised before we have produced any good works. Then, if we are accused as though our faith were not genuine, we must strive to be justified from this accusation by our good works—not being content with one or another good deed, but according to Christ’s command, increasing more and more in justification until the very end of life. In this way, we may rest in the justice of the Judge, to whom, as I said, the covenant of grace serves as law. References: Revelation 22:11.
XLIV. Though it is lawful for us to rely on our good works before the heavenly Judge, as effects and evidences of our faith, to repel the second accusation, it is not lawful to rely on them: as the righteousness by which we refute the first accusation (as explained in Theses XV, XXX, XXXI, and XXXIX), nor as merits by which the reward of eternal life is due. For they are:
Debts (Luke 17:10)
Imperfect (Phil. 3:12)
Gifts of God, for which we should give thanks (2 Cor. 8:1, 9:13)
Not equal in worth to the reward (Rom. 8:18)
Performed by slaves who were redeemed at infinite cost (1 Pet. 1:19)
Already adopted heirs (Rom. 8:17)
Worthy of eternal death if done without grace (Rom. 6:17, 23)
Always pleading for mercy, even for forgiveness of sin (Luke 11:4)
And the more we attribute to human merits, the more we detract from the grace of God (Rom. 11:6), which shines brighter the more we acknowledge our sin (Rom. 3:5). We also contradict God’s purpose, who wished to cut off all boasting in man (1 Cor. 1:29; Deut. 9:4–6).”
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George Walker
The Key of Saving Knowledge, Opening out of the Holy Scriptures the Right Way & Straight Passage to Eternal Life… (London: Badger, 1641), pp. 81-82
“[3] But if we take justification in a judiciary sense, as it is used in courts of justice and judgment, for proving, declaring, and pronouncing men righteous: then not only faith and actual believing, but also repentance, amendment of life, and all holy Christian duties, and good works of piety, mercy, and charity must necessarily go before as evidences, testimonies, and proofs by which men must be justified, that is, judged, declared, and pronounced righteous.
First, in the court of their own conscience, so often as sin and Satan stand up against them to accuse them.
Secondly, in the common judgment of men.
Thirdly, in the general judgment at the last day.
…
Of the third [justification, “in a judiciary sense”] Saint James speaks, where he says that Abraham was justified by works, Jm. 2:21; and Job 13:18, where he says, “Behold now I have ordered my cause, I know that I shall be justified”; and this St. Paul calls ‘justification of life’, Rom. 5:18, because it is an adjudging of men to eternal life, according to the evidence of their works, as our Savior shows, Mt. 24:35.”
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John Ball
A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace… (London: 1645)
ch. 3, ‘Of the Covenant of Grace in General’, pp. 20-21
“Good works of all sorts are necessary to our continuance in the state of justification, and so to our final absolution, if God give opportunity: but they are not the cause of, but only a precedent qualification or condition to final forgiveness and eternal bliss.
If then, when we speak of the conditions of the Covenant of Grace, by condition we understand whatsoever is required on our part, as precedent, concomitant or subsequent to justification: repentance, faith and obedience are all conditions; but if by condition we understand what is required on our part as the cause of the good promised, though only instrumental, faith or belief in the promises of free mercy is the only condition…
Sincere, uniform and constant [obedience], though imperfect in measure and degree, and this is so necessary that without it there is no salvation to be expected. The Covenant of Grace calls for perfection, accepts sincerity, God in mercy pardoning the imperfections of our best performances. If perfection was rigidly exacted, no flesh could be saved: if not at all commanded, imperfection should not be sin, nor perfection to be labored after. The faith that is lively to embrace mercy is ever conjoined with an unfeigned purpose to walk in all well-pleasing, and the sincere performance of all holy obedience, as opportunity is offered, does ever attend that faith whereby we continually lay hold upon the promises once embraced.
Actual good works of all sorts (though not perfect in degree) are necessary to the continuance of actual justification, because faith can no longer lay faithful claim to the promises of life, than it does virtually or actually lead us forward in the way to Heaven. For:
‘If we say we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,’ 1 Jn. 1:6-7.
This walking in the light as He is in the light is that qualification whereby we become immediately capable of Christ’s righteousness, or actual participants of his propitiation, which is the sole immediate cause of our justification, taken for remission of sins, or actual approbation with God. The truth of which doctrine St. John likewise ratifies in terms equivalent, in the words presently following: ‘and the blood of Christ cleanseth us’ (walking in the light as God is in the light) ‘from all sin.’ [v. 7]”
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ch. 6, ‘Of the Covenant of Grace as it was made and manifested to Abraham’, pp. 69-70
“Secondly, by the doctrine of faith we are bound to acknowledge and confess that Christ Jesus by his eternal priesthood is not only the sole meritorious cause of all grace or righteousness inherent, requisite to final absolution; but these presupposed in the party to be absolved, He is likewise the sole immediate cause of final absolution or justification.
