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Pope Francis took up a theological theme in the September 29 general audience that has been met with confusion over the centuries: the theme of justification in the writings of St. Paul.
The teaching of Scripture and Tradition has been contested from the times of Pelagius to the Protestant Reformers, and continues to be a misunderstood doctrine.
In fact, the teaching was one of the fundamental conflicts in the time of the Reformation, although recently -- since 1999 -- an accord has been reached. That year the Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church published a landmark agreed text, enunciating a common understanding after 500 years. Since then, the Anglican Consultative Council, the World Methodist Council, and the World Communion of Reformed Churches have also associated themselves with the Declaration.
Pope Francis emphasized certain point's in today's audience.
Justification, said the Pope, is simply the consequence of God's mercy.
St. Paul, who had been a scrupulous observer of the Law, is transformed through his experience of the Risen Christ. And he discovered that "we do not become just through our own effort, no, it is not us, but it is Christ, with his grace, who makes us just."
Paul "discovered that only God’s grace had saved him."
So, the Pope continued, "We have been justified, we have been saved, through pure grace, not because of our own merits. And this gives us great trust. We are sinners, yes; but we live our lives with this grace of God that justifies us each time that we ask forgiveness. But not in that moment are we justified: we have been justified, but he comes to forgive us again."
Pope Francis clarified that for St. Paul, this does not mean the Mosaic Law has lost its value, since for him, it is "holy," and an "irrevocable gift from God."
However, even to observe the Law -- an essential part of our spiritual life -- we "cannot count on our efforts."
The Pope pointed out the complementary teaching from the Letter of James:
Our justification, said Pope Francis "incorporates us into the long history of salvation." Despite the continual falls of humanity, God "has not given up, but he wanted to make us just and he did so through grace, through the gift of Jesus Christ, of his death and resurrection."
Our justification is "God's greatest nearness" to us, the Pope said, enabling us to recognize ourselves as sinners, but, to be able to say, "fundamentally, you are just."
