Repentant faith and justification
The story is told of a kind King. One day while declaring punishment for criminals he wanted to learn more about them. Does punishment really lead to remorse?
The first prisoner he spoke to said, “I have not committed any crime. I’m innocent. ” Another said, “I have been framed. I am innocent too.” Similarly, all the prisoners there were trying to prove their innocence to the King.
Then the King saw a prisoner with his head down weeping. The King asked him, “Why are you crying?” The prisoner humbly replied, “I was poor and stole. It is justice. I did an offence, and I got punished for it.”
The King then proclaimed, “Free this man, before he corrupts all these innocent prisoners here.”
Faith and justification? How does that work. In this world we see daily evidence of the evil that attacks goodness and innocence and causes sin, death and suffering. Faith is needed to make sense of it all. Through faith we may have hope that love will conquer all. But having faith is not enough.
It is very clear from many scriptural passages that the kind of faith we need for justification is a repentant faith. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Sorrow for sin and the sincere desire to change are what is missing from the "faith" which even demons and wicked people can have.
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3). St Paul says, “When one…believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness” (Romans 4:5). That is how our faith changes us. Believing and putting our trust in Jesus, the Son of God, makes us righteous.
This is the same doctrine as that of Jesus himself, who rebuked the Pharisee who boasted before God of his good works. The Lord taught that the humble publican, who simply prayed for God's mercy, was "justified," rather than the Pharisee. “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God” (Luke 18:14).
St. Paul teaches that through Baptism we participate in Christ's death; we receive the grace that Jesus won by his death on the Cross; and this enables us to live the new life of his resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). That new life is following Jesus in love of others and in good works.
St James warns: “Do realize, you senseless man, that faith without good deeds is useless” (James:2:20). Imagine this judgment day scene: I am nervous as I meet Jesus for the first time. He turns to me and says, “I was hungry, and you gave me no food. I was in the hospital, and you did not visit me. I was cold, and you kept all your extra clothes in your closets.”
“But Lord,” I protest, “I had faith. I always believed in you.”
Repentant faith leads to justification. God's mercy is possible only when the sinner receives actual grace, God prompts to continue in holiness and turn in contrition towards God's mercy. Growth in holiness is a life-long process of love and good works.
If we are on the right path of living a grace filled life, then we can trust that we are redeemed. “Do not be afraid. For I have redeemed you, and I have called you by your name. You are mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
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