 |
| The stunning flower of roselle is distinctly different from its bud! |
1. There is a FALSE distinction between faith and works, and there is a biblical distinction between faith and works.
There
is one basic thing that new school calvinists are woefully blinded to:
There
is the biblical distinction between the faith OF Christ and the works of man: i.e. Christ's faithfulness in His works of redemption, and a sinner's work of righteousness
are contrasted in
the context of eternal salvation - the basis/ground condemned sinners are saved. Are they saved by what Christ has done, or are they saved by their own works?
This
truth is simply stated, and demonstrated, and illustrated WITHOUT any further
dispute by the Apostle Paul.
There
is ALSO the distinction between (i) a man faith in Christ" and (ii) "his works of obedience to
ceremonial laws": i.e. God's children believing in Christ is contrasted to their
works of observing the old covenant ceremonial laws are contrasted in the
context of temporal and experiential justification - how God's children experience the blessedness of their eternal salvation by God's free grace.
Do they experience the blessedness of their justified state through faith in Christ or or the obedience to the ceremonial laws - that's the question!
This
was basically a Jewish problem - the great conflict between:
(i) observing the old
covenant ceremonial laws for their practical/experiential justification under
the new covenant on the one hand and
(ii) believing in Jesus Christ for their
practical/experiential justification on the other hand.
Apostle
Paul spent a great deal of time in dealing with this conflict NOT ONLY because
God's children among the Jews were stubbornly and ignorantly stuck in their old
covenant ways, BUT ALSO they insist that God's children among the Gentiles must
submit to the old covenant ceremonial laws TOO!
During
the time of reformation* - those 40 years of transitional period where the old
covenant and new covenant overlapped - before God brought the final and
complete end to the old covenant order, Apostle Paul have to deal with that
problem in the apostolic churches
(*
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal
ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.)
A
teacher of God's people who does not see this distinction ought to be ashamed.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2. This truth is simply stated, and demonstrated, and illustrated. WITHOUT any further dispute.
a: Stated
and demonstrated:
Roman
3
10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one...
20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed
by the law and the prophets;
22
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and
upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus:
28
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the
law.
In
context, v28 speak of the faith OF CHRIST stated in verse 22. It is the
faithfulness of Christ in His redemptive work that secured the righteousness
needed for the legal justification of the elect.
For
legal justification before God: it is either by man's own righteousness or by
the righteousness of a substitute. No righteousness, no LEGAL justification.
PERIOD.
Sin
brings condemnation. Righteousness ALONE secure justification.
Faith, man's act of believing plays ZIL NIL role in his legal and vital justification before God. PERIOD.
b. Illustrated:
To
do this, Apostle Paul MARSHALED the example of Abraham, whom all the Jews have
utmost reverence, and boasted as their father.
Romans
4:
Abraham
was justified by God's free grace when he was an UNGODLY man in the Ur of the
Chaldean - as stated in Rom
3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus."
An
ungodly man is a man in his native state of sin and death. If he is to be
justified AT ALL in his native state of sin and death, it must be by God's free
and sovereign grace alone... through applying the legal righteousness secured (prospectively) by Christ for him at the cross... without which he remains under condemnation
of death... utterly incapable of believing... WORSE STILL... an ungodly man is
in active ENMITY and REBELLION against God, seeing the gospel as foolishness.
God justifies the ungodly. PERIOD. Forensic justification of Abraham took place in Ur when God effectually called him out of his state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation. (In the effectual calling of an elect out of his native state of condemnation, death and alienation to grace and salvation in Christ, God freely justified (reverses condemnation), regenerated him (reverses death), and adopted him (reverses alienation), and bestowed the Spirit of adoption to dwell in him; that is, he is brought into the sate of state and salvation in Jesus Christ,
Believing
justifies the believing ones (those justified by God's free grace, and
regenerated, and adopted). This Practical/Experiential justification of
Abraham took place in Gen 15. He experienced practical justification in Gen 15.
PERIOD.
The new school calvinist CANNOT distinguish the two; worse still, they confuse the two and make forensic/legal justification to be conditioned on faith.
A biblical distinction is the essence of sound theology.
3. New
school baptists boast in their 1689 CoF.
But
see what it says.
1689.11.4
“God did from all eternity decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did in
the fullness of time die for their sins, and rise again for their
justification; nevertheless, they are not justified personally, until the Holy
Spirit doth in time due actually apply Christ unto them.”
In
the above statement, we have three distinct aspects/phases of justification
spoken of:
-
decretal justification of all the elect by God’s decree in eternity
(justification purposed)
-
legal justification of all the elect by Christ’s righteousness at the cross
(justification accomplished)
-
vital/personal justification of individual elect at their effectual calling
(justification applied)
1689.11.1
is a declaration of the vital/personal justification of individual elect at
their effectual calling (justification applied).
This
(the vital/personal justification) is manifested in
practical/evidential/experiential justification through faith. This is
explained in the second paragraph.
Justification
applied by God's free grace WITHOUT the instrumentality of faith, and
justification experienced through the instrumentality of believing and resting
in Christ are logically and chronologically DISTINCT. The former is ALWAYS
logically and chronologically prior to the latter.
1689.11.2
“Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone
instrument of justification; yet it is not alone in the person justified, but
ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but
worketh by love.”
Faith is the alone instrument to experience/manifest the justification that has taken place by free grace! Faith is one of many graces found in the person justified, and is drawn forth by the gospel ministry.
Michael
Lim
Pastor
Lau, could it be due to the bible versions that RB are using as it is saying
especially in Romans 3:22 - .....faith in Jesus Christ instead of faith of
Jesus Christ...?
Just
this simple change of word has a big difference in the interpretation.
They
boast and shout about 'verbal inspiration' on top of their reformed mountain...
but they are very sure that the faith of Christ and their faith in Christ are
the same, or differ little and of no significance doctrinally. MAny insist that the faith of Christ is the faith that is given to us by Christ!
BUT the CONTEXT of Romans 3:22 determines and demands the faith of Christ -
EVEN the faithfulness of Christ in the work of redemption as the basis and
ground of legal justification. 'Faith in Christ' is REMOTELY related with legal
justification.
Sound-byte-itis
is a widespread and debilitating disease.
