Systematic Theology, by Louis Berkhof - New Leaven

forgives and accepts the sinner. This active justification logically precedes faith and
passive justification. We believe the forgiveness of sins.
2. PASSIVE OR SUBJECTIVE JUSTIFICATION. Passive or subjective justification takes place
in the heart or conscience of the sinner. A purely objective justification that is not
brought home to the sinner would not answer the purpose. The granting of a pardon
would mean nothing to a prisoner, unless the glad tidings were communicated to him
and the doors of the prison were opened. Moreover, it is exactly at this point that the
sinner learns to understand better than anywhere else that salvation is of free grace.
When the Bible speaks of justification, it usually refers to what is known as passive
justification. It should be borne in mind, however, that the two cannot be separated. The
one is based on the other. The distinction is simply made to facilitate the proper
understanding of the act of justification. Logically, passive justification follows faith; we
are justified by faith.
F. THE TIME OF JUSTIFICATION.
Some theologians separate active and passive justification temporally. The active
justification is then said to have taken place in eternity or in the resurrection of Christ,
while passive justification takes place by faith and therefore, it is said, follows the other
in a temporal sense. We shall consider successively justification from eternity,
justification in the resurrection of Christ, and justification by faith.
1. JUSTIFICATION FROM ETERNITY. The Antinomians held that the justification of the
sinner took place in eternity, or in the resurrection of Christ. They either confounded it
with the eternal decree of election, or with the objective justification of Christ when He
was raised from the dead. They did not properly distinguish between the divine
purpose in eternity and its execution in time, nor between the work of Christ in
procuring, and that of the Holy Spirit in applying the blessings of redemption.
According to this position we are justified even before we believe, though we are
unconscious of it, and faith simply conveys to us the declaration of this fact. Moreover,
the fact that our sins were imputed to Christ made Him personally a sinner, and the
imputation of His righteousness to us makes us personally righteous, so that God can
see no sin in believers at all. Some Reformed theologians also speak of justification from
eternity, but at the same time refuse to subscribe to the Antinomian construction of this
doctrine. The grounds on which they believe in justification from eternity deserve brief
consideration.
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