Originally Posted by brightfame52
Then I believe in legal Justification based solely on the Blood of Christ Rom 5:9; The Grace of God Rom 3:24
1. Justification IS inherently legal. It is the proclamation of a [the] judge that the accused is found to be not guilty... based upon the vicarious substitutionary work of Christ Who is in personal union with the accused through faith. Again, NO ONE is truly justified before they come to Christ in repentance and faith in Him. (cf. Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6; Jas 2:23) It is 'by faith' (Greek dia {dative of means} pistis) in Christ that one is declared justified by God on the basis of the Lord Christ's atonement (passive obedience) and His perfect righteousness (active obedience), which is reckoned/imputed [Greek: logizomai) to the believer.

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Romans 5:1,2,8-11 (ASV) 1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 8 But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath [of God] through him. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life; 11 and not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Originally Posted by brightfame52
Then Justification by Faith Rom 5:1 when the Justification is applied spiritually to the mind of the Justified. This is the Spirits work in Justification when the Justified sinner receives the Spiritual knowledge of their Justification by the Gospel. The Gospel reveals Justification/righteousness to Faith Rom 1:16-17
nope Justification is not 'applied spiritually to the mind of the [already] Justified'. Again, justification occurs in time and only in time when a regenerated sinner reaches out with true repentance and saving faith to God in Christ Jesus, whereby God declares once for all that the pleading sinner's sins have been propitiated, God's wrath appeased, the infinite debt has been paid, he has been reconciled to God and redemption has been made, and the perfect righteousness of Christ is LEGALLY imputed to him, therefore and on the basis of Christ's life and death in his behalf, he is now an adopted son of the Living God. It is NOT as you surely believe, that justification 'applied to an already justified individual' is merely a matter of that person's "mind" being enlightened to a previously unknown event of which he had no part of.

There is, as John Murray's title of his book, Redemption: Accomplished and Applied two important aspects to a sinner's salvation. 1) the finished work of Christ in behalf of the elect as their substitute and righteousness, and 2) the application of all the merited benefits upon them when they come into union with Him through/by faith. The clear teaching of this truth is quickly understood in Paul's brief statement here:

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Romans 8:28-30 (ASV) 28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, [even] to them that are called according to [his] purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Justification follows the calling (regeneration by the Spirit through the Gospel; cf. Rom 1:16, 10:8-10). And then shows how this salvation which is through faith in the Lord Christ is unassailable and a surety for all true believers in Rom 8:31-39. Assurance follows justification by faith in Christ, and not before by some 'ex parte' event.

For your further consideration:

- "Eternal Justification" by Louis Berkhof
- "Justification From Eternity” by G.C. Berkhouwer

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