https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/10215622159002520
February 4, 2020
#How_is_a_man_justified_by_God?
Ron asked the
author, Thomas:
"So where do
you stand? How is a man justified?"
Sing commented:
"That's an
excellent question!"
[I assumed that Ron
is inquiring how a guilty sinner, in his native state of sin and condemnation
of death is justified by God. Only such a man needs justification before God
the Judge.]
Thomas responded:
"... (2) On
justi[fi]cation. Martin Luther said that he would provide The Diet of Worms
with a simple answer. Well, here is my simple answer to your question:
justification, like salvation and eternal life, is obtained through faith in
Jesus Christ."
Sing commented:
Thomas @ "... here is my
simple answer to your question: justification, like salvation and eternal life,
is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ."
--------
Whether Luther the
monk gave that simple answer or not, I know not but one thing I'm pretty
certain of is that your statement in answer to Ron's question is irrational and
nonsensical.
Faith in Jesus
Christ is the effect of the eternal life already FREELY GIVEN at regeneration;
"except a man be born again, he cannot..." [It is common sense that
life precedes the activities of that life; faith in Jesus Christ is the
activity of the eternal life already begotten at the regeneration of the
spiritually dead. But sadly, few understand this plain biblical truth solemnly
declared by Christ Jesus Himself.
Faith in Jesus
Christ is NOT the condition or instrument to obtain eternal life; it is
evidence of the eternal life ALREADY
freely bestowed. [Breath is evidence of the dead man having been brought
back to life. Some stupid [i.e. lacking common sense] folks so sincerely believe
that the breathing of the dead man [ 😮 😮 horror of horror] is the instrument/means for his quickening
from the dead.
The same goes for
justification and eternal salvation.
Only a man whom God
has freely bestowed eternal salvation is capable of believing.
Only a condemned man
whom God has FREELY justified by His grace alone is capable of believing; his
believing gives evidence of his justification by the free grace of God.
Faith - believing,
that is, receiving and resting in Jesus Christ for salvation - justifies,
certifies, demonstrates, evidences, vindicates that the believing one HAS BEEN
FREELY justified by God, FREELY bestowed eternal life, and eternal salvation,
delivered from the eternal condemnation of sin.
I hope this helps.
It may not since it is so contrary to popular notions in Christendom.
May the good Lord
grant you understanding. Amen.
--------
With that, Mr Thomas
resorted to name-calling... saying that I'm Reformed Baptist of some sort...
that I'm a Calvinist... blah, blah, blah.
I do wish that the
RBs and the Calvinists, and I, be theologically agreed on this point, but ALAS!
[Photo: a suspension
bridge at Tamparuli, KK, Sabah, courtesy of Joe Chin.
The bridge is there
first, then you can be seen standing on it. You didn't suspend yourself in the
air and then the bridge is formed under your feet! Putting the cart before the
horse is lacking common sense (i.e. plain stupid); it's a rare virtue today.
Sing F Lau
Thomas, I'm glad you are
posting them here. You can be assured that none of your comments will be
deleted.
You will be safe
here; your comments won't go missing in cyberspace.
[Alas, Mr Thomas has deleted all his comments below!]
Sing F Lau
What then is
"free grace" in your understanding? Tell us.
Your simple answer - ".... justification, like salvation eternal life, is obtained
through faith in Jesus Christ" is no free grace - that's what the Reformed
Baptists and the Calvinists believe toooooooooo.
Sing F Lau
Poor Thomas, you
invited me to take a look at your post, and I made a comment that your simple
answer to Ron's question is riddled with inconsistencies and are nonsensical,
and you feel humiliated! O, I'm so sorry.
Dhong Ejnar Rue
For the longest time, I sense that there is really something wrong with Calvinism and Arminianism,
and when I encountered writings from Primitive Baptists it occurred to me what
is the main issue.
Sing F Lau
Tell us, what's the
main issue. It may help some readers!
Dhong Ejnar Rue
Sing F Lau, It's all about how a
sinner obtains eternal salvation.
It has been made
clear to me and thanks to God for the old Baptists. Their writings about
Justification, Regeneration and Adoption are very clear that the people of God
got to possess eternal salvation all by the direct and sovereign work of God.
Sing F Lau
Thanks. Like many, I
parroted grace among the RBs for 20+ years without understanding it, until the
Lord taught me the distinction between unconditional eternal salvation by the
free and sovereign activities of the Triune God and temporal salvation through the obedience of those whom God has already freely
bestowed eternal salvation.
It is the former
that enables and makes possible the latter; the former is by grace, the latter
through the obedience of those that are already SAVED; the former is the cause,
the latter is the effect and manifestation.
That makes everything beautifully consistent; the nightmares of the inconsistencies I was acutely aware of were resolved... what blessed peace the Lord granted a disturbed mind.
Sing F Lau
Thomas, you have
written long comments, going in so many different directions.
I didn't know you at
all. But out of the blue, you private message me and directed me to one of your
Facebook posts.
I commented on your
simple answer to Ron's question, "how is man justified?"
If you can keep to
that particular matter we can continue.
Sing F Lau
Thomas deleted all
his comments.
