Justification According to NT Wright: Part Four

Foundation Three

            The third foundation which influences Wright’s view of justification is the time frame of justification. In traditional Protestant theology justification is a one-time event that happens at the beginning of salvation. But for Wright justification is past, present, and future.

“This declaration will be made on the last day on the basis of an entire life (Romans 2:1-16), but is brought forward into the present on the basis of Jesus’ achievement, because sin has been dealt with through his cross (Romans 3:21-4:25); the means of this present justification is simply faith”.¹ 

Justification is past in that it is based on the work of Christ. It is present because it is a forensic declaration that the person is now a member of the people of God on the basis of faith. It is future, most controversially, because of the future judgment before God when the works of a believer will be examined. There is no possible discrepancy between present and future justification because the Holy Spirit will work on the person so that they will, without a doubt, produce the good works that lead to a positive judgment later on in the future justification.²
 

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