Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things"
2Ti 2:7.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Who are addressed in the Sermon on the Mount?

Alice, with the girls of Frank Lowry in Tasmania, Dec 1986


Someone wrote to inquire: who are addressed by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount.
I gave this reply.

========
Date: March 12, 2007 5:25:28 PM

Concerning who are addressed by Christ in the Sermon, please take note of two obvious facts.

First, there are so many direct statements involving 'ye,' 'you' and 'your' (second person plural pronoun) throughout the whole Sermon, and the facts attached to these pronouns that we are left without doubt who are being directly addressed by Christ. There are also indirect statements in the third person (both singular and plural) - e.g. 'any man,' 'whoever,' 'they,' 'men,' etc that are general statements of truth.

Christ states again and again, He is addressing those whose God is their Father in heaven.
"Blessed are ye... rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven..."
"Ye are the light of the world... let your light so shine... your Father which is in heaven..."
"Take heed that ye do not do your alms before men... your father which is in heaven... your Father which seeth in secret..."
"Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what thing ye have need of..."
"After this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father which art in heaven..."
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you..."
"Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?"
"... for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things."
"... how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

Second: these children of God are also often distinctly distinguished from non-children of God throughout the Sermon -

"... when men shall revile you..."
"... to be trodden under the foot of men."
"... let your light so shine before men..."
"... scribes and Pharisees..."
"... as the hypocrites... " many times...
"... as the heathen do..."
"... the Gentiles seek..."
"... the dogs... the swine..." etc, etc.

I think it is plain and obvious - to me anyway - who the audience of Christ's sermon is. They are specifically designated as those whose Father is in heaven. Christ addressed them in that specific manner - repeatedly throughout the Sermon.

Therefore the Sermon is specifically addressed to God's children. Christ begins by making wonderful statements (the beatitudes) of truth about them, and gives most practical instructions to them how they ought to conduct themselves as God's children - in positive exhortations and negative warnings. There is no denying the presence of others - but such are certainly not the intended audience addressed by Christ in the Sermon.

These are children of God by the sovereign and divine and direct work of the Spirit of God upon the elect individuals WHILE they were in a state of condemnation, dead in trespasses and sin, and slaves to sin. Until they are children of God by God's free and sovereign act, the gospel is perceived by them as foolishness.

It is God's children that are exhorted to a discipleship of daily entering the strait gate and walking on the narrow way. Not doing so, they would fail to work out their OWN salvation... they would make a shipwreck of their faith... they (God's children) would suffer destruction... they (God's children) would fail to find life.

The life that is found by God's children by their entering the strait gate and walking on the narrow way is NOT - NOT - NOT the same as the eternal life God has given to them by His free and sovereign grace.

This is really quite simple and plain: the immortal life that your children possess through your free and sovereign act (with respect to the children) is VERY different and distinct from the life they would find for themselves in their obedient response to the instruction, guidance and exhortations of their loving parents. A child who fails to heed their exhortations may end up a drug addict (an example of entering the wide gate and walking the broad way) - and an in-disciplined sluggard loafing parasite. Another child who heeds parental instruction will find a blessed life - healthy and useful, and pleasing to the father.

A child of God who is tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness does suffer pretty severe destruction - temporal destruction, not eternal destruction. A child of God has been saved from eternal destruction, fully and completely, and eternally by the finished work of Jesus Christ. Nothing could be added to the finished work of Christ in securing our eternal salvation. A child of God who walks soberly, godly and righteously will find a blessed and abundant life here.

When it is said, 'the people were astonished at his doctrine' (7:28), it is most natural that 'the people' refers back to 'his disciples' mentioned in 5:2. The only people that is capable of being astonished/amazed - literally 'ecstasised' - by the teaching of Christ are the spiritual people, the children of God. Natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God... for they are foolishness unto him. I have not heard of a man being astonished by what he perceives as foolishness!

The simple fact that the Sermon is addressed to God's children should determine how the passages are to be understood - they are instruction on how God's children are to conduct themselves; NOT instruction on how sinners may become children of God by doing those things. It is instructing God's children on the subject of discipleship; it is not instructing sinners what they can do to get saved!

The idea that 'destruction' always has the eternal sense is too obvious an error that needs no further comment. One example to the contrary would expose the fallacy of such idea. The context alone determines whether the temporal or eternal destruction is intended.

I do abhor health and wealth gospel... that is one of the fables that those with itching ears are lusting after... those that cannot endure sound doctrine.

This is just my simple sandy opinion... please feel free to add cement and water in whatever proportion you see fit. Just don't let it set too quickly... else we may need to call for civil engineers on the forum to do the hacking!

sing
life must precede the activities of life - including hearing and believing.

The Woefully Blind


For several years, I had oversight over Reformed Baptist church without a pastor. This church has the 1689 CoF as their doctrinal standard! A day came when this church, at its official church members meeting, voted and decided to reject what I have endeavored to show them are the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I relinquished the spiritual oversight.

Constrained by the love of Christ for these dear folks, I wrote this note to call them to remembrance of the gospel truth.
===

Brethren of ... Church,

"Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir up by putting you in remembrance... that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour."

"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God":
The new birth from above that bestows eternal life is the absolute prerequisite to perceiving and believing the things of the Spirit of God. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Natural man, being dead in trespasses and sins, cannot see, much less receives the things of the Spirit of God. Eternal life MUST PRECEDE faith. Faith is certainly NOT a condition of eternal life, though it is certainly a condition to evidence eternal life.

[The 'woefully blind' insist that the natural man must believe IN ORDER to receive eternal life. ]


"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins":
Natural man, being spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, except he be quickened and given eternal life by the Spirit of Christ, cannot see the kingdom of God. A quickened man possesses eternal life because God has acquitted him of the condemnation of death by forgiving him all his sins, and by applying to him the righteousness of Christ unto justification of life. The removal of the condemnation of death by the Father based solely on the righteousness of Christ alone logically precedes the bestowal of the eternal life by the Spirit of Christ.

[The 'woefully blind' insist that the natural man dead in trespasses and sins must believe IN ORDER to receive eternal life. ]


"Whosoever believes HAS eternal life":
Eternal life is the effect of the new birth by the free and sovereign grace of God. Believing is a an activity of the eternal life that has been bestowed by the free and sovereign grace of God. Believing manifests the presence and possession of that eternal life in a man that has been bestowed freely by the sovereign grace of God when he was still dead in trespasses and sins.

And regeneration unto eternal life logically follows the removal of condemnation of death, i.e. justification unto life. And believing is an activity of eternal life. The order is thus: justification (applied) >> regeneration >> adoption >> faith (works by the indwelling Spirit) >> justification (experiential).

Since the Scriptures repeatedly declares 'whoever believes HAS eternal life', then whoever believes (present tense) is certified/declared/justified/vindicated that he has been given (perfect tense), and does possess (present tense) eternal life. Therefore whosoever believes in Christ has warrant to believe that he has eternal life by the free and sovereign grace of God

Believing is the condition/instrument to make manifest and demonstrate that the bestowal of eternal life be God's free and sovereign grace HAS taken place.