Without observation in some measure to all the commandments of God, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven: but we enter not for the obedience we have performed. To what use then does our inherent righteousness or observance of God’s commandments serve us? If it has been sincere and unfeigned, though imperfect, yet the faith that brought it forth will make a sincere and faithful plea for mercy in the day of trial, in which he that has been a hearer only, and no doer of the law, or has done in part what God would have done, but not sincerely nor faithfully, shall not be heard.
Our imperfect obedience then is not the immediate cause of our absolution, but the obedience and righteousness of Christ. By the immediate and next cause we understand such a cause as is necessarily accompanied by the effect, and without whose participation the effect never does, nor can befall any: such a cause as whosoever is partaker of, is by participation of it forthwith absolved; such a cause as whoso can probably hope to be partaker of, he may upon the same degrees of probability hope for final absolution; such a cause as whoso doubts or fears lest he shall never be partaker of in this life, must upon the same terms doubt or despair of his absolution or salvation.
But if works be accounted for the exact righteousness of the law unto us, not the obedience of Christ received by faith, but the works of holiness in us are the absolute cause of remission of sins and acceptance unto life. And what else do the words sound, as they are interpreted, but that as exact obedience to the law should have been the matter or cause of justification from justice, so sincere obedience by the estimation of grace is the matter of justification by grace.”
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Thomas Bedford
An Examination of the Chief Points of Antinomianism… (London: Field, 1647), ch. 3, ‘A Brief Answer to the Arguments of H. D. by him brought to prove Justification before Faith, i.e. before the act of Believing’, pp. 32-33 Bedford was sharing some notes, verbatim, with Ambrose, below.
“3. Actually, in himself is man said to be justified, when he has the possession of it: But this actual justification has its degrees of progression. The beginning thereof is laid in our first union and incorporation into Christ: The consummation of it is not till the Judge at the latter day has solemnly pronounced the sentence of final absolution, and so set us in full possession of entire remission. Between both these there is a progressive work of justification, by the constant actings of the Spirit applying the blood of Christ, by the hand of faith, to the quiet and comfort of the soul.
The first you may term initial justification, the latter perfective, and this between I would call progressive, it is the fruit of the first and the preludial assurance of the latter: This is wrought and sealed in the second sacrament [the Supper], as the former is in the first sacrament [baptism]: and both these branches of sacramental justification are to us the pre-assurance of that complemental and perfective justification; The sentence whereof puts an end to all fears, changing our faith and hope into fruition and full possession; even the first of these acts is not transacted without the seed and spirit of faith, much less the successive agitations, and progress of the work. Thus every way faith is considered as equal with, yea as foregoing the work of justification.”
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John Diodati
Pious Annotations upon the Holy Bible… trans. R.G. (d. 1649; Flesher, 1651), vol. 2, on Mt. 25
“And in this judgment of God’s Church, the ground of the condemnation of Hypocrites, is the default of good works is the ground of the condemnation of hypocrites, because that thereby is shown the falsity of their faith and profession: and contrariwise the practice of them, is the true proof of a lively faith, and the accomplishment of the duties of the evangelical covenant, on the believer’s behalf; and the beginning of the spiritual life, which shall never be perfected in Heaven unless it be begun in this world. See concerning this judgment, Ps. 50:4; Eze. 34:17; Heb. 10:30; Jam. 2:24. And as the life everlasting is altogether holiness and charity, so Christ represents the disposition which is necessary unto it, by the pureness of the sheep, and by spiritual charity practiced towards his as towards Himself.”
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…
v. 35
“‘For I was’ Not that works are indeed the cause of salvation, Rom. 3:20; Eph. 2:9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 3:5, but because they are the fruits of a lively faith in Christ, the only author of salvation, in whom, and by whom, the faithful are the children of God, and their persons are made acceptable: and their works brought forth by Christ’s Spirit, are approved of, and crowned through grace.”
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Isaac Ambrose
Media: the Middle Things… (London: Field, 1649), ch. 1, 2. ‘First Privilege: Justification’, pp. 2-3 Bedford and Ambrose were sharing some notes one way or the other.
