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Three Distinct Sets of Contrast |
Let us be very clear on the THREE distinct sets of CONTRAST spoken
of in the Scriptures in relation to the multifaceted doctrine of justification.
It will set us free from much confusion and lies that will rob us of our
comfort and assurance. It acknowledges that salvation is truly by the grace of
God.
1.
Take careful note of the FIRST set of contrast on the BASIS of your
justification
a. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by
the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be
justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is, therefore, Christ
the minister of sin? God forbid." Ga 2:16-17
b. "... by the works of the law" is contrasted with "by the
faith of Jesus Christ."
- The contrast is between the righteousness by man's own obedience to the law,
and the righteousness by Christ's obedience to the law, as the basis of God
justifying guilty man under the condemnation of death.
- This first basic contrast deals with the BASIS / GROUND of LEGAL
justification... on what basis God justifies a man under the condemnation of
death.
- The contrast is NOT NOT NOT between " by the works of the law"
and "by faith in Jesus Christ."
- To change "by
the faith of Jesus Christ" which describes the righteousness by
Christ's obedience to the law, as the basis of God justifying guilty man under
the condemnation of sin and death into "by faith in Jesus Christ" as
the basis of God justifying guilty man under the condemnation of sin and death
is to twist and pervert the truth of the gospel into a SATANIC LIE! This
destroys the gospel of free grace!
This is what all modern translations HAVE DONE!!! KJB alone retains the truth.
c. Knowing this as the truth, EVEN we have believed this truth... that the
basis of our justification is by the faith of Jesus Christ, INSTEAD of our own
works of the law.
- So, inquired Paul, "But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we
ourselves also are found sinners, is, therefore Christ the minister of sin? God
forbid.." Yes, God forbid!
- Legal Justification is by Christ (Gal 2:17), by the blood of Christ (Rom
5:9), and by the faith of Christ (Gal 2:16). The faith OF Christ is a whole
world of difference from a believer’s faith or act of believing (a verb) IN
Christ. The faith (a noun) of Christ speaks of His faithfulness/fidelity in His
work of redemption.’
d. Sins bring the condemnation of death, Rom 5:12.
- Righteousness secures the justification of life, Rom 5:18.
Justification is the reversal of condemnation. Justification in God's sight
requires righteousness; no righteousness, no justification.
- Righteousness requires perfect obedience to the law. This
righteousness is either by a man's own perfect obedience to the whole law, OR
by Christ's perfect obedience to the whole law.
- No man can obtain the needed righteousness through his own
obedience to the law, for "by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight."
- God provided the righteousness that is needed for the
justification of His people BEFORE Him. This righteousness of God's own
provision is by the faithfulness of Christ's obedience to the whole law.
- Righteousness is needed for the justification of a man in
his native state of condemnation and death. Sins bring the condemnation of
death, Rom 5:12. Righteousness brings justification of life, Rom 5:18.
- This righteousness of God's own and sole provision is by
the faithfulness of Christ ALONE in keeping the whole law perfectly, Christ's
work of redemption.
2. Take
note of the SECOND set of contrast in the MANNER of your justification
a. "... Being justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23. "That being
justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life" Titus 3:7.
- This statement declares another basic contrast in the justification of man
under the condemnation of death, i.e. - in the manner the righteousness of
Christ is APPLIED to a man. How is the righteousness of Christ applied to a man
in the state of condemnation of death?
- The righteousness of Christ is applied FREELY by God, that is, by grace. Its
application to a man personally is not conditioned upon anything in the man or
done by the man. Its application is not conditioned upon anything in, of, or
done by the man. It is NOT conditioned upon believing. It is applied
freely, by the grace of God alone.
- It is applied NOT on the condition of faith, man's act of believing, or
repentance. An UN-justified man is still in his native state of condemnation
and death. A man still in that native state cannot possibly believe, he is
incapable of faith! So, it has to be applied to him by the free and sovereign
grace of God.
b. Many irrationally believe that an unjustified man, still in his state of
condemnation and death, is already regenerated, and therefore is able to
believe in order to be justified by God. If that is the case, then
justification is no longer by the free grace of God, but conditioned upon the
work of believing.
- Believing, being an activity of man, is a work. John 6:39. It is a work
required by God for His children.
- In addition, it is a grievous error to believe that a man still UN-justified
by God is already regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Only a justified man, having
the righteousness of Christ already applied to him personally by God, has the
divine warrant to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
- Justification of life (Rom 5:18) by the grace of God must LOGICALLY precede
the regeneration to life by the Spirit of God; the righteousness of Christ
applied to a man personally by God is the basis of his being regenerated unto
eternal life by God the Spirit.
- Justification is applied to an elect personally by the free grace of God…
without the work of believing.
- "... Being justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 3:23.
3. Take
note of the THIRD set contrast in the EXPERIENCE of your justification
a. "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the
flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to
glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God,
and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
- This passage declares another basic contrast - how does the justified (by
God's free grace) experience the blessedness of their justified state (by the
free grace of God alone based on the faith of Christ alone)?
- What was Abraham's experience? Did Abraham (already justified by God)
experience the blessedness of his justified state by his performance of good
works and observing the ceremonial laws, or was it by his act of believing in
the promised seed?
