Justification by Faith

It was good to be over in Cranford, West London, on Saturday night for a meeting where John Benton spoke very helpfully on the subject of justification by faith (the meaningm the grounds and the instrument - faith). The meeting was organised by my good friend and former assistant, Robin Asgher and pastor friends among the Teugu speakers of London. The bonus was some very nice Siouth Indian food to follow. It is hoped that further such meetings will be possible.

Luther on justification

The third incomparable grace of faith is this, that it unites the soul to Christ, as the wife to the husband; by which mystery, as the Apostle teaches, Christ and the soul are made one flesh. Now if they are one flesh, and if a true marriage - nay, by far the most perfect of all marriages - is accomplished between them (for human marriages are but feeble types of this one great marriage), then it follows that all they have becomes theirs in common, as well good things as evil things; so that whatsoever Christ possesses, that the believing soul may take to itself and boast of as its own, and whatever belongs to the soul, that Christ claims as his.

If we compare these possessions, we shall see how inestimable is the gain. Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation; the soul is full of sin, death, and condemnation. Let faith step in, and then sin, death, and hell will belong to Christ, and grace, life, and salvation to the soul. For, if he is a husband, he must needs take to himself that which is his wife’s, and, at the same time, impart to his wife that which is his. For, in giving her his own body and himself, how can he but give her all that is his? And, in taking to himself the body of his wife, how can he but take to himself all that is hers?

In this is displayed the delightful sight, not only of communion, but of a prosperous warfare, of victory, salvation, and redemption. For since Christ is God and man, and is such a person as neither has sinned, nor dies, nor is condemned - nay, cannot sin, die, or be condemned - and since his righteousness, life, and salvation are invincible, eternal, and almighty; when, I say, such a person, by the wedding-ring of faith, takes a share in the sins, death, and hell of his wife, nay, makes them his own, and deals with them no otherwise than as if they were his, and as if he himself had sinned; and when he suffers, dies, and descends to hell, that he may overcome all things, since sin, death, and hell cannot swallow him up, they must needs be swallowed up by him in stupendous conflict. For his righteousness rises above the sins of all men; his life is more powerful than all death; his salvation is more unconquerable than all hell.

Thus the believing soul, by the pledge of its faith in Christ, becomes free from all sin, fearless of death, safe from hell, and endowed with the eternal righteousness, life, and salvation of its Husband Christ. Thus He presents to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word; that is, by faith in the word of life, righteousness, and salvation. Thus He betrothes her unto Himself "in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies" (Hosea ii. 19, 20).

Who then can value highly enough these royal nuptials? Who can comprehend the riches of the glory of this grace?

Martin Luther, On the Freedom of a Christian Man

A provocative theological question and answer

Unidentified painter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Writing to his fellow minister David Dickson from exile in Aberdeen in 1637 the great Samuel Rutherford asked a provocative question (and gave a provocative answer) at the end of his letter. He writes

 

... I have now made a new question, whether Christ be more to be loved for giving sanctification or for free justification? And I hold that he is more and most to be loved for sanctification. It is in some respect greater love in him, to sanctify, than to justify; for he maketh us most like himself, in his own essential portraiture and image in sanctifying us. Justification doth but make us lappy, which is to be like angels only; neither is it such a misery to lye a condemned man, and under unforgiven guiltiness, as to serve sin, and work the works of the Devil; and, therefore, I think sanctification cannot be bought, it is above price. God be thanked forever, that Christ was a told-down price for sanctification. Let a sinner (if possible) lye in hell forever, if he make him truly holy, and let him lye there burning in love to God, rejoicing in the Holy Ghost, hanging upon Christ by faith and hope; that is heaven in the heart and bottom of Hell. ...

Justification Reconsidered

This book by Stephen Westerholm is a nice hundred page piece debunking the new perspective and showing that Luther had it basically right about Paul while Stendahl and others are mistaken. He has a much bigger book saying similar things (Perspectives old and new on Paul). The book is very good at sticking to its task and sets things out very well. Westerholm is the author of a number of books that look very interesting (see here).