“…a man may be said to be justified either intentionally, or virtually, or actually; either in God, or in Christ, or in himself.
1. Intentionally in God in God’s purpose and decree: This is from all eternity, but this decree and intention does not put anything into a state of actual being, but in the fulness of time.
2. Virtually in Christ: And this is from the day of Christ’s passion, and in the virtue of his satisfaction; yet this intends no more but that satisfaction is made and remission purchased by the blood of Christ.
3. Actually in himself: When a man has the possession of justification, immediately after his union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Now this justification considered as it is a state of favor, a covenant state with God, which a man at his first believing is put into, is not reiterated, no more than a wife, after that first entrance into the relation, is frequently made a wife; yet the particular acts of pardon, and imputation of Christ’s righteousness, are continually by God communicated unto the believer. In this respect this actual justification (or particular acts of pardon) has its degrees of progression:
The beginning thereof is laid in our first union and incorporation into Christ; the consummation of it is not till the Judge at the latter day has solemnly pronounced the sentence of final absolution, and so set us in full possession of entire remission: Between both these, there is a progressive work of justification, by the constant actings of the Spirit, applying the blood of Christ by the hand of faith, to the quiet and comfort of the soul:
The first we may term initial justification, the second progressive, the last perfective; the second is the fruit of the first, and the preludial assurance of the last: The first is wrought and sealed in the first sacrament, the second is wrought and sealed in the second sacrament; and both these branches of sacramental justification, are to us the pre-assurance of that complemental and perfective justification, the sentence whereof puts an end to all fears, changing our faith and hope into fruition and full possession.
It has been commonly said by some of our best divines that justification is transacted in our first union and incorporation into Christ; at which time it is conceived that the pardon of all sin is sealed to the believer at once. But I fear the misunderstanding of this point (not untrue in itself, if not mistaken and misapprehended) has laid the ground upon which some build that unhappy structure which turns the grace of God into wantonness: who knows not that justification in the proper acceptation of the word, according to the Scripture phrase, is the act of a judge pronouncing a judicial sentence, wherein he absolves the person of the sinner from all sin and punishment due to him for sin, and that for the alone righteousness of the surety Christ freely imputed, and by faith received of him. And according to this, I suppose we shall not err from the truth, if we say:
1. That the main work of justification, is even as yet to us future, viz. at the great and last day of Judgment, when we shall receive a final quietus est, and discharge, and when God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes: And yet
2. That in our first union with Christ there is a work of justification, viz. actual imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and actual remission of what sin for the present the soul stands guilty of, at that time when it is first united to Christ. I dare not say that justification, quatenus [so far as] it comprehends imputation and remission of sin, is one individual act; or that all sins, past, present and to come are remitted to the believer at once; but this I say, that in our first union, all our sins past and present are actually pardoned; and this favor received is a pledge of assurance that in future also, by applying ourselves to Christ, we may and shall receive the forgiveness of our daily sins, and that at the Last Day we shall at once be absolved from all accusations and charges laid in against us; and that justification (besides those particular acts of pardon, and imputation of Christ’s righteousness) does connote a state that the subject at his first believing is put into, viz. a state of grace, and favor, and reconciliation with God for the imputed righteousness of Christ, without apostasy from it, either total or final.”
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Freidrich Spanheim
‘Disputation on the Justification of Man before God’ in Disputationum Theologicarum Miscellaneorum Pars Prima (Geneva: Chouët, 1652)
“8. It [the word ‘justify’] may moreover be considered either with respect to the eternal decree, or with respect to its temporal application, or with respect to its φανέρωσις [phanerōsis, manifestation] at that last and decisive day of δικαιοκρισία [dikaiokrisia, righteous judgment].
The first is the cause of the second and third; the second is the index of the first; the third is the plenary execution of both.”
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Thomas Goodwin
Gospel Holiness in the Heart & Life in Works (London: James Nichol, 1861), vol. 7, bk. 2, ch. 2, ‘Paul & the Apostle James are Consistent…’, p. 179
“…he [James] prosecutes to the end of the [second] chapter… 3. That every man’s faith (and so together therewith every man that professes himself to have true faith) must one day be put to an open trial, to justify the truth of itself, and of his profession, and this afore all the world. And the believer also will be put upon the justification of his having had such a faith as God (ex consequenti, or ‘in the sequel’) professes only to justify man upon; for at the latter day it is faith [that] is the grace that must be tried and found unto honor and glory, 1 Peter 1:7.
And the man that shall plead justification by faith alone (which James contradicts not), and that he had a saving faith, must undergo this examination, whether his faith produced such works, yea or no, as the nature of true faith, with difference from false and unfeigned faith (which James disputes against), does note.”
