Justification: Protestant vs. Catholic

In this video I offer an overview of a Protestant perspective on justification, with a goal of providing conceptual clarity on where it differs from a Roman Catholic view. And in case you are wondering, YES AT 55:33 IT WAS AN EARTHQUAKE!!!

Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus.

Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai.

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00:00 - Introduction
07:45 - Approaching Justification
11:08 - Justification and Human Psychology
14:21 - Where We Agree + Disagree
36:50 - Justification in Church History

[DanielApologetics]

Obviously it requires much more to show truth than what I'm about to say now, but honestly, your Christ-like approach, language and attitude alone towards Catholics vs. many of those who that critique you - is a convincing and strengthening your position in of itself. Keep it up!

[bitsmore]

Very well said Sir. I was a Roman Catholic before converting to Protestantism. Very well taught Catholic and I get from where their beliefs are coming from. Usually, my protestant brothers are not so gracious in listening about these things. My Roman Catholics friends on the other hand are, well nonchalant...even historical father figures are fallible.., 👍

[dominusalicorn]

As a Baptist myself, grew up Baptist, went to a Baptist Bible college, and currently ministering in a Baptist church, yet on my own time listening to speakers and thinkers from various persuasions such as Orthodox (Jonathan Pageau), Catholic (I actually found your channel by listening to Trent Horn's rebuttal), secular psychological (Jordan Peterson), and mild charismatic (Mike Winger), I've been challenged to think outside my Baptist bubble.
I haven't necessarily changed my own views, but I have changed how I approach other sects by simply not arguing against the caricatures of them I was taught earlier in my life; and in some cases, as this video helps affirm to me, that we're actually not so different in certain areas I thought we were.
And like you allude to, I've been kind of afraid of bringing this up among other Baptists because I've heard others hint that I might be liberal because I'm not as strict on, say, alcohol or the King James version. God forbid I get called ecumenical for saying "Catholics don't actually believe that."

It's nice to see someone else in Baptist circles talking about this, and I might even start my own YT channel to add to the list of Baptist voices on this platform.

[travisshaffer]

I’m a Baptist pastor in Tennessee. I’ve been binge watching your videos since I found them a couple weeks ago.

My concern is that from my perspective, Catholic people themselves don’t view themselves as justified through faith.

For example, the wearing of the brown scapular, with it’s Marian promises that if one dies wearing the brown scapular, he or she will not go to Hell. This betrays a very basic misunderstanding of justification, does it not?
How could someone believing anything even approximating the scriptural doctrine of justification by faith, simultaneously have faith in the brown scapular?


By the way, thanks for your videos, have learned a lot!

[julianpark]

Thank you Dr Ortlund from a Presbyterian. Really love and admire your irenic approach to tackling these issues.

[meganvargas]

I’m a returning Roman Catholic but I love your videos. I love understanding the other side. You do it with love and humility and I appreciate it. Thank you for your kindness. I hope the apologetic speakers on my side pay you the same respect.

[Masowe.]

Wow! You have really helped me to be charitable. I am always impressed with how you manage to be charitable in these circumstances❤❤❤

[sethmatherne]

The sad part is how rampant the idea of faith as mere intellectual assent is in our modern easy believism context. Unfortunately, the caricature is very true in a lot of the large "protestant" context.

Thank you for your videos. Something to think about though I'm sure a lot of it varies from person to person in the actual personally held beliefs.

[logicaredux]

I do love your irenic presentations Dr. Ortlund. You are a point of light in Christ’s Kingdom.

[kayladavis]

This tore down all my caricatures of Roman justification! Very interesting. Thanks Gavin!

[jaredwilliams]

Dr Ortlund! I. Love. Your. Content. And. Style. Irenic discussion is a virtue that needs to be recovered and your channel does a good job at making it attractive: in its thoughtfulness wrt differences and insistence on peace and unity as the end :)

Love from South Africa 🇿🇦,
Jared

[Imjustinn]

Finally got around to watching this video Around the 8 minute mark you briefly touch on the posture on should have when engaged in research and dialogue. Such a helpful framework and reminder as I’m currently writing a research paper on various views of the Law and the believer. As always, I’m thankful for your time, effort, and Christlike character, Gavin! Blessings!

[aaronreimer]

Thank you for making this, amazing. Absolutely love the Anselm quote. And really really good points you’re making about both sides, I learned a lot from this, it’s so uplifting and helpful to learn from you due to your humility, honesty, and charitable demeanor, loved this thank you!!

[elijahmcgrath]

So hyped to watch! Ever since you talked about it on remnant radio I've been pumped

[StayFaithful]

I was that Protestant that condemned Catholics for not holding to imputed righteousness and it's funny that you mentioned Richard Baxter because I also ended up condemning him after learning about his position. Thanks for being fair to the Catholic position Gavin. I will recommend this video to anyone dealing with protestant-catholic dialogue.

Don't let James White see this video or else he's going to come after you LOL

[David-ilct]

Thank you for this, Gavin. The earthquake line had me CRACKING up!

[everythingisvanityneverthe]

8:25 - this is so true. During my early Christian walk there was a season in which I was completely handed over to my own flesh and it resulted in me doing some of the worst things imaginable. This happened after I gave my heart to the Lord and after I did everything in my power to follow his direction - to this day I don't fully understand the spiritual dynamics of what happened. If I did not hold to the belief that it is faith alone that saves me then I would have given up. My faith was severely challenged and this went on for more than ten years. If I had any concept that my faith "had to be perfected by works otherwise it would be dead" in an immediate sense then it would have been all over for me - I am sure of it. Nevertheless I held on and through that same faith I was freed to love and so works followed. Today I can confidently show the fruit of my faith praise God. I am still a work in progress but the difference is remarkable.

[tbojai]

Love seeing a new video from TruthUnites when I open up YouTube. Looking forward to watching!

[timcole]

Was so encouraged by this vid when I first watched it and felt the hope of the gospel again thinking about some of the points you made earlier today as well - thanks :')

[nametheunknown_]

Thanks for your work, Dr. Ortlund! I appreciate the spirit in which you teach.