Catholic Q & A → Justification & Salvation

I hear people speak of "Justification" in connection to "being saved". What does the Church teach about justification? What must I do to be saved?

Justification is an act of grace by God:

Justification is wholly the action and work of God to cleanse a person of Original and Personal Sin, restoring him to friendship with God. Not only is the justified person restored to friendship, he is adopted and made a child of God, a member of the family of God, the Catholic Church. This action (a grace of the Holy Spirit) is merited for us by Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. [cf. CCC ¶ 1987 – 1995 and ¶ 2017 – 2020]

Justification is also a "state of grace":

Justification is the state of being in habitual grace freely given by God to man. This grace that justifies and places one in this state is called sanctifying (or deifying) grace. It is supernatural because it is totally dependent upon God and cannot be earned (initiated) by man. The justified person is said to be in a state of [sanctifying] grace. [cf. CCC ¶ 1996 – 1998, ¶ 2005, and ¶ 2021]

Justification must be freely accepted by the human person (free will):

Justification presupposes man’s free act of will to accept and cooperate with this grace. God does not force this action or state on man. Human freedom is a secondary, but, essential element. It is received by a person’s faith in Jesus Christ through which he freely accepts God’s forgiveness and righteousness. Justification makes possible cooperation between God’s grace and man’s freedom. [cf. CCC ¶ 2002 – 2004]

Justification transforms the human person:

Justification is the beginning of the sanctification of the inner person. Man’s sins are not merely overlooked by God. Man is cleansed and by his cooperation with the grace is made truly holy. Through faith in Jesus Christ, man stands in this grace and merits increased (is strengthened in) grace and moves in charity by continued good works (the practice of the human virtues) toward perfection in Christ. [cf. CCC ¶ 1995, ¶ 1999, ¶ 2006 – 2016]

Justification (and thus, Salvation) can be lost:

This grace is habitual because it endures and persists until we forfeit it. Man can lose this sanctifying grace by freely and knowingly committing a sin involving grave matter (referred to as being subjectively guilty of a mortal sin). [cf. CCC ¶ 1856, ¶ 1859, ¶ 2000]

Justification is initially received at Baptism:

It is initially received at [the Sacrament of] Baptism. This marks the beginning (not the end) of a person’s conversion and sanctification, man’s free response to the invitation to the Divine life from God where he turns from sin and toward God. Should a person lose the [sanctifying] grace of justification, it can be restored through sacramental confession [Sacrament of Reconciliation]. [cf. CCC ¶ 1856, ¶ 1992, ¶ 2020]

So, how does Justification relate to Salvation?

The answer is so simple we often overlook it. The justified person attains salvation if he dies in a state of Sanctifying Grace.

What is meant by the teaching that "outside of the Church there is no salvation?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church provides the answer in clear language:

CCC ¶ 846 How are we to understand this affirmation ["Outside the Church there is no salvation], often repeated by the Church Fathers? Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:

CCC ¶ 847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:

CCC ¶ 848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."