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Richard Baxter
Christian Concord, or the Agreement of the Associated Pastors & Churches of Worcestershire, with Richard Baxter’s Explication & Defence of it, & his Exhortation to Unity (London: A.M., 1653), ‘A Brief Explication of some Passages in the Profession’, pp. 25-26
“So everlasting life is menti∣oned in the first part, as given (quoad jus [as to the right]) by the promise, and as that which Christ will adjudge us to:”
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Thomas Vincent
An Explicatory Catechism: or an Explanation of the [Westminster] Assembly’s Shorter Catechism… (London: Mortlock, 1675), pp. 74-75
“Thirdly, but eminently at the last day, when the Ancient of days shall take the throne, and in open court before the whole creation, by public sentence forever acquit and discharge believers at that great and last assizes.”
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Thomas Manton
A Second Volume of Sermons… (London: Astwood, 1684)
Sermons on Rom. 8, Sermon 43, on Rom. 8:33
p. 334
“And does by the Spirit of adoption assure us more and more of the pardon of our sins: but more solemnly at the Last Day, when the Judge does, sitting upon the throne, pronounce and declare us righteous before all the world, and as those who are accepted unto life, Acts 3:19, ‘That your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.’
Then the sentence is solemnly pronounced by the Judge sitting on the throne; and we are justified before God, men and angels. There are two parts of judgment, to condemn, and to absolve or justify: Mt. 12:36-37:
‘But I say unto you that for every idle word that a man shall speak, he shall give account thereof at the Day of Judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned;’
then every man’s doom [verdict] shall be pronounced.”
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p. 336
“4. We are justified by works, and not by faith only; by which are meant the fruits of sanctification: for true faith and true holiness will show itself by good works; faith gives us the first right, but works continue it, for otherwise a course of sin would put us into a state of damnation again: therefore at the Last Judgment these are considered, Rev. 20:12, ‘And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.’ Mt. 25:35-36:
‘For I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye cloathed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.’
Faith is our consent, but obedience verifies it, or is our performance of what we consented unto; the one as covenant-making, the other as covenant-keeping; we are admitted by covenant-making, but continued in our privileges by covenant-keeping, Ps. 25:10, ‘All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant.’”
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Sermon 16, on 2 Cor. 5:10, p. 100
“A double accusation may be brought against man before the tribunal of God: that he is a sinner, and so guilty of the breach of the first covenant [of Works]; or that he is no sound believer, having not fulfilled the condition [i.e. faith] of the second [covenant, i.e. of grace]. As to the first accusation, we are justified by faith; as to the second, by works; and so James and Paul are reconciled (Rom. 3:24; Jm. 2:24): “A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” and “a man is justified by works and not by faith only.”
…According to this double relation, there is a double judgment passed upon us… To this double judgment there answers a double justification: of a sinner, by virtue of the satisfaction of Christ, apprehended by faith, without the works of the law; and of a believer, or one in the state of grace, so justified by works. For here it is not inquired whether he has satisfied the law, that he may have life by it, but whether, professing himself to be a Christian, he is a true believer; and that must be tried by his works. For as God in the covenant of grace gives us two benefits—remission of sins and sanctification by the Spirit—so he requires two duties from us: a thankful acceptance of his grace by faith, and also new obedience as the fruit of love.
Well then, this being so—that Christ’s commission and charge is to give eternal life to true believers, and to them only—the only sound mark of true believers is their works of new obedience. These must be tried in the judgment.” – p. 100
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Peter van Mastricht
Theoretical Practical Theology (2nd ed. 1698; RHB), vol. 5, pt. 1, bk. 6, ch. 6, ‘The Justification of those to be Redeemed’
pp. 121-22
“XIII… But, so that we may perceive this more easily and correctly, it must be maintained that:
(1) good works, simply, confer entirely nothing to obtain for us the right to eternal life, because that is the pure, unadulterated [Greek; charisma], gift, of God (Rom. 6:23), impetrated by only the righteousness of Christ; but at the same time
(2) their presence is required for many reasons, if not before all justification, at least with justification and after it.
Hence, three stages of justification should be diligently observed here, namely:
(1) Its constitution, wherein a person is first justified. Here is excluded not only the efficacy of good works to procure justification, but even their very presence, insofar as God justifies the sinner (Rom. 3:23) and the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).