[The 'woefully blind' insist that whosoever will believe shall have eternal life... thus perverting a declarative statement of fact into a conditional statement of offer, i.e. you will get eternal life if you comply with the condition of believing.]


"The just shall live by faith":
Since, the Scriptures repeatedly declares, 'the just shall live by faith,' then whosoever lives (present tense) by faith declares and demonstrates that he has been justified (perfect tense) by the free grace of God. His faith justifies (present tense) evidentially that he has been justified legally by God free and sovereign grace. The justified ones, by God's free and sovereign grace, shall live by faith. Therefore whosoever lives by faith in Christ has warrant to believe that he has been justified by the free and sovereign grace of God.


Condition to evidence:
Believing is the condition/instrument to manifest and evidence the justification and eternal life that God, by His free and sovereign grace alone through the righteousness of Christ, has accomplished, and applied all by Himself without the aid or cooperation of man.

And this faith comes by hearing, even the hearing the word of truth. The preaching of the word of truth draws forth the grace of faith worked in the heart by the indwelling Spirit. For that reason, 'preach the word, be instant in season, and out of season.'

They who insist that believing is the condition to be justified by, and before God and also in order to obtain eternal life are woefully blind to the gospel truth of their salvation (Benjamin Keach)

Thanks for your patience. May the Lord bless and keep you all from wilful ignorance!

putting you in remembrance of BASIC gospel truth,
sing

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Your Birth & Your Birth Certificate

BHO's so-called birth certificate - the most wanted birth certificate of all ages!
A birth certificate declares the good news of the birth.
The birth is prior, and forms the basis for the birth certificate!


Charles posted:
‎"There will be many people of God's elect, who will be in heaven, who never heard the the Gospel audibly in this life!" - TK. May I add there will be people of God's elect who heard the Gospel incorrectly.

Sing F Lau
‎"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

May I add - "is accepted with God regardless of whether heard or not heard the gospel."

Of course, make every effort to bring the gospel to them... but it won't make them more acceptable to God. It will surely make them more enlightened about their standing with God, and the nature of their salvation by God's free grace, and make them wise unto their salvation by God's free grace, and make disciples of them.

Wallace
Romans 10:13-14
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear w...ithout a preacher?

Sing F Lau
Pray tell,
- who are they who will call upon the name of the Lord: those already regenerated, or those still dead in trespasses and sins?
- who are they who will believe: those already regenerated, or those still dead in trespasses and sins?...
- who are those who will hear and discern the gospel: those already regenerated, or those still dead in trespasses and sins?

The same Apostle said, " For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which ARE SAVED it is the power of God."

The preaching of the gospel comes to two categories of people: those that are perishing, and those that ARE SAVED.

The gospel is brought to those that ARE SAVED - saved by God's free and sovereign grace with ETERNAL salvation. Them that ARE SAVED are there first, before the gospel arrive... the gospel comes to them that ARE SAVED. Get the point?

Hearing and believing the gospel ALSO saves - but saves in an ENTIRELY different sense... the gospel saves them that ARE SAVED (by God) from ignorance and error and darkness, and enlightens them and make them wise unto their eternal salvation by God's free and sovereign grace.

The gospel truth instructs them to live godly, soberly and righteously, saving them from the temporal effects of sins in this life. The gospel truth arms and equips THEM THAT ARE SAVED to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

Sing F Lau
Many elitists - read reformed and calvinists - insist only those who hear and embrace the 5 points are true believers, and heaven is filled with these people only! If one does not cross their T's and dot their I's, he is hell bound still!

Wallace
‎@ TerranceK -- The passage quoted uses Moses and Isaiah as examples.
You tell me, were Moses and Isaiah angels?

@ Sing F Lau -- since you seem to think you are saved without the Gospel, your gospel is of no value whatsoever. Since you are ETERNALLY saved, what's a little "ignorance and error and darkness", or for that matter whats a lot of "ignorance and error and darkness". So what! Who cares? Eat drink and be merry! The "elect" are off to eternal bliss ANYWAY! What foolishness! This "second" gospel of yours is useless.

To answer your 1st 3 questions:
"Those who are drawn by God's prevenient grace (Titus 2:11) and submit to Him therein." (Those whom this grace does appear, by the way, are "all men" as says the Scripture)

Your dualistic salvation is pathetic.
What eternal profit is the gospel, since you are saved without it?
What eternal profit is the blood of Christ, since God's decree saved you and not the propitiation of the Savior?
And how do you know you are saved anyway?
How arrogant of you to think you are one of the "elect".

Repent and believe the true Gospel.

Sing F Lau
Wall-ace @ since you seem to think you are saved without the Gospel, your gospel is of no value whatsoever."

I say, you have rotten and perverse logic. The gospel is the good news of what God has done. News DOES not save, news ANNOUNCES that... God HAS SAVED.

God saves His people, and the gospel, the good news of what God has done, is send to inform and instruct them of the truth of God saving them by His free and sovereign grace.

Your birth certificate DID NOT cause your birth. Your rotten and perverse 'logic' then declares that your birth certificate is of no value whatsoever!

Sorry, you are too irrational and illogical to speak concerning the things of God. You have not the sound mind needed for a profitable conversation.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a SOUND MIND.

Sing F Lau
Wall-ace@ "Since you are ETERNALLY saved, what's a little "ignorance and error and darkness", or for that matter whats a lot of "ignorance and error and darkness"."
========

I said 'eternal salvation' - the NATURE of salvation. The salvation that is bestowed upon me in time by God's free grace is eternal salvation. It is different in nature to the salvation that I must work out for myself with fear and trembling.

You twist my 'eternal salvation' into 'ETERNALLY saved' - to that of the TIME of salvation, i.e. saved in eternity.

Have your mind renewed please.

Richardson
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which ARE saved it is the power of God.

Dyess
My husband likes to say:: the Gospel means 'good news' NOT 'good options.' :) haha

We also say FREE gift..not free gift with purchase, not free only pay shipping and handling.. FREE, you dont have to dial 1-800-Jesus first.
FREE GIFT..."But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many." Romans 5:15

The free gift of grace abounded to many because of what Jesus did NOT anything you do. the free gift CAME. nothing stopped it.. not it will come.. it already came (v.18)

Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that ***not of yourselves***: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Wallace
Kate, quick question. Are you saying that our birth certificates, to those of us who ARE alive, is the power of life? just wondering.

Wallace
Mrs. Dyess, very true Salvation is a "free gift". And being a free gift, there is nothing anyone can do to merit God's merciful gift.
But, also, being a gift it must be accepted or rejected. This is the nature of a gift that it is not forced on anyone. Those who accept the gift will demonstrate such by their obedience.
"And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" Hebrews 5:9
[If salvation is a gift that needed to be accepted by the person needing salvation, is that a good news? How stupid (lacking common sense) and self-injurious a man untaught by the Scriptures can be! sing)
Page
Romans 10:13-14

Dyess
‎"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom 5:5 GIVEN not offered.

