Saturday, August 17, 2019

D. Todd Christofferson on the Transformative (not merely Declarative) Nature of Justification


In his article “Justification and Sanctification,” Elder D. Todd Christofferson wrote (emphasis added):

Because of “the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice,” Jesus Christ can satisfy or “answer the ends of the law” on our behalf. Pardon comes by the grace of Him who has satisfied the demands of justice by His own suffering, “the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). He removes our condemnation without removing the law. We are pardoned and placed in a condition of righteousness with Him. We become, like Him, without sin. We are sustained and protected by the law, by justice. We are, in a word, justified.

Thus, we may appropriately speak of one who is justified as pardoned, without sin, or guiltless. For example, “Whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world” (3 Ne. 27:16; emphasis added).

One rather appreciates the following from Christofferson as it shows that he recognises that, while justification is, in part, a declaration of one being “just” or “righteous” it is not a blasphemous legal fiction where one is declared “just” without being “made” just—note how we are said, at justification, to become like Jesus and to be, again, like Jesus is, without sin—such is not a mere declaration; instead, it is a declaration based on an intrinsic reality as, in justification, we are transformed into being (truly) righteous.

For more addressing justification, imputation, and related topics, see, for e.g.:


Response to a Recent Attempt to Defend Imputed Righteousness