Hodge On Justification Preceding Regeneration

Dr. A. A Hodge 

1823-1886

A. A. Hodge in "The Ordo Salutis" (here) shows that it is the basic doctrine of Protestant soteriology, in opposition to the Catholic, that justification precedes regeneration and all moral transformation. Those Calvinists (as was Hodge) who put regeneration before justification are Catholic in their ordo salutis. The following citations show that Hodge, like many able Calvinists, have strenuously asserted that justification has logical priority (not chronological) over moral transformation (regeneration, sanctification, etc.). All citation highlighting is mine. Hodge wrote:

"The second characteristic mark of Protestant soteriology is the principle that the change of relation to the law signalized by the term justification, involving remission of penalty and restoration to favor, necessarily precedes and renders possible the real moral change of character signalized by the terms regeneration and sanctification. The continuance of judicial condemnation excludes the exercise of grace in the heart. Remission of punishment must be preceded by remission of guilt, and must itself precede the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart. Hence it must be entirely unconditioned upon any legal standing, or moral or gracious condition of the subject. We are pardoned in order that we may be good, never made good in order that we may be pardoned. We are freely made co-heirs with Christ in order that we may become willing co-workers with him, but we are never made co-workers in order that we may become co-heirs.

These principles are of the very essence of Protestant soteriology. To modify, and much more, of course, to ignore or to deny them, destroys absolutely the thing known as Protestantism, and ought to incur the forfeiture of all recognized right to wear the name."

IV. There is an unhappily significant tendency observable among many modern preachers and writers to ignore, if not positively to deny, the absolute necessity of a gratuitous justification as an essential precondition of the very beginnings of all moral reformation.

This was the view of men like Haldane and Watson, who I recently cited on this issue. Hodge continued:

"The age-spirit which doubts about the reality and eternity of future punishment naturally ceases to emphasize justification on the basis of vicarious expiation, and to postpone it as the consequent of regeneration, sanctification, and the life work which follows. The end is evident and inevitable. Without antecedent reconciliation men cannot be truly sanctified. So the same low sense of sin which leads to the ignoring of justification, or to its removal from its position as the beginning and fountain of all practical grace, will necessarily lead to the denial of the soul’s need to any grace, and of its obligation to any law." 

"The parts of the application are two: (a) Union with Christ, and (b) communion in the benefits secured by his obedience and suffering. This “union” is effected by the Holy Ghost in effectual calling. Of this “calling” the parts are two: (a) The offering of Christ to the sinner, externally by the Gospel, and internally by the illumination of the Holy Ghost; (b) The reception of Christ, which on our part is both passive and active. The passive reception is that whereby a spiritual principle is ingenerated into the human will, whence issues the active reception, which is an act of faith with which repentance is always conjoined. The “communion” of benefits which results from this union involves (a) a change of state or relation, called justification; and (b) a change of subjective moral character, commenced in regeneration and completed through sanctification."

That is my view and I strongly believe it is the clear teaching of scripture. Union with Christ by faith brings instant justification (involving imputed righteousness, forgiveness of sin, reconciliation) and this is immediately followed by moral transformation and renewal. Justification is forensic, happening once, never to be repeated. It is not a process as the Catholics wrongly assert. It is not making a man just in his personal character but in his legal standing. He will be made just and righteous in character but this will be the result of legal justification and acquittal.

I consider this an important question. I would that all my Calvinist brethren who are taking the Catholic view that regeneration and justification are progressive and that justification depends upon regeneration and sanctification would repent of this error.