"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:
[25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith (God's faith) in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
[26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
[27] Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
[28] ***Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. ***Rom 3 23-28

"And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." Rom 5: 11 NOW received not will receive 'if'. NOW

"For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy ghost, even from his mother's womb" Luke 1:15 Who preached to him? How did he accept Chirst/be baptised yada yada from the womb?! God is almighty and no one is beyond his reach ever. Witness the record of his salvation from the very beginning of life BEFORE he was even out in the world to hear (in the physical sense), talk (to 'accept' Jesus) or do anything. God's reach is immeasurable! "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Rom 13:1

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out... No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6: 37 & 44.

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began," (2 Tim 1:9)

"Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" Acts 4:12

"When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matt 19:25-26

Jesus said man can not save himself. You CAN'T do it. This includes 'acceptance'. Only God has the power. He knew if he left it up to us then NO one would be with him in glory.. There was none that did good, none that seeked after him! Not one.
Give God the glory.

Wallace
Mrs. Dyess,
None of those Scriptures support the damnable heresy of OSAS as you seem to purport. But no wonder you would believe such, getting your doctrine from Bruce Willis, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Surely you don't consider yourself ...a part of God's elect, while entertaining yourself with the likes of Guns N' Roses and Twisted Sister?
What kind of pathetic god do you serve? You think he can force you into heaven but he is too impotent to keep you from defiling yourself with the filth of the world.

No thank you, I'll keep my Jesus whose blood delivers from ALL filthiness of the flesh AND spirit.

Repent, sin-lovers, and serve the real Jesus of the Bible.

Sing F Lau
A man who preaches 'prevenient grace'
is on a separate but parallel road to that of
A man who preaches 'electing grace.'

Wall-ace@"But, also, being a gift it must be accepted or rejected. This is the nature of a gift that it is not forced on ...anyone. "

Tell a man who is dead in trespasses and sin, in enmity against God, a child of disobedience, a child of wrath, can't discern spiritual things, etc... tell him to accept the gospel!

Only a very deluded and misguided man would speak such a thing! Probably he has offered a beef-burger to a dead man and pleaded with the dead man to accept or reject his offer!

Will a dead man, when quickened to life, complain that life is forced upon him??????? If he does, what do you call such a man? free-wall ace pelagian! Wall-ace most certainly think so, on the same premise.

Page
Probably he has offered a beef-burger to a dead man and pleaded with the dead man to accept or reject his offer! LOL ...I have a mental pic of that!

Sing F Lau
Wallace@'Are you saying that our birth certificates, to those of us who ARE alive, is the power of life? just wondering.'
======

All your birth certificate does is to inform you what has already happened.
It has nothing to do whatsoever in your conception and birth. Conception and birth PRECEDE the issuance of the birth certificate that announces what has already happened.

Though the birth certificate DID NOT have anything to do with your conception and birth, and though it is just a piece of paper, it is nevertheless a very useful piece of document because it records what has happened that brought about your being... the identity of your father, and mother, etc...

Gospel is good news that announces the great work of salvation that God has accomplished in His Son Jesus Christ, and applied to His elect through His Spirit. So, it is mighty useful and helpful and needful for a child of God to know the content of the gospel.

Dyess
Mr. Wallace.. How dare you. You have no clue how long it has been since I edited my profile or what I do. But that's ok. Since you can not logically dispute what I said, you made personal attacks. Yes, I am a sinner, so are you and everyone ...else in the world.. this is why God would not have left our eternal salvation up to us or any man. Jesus died for all of our sins.

Since you asked, my God is almighty and can reach anyone at anytime without the help of man.

Sing F Lau
Wallace @ "None of those Scriptures support the damnable heresy of OSAS as you seem to purport. "
=====

May I ask, when a man DEAD in trespasses and sins is regenerated by the free and sovereign grace of God, is there anything he can do or fail to do, that will make him revert back to his natural UN-regenerated state?

Eternal salvation is a GIFT from heaven - you would agree, wouldn't you? (Of course that is a different salvation from the one that you have to work out for yourself with fear and trembling).

And surely you have read this declaration, haven't you - Ro 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

OSAS - it is true, Once saved by God, always saved.

OSAS is only a damnable heresy when man is involved in any part of his eternal salvation... he can never be sure whether he did his part correctly, adequately, acceptably, genuinely, etc... ENOUGH???
If eternal salvation is in some way conditioned to a part you play, then you have lots of reason to doubt whether you did your part right... and even if you did it right, you may just UN-DO it again by some negligence or carelessness or unbelief or unfaithfulness! It is a very precarious situation to be in! But that is what you deliberately chose for yourself...

And it seem you rather promote such a damnable heresy - man is involved, plays some part in his eternal salvation.

I see the wall picture of Charles Page carrying a mighty sword... I wish he put it to good use on you, not to cut off your head, but to knock some sense into your WOOLLY head!

Dyess
Thank you bro. Sing, you are much better with words than I am :)

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Actual Possession or Conditional Possibility?


Hello Mark,

Hello, I stumbled upon your nice web site. I read this statement that stirs a question in my mind,
"Our vision is to help people understand the will of God in their life through knowing the heart of God and His love for them in His word found in the Bible. (John 3:16 is the scripture that illuminates our vision)"

If John 3:16 is the Scripture that illuminates your vision, then you would have a firm grasp of truth of this passage. In that light, I would ask something on John 3:16.

In your understanding, is 'whosoever believes.... have everlasting life' in John 3:16:
i. A statement of truth declaring that whosoever believes DOES SO because he HAS everlasting life? (This would presuppose that only one whom God have given everlasting life is capable to believe, spiritual life is prerequisite of spiritual activity like believing. Life must precede the activities of that life.)

or

ii. A statement of condition offering eternal life to whosoever will believe? (A statement of condition would have to read as, "whosoever will believe... shall have everlasting life.")
(This would require that those who are without everlasting life is capable of performing spiritual activities like believing in order to obtain everlasting life.)

Let me illustrate with a similar statement saying 'whosoever breathes... have life.'

Is this making a statement of truth that declares whosoever breathes does so because he has life?
(This is stating the obvious truth... a person who breathes POSSESSES life that animates the breathing.)

Or

Is it making a statement of condition that offers life to whosoever will breathe?
(This would require that the offer of life is made to a person who is not breathing and is dead, thus requiring him to meet the condition of breathing, in order to be given life.)

What do you think?

This question on John 3:16 strikes me because in my English class we were taught to distinguish statements that declare certain facts from statements that make certain conditional offers.

I would be most grateful if you could share your understanding of John 3:16.
I genuinely wish to understand how teachers of God's word differ or agree on this popular passage. Please help me to understand better. Thanks.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

A one-fingered hand is a monstrous deformity


"We believe that salvation
always has been and always will be
through faith alone
in Christ alone
by grace alone."

I read the above statement from the website of a seminary, and wrote to inquire about the three 'Alones' in the statement. The academic dean of the seminary (Nobert is just a pen name) replied and we exchanged some mails.

=======

From: sing
Date: August 17, 2009 12:19:08 AM GMT+08:00

Dear Nobert,

I read in your web site this doctrinal statement, "We believe that salvation always has been and always will be through faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone."

I am a little puzzled by the statement above - by the 3 'alone'.

Are the three 'alone' related to the one same salvation in exactly the same sense?

If they are, then how can it be by Christ alone... and by faith alone also?
I thought 'alone' excludes everything else!
I can understand that it is through Christ's blood and righteousness alone freely imputed by grace alone. If it is by faith alone, then how can it be by grace alone ALSO in the same sense?

