Waggoner & Jones vs. the Protestant Reformation on Righteousness by Faith: An Analysis of Crucial Doctrinal Differences

 

Introduction: The Great Divergence

What happens when two sincere movements, both claiming to champion "righteousness by faith," arrive at fundamentally different destinations? This is precisely what we encounter when comparing the 1888 message of Ellet J. Waggoner and Alonzo T. Jones with the historic Protestant Reformation's understanding of justification by faith alone. While both movements sought to restore the centrality of Christ's righteousness, their paths diverged so dramatically that we must ask: Can both roads lead to biblical truth?

The 1888 Minneapolis General Conference marked a pivotal moment in the history of Seventh-day Adventists. Waggoner and Jones presented what they believed was a "most precious message" about righteousness by faith. Ellen White endorsed their message as coming from God, declaring it to be "the third angel's message" that would precipitate "the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure". Yet when we examine their teachings and compare them with both the Protestant Reformation and Scripture itself, profound differences emerge.gcyouthministries+1

Is it possible that sincere hearts can be sincerely wrong? The answer to this question has eternal implications, for as the Reformers proclaimed, justification by faith alone is "the article by which the church stands or falls".wikipedia+1

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The Waggoner-Jones Framework: Making Righteous vs. Declaring Righteous

The Heart of Their Message

Waggoner and Jones brought a message that fundamentally redefined justification. Rather than viewing justification as God's forensic declaration of righteousness, they taught that justification literally "makes righteous." Waggoner explicitly stated:

"The meaning of the word 'justified' is 'made righteous'... To be just is to be righteous. Then we add the terminating fy, from the Latin word, meaning 'to make,' and we have the exact equivalent of the simpler term, 'make righteous'".repairingthesabbathbreach

But should etymology determine theology? When we examine the Greek term dikaioo (δικαιόω) through historico-grammatical analysis, we discover that while the word can mean "to make righteous," its predominant New Testament usage is forensic—" to declare righteous" or "to vindicate." The context of Paul's arguments in Romans and Galatians consistently presents justification as God's legal verdict, not moral transformation.

Perfect Obedience: The Inevitable Fruit?

The 1888 messengers taught that justification by faith necessarily results in perfect obedience to God's commandments. Jones declared:

"Then it is plain that the first, the second, the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth verses of the sixth chapter of Romans all intend that we shall be kept from sinning".

Their message proclaimed that sinless perfection was not only possible but expected before Christ's Second Coming.scribd+2

Waggoner emphasized:

"The just shall live by faith... To be justified by faith is to be made righteous by faith. 'All unrighteousness is sin' (1 John 5:17), and 'sin is the transgression of the law' (1 John 3:4). Therefore, all unrighteousness is transgression of the law, and of course all righteousness is obedience to the law." .repairingthesabbathbreach

Here lies a crucial question: Does justification by faith guarantee sinless living in this present age? Or does this understanding confuse the biblical distinction between justification and sanctification?

Christ's Nature: The Proof of Possibility

Central to Waggoner and Jones' theology was their teaching about Christ's human nature. They maintained that "Christ was made flesh itself—the same flesh and blood as those whom he came to redeem". This understanding became the foundation for their belief that if Christ could live sinlessly in fallen human nature, believers could achieve the same through divine power.gcyouthministries+1

But does this interpretation align with biblical Christology? The Reformation understanding, rooted in careful exegesis, distinguished between Christ's unique role as the God-man and our experience as redeemed but still fallen beings.

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The Protestant Reformation: The Forensic Foundation

Luther's Revolutionary Discovery

Martin Luther's breakthrough came through wrestling with Romans 1:17: "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith'". Initially, Luther interpreted "the righteousness of God" as God's active, punishing righteousness—the standard by which He judges sinners. This understanding tormented his conscience.zondervanacademic+1

Luther's theological revolution occurred when he realized that "the righteousness of God" in the gospel context refers not to God's demand for righteousness, but to God's gift of righteousness. This righteousness is not our own (proper righteousness) but Christ's (alien righteousness), imputed to believers through faith alone.wikipedia+2

