From the Mouth of Babes: Justification and “Goodification”
February 4th, 2008 at 11:00 pm (Home, Teaching)
The other day as I was teaching the children about the difference between justification, sanctification and glorification, Stephen (then 4) said the cutest thing. I was explaining that there are three senses to salvation or deliverance. For the Christian, there is a past tense to salvation, a present tense and a future tense (the completed salvation).
1) In justification God delivered us from the penalty of sin (eternal death).
2) In sanctification God is delivering us from the power of sin (by making us more holy).
3) In glorification God will deliver us from the very presence of sin (in Heaven).
During this conversation, as we talked about God imputing (or reckoning) Jesus’ righteousness to us in justification, Stephen asked, “What about goodification?” I was startled, but managed to ask him what that was. He answered, “When do we get Jesus goodness?” “Ah” I answered. “That would be in justification. We get Christ’s goodness or perfectness or righteousness when we repent of our sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation. So basically justification and goodification are the same thing.”
It was such a blessing to see he understood that we need Christ’s goodness credited to us in order to be righteous in God’s eyes. So now we have a new theological term “goodification”. When God imputes Christ’s goodness to our account based on the work of the cross and through the instrument of faith in Him. Maybe I should submit this to Wayne Grudem for the next edition of his “Systematic Theology”? 
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Mom said,
February 13, 2008 at 4:54 pm
This is too precious! Such a brilliant mind and understanding our Lord has gifted to my precious first grandson, Stephen. Halleluia! Praise the Lord!!