I thought the relation of faith to salvation is that it is an EVIDENCE of salvation already freely bestowed.Faith is the effect and product of salvation ALREADY bestowed by the free grace of God. Only those whom God has ALREADY saved - i.e. legally justified and given eternal life at regeneration - are able to believe. Faith is one of the many graces found in the person already justified by God.

It is God that justifies legally a condemned sinner.
Faith justifies experientially a believer that he is a child of God.
Whoever believes HAS eternal life, i.e. faith vindicates the believer that he a child of God.

There is a salvation which is by the free grace of God - bestowed to us when we were dead in sin and trespasses. This is eternal salvation by God's free grace.

There is a salvation that God's children (i.e. already saved by the free grace of God) have to work out for themselves with fear and trembling. This is temporal salvation (relating to the life here and now) through the obedience of God's children to their Father's will.

The salvation that is through our faith in Jesus Christ is distinct and different from the salvation that is by the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

Would it be the same to say, "We believe that eternal salvation always has been and always will be by works of Christ alone, and bestowed freely by the grace of God alone. And this same salvation is experienced by faith alone in Christ." It is however not evidenced by faith alone, but by both works and faith. Jas 2:24 "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Faith and works justify in the SAME sense - evidentially.


desiring to understand,
sing, penang

==================

From: Nobert
Date: August 17, 2009 4:21:01 AM GMT+08:00

Dear sing, penang

Thanks for your inquiry. Even though you seems to do more explaining than asking, I'll take at face value your expressed desire to learn. You cited our doctrinal statement:

"We believe that salvation always has been and always will be through faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone."

You then inquire, Are the three 'alone' related to the one same salvation in exactly the same sense?

Simple answer: No. The three "alones" do not relate to the one same salvation in the same sense, otherwise we'd have a linguistic and theological contradiction on our hands :-)

Explanation: Syntactically (i.e., in terms of sentence structure), the "alones" are related to "salvation" by means of prepositions. As you're probably aware, the English prepositions "through," "in," and "by" have a broad semantic range (i.e., range of meaning). What then do we mean? We mean the following:

(1) Christ's redemptive work is the alone basis of our salvation.
(2) Simple faith is the alone instrument by which we receive salvation, that is, the legal blessings of justification and adoption.
(3) God's grace is the alone in the sense of ultimate efficient cause of our salvation. (So "yes," to address one of your statement-questions, faith is the evidence of God's grace, Eph. 2:8-10.)

To these we might add the other two "solas" of the Protestant Reformation: the Bible alone and God's glory alone.

(4) The Bible is the alone in the sense of ultimate authority on which we base our faith and practice.
(5) God's glory is the alone in the sense of ultimate motive for our faith and obedience as well as end for all that God does in creation and redemption.

For a further explanation of the "five solas" of the Reformation, see http://www.fivesolas.com/5solas.htm.

You do make some statements below that either need clarification or are not precisely correct:

You say, "Faith is the effect and product of salvation ALREADY bestowed by the free grace of God." If you're referring narrowly to God's effectual call or to regeneration (in the narrow sense), then you're correct. But if you're referring to salvation as referring to the legal blessings of justification and adoption as well as to the moral blessing of progressive sanctification, then it's not correct to speak of faith as the effect or product. Rather, faith is the alone instrument by which we receive the graces of justification and adoption and by which we obey God's word evangelically.

You say, "Only those whom God has ALREADY saved - i.e. legally justified and given eternal life at regeneration - are able to believe. Faith is one of the many graces found in the person already justified by God." Here you are imprecise. No one is justified apart from faith. We are justified in time and space "by faith" (see Rom. 5:1). Justification does not happen in eternity past. According to Ephesians 2:3, we were--prior to conversion-- "children of wrath." It is only when we believe that we are then justified. That is the Protestant and, I believe, biblical doctrine.

You say, "The salvation that is through our faith in Jesus Christ is distinct and different from the salvation that is by the grace of God in Jesus Christ." Here, I must confess I don't know what you have in mind. The entirety of our salvation is "by the grace of God in Jesus Christ." So I don't know what aspect of salvation that involves faith apart from grace that you may have in mind. Election, effectual calling and regeneration (narrowly defined) precede faith. But the blessings of conversion, justification, adoption, and sanctification are fruits of faith, which is itself a gift of God's grace.

Your final comment seems to indicate that you've been taught something like "eternal justification," that is, the idea that God justifies objectively in eternity past and that any reference to the blessing of justification that happens in time and space is purely subjective in nature. This is a heterodox teaching and falls outside Protestant and Reformed doctrine.

If you'd like to learn more about the error of eternal justification, you may listen to a sermon my fellow pastor, Jeffery Smith, preached that can be accessed here: "Justification in Time not Eternity"

I hope my responses don't come across condescending. I'm responding to you as one who is sincerely seeking to understand the truth and not as one who's already made up his mind and is just looking for a dispute.

May the Lord guide you into the truth.

Your servant,
Nobert.

================

From: sing
Date: August 17, 2009 12:46:37 PM GMT+08:00

Dear Nobert,

Thanks you for your helpful reply. I do desire to learn... I have various scattered thoughts that I need help to see how they can fit together. I will spend some time reading and understanding what you have written.

Meanwhile, I would ask a question. I am not sure if I can express the question correctly.
When are our sins imputed to Jesus Christ - when Jesus Christ died on the cross for us, or when we believe in him? I am trying to understand the various facets of justification, and when each takes place. I read an article by Mr Joel Beeke that shed some light on this.

I don't believe in eternal justification. Actual justification takes place in time.
However, I do believe that the justification (like adoption) of the elect was DECREED in eternity.
What was it took place at the cross? All the sins of all God's elect was imputed to Christ, and Christ righteousness imputed to all His elect at the cross. Legal justification of all the elect was SECURED at the cross. This legal justification is APPLIED PERSONALLY to each elect in God's appointed and approved time at their effectual calling unto grace and salvation. When this justification is applied to an elect personally, personal condemnation is removed, eternal life is imparted and adoption took place. This makes the child of God (a regenerated elect) capable of believing. When this child of God believe the gospel, he experiences the blessings of justification. He is justified EXPERIENTIALLY. Faith justifies a believer experientially and practically.

I found these truth stated in an old confession of faith. “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.”

Three aspects of justification are stated here. God DID decree to justify ALL the elect.
Christ did justify LEGALLY ALL the elect. But these are not justified PERSONALLY until..... the next act at God's appointed and approved time for each elect. Holy Spirit does APPLY this legal justification personally at effectual calling, thus ACTUAL justification took place. What the Holy Spirit applied is EXPERIENCED by faith through the gospel ministry. Faith is possible ONLY AFTER the Holy Spirit has applied Christ personally unto them.

These are the three aspects of justification summarized in the above statement. First, there is the justification decreed by God for all the elect from all eternity, Second, there is the legal justification secured by Christ in time at the cross for all the elect, Third, there is the justification applied by the Holy Spirit to each individual elect at God’s appointed and accepted time at effectual calling unto life.