Lord's Day August 25 2013

So back again in Childs Hill preaching again. What a blessing! We were a decent number morning and evening though there were several missing. We looked at the final verses of 1 Corinthians 7 in the morning and in the evening we considered Romans 3:24-26 (justification, redemption and propitiation). Of course, one regrets the relatively small numbers, the late arrivals and the apparent lack of unction but this is a great privilege and our only hope so we press on. We have a special week of outreach this week so we are looking forward to that. (I found the diagram here).

GBA 2013 Wednesday Evening

In Tim Mills' second message he took up the question he raised at the end of his first as to whether initial faith is the same as the faith we are to go on with. He answered the question by going back to Habakkuk 2:4 and noting that word live.

He identified from Habakkuk three dangers

1. The Lord's people themselves because of their sins (1:1-4)

2. The Babylonians (1:5-2:20)

3. God himself (3)

He then took us to the three New Testament references to the Habakkuk reference in Romans 1, Galatians 3 and Hebrews 10.

Hebrews 10:38 asserts both that Christians are justified and that there is danger and if we continue in sin it will be a disaster. The sin in view is hearing God's Word and saying no to accepting it and doing it. Those who trust in Christ can get through the dangers if they look to Christ.

Galatians 3:11

Backsliding is nothing less than leaving God. What should you do when the anchor is slipping - trust urgently in Christ.

Romans 1:17

We spent the bulk of the time here and were taken over several chapters, powerfully making the point that we, though justified, are tempted to act in our strength, something that God hates. Those who are already justified live through the danger of saying one thing and doing another as they believe urgently in Christ.

He confessed in closing to feeling tired (not just physically) but in all sorts of ways - praying, singing, etc, etc. The answer is not to look at your faith as such but to fix your eyes on God and on Christ with urgent and clinging faith.

It was a privilege to hear this thorough and well thought out message.

Turretin on good works

This is helpful

"Works can be considered in three ways: either with reference to justification or sanctification or glorification.

 

They are related to justification

not antecedently, efficiently and meritoriously, but consequently and declaratively.

 

They are related to sanctification

constitutively because they constitute and promote it.

 

They are related to glorification

antecedently and ordinatively because they are related to it as the means to the end."

(See Turretin, 17.3.14)

Whitefield on Justification

In his sermon What think ye of Christ? George Whitefield helpfully says

Every man that is saved is justified three ways: First, Meritoriously, by the death of Jesus Christ: "It is the blood of Jesus Christ alone that cleanses us from all siu." Secondly, Instrumentally, by faith: faith is the means or instrument whereby the merits of Jesus Christ are applied to the sinner's heart: "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Thirdly, We are justified Declaratively, namely, by good works: good works declare and prove to the world, that our faith is a true saving faith. "Was not Abraham justified by works?" And again, "Shew me thy faith by thy works."

52 JC No 12

Justification
When therefore we discuss this subject, we ought to proceed in this way: First, the question respecting our justification is to be referred, not to the judgment of men, but to the judgment of God, before whom nothing is counted righteousness, but perfect and absolute obedience to the law; which appears clear from its promises and threatenings: if no one is found who has attained to such a perfect measure of holiness, it follows that all are in themselves destitute of righteousness. Secondly, it is necessary that Christ should come to our aid; who, being alone just, can render us just by transferring to us his own righteousness. You now see how the righteousness of faith is the righteousness of Christ. When therefore we are justified, the efficient cause is the mercy of God, the meritorious is Christ, the instrumental is the word in connection with faith. Hence faith is said to justify, because it is the instrument by which we receive Christ, in whom righteousness is conveyed to us. Having been made partakers of Christ, we ourselves are not only just, but our works also are counted just before God, and for this reason, because whatever imperfections there may be in them, are obliterated by the blood of Christ; the promises, which are conditional, are also by the same grace fulfilled to us; for God rewards our works as perfect, inasmuch as their defects are covered by free pardon.

From his commentary on Romans 3

Another good link

Look here for a brief interview with Philip Eveson (sic) Principal of LTS on justification by faith.