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Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 71

Question 71

How is justification an act of God's free grace?

Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God's justice in the behalf of them that are justified; yet inasmuch as God accepteth the satisfaction from a surety, which he might have demanded of them, and did provide this surety, his own only Son, imputing his righteousness to them, and requiring nothing of them for their justification but faith, which also is his gift, their justification is to them of free grace.

Scripture references for paragraph 1

Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.

Romans 5:8-10

8But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!

10For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

Romans 5:19

19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

2 Timothy 2:5-6

5Likewise, a competitor does not receive the crown unless he competes according to the rules.

6The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.

Hebrews 7:22

22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

Hebrews 10:10

10And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Matthew 20:28

28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Daniel 9:24

24Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

Daniel 9:26

26Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.

Isaiah 53:4-6

4Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted.

5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:10-12

10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

11After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.

12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

Romans 8:32

32He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?

1 Peter 1:18-19

18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,

19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

2 Corinthians 5:21

21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Romans 3:24-25

24and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

25God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

Ephesians 2:8

8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 1:7

7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Source and edition

Westminster Larger Catechism. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription

Unlicense. Source transcription.

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