Justification - A Brief Study

Abstract

Richard D. Balge’s essay Justification — A Brief Study offers a clear, scriptural exposition of the doctrine of justification, presented to the Wisconsin Association of Lutheran Educators in 1984. Balge distinguishes the biblical meaning of justification—God’s forensic declaration of righteousness—from the Roman Catholic view of moral transformation. Drawing primarily from Romans and 2 Corinthians, he affirms that God has justified all humanity by grace, through Christ’s atoning work, and revealed this verdict in the resurrection. Faith, a gift of God through the Gospel, receives this objective justification. Balge critiques Roman Catholic and synergistic views, emphasizing that justification is by faith alone, not by works or infused grace. He also addresses pastoral concerns about repentance and sudden death, affirming that salvation rests in Christ, not in the believer’s final conscious acts. The essay concludes with a comforting assurance of God’s preserving grace. —Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)