Universal Legal Justification: Brief Description and Evaluation

Abstract

Universal legal justification attempts to provide a third alternative to the Reformed-Arminian debate over the nature and extent of salvation. This article summarizes some of the most important arguments used by the proponents of universal legal justification to support their theology and provides an evaluation of its view, demonstrating that it does not really provide a third alternative to Arminianism and Calvinism. Further, assuming universal legal justification implies that there is hardly any room left for Christ’s work of mediation before the Father in heaven. Finally, universal legal justification’s interpretation of the Pauline phrases “in Adam” and “in Christ,” as well as its understanding of substitution in connection with the use of the "in Christ"motif, is problematic.