Justification results from faith in Christ, and is essential to salvation. Justification is the opposite of condemnation; it includes pardon and implies righteousness. We are both pardoned and justified, or treated as righteous, through faith in Christ. Pardon affects our relation to sin, justification our relation to God; pardon releases from penalty, justification restores to favor; we are pardoned often, yet justified but once; pardon delivers from condemnation for the past, justification secures from condemnation for the future.

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