We do not mean, however, properly speaking, that it is faith itself that justifies us — for faith is only the instrument by which we embrace Christ, our righteousness. But Jesus Christ is our righteousness in making available to us all his merits and all the holy works he has done for us and in our place. And faith is the instrument that keeps us in communion with him and with all his benefits. When those benefits are made ours they are more than enough to absolve us of our sins.
Belgic Confession, Article 22
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We know that we are not so much justified by faith (JBF) as justified by grace through faith (JBGTF). But for me ‘by which we embrace Christ’ is still too synergistic.
This synergism is even more pronounced in ‘faith is the instrument that keeps us in communion…with his benefits’ since this could imply (presumably unintentionally) that a loss of faith means a loss of salvation or at least of the Holy Spirit’s continuing transformative power in our lives. We know that Him holding onto us is, mercifully, more important than us holding onto Him.