When justification is applied at effectual call to grace and salvation, then there will be faith at the hearing of the word, which brings us to the fourth aspect of justification, which is the justification by faith, i.e. evidenced and experienced by faith at initial conversion at the gospel call, and thereafter, throughout life. Fifthly, there is the justification vindicated publicly at the resurrection and glorification of God’s elect, just as Christ Jesus was declared, vindicated to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

These five aspects of justification are like the five fingers of a well-formed hand. Each one is distinct, yet united together in a wholesome hand.

These are some thoughts floating in my mind... as I wrestle to rightly divide the word of truth.

What is the requirement to be a student at the virtual seminary?

sing penang
=========

From: Nobert
Date: August 18, 2009 1:18:08 AM GMT+08:00

Sing Penang,

SEE MY COMMENTS BELOW:

Dear Nobert,

Thanks you for your helpful reply. I do desire to learn... I have various scattered thoughts that I need help to see how they can fit together. I will spend some time reading and understanding what you have written.

Meanwhile, I would ask a question. I am not sure if I can express the question correctly.
When are our sins imputed to Jesus Christ - when Jesus Christ died on the cross for us, or when we believe in him?
I am trying to understand the various facets of justification, and when each takes place.
I read an article by Mr Joel Beeke that shed some light on this.

I don't believe in eternal justification. Actual justification takes place in time.
However, I do believe that the justification (like adoption) of the elect was DECREED in eternity.
What was it that took place at the cross. All the sins of all God's elect was imputed to Christ, and Christ righteousness imputed to all His elect at the cross. Legal justification of all the elect was SECURED at the cross. This legal justification is APPLIED PERSONALLY to each elect at God's appointed and approved time at their effectual calling unto grace and salvation. When this justification is applied to an elect personally, personal condemnation is removed, eternal life is imparted and adoption took place. This makes the child of God (a regenerated elect) capable of believing. When this child of God believe the gospel, he experiences justification. He is justified EXPERIENTIALLY. Faith justifies a believer experientially and practically.

I found these truth stated in an old confession of faith. “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.”

God DID decree to justify ALL the elect.

TRUE

Christ did justify LEGALLY ALL the elect. But these are not justified PERSONALLY until..... the next act at God's appointed and approved time for each elect. Holy Spirit does APPLY this legal justification personally at effectual calling, thus ACTUAL justification took place.

I DO NOT AGREE. ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION DOES NOT TAKE PLACE PRIOR TO OR APART FROM FAITH, WHICH IS THE ALONE INSTRUMENT OF JUSTIFICATION. “HAVING BEEN JUSTIFED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD” (ROM. 5:1). PEACE WITH GOD DOESN’T PROCEED JUSTIFICATION. BEFORE WE BELIEVE THE GOSPEL AND ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE ARE DESCRIBED AS “CHILDREN OF WRATH” (EPH. 2:3), MEANING THAT CHRIST’S ATONEMENT FOR OUR SINS IS NOT ACTUATED IN HISTORY UNTIL WE BELIEVE AND ARE, CONSEQUENTLY, JUSTIFIED OR ACQUITTED.

What the Holy Spirit applied is EXPERIENCED by faith. Faith is possible ONLY AFTER the Holy Spirit has applied Christ personally unto them.

There are three aspects of justification summarized in the above statement. First, there is the justification decreed by God for all the elect from all eternity, Second, there is the legal justification secured by Christ in time at the cross for all the elect, Third, there is the justification applied by the Holy Spirit to each individual elect at God’s appointed and accepted time at effectual calling unto life.


When justification is applied at effectual call to grace and salvation, then there will be faith at the hearing of the word, which brings us to the fourth aspect of justification, which is the justification by faith, i.e. evidenced and experienced by faith at initial conversion at the gospel call, and thereafter, throughout life. Fifthly, there is the justification vindicated publicly at the resurrection and glorification of God’s elect, just as Christ Jesus was declared, vindicated to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
These five aspects of justification are like the five fingers of a well-formed hand. Each one is distinct, yet united together in a wholesome hand.

HERE’S HOW I WOULD CONCEIVE OF THE FIVE-FINGERED HAND:
1. ELECTION: THE ULTIMATE CAUSE OF OUR JUSTIFICATION
2. ATONEMENT: THE GROUNDS OR BASIS OF OUR JUSTIFICATION
3. ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION: THE POINT IN TIME IN WHICH WE TRANSITION FROM CHILDREN OF WRATH TO CHILDREN OF GOD. ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION INCLUDES BOTH OBJECTIVE DIMENSIONS (I.E., GOD IS AT PEACE WITH US) AND SUBJECTIVE DIMENSIONS (I.E., WE EXPERIENCE THE BLESSING OF FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION).
4. EXPERIENTIAL JUSTIFICATION: THIS IS REALLY JUST THE ONGOING SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE OF THE LEGAL BLESSINGS OF THAT POINT-IN-TIME ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION ABOVE, WHICH OCCURRED AT THE POINT OF OUR CONVERSION.
5. DECLARATIVE OR DEMONSTRATIVE JUSTIFICATION: THIS ENTAILS THE PUBLIC VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS AT THE LAST DAY.

YOU SEEM TO PLACE “ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION” PRIOR TO FAITH AT THE POINT OF EFFECTUAL CALL OR REGENERATION. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, SEE “ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION” AND LEGAL ADOPTION AS TAKING PLACE LOGICALLY SUBSEQUENT TO SAVING FAITH. “AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO BECOME THE CHILDREN OF GOD, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE ON HIS NAME (JOHN 1:12). NOTE THAT LEGAL ADOPTION IS SUBSEQUENT BOTH TO REGENERATION (1:13) AND TO SAVING FAITH (1:12).

FOR HELPFUL READING ON THIS SUBJECT, SEE JAMES BUCHANAN, THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION (BANNER OF TRUTH, 1961).

These are some thoughts floating in my mind... as I wrestle to rightly divide the word of truth.

What is the requirement to be a student at the virtual seminary?

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN RBS. ONE NEEDS FIRST TO MAKE APPLICATION. I’VE ATTACHED AN APPLICATION, ACADEMIC CATALOG, AS WELL AS GUIDELINES & EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS. LET ME KNOW IF I CAN BE OF FURTHER ASSISTANCE.

YOUR SERVANT,
Nobert

=============

From: sing

Date: August 18, 2009 11:58:02 AM GMT+08:00

Dear Nobert,

You wrote:
HERE’S HOW I WOULD CONCEIVE OF THE FIVE-FINGERED HAND:
ELECTION: THE ULTIMATE CAUSE OF OUR JUSTIFICATION
ATONEMENT: THE GROUNDS OR BASIS OF OUR JUSTIFICATION
ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION: THE POINT IN TIME IN WHICH WE TRANSITION FROM CHILDREN OF WRATH TO CHILDREN OF GOD. ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION INCLUDES BOTH OBJECTIVE DIMENSIONS (I.E., GOD IS AT PEACE WITH US) AND SUBJECTIVE DIMENSIONS (I.E., WE EXPERIENCE THE BLESSING OF FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION).

