#protestant_traditions
Even so, many Protestants preach MAN-MADE
DOCTRINES that say that so soon as an unjustified man believes, he is justified
by his faith - the popular sola fidei, justification by faith alone.
It is obvious that this is a fable. An
unjustified man is a man STILL in his native state of sin and condemnation of
death; in such a state he is simply incapable of faith.
Only a man freely justified by the grace of
God, i.e. only one to whom God HAS FREELY accounted the righteousness of Christ
is capable of believing. The accounting of the righteousness of Christ to a
condemned man in the justification of life gives divine warrant for the Spirit
of God in regenerating the justified. Regeneration is logically followed by the
adoption into the family of God accompanied the bestowal of the Spirit of
adoption. This indwelling Spirit works in the justified fruit of the Spirit, of
which faith is one.
Faith is an effect of justification by the
free grace of God.
Romans 5:18 KJT
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came
upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life.
Faith is the means/instrument to manifest the
justification by the free grace of God. This has been twisted and perverted
into faith as the means/instrument to obtain justification from God.
Dr John Gill on faith and justification:
"Faith is not the cause, but an effect
of justification; it is not the cause of it in any sense; it is not the moving
cause, that is the free grace of God... nor even the instrumental cause... it
is not in any class of causes whatever, but it is the effect of
justification... Now if faith is not the cause, but the effect of
justification; then as every cause is before its effect, and every effect
follows its cause, justification must be before faith, and faith must follow
justification."
~~ A Body of Doctrinal Divinity Book II,
Chapter V, section II. (1769)
Can the matter be stated any clearer?
An effect manifests, declares, demonstrates,
and vindicates the cause of that effect.
Since "any teaching in the Church must
be based on the Scriptures Alone," let's have it then:
Rom 3:24 "Being justified freely by his
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
The BASIS of God justifying the justly condemned:
- it's "through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus."
The MANNER of God justifying the justly
condemned:
- IT IS "freely by his grace."
- IT IS NOT by faith, much less by faith
alone.
Faith manifests the justified state by the
free grace of God JUST AS breath demonstrates life.
Stop being deceived!