(2) Its continuation. Here though no efficacy of good works is admitted for justification, yet their presence is required (Gal. 5:6). And in this sense perhaps, James denies that we are justified by faith alone, but requires works in addition (James 2:14, 17–18, 20–22, 24–26). Finally,
(3) Its consummation, wherein the right of eternal life conferred in the first stage and continued in the second is advanced also to its possession. Here, not only the presence of good works is required, but also some sort of efficacy of them, insofar at least as God does not will to confer the possession of eternal life, the right of which we already obtain by Christ’s merit alone, except, besides faith, with good works going before (Heb. 12:14; Matt. 7:21; 25:34–36; Rom. 2:7, 10).”
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p. 128
“XXII… (7) Protestants in common, in agreement with Augustine, think that good works do not precede the one to be justified, but follow the one who is justified, yet with the differences of stages observed, such that
for the first constitution of justification, besides faith, not even the presence of good works is necessary, just as for the first constitution of fleshly marriage nothing is required but a consent of the spouses, because God justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5);
then for its continuation their coexistence is required, just as for the continuation of marriage a coexistence of marriage duties is required, because faith working through love is required (Gal. 5:6);
and finally for the consummation (insofar as the possession of eternal life is pronounced), the preexistence of good works is also required for the possession of eternal life (Mt. 25:35).”
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p. 130
“(j) That James expressly teaches that a person is justified by works, not by faith alone (James 2:14, 17–18, 20–26). I respond:
(i) The passage has nothing about merits.
(ii) It clearly is discussing a sterile faith, or one which is constantly devoid of works, the sort that does not justify, as we freely acknowledge with Paul (Gal. 5:6).
(iii) The passage also could be understood about the justification that will happen in the last judgment, insofar as that will require the presence of good works.
Not to mention that (iv) the passage could be understood about the justification or declaration of faith before God and men (v. 18).”
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1700’s
James Fisher et al.
The Westminster Assembly’s Shorter Catechism Explained, by Way of Question & Answer, pt. 1 (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1765), p. 160
“Q. 114. Are not good works mentioned as the ground of the sentence, Mt. 25:35-36 — “I was a hungered, and ye gave Me meat…”?
A. These good works are mentioned, not as grounds of their sentence, but as evidences of their union with Christ, and of their right and title to heaven in him, John 15:5,8; even as the apostle says in another case, of the unbelieving Jews, 1 Cor. 10:5 — “With many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness:” their overthrow in the wilderness, was not the ground of God’s displeasure with them, but the evidence of it.”
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Will Believers’ Sins be Manifested on Judgment Day?
Order of
Article 1
Quote 1
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Article
1600’s
Burgess, Anthony – pp. 261-62 of Lecture 29 on Acts 3:19 in The True Doctrine of Justification Asserted & Vindicated… (London, 1651)
Burgess gives the arguments for both Yes and No and then concludes: “Which of these opinions is truest is hard to say; neither of them have cogent arguments and the Scripture does not expressly decide the question; yet the negative seems to have more probability on its side.” (p. 262)
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Quote
1700’s
James Fisher et al.
The Westminster Assembly’s Shorter Catechism Explained, by Way of Question & Answer, Part 1 (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1765), Question 28, ‘Wherein consists Christ’s Exaltation?’, p. 161
“Q. 115. Will there be any mention made of the sins of the righteous?
A. It appears not; “In that time, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none: and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found,” Jer. 5:20. “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth,” etc. Rom. 8:33-34.”
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On Unbelievers being Justified in Some Respect at the Last Judgment
Quote
1600’s
Maccovius, John
Scholastic Discourse: The Distinctions & Rules of Theology & Philosophy (1644)
ch. 15, ‘On Good Works’, p. 251
“8. The good works performed by the gentiles [unbelievers] are pleasing to God in so far as because of them, He will partially but not totally justify them in the last judgment; secondly, because He will remunerate them with temporary goods [in this life].
In hell, therefore, they will bear lighter punishments; they will also be remunerated with temporary goods, as is evident from the midwives in Ex. 1 [v. 21].”
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ch. 20, ‘On the Renewal of the World’, p. 279
“14. Some of the reprobate will be partly justified.
I.e. they will be freed from punishment, yet not absolutely, for all reprobate are to be condemned: but in respect of degree. Consequently, in Mt. 11:24, it is said that for the inhabitants of Sodom the circumstances will be more tolerable than for others in Judgment Day.”
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“…the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
Jn. 5:28-29
“…every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
Mt. 12:36
“The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.”
Ps. 7:8
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Related Pages
On the Continuation of Justification
Westminster Divines on Justification