PROTESTANT VIEW
We are judged righteous in the sight of God purely on the basis of our faith. The atoning sacrifice of Christ leads to righteousness being imputed to us as sinners through a legal declaration by God. This is often stated as Justification by faith alone. There is a clear distinction between Justification and Sanctification, the latter being the growth in holiness arising from the work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian.
FAITH = Forsaking All I Trust Him.
“But that in the law no man is justified with God, it is manifest: because the just man liveth by faith.”
Galatians 3:11 (DRB).
CATHOLIC VIEW
As with Grace, the Catholic view is that good works accompanied by our faith, form the basis for our justification.
“For even as the body without the spirit is dead: so also faith without works is dead.”
James 2:26 (DRB).
Justification is a process in which we grow in grace and perform good works acceptable to God, rather than a once only event. Thus in Catholicism, Justification includes not only God’s action in declaring us righteous, but also the process of making us so. Therefore sanctification is part of justification:
“Like conversion, justification has two aspects. Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, and so accepts forgiveness and righteousness from on high. Justification includes the remission of sins, sanctification, and the renewal of the inner man.”
Paragraphs 2018-9, CCC.
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