Justification Is not Regeneration!

These two are essential to salvation and are related, but must be distinguished. In regeneration, our nature is changed; in justification, our status is changed. In the one, righteousness is infused; in the other, it is imputed. The order is: regeneration – faith – justification. But we are not justified on the basis of what God does in us by the new birth. No, the basis is the work of Christ. The new birth is drastic, but in some respects is only partial – we still have indwelling sin. We are not justified by an internal righteousness, but by an alien righteousness. What Christ has done in us is partial and progressive (Phil. 1:6), and so would not provide a complete basis anyway. Also, there is no interval between the two. Some err in suggesting that an infant might be regenerated but not justified till later in life. If so, what if he died at age 16, if regenerate, then fit for Heaven; but if unjustified and unbelieving, fit for Hell. It wouldn’t make sense.