Justification from a Christian perspective is the act of becoming right, or being made righteous by God. Jesus Christ accomplished this when he died upon the cross. However, Justification is not simply an act that has been done, but is an ongoing process in which the Holy Spirit along with the Father and the Son continues to justify humanity
We need to always look for justification, and receive it through the cross of Christ. Even the acceptance of the justification is not an act we can do on our own. This act of acceptance is done through faith, and faith in itself, is a gift of God. It is important to realize that justification is not warranted for humankind but comes from the agape love of God, through Christ to us from the faith God has given to us.
Justice, true justice, comes from within justification. We are called to be just to all humankind. We must act upon this. Not only justice to those who are like us, or those that we love, or they love us but for everyone. In fact, the fight for justice is at it’s best when we advocate for those that we struggle in: understanding, loving, and liking. The act of being just however, is not because of a required response or a needed response, but a natural reaction upon acceptance of the justification that we undeservedly receive from our Triune God.
When we see the poor, it is more than providing assistance to the poor. Justice is more than righting wrongs that we see. Justice forms a community where there is no, “Us” and “Them”, no more “You and “Me”. It is a community of “We”, where all of the “We” accept each other as their neighbor, and love their neighbor as themselves. In doing so, justice is served to keep a balance in how humankind relates, works, treats and loves each other and God. As related to me by my pastor, who gives credit to a seminary professor of his, as soon as a person makes the separation between “us and them” or “you and me”, God stands not with us, but with the others we distanced ourselves from. Justice is no longer served and justification is once again, in need.
Amen, brother. Our conversion is an ongoing process. It's no small task to overcome our concupiscence, and it is only by the gift of grace that we can even hope to do so.
I recently heard a quote: "The measure of our love for God is dependent upon how deeply aware we are of His love for us." Sadly, I don't remember who was quoted…I'll have to look that up… Anyway, it's clear that the more we love God the more we become aware of His love for us and vice versa.
You would think that such growing awareness would naturally lead us to more and more good works (being just)and so it does. The trouble is, it isn't always easy to follow through in doing those good works. No, we have to will ourselves to do so – with the free will that God gave us.
That leads us to a logical conclusion. Being aware that God's love deserves and begets our "being just" in response, failing to do so is essentially rejecting God's love.
I liken it to receiving a birthday gift. The gift, neatly wrapped in colorful paper and accented with a pretty bow is not something earned; it's a gift. Still the person receiving it hasn't really received it yet if it remains unopen.
Opening it, suppose the person finds it to be a pair of shoes. Well, now that person is closer to having received the gift, at least he knows more about it, but he still hasn't really received it yet until he starts wearing the shoes.
And guess what? Those shoes, as new shoes often are, may be uncomfortable at first. Holiness is like that. It can be uncomfortable. Still that person must will to wear those shoes, actually follow through and wear them, and only then, eventually, find them to be comfortable as well as functional.
If he doesn't ever wear the shoes, no matter how much he extols them, or offers thanks for them, he has rejected the gift. So while it may be said that good works are not required of us, really they are. Not because they earn us into heaven, but because they are our appropriation of the gift of grace. When we fail to do good, we reject God's gift.
We all reject God's gift occasionally, failing to do good. And thus, we who love God are always in a state of conversion, confessing our sins and earnestly striving to do better. Our striving is not just seeking to avoid sin, but to living as fully Christ-like as possible; to becoming evermore one with Him.
Some lucky few may complete their conversion in this life and enter heaven directly – maybe even without experiencing death just like Enoch and Elijah. For the rest of us, who in this life don't quite become completely free of even the slightest attachment to sin yet earnestly love God and desire union with Him, God has granted the gift of purgatory.
Conversion is an ongoing process…that is until we are fully converted.
Pax et Bonum, my brother.