The reformer explained:

"The first and chief article is this: Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification... All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works and merits, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus".wikipedia+1

The Forensic Nature of Justification

What does "forensic" mean in theological terms? The word derives from the Latin forum, referring to a court of law. Forensic justification means that justification is fundamentally a legal declaration—God the Judge pronounces the believing sinner "not guilty" and "righteous" based solely on Christ's perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice.wikipedia

This understanding emerges clearly from Paul's use of logizomai (λογίζομαι) in Romans 4, translated as "reckon," "count," or "impute." Paul employs this accounting term eleven times in Romans 4 alone. When Paul writes that righteousness was "reckoned" to Abraham (Romans 4:3), he uses language from the commercial world—righteousness is credited to the believer's account like money deposited in a bank.gentlereformation

The crucial distinction: Reformation theology insists that in justification, God declares us righteous based on Christ's perfect righteousness credited to our account. We are not made inherently righteous in justification; we are declared righteous because we are clothed with Christ's righteousness.

The Simul Iustus et Peccator Reality

Luther taught that believers are simul iustus et peccator—simultaneously saint and sinner. This doesn't mean we live in moral compromise, but rather acknowledges the biblical reality that sanctification is a lifelong process, not completed until glorification.wikipedia

Paul himself testified to this ongoing struggle: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do" (Romans 7:15). The apostle who penned the doctrine of justification by faith also honestly acknowledged his continued battle with indwelling sin.

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Biblical Analysis: What Does Scripture Actually Teach?

Hebrew and Greek Exegesis: The Foundation of Understanding

To properly understand righteousness by faith, we must examine the original languages through historico-grammatical hermeneutics. This approach seeks to understand what the biblical authors intended to communicate to their original audiences, based on grammar, historical context, and linguistic usage.christianpublishers+1

Hebrew Concept: Tzedakah (צְדָקָה)

The Hebrew word tzedakah, often translated "righteousness," carries rich covenantal meaning. It refers to right relationships and covenant faithfulness. In the Old Testament context, righteousness involves both God's faithfulness to His covenant and humanity's proper response to that covenant.ministryvoice+1

Significantly, by the time of Christ, tzedakah had taken on the meaning of "almsgiving" or "charitable deeds". This development shows how easily the concept of righteousness can shift from relational faithfulness to moral performance—a shift the Reformation sought to correct.ivchristiancenter

Greek Understanding: Dikaiosyne (δικαιοσύνη)

The Greek term dikaiosyne, used throughout the New Testament for "righteousness," encompasses both forensic declaration and ethical living. However, context determines emphasis. In Paul's justification passages (Romans 3-5, Galatians 2-3), the forensic aspect predominates.practicaltheologytoday+1

Paul's argument in Romans 4 provides crucial insight. He quotes Genesis 15:6: "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned (elogisthe) to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3). The passive voice and aorist tense indicate a definitive, completed action. Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness—not because faith itself is righteousness, but because faith apprehends Christ's righteousness.gentlereformation

The Relationship Between Justification and Sanctification

How do justification and sanctification relate? Scripture presents them as distinct yet inseparable aspects of salvation.

Justification: The Foundation (Romans 3:21-26)

Paul's magisterial passage on justification reveals its forensic nature:

"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law... the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe... being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:21-24).desiringgod

The phrase "apart from the law" (choris nomou) indicates that this righteousness comes completely outside human performance. The Greek word dorean ("freely") emphasizes that justification is absolutely gratuitous—it cannot be earned or improved upon.desiringgod

Sanctification: The Process (Romans 6-8)

Paul transitions to sanctification in Romans 6:

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2).

Here, Paul addresses the practical implications of justification.

Notice the sequence: Justification (Romans 3-5) provides the foundation for sanctification (Romans 6-8), not vice versa. We don't pursue holiness in order to be justified; we pursue holiness because we have been justified.

The Greek verb forms in Romans 6 reveal this progressive nature. While our death to sin is described in the aorist tense (completed action), our walking in newness of life uses present tense verbs, indicating an ongoing process.dtjsoft

The Perfect Standard vs. Progressive Growth

Does Scripture teach that believers can achieve sinless perfection in this life? This question requires careful exegesis.

The Standard: Matthew 5:48

Jesus declared: "You therefore must be perfect (teleios), as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). The Greek word teleios means "complete," "mature," or "having reached the intended goal."

But what is the context? Jesus is concluding His teaching on love for enemies (Matthew 5:43-47). The "perfection" He describes is completeness in love—loving not only friends but enemies, reflecting the character of God who "makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good" (Matthew 5:45).

This perfection is not sinless moral performance but wholehearted devotion that seeks to love as God loves. It's a directional righteousness, not perfectionist righteousness.

The Reality: 1 John's Balance

The apostle John provides a crucial balance on this issue. In 1 John 1:8, he writes: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Yet in 1 John 3:9, he states: "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God."

The Greek verb forms are crucial here. In 1 John 3:9, the present tense (hamartanei) indicates continuous, habitual action. John is not teaching sinlessness but rather that genuine believers do not live in persistent, unrepentant sin patterns.

The historico-grammatical analysis reveals that John is describing the directional change that occurs in genuine conversion, not the achievement of moral perfection.

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Critical Differences: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Aspect	Waggoner & Jones (1888)	Protestant Reformation	Biblical Teaching
Nature of Justification	Making righteous (actual transformation)	Declaring righteous (forensic verdict)	Forensic declaration based on Christ's imputed righteousness (Rom. 4:3-5)
Relationship to Works	Results in perfect obedience	Works are fruit, not cause	Good works follow but don't constitute justification (Eph. 2:8-10)
Perfection in This Life	Achievable and expected	Only in glorification	Directional growth, completion at glorification (Phil. 1:6)
Justification & Sanctification	Same process	Distinct but inseparable	Distinct aspects: justification establishes the relationship, sanctification demonstrates it
Christ's Righteousness	Imparted (given within)	Imputed (credited to account)	Both: imputed for justification, imparted through sanctification

The Crucial Distinction: Imputation vs. Impartation

What's the difference between imputation and impartation? This distinction is fundamental to understanding righteousness by faith.

Imputation means that Christ's righteousness is credited or reckoned to our account. It's a forensic transaction—God looks at us through Christ's righteousness and declares us righteous. This is the basis of justification.

Impartation means that Christ's righteousness is communicated within us, producing actual moral change. This is the process of sanctification.

The Reformation insisted that justification involves imputation alone, while the Waggoner-Jones message essentially collapsed this distinction, making justification dependent upon impartation.perspectivedigest

Why does this matter? If justification requires impartation (actual moral improvement), then our standing before God depends partially on our spiritual progress. This introduces works-righteousness through the back door, even if unintentionally.

Paul's argument in Galatians directly addresses this issue: "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3). The Galatians' error was not in how to be saved, but in thinking their continued acceptance with God depended on their moral performance.dtjsoft

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The Burden of Perfectionism

The Crushing Weight of Expectation

What happens when believers are taught that sinless perfection is not only possible but required? History provides sobering answers. The perfectionist movements have consistently produced either pride in those who claim to have "arrived" or despair in those who struggle with continued failure.

A. T. Jones himself later struggled with these very issues. By 1905, he had shifted toward Keswick holiness teaching, eventually falling into serious doctrinal error. The man who proclaimed sinless perfection as achievable could not maintain the standard he proclaimed.spectrummagazine

This raises a crucial pastoral question: Does the message of perfectionist sanctification ultimately point people to Christ or to themselves? The Reformation understanding, by contrast, keeps believers constantly dependent on Christ's finished work rather than their spiritual performance.

The Difference Between Aspiration and Expectation

Should believers aspire to holiness? Absolutely. Scripture commands: "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). The pursuit of sanctification is not optional for Christians.

But should believers expect to achieve sinless perfection in this life? Here, the Reformation and 1888 messages diverge completely. The Reformation understanding says: "Aspire to holiness while recognizing your continued dependence on grace." The perfectionist understanding says, "You must and can achieve sinless living."

The psychological and spiritual implications are profound. The first understanding produces humility and a deeper appreciation for grace. The second often produces either self-deception or spiritual despair.

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The Gospel at Stake: Different Gospels or Different Emphases?

Galatians 1:6-9: The Test of Truth

Paul warned the Galatians about "a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all" (Galatians 1:6-7). He pronounced an anathema on anyone who preaches a gospel contrary to what he had preached (Galatians 1:8-9).

Are we dealing with different gospels or merely different emphases? This question demands careful consideration.

The Reformation gospel proclaims: "You are justified by faith alone in Christ's righteousness alone, apart from works. Good works will follow, but they are the fruit of salvation, not its foundation or completion."

The 1888 message proclaims: "You are justified by faith in Christ's righteousness, which makes you able to obey perfectly. Perfect obedience is both possible and required for final approval."

The fundamental difference: The Reformation message makes Christ's finished work the complete basis of our acceptance with God. The 1888 message, despite its emphasis on Christ, ultimately makes our perfection necessary for final acceptance.

The Subtle Shift from Grace to Performance

How does a message that begins with grace end up requiring performance? The 1888 message illustrates this tragic trajectory:

1. Initial emphasis: Christ's righteousness is freely given

2. Logical development: This righteousness makes perfect obedience possible

3. Practical implication: Perfect obedience becomes expected

4. Final result: Acceptance depends on achieving perfection

This progression shows how even well-intentioned movements can gradually shift from grace to works, even while maintaining the language of righteousness by faith.

Ellen White's Cautions

Significantly, Ellen White herself warned against some implications of the 1888 message. She cautioned Jones that "he should never imply that there were no conditions in a person's receiving the righteousness of Christ" and that "works amounted to nothing".spectrummagazine

What does this reveal? Even the prophetess who endorsed the 1888 message recognized the danger of antinomian tendencies and sought to maintain balance. However, her warnings suggest that the message itself contained inherent instabilities that required constant correction.

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Biblical Texts That Illuminate the Truth

Romans 4:1-8: Abraham's Example

Paul's extended discussion of Abraham provides the clearest biblical teaching on justification by faith. Let's examine the text through historico-grammatical analysis:

"What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness'" (Romans 4:1-3).

Key observations:

1. The context is soteriological—how one is justified before God

2. The contrast is between works and faith as the basis of justification

3. The verb (elogisthe) is forensic accounting language

4. The timing precedes any works (circumcision doesn't come until verse 10)

Paul continues: "Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness" (Romans 4:4-5).

The crushing logic: If justification came through perfect obedience, it wouldn't be grace but wages owed. God justifies "the ungodly"—not the perfected, but the imperfect who believe.

Galatians 2:15-21: The Heart of the Matter

Paul's autobiographical account in Galatians 2 provides crucial insight:

"We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified" (Galatians 2:15-16).

Notice Paul's threefold repetition: "not justified by works... justified by faith... by works of the law no one will be justified." This emphatic repetition establishes the absolute exclusion of works from justification.

Paul's personal testimony continues: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

The balanced truth: Christ lives in us (sanctification reality), but we live by faith in the Son of God (justification basis). Even our sanctified living depends on faith in Christ's finished work, not our achieved perfection.

Philippians 3:7-14: Paul's Mature Perspective

The apostle's mature reflection in Philippians provides crucial balance:

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith" (Philippians 3:7-9).

Paul's clear distinction:

• Rejected righteousness: "my own... from the law"

• Embraced righteousness: "from God... through faith in Christ"

Yet Paul immediately acknowledges his continued imperfection: "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own" (Philippians 3:12).

The apostle who understood righteousness by faith better than anyone explicitly denies having achieved perfection! Instead, he describes the Christian life as pressing on toward the goal (verse 14).

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Historical Vindication: The Trajectory of Each Movement

The Reformation Legacy

The Protestant Reformation's understanding of justification by faith alone produced:

1. Doctrinal stability - The forensic understanding provided a solid foundation that weathered centuries of theological challenges

2. Missionary expansion - The assurance of salvation motivated worldwide evangelism

3. Educational advancement - Reformed and Lutheran institutions became centers of learning

4. Social transformation - The priesthood of all believers elevated common people

5. Enduring literature - Hymns, confessions, and theological works that continue to bless the church

The 1888 Trajectory

The perfectionist emphasis of the 1888 message led to:

1. Doctrinal confusion - Continued debates about the nature of justification and sanctification within Adventism

2. Psychological pressure - The burden of expected perfection created spiritual anxiety

3. Leadership failures - Both Jones and Waggoner later fell into a serious doctrinal error spectrummagazine

4. Theological instability - Constant need to redefine and clarify what the message actually meant

5. Practical legalism - Despite emphasis on grace, the expected perfection often produced works-orientation

History serves as a teacher. The fruits of each movement over time provide evidence of which understanding better reflects biblical truth.

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Contemporary Relevance: Why This Matters Today

The Ongoing Struggle

Why should 21st-century believers care about a 19th-century theological debate? Because the fundamental issues remain unchanged:

• How does a sinner gain right standing with God?

• What role do works play in salvation?

• Can believers achieve perfection in this life?

• What provides assurance of salvation?

These questions affect every believer's daily experience of faith, struggle with sin, and confidence in God's acceptance.

The Perfectionism Trap

Modern Christianity continues to struggle with perfectionist tendencies. Whether expressed in:

• Prosperity theology - "Faith should eliminate all problems"

• Holiness movements - "Complete sanctification is achievable"

• Performance Christianity - "God's blessing depends on our obedience"

• Social justice emphasis - "Christianity means creating a perfect society"

All these movements share the fundamental error of expecting human perfection to precede divine acceptance.

The Reformed Alternative

The Reformation understanding offers a different paradigm:

• Assurance based on Christ's finished work, not personal achievement

• Growth motivated by gratitude, not fear of rejection

• Service flowing from love, not obligation to prove worthiness

• Humility recognizing the continued need for grace

• Hope grounded in God's promises, not human performance

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For Those Struggling with Perfectionist Expectations

If you've been taught that sinless perfection is achievable and expected:

1. Remember God's standard - He evaluates you based on Christ's righteousness, not your performance

2. Embrace the process - Sanctification is lifelong growth, not instant achievement

3. Find freedom in failure - Your failures don't change your justified status

4. Pursue holiness from grace - Let gratitude, not fear, motivate your obedience

For Those Avoiding Moral Effort

If you've used grace as an excuse for moral complacency:

1. Recognize the connection - Justification and sanctification are inseparable

2. Understand the motive - We pursue holiness because we're saved, not to be saved

3. Embrace the struggle - The battle against sin proves you're alive in Christ

4. Trust the process - God will complete the work He began in you (Philippians 1:6)

For Church Leaders

How should pastors and teachers handle these truths?

1. Preach both justification and sanctification clearly but distinctly

2. Emphasize assurance based on Christ's work, not spiritual progress

3. Encourage growth while maintaining realistic expectations

4. Address perfectionism as a form of pride and works-righteousness

5. Point to Christ as both the foundation and goal of Christian living

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Conclusion: The Road That Leads Home

Two roads diverged in the theological landscape of the late 19th century. Both claimed to lead to righteousness by faith, but they led to vastly different destinations. Which road leads home to God?

The Protestant Reformation's understanding of justification by faith alone, grounded in careful exegesis of Scripture, provides:

• Solid foundation - Christ's finished work as the complete basis of acceptance

• Balanced perspective - Justification by faith alone, sanctification by grace through faith

• Pastoral wisdom - Assurance for the struggling, motivation for the growing

• Biblical fidelity - Faithful to the Hebrew and Greek texts, understood in context

• Historical vindication - Centuries of fruit in changed lives and stable churches

The 1888 message, despite its sincere emphasis on Christ, ultimately:

• Confuses justification and sanctification - Making acceptance depend on performance

• Creates unrealistic expectations - Demanding perfection that Scripture doesn't promise

• Produces unstable fruit - Leading to either pride or despair

• Violates biblical balance - Ignoring clear texts about continued imperfection

• Undermines assurance - Making salvation depend on achieving perfect obedience

The crucial question isn't whether we should pursue holiness - Scripture clearly commands growth in grace. The question is whether our pursuit of holiness is motivated by gratitude for completed justification or fear of incomplete acceptance.

