Views of Justification—Two Differing Gospels

In Justified by Faith Alone, R. C. Sproul clarifies the differing views of justification:

The Roman Catholic Church cites James 2:14-26 (“faith without deeds is dead,” verse 26) to support their rejection of sola fide. In response the Reformers insisted that true saving faith is not  devoid of good works. They argued that “justification is by  faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.”

The chief differences between the Roman Catholic and Reformation views of justification:

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW

1. Baptism (with penance) is the instrumental cause of justification.
2. Justification is by infusion.
3. Justification is  analytical.
4. Justification is based on an inherent righteousness.
5. Justification is by faith plus works.
6. Justification is by grace and merit.
7. Justification is on the basis of Christ’s righteousness and my righteousness.
8. Justification can be undone by mortal sin.
9. Justification may be completed in purgatory.
10. Justification may be obtained by drawing from the Treasury of Merit.
11. Justification is sacerdotal.

THE REFORMATION VIEW

1. Faith is the instrumental cause of justification.
2. Justification is by imputation.
3. Justification is synthetic.
4. Justification is based on an alien (Christ’s) righteousness.
5. Justification is by faith alone.
6. Justification is by grace alone.
7. Justification is on the basis of Christ’s righteousness.
8. There is no “mortal sin” for a person who is justified.
9. There is no purgatory or need for it.
10. The only merit is that of Christ alone.
11. Justification is non-sacerdotal.

Justified by Faith Alone

R. C. Sproul

This republished work outlines the doctrine of justification by faith. Clearly written and rich in theology, it will challenge readers to think discerningly about the implications of the doctrine's historic dispute.

The differences between these two "gospels" is in grave danger of being lost in our day. Efforts to heal the breach between Rome and the Reformation have yielded confusion among many. The issue cannot be resolved by studied ambiguities or different meanings attached to the same words. The crucial issue of the infusion verses imputation remains the irreconcilable issue. We are either justified by a righteousness that is in us or by a righteousness that is apart from us. There is no third way.

Excerpt from Justified by Faith Alone by R. C. Sproul.

R. C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Florida. He was also first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. His radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. Sproul contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, colleges, and seminaries around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible.