Definition: Justification is our declared righteousness before God, made possible by Christ’s death and resurrection for us. Occurs at the time of regeneration, through the instrument of faith, as a product of our adoption and union with Christ, whereby His life, death, and resurrection benefit us on account of our union with Him.

Main Idea: Justification is not a relic of a particular era, that is the Reformation, nor is it equative to salvation, that is justification does not equal salvation, but it is a crucial element of the application of salvation. Human beings are unable to live in accord with the character of God and thus need an alien righteousness to be declared righteous before Him. This alien righteousness comes to us from God as part of our union with Christ and we are united to Christ through the instrument of faith, which is a gift. Justification is by faith alone, but faith is never alone – good works always follow.