EXPERIENTIAL JUSTIFICATION: THIS IS REALLY JUST THE ONGOING SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE OF THE LEGAL BLESSINGS OF THAT POINT-IN-TIME ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION ABOVE, WHICH OCCURRED AT THE POINT OF OUR CONVERSION.
DECLARATIVE OR DEMONSTRATIVE JUSTIFICATION: THIS ENTAILS THE PUBLIC VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS AT THE LAST DAY.

Thank you. Please bear with me... may be by your help, I may be able to connect different thoughts I am wrestling in my mind. It is good to see a slightly different picture of a wholesome justification hand. I do feel that it is confusing to introduce two 'foreign' fingers to the 'justification hand'. 'Election' and 'atonement' are distinct from justification. They don't belong to the 'justification' hand. I think they both constitute complete hands of their own.

I have referred to this statement in the old baptist confession. Let me quote it again:

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."

We have the first three fingers here:
1. The justification decreed for all the elect before time. (it is not about election)
2. The justification accomplished/secured for all elect in time. (it is about justification secured.)
3. The justification applied to each elect personally.

When justification is applied to an elect personally, the personal condemnation of death is removed by God, giving warrant for the Holy Spirit to regenerate that elect, and adoption by the Father. These divine acts produce the grace of faith (and many others) in this child of God, enabling him to believe. This is the fourth finger of the justification hand.

I believe it is sound and self-evident that justification applied by grace must precedes and is prior to the justification evidenced by faith. A person still under the state of condemnation, i.e. in an un-justified state, can't possibly believe in order for the justification to be applied to him. That is putting the carriage before the engine. I don't see how a person, to whom justification has NOT been personally applied, have the ability to believe. A man still under the condemnation of death, i.e. justification not personally applied, doesn't have the ability to believe. Also justification applied must precede regeneration. Removal of condemnation by the justification applied by grace gives the ground for the Holy Spirit to regenerate and give eternal life. Believing is an activity of eternal life.

The same old baptist document says this: "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."

I think this statement speaks of the fourth finger of the wholesome justification hand.
4. The justification manifested/evidenced by faith.

The justification spoken of here is the justification by the faith of the believer. It is entirely different from the justification by the grace of God. It says that faith is NOT ALONE in the person justified. This clearly implies that faith is one of the many graces found in the person justified (simple past tense pointing to simple past action of the justification applied by grace). Faith justifies (simple present tense) the believer. Faith is (simple present tense) the alone instrument to experience/evidence the justified state (justification applied, once for all) by God's grace in the life of the believer.

To fail to distinguish justification applied by grace, and justification experienced and evidenced by faith has one serious difficulty. It is teaching that a sinner under condemnation (unjustified state, justification not applied) is capable of believing in order to have justification applied to him. Nearly all the churches in the world believe this idea (militant arminians as well as calvinists) . That is what puzzled me when I read the statement which provoke my initial inquiry.


YOU SEEM TO PLACE “ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION” PRIOR TO FAITH AT THE POINT OF EFFECTUAL CALL OR REGENERATION. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, SEE “ACTUAL JUSTIFICATION” AND LEGAL ADOPTION AS TAKING PLACE LOGICALLY SUBSEQUENT TO SAVING FAITH. “AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO BECOME THE CHILDREN OF GOD, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE ON HIS NAME (JOHN 1:12). NOTE THAT LEGAL ADOPTION IS SUBSEQUENT BOTH TO REGENERATION (1:13) AND TO SAVING FAITH (1:12).

FOR HELPFUL READING ON THIS SUBJECT, SEE JAMES BUCHANAN, THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION(BANNER OF TRUTH, 1961).

Your usage of 'actual justification' is interesting. I remember reading Buchanan using the same term, but he used it to refer to justification applied, a sharp and clear distinction from justification evidenced/experienced.

This is an interesting quote from Buchanan:
"The Protestant doctrine affirms that a sinner is made or constituted righteousness by having Christ's righteousness imputed to him; and that, being justified actually, he is also justified declaratively, when his acceptance is proved or attested, so as to be made manifest to his own conscience, or. to his fellow men. In both cases it is one and the same Justification that is spoken of, - his acceptance as righteous in the sight of God; but, in the one, it is considered simply as a fact, in the other, as a fact that is attested and proved. Actual Justification must comes first, and is necessarily presupposed in that which is declarative; and hence, if any one is declared to have been justified, we conclude that he was actually justified, or accepted as righteous as righteous in the sight of God." [sing penang: I am not sure if the emphasis is original. I copied the quote from an email from a Presbyterian friend. I am a baptist]

In Buchanan's understanding, there is a clear and sharp distinction between "justified actually" and "justified declaratively." The former precedes the latter, the former is attested and evidenced by the latter. Justification applied by grace is the ACTUAL justification. Justification evidenced is the justification attested and proved. Believing in Christ proves and attests the justified state of a person. Many believe otherwise...

Righteousness of Christ is imputed LEGALLY at the cross. It is applied PERSONALLY [Buchanan's ACTUAL justification] at effectual calling out of sin and death to grace and salvation. This actual justification is then manifested, demonstrated, attested and proved by faith in the blessed Lord Jesus. That's my present understanding of Buchanan in light of the old baptist confession.

I am now thinking that the same five finger hands illustration can be applied to adoption/sonship too. It may be something like this. I hope I make some sense.
a. Sons by decree for all elect before time: Eph 1:4-5 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”

b. Sons by legal purchase for all the elect at the cross: “Gal 4:4-5 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” - Only sons by God's decree are legally purchased by Christ's ransom.

c. Sons by birth at effectual call of each elect at God's appointed and accepted time: John 3:3-6 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 1:13 "sons of God... which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." 1Pet 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” -Only sons by God's decree and legally purchased by Christ's ransom are born again by the Spirit of God.

d. Sons by experience through faith in Christ: John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Rom 8:13-14 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
- Only sons by God's decree and legally purchased by Christ's ransom, and born again by the Spirit of God are able to believe the gospel truth and have the right and power to claim that they are sons of God.

e. Sons by the resurrection & glory: Rom 8:23-24 “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” - Only sons by God's decree and legally purchased by Christ's ransom, and born again by the Spirit of God shall be resurrected unto eternal glory.

I don't know if I make sense, as I try to compare what people say in light of the Scriptures.

I have mumbled too much.

a student,

sing penang.

================

From: Nobert
Date: August 19, 2009 3:36:33 AM GMT+08:00

Mr. Sing Penang,

You pose as an inquirer. But I get the impression, whether wrongly or rightly, that your real purpose is to debate. Accordingly, let me leave you with three brief lines of response:

(1) “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down” (Neh. 6:3). In other words, I am a busy man seeking to extend Christ’s kingdom as a pastor, professor, and seminary dean. Though I’m willing to help those who are sincerely wanting to learn, I don’t have time to engage in lengthy disputes with those who’s purpose is to debate.

(2) You cite Buchanan but it is apparent that you have not read his work. If you take the time to read him, you will see that he does not conceive of actual justification apart from or irrespective of faith (see The Doctrine of Justification, pp. 365-404). That justifying faith is the gift of God and is given at the moment of regeneration. Accordingly, one might argue that regeneration and justification are temporally simultaneous. Logically, however, one cannot believe unless he’s born again. And one cannot be justified apart from faith (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:28; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:24; Phil. 3:9). So, according to Reformed doctrine, effectual call and regeneration (narrowly considered) precede justification in the ordo salutis (see http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Ordo-Salutis/).

