Justification is an act of grace within man. Justification is received by faith alone. Justification comes by faith which has become active by charity. Justification enables God to bring regeneration and sanctification to the heart of the believer. Regenerating grace enables God to justify the believer.
Sin still remains in man's nature after justification and regeneration.
The believer can claim no merit for good works performed by God's enabling grace. Good works are acceptable only through the mediation of Christ's imputed righteousness, which covers all human deficiencies in the good works of the believer. Sanctifying grace within the believer makes good works acceptable to God. At all times the believer is accepted only in the Person of Christ, his Substitute.