Justification (theology)

===Catholic Church===
{{Main article|Infused righteousness}} 
To Catholics, justification is "a translation, from that state wherein man is born a child of the first Adam, to the state of grace, and of the adoption of the sons of God, through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, our Savior",<ref>{{Cite web |title=CT06 |url=https://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct06.html |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=history.hanover.edu |page=Chapter 4 |no-pp=y}}</ref> including the transforming of a sinner from the state of unrighteousness to the state of holiness. This transformation is made possible by accessing the [[Merit (Catholicism)|merit of Christ]], made available in the atonement, through faith and the sacraments.<ref>"Decree on Justification", chap. 7</ref> The Catholic Church teaches that "faith without works is dead"<ref>{{cite book|title=James 2:26|url=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202:26&version=DRA}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1815.htm |title=Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1815 |publisher=The Vatican |location=The Vatican}}</ref> and that works perfect faith.<ref>{{cite book|title=James 2:22|url=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202:22&version=DRA}}</ref>

In Catholic theology, all are born in a state of [[original sin]], meaning that the sinful nature of Adam is inherited by all. Following Augustine, the Catholic Church asserts that people are unable to make themselves righteous; instead, they require justification.<ref>{{Cite web |title=history.hanover.edu - /texts/trent/ |url=https://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=history.hanover.edu |page=Chapters 1, 7, 8 |no-pp=y}}</ref>

Catholic theology holds that the sacrament of baptism, which is closely connected to faith, "purifies, justifies and sanctifies" the sinner; in this sacrament, the sinner is "freed from sin".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm |title= The sacrament of Baptism|work= [[Catechism of the Catholic Church]]|access-date=January 19, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=1 Peter 3:21|url=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%203:21&version=DRA}}</ref> This is termed initial justification or "being cleansed of sin", the entrance into the Christian life. Catholics use Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, and 1 Peter 3:21 to support this view in justification by baptism.

As the individual then progresses in his Christian life, he continues to receive God's grace both directly through the Holy Spirit as well as through the sacraments. This has the effect of combating sin in the individual's life, causing him to become more righteous both in heart and in action. If one falls into [[mortal sin]] he loses his justification and it can be gained back through the [[Sacrament of Reconciliation (Catholic Church)|sacrament of confession]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1446|location=The Vatican|quote=Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as "the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace."}}</ref>

At the [[Last Judgment|Final Judgment]], the individual's works will then be evaluated.<ref>Mt. 25</ref> At that time, those who are righteous will be shown to be so. This is the permanent justification.

In the [[Council of Trent]], which Catholics believe to be infallible, the Catholic Church declared in the VII session in canon IV that, "If any one saith, that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary unto salvation, but superfluous; and that, without them, or without the desire thereof, men obtain of God, through faith alone, the grace of justification;-though all (the sacraments) are not indeed necessary for every individual; let him be [[Anathema#Catholicism|anathema]] (excommunicated)."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Council of Trent Session 7|url=http://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct07.html}}</ref>