Justification + death = salvation?

[Absalom]

I had a discussion with my wife (an ex-protestant) about justification and salvation yesterday. She told me some things about her former beliefs that boggled my mind at first, but then began to make total sense (from a protestant perspective, that is). She said that, as she understood it, protestants believed that you could be saved without being justified. Is this true? If so, then this clears a few things up for me.

It seems to me that the bible teaches that we are saved when we die justified. Now, I’ve noticed that modern protestant discussions of faith/works use such language as “we are saved by faith alone” and “we’re not *saved *by works.” However, Martin Luther’s thing was that we were “*justified *by faith alone,” not “saved by faith alone.” This would explain a couple of things. First, Luther disliked James and wanted to remove it (because he understood that it disproved his theory). Secondly, it makes sense that modern protestants would separate justification and salvation (so that they can make *James *jive with the doctrine of Sola Fide). I’ve always wondered how protestants could say that we are saved by faith alone when James 2:24 makes it abundantly clear that we are not (in fact, it’s the only place in the Bible where the phrase “faith alone” appears). That’s because I’ve always understood that if one dies justified then one goes to heaven; and, consequently, if one died unjustified, then one does not go to heaven (“Nothing unclean will enter it”). But if prots. separate justification from salvation and say that one can be saved without being justified, and being justified is just a nice thing if you can get around to it, then it all makes sense. It seems like the protestants realized that Luther didn’t have his ducks in a row and so decided that justification wasn’t actually necessary for salvation, which allowed them to keep Sola Scriptura.

Can anyone add to this (or show me how I’m wrong)?

God bless.

 

[Fidelis]

I think you got it right in general, but my understanding is that most Evangelical Protestants consider justification and salvation as the same thing (that’s why they consider growing in holiness a nice thing to do, but not essential to maintaining sanctifying grace). Many also do not make the distinction of the redemption wrought by Christ on the Cross, and salvation. To them they are are somewhat interchangable terms, which is incorrect. So to them, to be redeemed is to be saved/justified, and vice versa. Try plugging that into your scenario and see if it makes sense (from a Protestant view).

 

[Verbum]

Hi Absalom,

I think Protestants don’t generally distinguish between justification and salvation. “Once saved always saved” really means “Once justified you are saved.”

Some ¨Protestants don’t believe that baptism justifies. But only the act of faith. Baptism is sort of an afterthought, a public manifestation of the fact that you have been saved.

The Catholic position is : we are justified by faith and baptism and we are saved if we die after persevering in our justified state.

Verbum

 

[Kevan]

There is some variety within Protestantism regarding justification, but not all that much.

Justification is a courtroom term. Because of Christ’s atonement, God pronounces a guilty sinner “not guilty.” OSAS says that this is an irreversible status, others say that it isn’t. Both agree as to the definition of the term.

At the same time that the sinner is justified, he is regenerated, “born again.” This is the infusion of a supernatural life: Christ himself. Regeneration changes the heart and life. “All things become new.” Justification is a legal act, regeneration is a personal experience.

At the same time as the sinner is justified and regenerated, he experiences the beginnings of sanctification, the process of becoming holy in heart and life. There is more variety regarding this doctrine than the first two.

These things, which occur instantaneously and simultaneously, are a part of what it is to be “saved.” The word is used several ways in the New Testament, so that it is proper to say I have been saved, I am being saved, and I shall be saved. The idea behind “I have been saved” may be seen in Romans 8:24* Ephesians 2:5-9* 2 Timothy 1:9* Titus 3:5
and also in other verses. The present and future senses also are plentiful in the New Testament.