Dear believer, which message brings peace to your troubled conscience? The message that says, "You must achieve perfection to be finally accepted," or the message that says, "Christ has achieved perfection for you—now grow in gratitude"?

The road of the Reformation leads to the cross where Christ declared, "It is finished" (John 19:30). There we find rest for our souls, not in our achievements but in His accomplishment. There we discover that we are justified by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone, to the glory of God alone.

This is the gospel. This is the good news. This is the road that leads home.

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

In this peace, let us walk—not as those striving to earn what has already been given, but as those learning to live in the reality of what we have already received. The difference is not merely academic—it is the difference between slavery and sonship, between fear and faith, between works and worship.

Choose the road wisely. Your soul's rest depends upon it.

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"For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law" (Romans 3:28).

"But to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness" (Romans 4:5).

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

These are the words that changed the world. May they change your heart as well.

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61. https://www.ivchristiancenter.com/2012/02/righteousness-doesnt-even-necessarily-mean-righteousness.html
62. https://www.drtimwhite.net/blog/2024/11/29/the-historicalgrammatical-hermeneutic-part-one
63. https://www.heavenonwheels.org/p/an-exploration-of-galatians-justified
64. http://biblehub.com/greek/1343.htm
65. https://faith.edu/faith-pulpit/posts/the-grammatical-historical-hermeneutic/
66. https://christcovenant.org/sermons/wait-i-thought-we-were-justified-by-faith-alone/
67. https://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2592&context=asburyjournal
68. https://legacy.sdarm.org/publications/good-way-series/righteousness-by-faith
69. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_perfection
70. https://www.pastortedwilson.org/christs-all-encompassing-righteousness/
71. https://files.sdarm.org/publications/periodicals/rmrh/pdf/rmrh2009_1_en.pdf
72. https://www.aplib.org/audio/en/pioneers/A.%20T.%20Jones/Consecrated%20Way%20to%20Christian%20Perfection/The%20Consecrated%20Way%20to%20Christian%20Perfection.pdf
73. https://www.discipleheart.com/righteousness-by-faith/seventh-day-adventist-authors-on-righteousness-by-faith
74. https://www.scribd.com/document/80706110/Christian-Perfection
75. https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/151.427
76. https://atoday.org/righteousness-by-faith-is-for-everyone/
77. https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/articles/striking-a-balance-adventism-and-the-quest-for-perfection
78. https://1888mpm.org/articles/justification-and-sanctification.html
79. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/FT/FT19310805-V23-31.pdf
80. https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/is-sanctification-the-pursuit-of-perfection
81. http://bibleone.net/print_tbs53.html
82. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism
83. https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-justification/
84. https://katolikken.wordpress.com/2015/06/16/differences-between-the-lutheran-and-the-reformed-view-of-justification/
85. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/shades-of-grace
86. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/justandsinner/differences-between-lutherans-and-calvinists-on-justification/
87. https://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Paul-Justification.htm
88. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/faith-and-works-0
89. https://rsc.byu.edu/sperry-symposium-classics-new-testament/sanctification-justification-are-just-true
90. https://www.catholic.com/qa/difference-between-catholic-and-protestant-views-on-justification-and-sanctification
91. https://heidelblog.net/2009/12/differences-between-lutheran-and-reformed-orthodoxy/
92. https://www.gotquestions.org/justification-sanctification-glorification.html
93. https://chnetwork.org/2020/01/29/a-damning-system-of-works-righteousnesspart-i-are-catholics-even-christian/
94. https://www.reddit.com/r/Reformed/comments/1ivox0s/lutheranism_vs_reformed/
95. https://www.empoweringchristianleaders.com/romans-and-galatians
96. https://voice.dts.edu/article/7-key-differences-between-protestant-and-catholic-doctrine-del-rosario-mikel/
97. https://agradio.org/blog/we-distinguish-part-3-justificationsanctification