Conflicting Witnesses

Pastor Martin establishes that justification is an act of God, not a process - one is either wholly justified or wholly condemned, with no degrees and no growing into it. From Romans 5:1, Romans 8:1, Luke 18:14, and John 5:24 he demonstrates the once-for-all character of justification, then applies the distinction practically: the believer must take indwelling sin seriously like Paul in Romans 7 yet rest in 'no condemnation' like Paul in Romans 8. He closes with the debtor's prison illustration introducing pardon and acceptance.

Pastor Martin opens the second negative of the Larger Catechism: the ground of justification is not anything wrought in us by the gracious work of the Spirit. He acknowledges that God always sanctifies whom He justifies, but insists that nothing of that internal work - new heart, new affections, repentance, growing holiness - forms any part of the legal ground of justification. The righteousness justifying us is a God-righteousness in Christ, external to us, received only by faith.