(3) I am not the one confusing the so-called “fingers of justification”; you are. And you’re portrayal is, frankly, confusing.
(a) The confession you cite merely states that God “decreed to justify.” Decreeing to justify is not the same as justifying anymore than decreeing to make a sparrow fall to the ground is the same thing as providentially causing the sparrow to die. God’s decree to justify is just that—a decree. And since it pertains to that dimension of God’s decree that has to do with our salvation, it fits neatly under the heading of our “election.” We were chosen unto salvation, which includes the blessing of justification.

(b) The work of Christ is the grounds of our justification but it is not in itself our justification. As the confession says, “Christ did ... die ... and rise ... for their justification,” that is, to provide the basis on which God could remain just and the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus (Rom. 3:24-26).

(c) What you call “personal” justification is in fact “actual justification.” Indeed, there is no other kind of justification except that which is “personal.” How can a non-personal entity be forgiven and clothed with the righteousness of a personal substitute? So if you want to use the five fingered hand as a teaching tool, fine. But don’t try to construct a non-personal doctrine of justification. God doesn’t justify abstract entities. He actually justifies persons in time and space.

(d) I would give you the same counsel with respect to your so-called five fingered doctrine of sonship or adoption. Notice carefully that the verses you cite do not teach that we are actually sons at the point of God’s decree (before time) or at Christ’s death (in history). What they teach, instead, is that these events serve as the efficient cause and legal basis on which the actuality of our sonship rests. But this blessing of sonship is actually conferred when we are regenerated and believe (John 1:12-13). Or as Paul states it, “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith” (Gal. 3:26). Hence, there is no actual sonship apart from or irrespective of saving faith.

I hope this is helpful. If not, you’re welcome to audit our course on the doctrine of soteriology where this is considered in more detail. If you perceive that you’re not finding the right doctrine here at Reformed Baptist Seminary, then you’re welcome to search elsewhere on the Internet for someone who shares your views. I’m sorry but I just don’t have time to engage in an extended debate regarding this issue.

May God guide you into truth.

Nobert
===========

From: sing 
Date: August 20, 2009 1:12:25 AM GMT+08:00

Dear Nobert,

Thank you for your reply. I am not seeking to debate, but seeking to see how you understand the statement which started my inquiry. I am trying to making sense of what the old baptist confession says, and what the new baptists are teaching.
I understand the ordo salutis like this, in light of the several aspects of justification (which I believe is plainly stated in the old baptist confession - I tried pointing them out to you, but which you wholly ignored. Many new school baptists have lost sight of that biblical truth.)

1. Effectual call to grace and salvation at God's appointed and approved time: This includes:
- justification applied (condemnation removed, righteousness applied). This is ACTUAL justification by grace alone, while an elect is still under condemnation of sin and death. "This actual justification must comes first, and is necessarily presupposed in that which is declarative (to be made manifest by faith)." wrote Buchanan.
- regeneration (eternal life imparted)
- adoption (with the Spirit of adoption bestowed... who works all the graces, including faith, in the child of God.
(All the above - logically in that order, but practically simultaneous - must necessarily precede the ability to believe in order to justified by faith. Any other way is illogical and irrational - and therefore necessarily anti-biblical. )

2. Faith exercised by a child of God (because he is already justified by grace, regenerated and adopted).

3. Demonstrative (experiential) justification by faith.
- This necessarily presupposed the Actual justification by grace above. Faith in Jesus Christ declares/demonstrates/proves the justified state of the believer, a child of God.

However, the Actual justification is based upon the Legal justification that has taken place on the cross. And the justification that took place on the cross was founded upon the justification that was decreed - for all the entities decreed, and predestinated, and whose name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Actual justification by grace precedes demonstrative justification by faith.
Faith precedes demonstrative/evidential justification.
Demonstrative/evidential justification follows faith. (This is what happened to Abraham in Genesis 15. He was ALREADY a justified man by grace in Gen 12-14! Very many believe that Abraham remained an unjustified man in Gen 12-14! Horror!)

Old baptists taught both. New baptists teach only the later! It seems they have rejected the former, plainly articulated in the old baptist confession.

(1) “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down” (Neh. 6:3). In other words, I am a busy man seeking to extend Christ’s kingdom as a pastor, professor, and seminary dean. Though I’m willing to help those who are sincerely wanting to learn, I don’t have time to engage in lengthy disputes with those who’s purpose is to debate.

## There is no debate. I just need a reliable sounding board to help me make sense of what the old baptist confession says, compared to what new baptists teach. I am trying to figure out what are the differences between them.

(2) You cite Buchanan but it is apparent that you have not read his work. If you take the time to read him, you will see that he does not conceive of actual justification apart from or irrespective of faith (see The Doctrine of Justification, pp. 365-404). That justifying faith is the gift of God and is given at the moment of regeneration. Accordingly, one might argue that regeneration and justification are temporally simultaneous. Logically, however, one cannot believe unless he’s born again. And one cannot be justified apart from faith (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:28; 4:5; 5:1; Gal. 2:16; 3:24; Phil. 3:9). So, according to Reformed doctrine, effectual call and regeneration (narrowly considered) precede justification in the ordo salutis (see http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Ordo-Salutis/).

## To be honest, I have probably read Buchanan more times than needed. If you have read the quote carefully, you may like to read it again, it has to be admitted that Buchanan understand 'actual justification' by God's grace as something distinct from, and prior to, the 'declarative justification' by believer's faith. They are distinct and separate. This much is obvious. But new school presbyterians and their rb cousins ignore the distinction, and mistake "demonstrative justification" by believer's faith as the "actual justification" by God's grace. That is why there is such confusion!

You said, "Logically, however, one cannot believe unless he’s born again." Logical indeed. It was the obvious contradictions that cause me to wrestle with the issue.

There is so much anti-logic when "demonstrative justification" by believer's faith is mistaken as the "actual justification" by God's grace. I hope you do see the anti-logic of the case. But it is very hard to recognize the inconsistencies and contradictions of one's own idea.

Equally logical, one cannot possibly be regenerated when he is still unjustified, i.e. still under the condemnation of sin and death.

Equally logical, one who is regenerated is ALREADY justified, i.e. the condemnation of death because of sin has been removed, and righteousness unto life already applied personally, and eternal life bestowed.

It is very anti-logic t say that an unjustified person, still under the condemnation of death and sin, is able to believe in order that he may be justified by God. That is very irrational... no less irrational as those who teach that one must believe in order to have eternal life.

Equally anti-logic is the Holy Spirit regenerating BEFORE the Father justifying the UNGODLY. (God justifies the ungodly. Faith justifies the believer. Many cannot see the obvious distinction. And it is only a person who is already justified by grace, regenerated and adopted, that is able to believe to demonstrate his justified state by grace.) Is it not logical, as well as biblical, that one who is born again has been justified by God? How could a person be regenerated if he is still under condemnation, i.e unjustified by God?

It is very anti-logic to say that a regenerated person is still under the condemnation of sin and death, and that his believing is the instrument to remove that condemnation!

