1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

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Chapter 11

Of Justification

Paragraph 1. Those whom God effectually calls, he also freely justifies,[1] not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous;[2] not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone;[3] not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law, and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness by faith,[4] which faith they have not of themselves; it is the gift of God.[5] 

[1] Rom. 3:24, 8:30 

[2] Rom. 4:5-8, Eph. 1:7 

[3] 1 Cor. 1:30,31, Rom. 5:17-19 

[4] Phil. 3:8,9; Eph. 2:8-10 

[5] John 1:12, Rom. 5:17 

Paragraph 2. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification;[6] yet is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love.[7] 

[6] Rom. 3:28 

[7] Gal.5:6, James 2:17,22,26 

Paragraph 3. Christ, by his obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those who are justified; and did, by the sacrifice of himself in the blood of his cross, undergoing in their stead the penalty due to them, make a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice in their behalf;[8] yet, in as much as he was given by the Father for them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead, and both freely, not for anything in them,[9] their justification is only of free grace, that both the exact justice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.[10] 

[8] Heb. 10:14; 1 Pet. 1:18,19; Isa. 53:5,6 

[9] Rom. 8:32; 2 Cor. 5:21 

[10] Rom. 3:26; Eph. 1:6,7, 2:7 

Paragraph 4. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect,[11] and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their justification;[12] nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit in time does actually apply Christ to them.[13] 

[11] Gal. 3:8, 1 Pet. 1:2, 1 Tim. 2:6 

[12] Rom. 4:25 

[13] Col. 1:21,22, Titus 3:4-7 

Paragraph 5. God continues to forgive the sins of those that are justified,[14] and although they can never fall from the state of justification,[15] yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure;[16] and in that condition they usually do not have the light of his countenance restored to them, until they humble themselves, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.[17] 

[14] Matt. 6:12, 1 John 1:7,9 

[15] John 10:28 

[16] Ps. 89:31-33 

[17] Ps. 32:5, Ps. 51, Matt. 26:75 

Paragraph 6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.[18] 

[18] Gal. 3:9; Rom. 4:22-24 

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