- Did he experience the blessedness of his justification through observing the
ceremonial laws or through simply believing in the promised seed of God?
- The work of believing in Christ and the work of observing the old covenant
ceremonial laws are contrasted. With the coming of Christ, the old covenant has
been abolished.
b. Please remember that God had freely justified Abraham when He called Abraham
out of Ur in Gen 11. Abraham was a man ALREADY justified by the free grace of
God based on the righteousness of Christ. However, so many people, even the
supposedly wiser reformed folks, vehemently insist that Abraham was not a
justified man until Gen 15; that is, Abraham was still a man in his native
UN-justified state, therefore still under the condemnation of death,
until his believing Gen 15:1-6.
- How can they read the Scriptures and conclude that Abraham, in Gen
12-14 was still a man in his un-justified state, in his native state of
condemnation and death? How could a man in his native state of condemnation and
death ever walk with, and worship God?
- What a perverted and twisted theology - all because they refuse to
distinguish the difference between the application of justification by God's
free grace, and the experience of the blessedness of justification by the
justified through believing! What horrible lies against Abraham, the father of
all them that believe, Rm 4:10
c. How is the blessedness of one's justified state by the free grace of God to
be experienced?
- What did the experience of Abraham declare? It wasn't through his doing good
works or observing the ceremonial laws that he came to experience the
blessedness of his justification by the free grace of God.
- Note this rhetorical question by Paul... "Cometh this blessedness then
upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that
faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when
he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?
Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision." Rom 4:9-10.
- This is the same message Apostle Paul was teaching God's children among
the Jews who continued to trust in their observance of the old covenant laws,
instead of simply believing on Christ.
- With the coming of Christ, the observance of the old covenant ceremonial laws
is abrogated. The Gentile believers didn’t have this problem, because they were
never under the old covenant ceremonial laws. However, the misguided Jewish
believers wanted to impose them upon the Gentile believers, thus giving
occasion for Paul's epistle to the Galatians.
d. Many people, the reformed included, make the monumental error by thinking
that Abraham was justified by God only in Gen 15:1-6. Justification by God's
free grace involves the application of the righteousness of Jesus Christ to an
elect personally - that's the essence of justification by God.
- However, it is plain as the noonday sun, that there is NO - NO - NO
imputation of Christ's righteousness in Gen 15:1-6! There is none in Gen
15:1-6, period. To claim that there is, is just pure hallucination.
- There is the reckoning of Abraham's faith, his act of believing, unto Abraham
for righteousness, for him to experience the blessedness of his justified state
by God’s free grace.
- The reckoning of Christ's righteousness to Abram when he was under the
condemnation of death and the reckoning of Abraham's faith to believing Abraham
are TWO VASTLY different and distinct and separate matters! They are not the
same! To say they are is a monumental theological disaster!
Conclusion
There are three distinct sets of contrast in the three distinctly different aspects of justification:
a. Imputing Christ's righteousness to an elect legally under the
condemnation of death is the LEGAL ASPECT of justification. That happened when
Christ died on the cross for all the elect. Legal justification is not by man's
own righteousness through his deeds of obedience to the law of God.
b. Applying the righteousness of Jesus Christ to an elect personally still under the
condemnation of death is the VITAL/PERSONAL ASPECT of justification. This happens when God
effectually call an elect out of his native state of condemnation and death to
that of grace and salvation. He does this freely by His grace, not conditioned
upon anything in, of, or done by, man. It is not conditioned on faith. It is freely
by God's grace.
c. The blessedness of the justification by God's free grace can only be
EXPERIENCED by God's children through the instrument or means of believing in
Jesus Christ. This is the EXPERIENTIAL ASPECT of justification - justification
by faith IN Jesus Christ. It is not experienced through observing the
ceremonial law of the old covenant.
- It is only those whom God has justified freely by His grace and regenerated
by the Spirit that are able to believe in Jesus Christ.
- And believing in Jesus Christ is the means appointed by God for His children
(justified and regenerated elect) to experience the blessedness of their
justification by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is not through their
doing works of righteousness or keeping the old covenant laws. Abraham is the
classic example marshalled by Apostle Paul to lead the misguided Jewish
believers away from their bondage.
d. If you observe these three distinct sets of contrast with respect to the
biblical doctrine of justification, you will begin to rightly divide the word
of truth. May our Lord grant you an understanding of these things.
- There is no need to kick against the goad - why hurt yourself?
- Since your justification is based on Christ’s righteousness alone, it is as
certain and as settled as can be. But if it is by your faith, then you have
much to fear!!!
- Since your justification is applied to you by God’s grace, and not anything
in you or by you, it is as immutable as the purpose and character of God.
- Since your justification by the righteousness of Christ can only be
experienced through believing in Christ, and not through works of observing the
ceremonial laws, believe and rest in Christ alone for all your hope and comfort
in and through this life.
Love His truth, and obey Him. Stop believing lies!
Read this related article :
https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-doctrine-of-justification-as.html
https://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2022/09/multifaceted-jewel-five-aspects-of.html
http://things-new-and-old.blogspot.com/2011/11/mere-semantics-or-another-gospel.html
There are many other articles on justification in this blog.