(3) I am not the one confusing the so-called “fingers of justification”; you are. And you’re portrayal is, frankly, confusing.
(a) The confession you cite merely states that God “decreed to justify.” Decreeing to justify is not the same as justifying anymore than decreeing to make a sparrow fall to the ground is the same thing as providentially causing the sparrow to die. God’s decree to justify is just that—a decree. And since it pertains to that dimension of God’s decree that has to do with our salvation, it fits neatly under the heading of our “election.” We were chosen unto salvation, which includes the blessing of justification.

It seems that you are equating "God decreed to justify" to "God decreed to elect"! The old baptist confession explicitly state the former, but it seems you want to make it say the latter! I am puzzled.

Logically, the decree of election must obviously be distinct from, and precedes the decree of justification. Logically, election brings about the legal entity that requires justification. The decree to elect condemned entity to eternal salvation necessitated the distinct and separate decree of justification. Someone told me when a young man, "Distinction is the essence of sound theology."

Yes, a decree is a decree. That decree in eternity was executed and its object is accomplished in time. What is accomplished (legally for all the elect) is them applied personally - making it actual to individual elect. What is applied is then experienced and demonstrated. So simple and beautiful.

(b) The work of Christ is the grounds of our justification but it is not in itself our justification. As the confession says, “Christ did ... die ... and rise ... for their justification,” that is, to provide the basis on which God could remain just and the justifier of the one who believes in Jesus (Rom. 3:24-26).

Note what the old baptist confession says, "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."

Now you are saying that though "Christ did... die... and rise... for their justification " but no justification in any sense took place! Christ did this and this and this for their justification, and they were not justified in any sense. They said that Christ did this and that and they (this pronoun referring back to ALL THE ELECT) were LEGALLY justified - THOUGH they were not PERSONALLY justified.

When Jesus died on the cross, were all your sins LEGALLY imputed to him, or were they not? If they were not, then when were your sins imputed to Christ? If they were not, then Jesus didn't suffer for your sins on the cross! If they were imputed at some other times, e.g. when you believe, then when will Jesus need too suffer and to atone for your sins?

At the cross, the LEGAL justification took place for ALL of God's elect - as stated by the old baptist confession. It is on the basis of the LEGAL justification that ACTUAL justification is applied to each elect personally at God's appointed and approved time.

"THOUGH they are not justified personally" implies that by Christ's death, they (referring back to "all the elect") are justified LEGALLY, in the legal sense. Even though they are not justified PERSONALLY, they are justified LEGALLY. Their legal justification by the work of Christ is the only basis for their personal/actual justification at God's appointed and approved time.

(c) What you call “personal” justification is in fact “actual justification.” Indeed, there is no other kind of justification except that which is “personal.” How can a non-personal entity be forgiven and clothed with the righteousness of a personal substitute? So if you want to use the five-fingered hand as a teaching tool, fine. But don’t try to construct a non-personal doctrine of justification. God doesn’t justify abstract entities. He actually justifies persons in time and space.

Actual justification (Buchanan's term) is the same as the 'personal justification'. This is the same as the justification by God's grace. 'Demonstrative justification' (Buchanan's term) is the justification by faith. Some call this 'Evidential or experiential justification' by faith.

You have obliterated the clear distinction between justification by God's free grace (actual justification, justification applied) and justification by the believer's faith (demonstrative/evidential/experiential justification).

You asked, "How can a non-personal entity be forgiven and clothed with the righteousness of a personal substitute?"
You are absolutely right. There is no problem here unless you have misunderstood. "Until the Holy Spirit doth in time due ACTUALLY apply Christ unto them" Actual justification takes place when legal justification at the cross is applied to an elect personally "in time due."

It is also true that when Jesus died on the cross, many of God's elect were non-personal entities. You and I did not personally exist. Though we were non-personal entities, we were nevertheless LEGAL entities. Legal transaction can take place because each elect is a legal entity before they existed as personal entity. They exist in the mind of God, in God's redemptive purpose, and their names are already in the Book of Life.

You might as well object to the imputation of original sin because of this non-personal entity idea.
- Fall was decreed.
- Fall took place. LEGAL imputation of original sin to all non-personal entity of Adam's race.
- Imputation of sin become ACTUAL at conception into personal entity.
- Imputation of sin is DEMONSTRATED/evidenced and experienced by actual acts of sins.
- Imputation of sin finally VINDICATED in the Great Judgment.

You said, "God doesn’t justify abstract entities. He actually justifies persons in time and space."
God does justify legally the legal entities in space and time - at the cross. He also justifies actually the personal entities in space and time - at the effectual calling of each elect personally.

(d) I would give you the same counsel with respect to your so-called five-fingered doctrine of sonship or adoption. Notice carefully that the verses you cite do not teach that we are actually sons at the point of God’s decree (before time) or at Christ’s death (in history). What they teach, instead, is that these events serve as the efficient cause and legal basis on which the actuality of our sonship rests. But this blessing of sonship is actually conferred when we are regenerated and believe (John 1:12-13). Or as Paul states it, “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith” (Gal. 3:26). Hence, there is no actual sonship apart from or irrespective of saving faith.

1. God made us sons first - actual sonship - through effectual calling to grace and salvation. Effectaul calling to grace and salvation requires ACTUAL justification, regeneration, and adoption, in that number and logical order.
2. Because God made us sons - by His free and sovereign grace - we are able to believe and experience our sonship.

Actual sonship logically and chronologically precedes experiential sonship.
Using Buchanan's words, " being justified [adopted] actually, he is also justified [adopted] declaratively, when his acceptance is proved or attested [i.e.by faith in Jesus Christ].

Sonship was decreed by God, sonship was made legal by Christ's death, sonship was made actual by the Holy Spirit in regeneration, sonship was experienced/demonstrated/attested by faith in Jesus Christ. And sonship shall be gloriously vindicated at the resurrection to eternal glory.

A one-fingered hand is a monstrous deformity. 'Justification by believer's faith' taught by the new baptists as the sum total of the doctrine of justification is akin to that one-fingered hand...
- without the thumb of Decretal justification in eternity,
- without the forefinger of Legal justification by Christ on the cross,
- without the middle finger of Actual justification applied at effectual calling...
- with the sole ONE big deformed ring finger of 'fide justification' at conversion.
- without the last finger of 'final justification' on judgment day.

Every time I look at my hands, I am reminded of the wonderful 5-facets of the divine truth of my justification.

I hope this is helpful. If not, you’re welcome to audit our course on the doctrine of soteriology where this is considered in more detail. If you perceive that you’re not finding the right doctrine here at Reformed Baptist Seminary, then you’re welcome to search elsewhere on the Internet for someone who shares your views. I’m sorry but I just don’t have time to engage in an extended debate regarding this issue.

Your thoughts are helpful. I can always learn something from a discussion. I am seeking that the Lord will help me to understand His truth. That is why I am inquiring. I am not seeking agreement or disagreement. But I do seek to be consistent in my thoughts. I will now go back and read the old baptists.

I do thank you for your time and patience. May our Lord Jesus continue to teach me.
I will consider doing some distant learning with the seminary.

sing penang
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