#justification
Justification is multifaceted
The multifaceted nature of the doctrine of
justification is plainly and simply stated in the Scriptures:
Rom 4:25 "Who was delivered for our
offences, and was raised again for our justification."
This speaks of the LEGAL justification freely by the
life and death of Christ; the righteousness of Christ was legally IMPUTED to
all represented by Christ. It is by the faith of Christ, i.e. His faithfulness
in His work of redemption for His people. See Gal 2:16.
Romans 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
This speaks of the VITAL justification freely
by God's grace; the righteousness of Christ is vitally APPLIED to each elect
personally. What was only legal is now personal. It is applied FREELY because
human faith is an impossibility before this. See Titus 3:7.
Romans 4:3 "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
This speaks of the EXPERIENTIAL justification
through faith in Jesus Christ; the blessedness of the justification by God's
free grace is EXPERIENCED through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Abraham's faith was
counted to him, not the righteousness of Christ was counted to him; there is an
unbridgeable gulf between the two.
These THREE distinct aspects of justification
need to be rightly divided to avoid confusion and contradiction.
Blessed is the man who knows these distinct
facets of the biblical doctrine of justification. It saves him from the
blasphemous lie of his justification before God by his faith!!!
He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Amen.
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A man retorted, "If justification is
accomplished, then it is accomplished", thus dismissing the Scriptures'
testimony that there are distinct facets in the doctrine of justification.
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I responded:
Amen.
May I add,
"If justification is purposed, then it
is purposed but not accomplished."
"If justification is accomplished, then
it is accomplished but not applied."
"If justification is applied, then it is
applied but not experienced."
The justification purposed, accomplished, and
applied can only be experienced through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose
righteousness is the basis and ground of a man's free grace justification.
The justification purposed in eternity for
all the elect was only accomplished for them at the cross. Based on that
accomplishment on the cross, justification is applied, whether prospectively
(pre-cross) or retrospective (post-cross); justification is applied to each
elect at God's appointed and approved time; that justification which has been
freely applied to each elect personally is experienced through faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is the sole basis and ground of
justification.
Let me give a simple illustration.
If the house is purposed, then the house is
purposed but not built.
If the house is built, then the house is
built but not yet occupied by its legal beneficiaries; the house is built but
its benefits have not been applied to those for whom the house was built. The
intended beneficiaries must be personally brought to enjoy the house built for
them. Having been brought into the house, they experience the blessings of the
house.
The Scriptures tell us the distinction
between:
- the justification purposed and decreed,
- the justification
secured/accomplished by Christ's blood,
- the justification freely applied by
God's grace, and
- the justification experienced by faith in Christ.
I'm only repeating what I believe the Bible
teaches.
If I believe wrongly, be kind to show it to
me. Thanks.
