As I sit here studying for my CDOC (The Church and Its Doctrines,
remember?) quiz, I can't help but appreciate what I'm studying. So many people I know are studying for a Chemistry or Calculus exam, and I'm here studying justification. Here are my notes from one lecture, which are not only helping me prepare for the quiz I'm about to take, but encouraging me at the same time. I hope they encourage you too.
Note: read this carefully, as some of these are certain theories, and not doctrine we are being taught as correct!
The Importance of Justification
"the article on which the church stands or falls" Luther
"main hinge on which religion turns" Calvin
"if we are to safeguard the truth of the gospel for generations, we must understand the truth of justification" Grudem
Justification Questioned: The "New Perspective on Paul"
Paul was--
- Jewish, not Medieval
- Paul must be put in context
- Luther got it all wrong
- Pro-Law, not Anti-Law
- works do not equal earned merit
- works are badges of obedience
- Communal, not Individual
- Salvation is not the choice of a guilty soul, but entrance into community
Implications of the new perspective--
Justification is not the whole gospel
Imputation is not the mechanism of salvation
"Faith in Christ" doesn't save, but rather, "the faithfulness of Christ"
Righteousness is not a gas
What is Justification? The Traditional View
NOT having a clean slate from never having committed sin
NOT being given the strength to wipe our own slates clean of sin
YES, it is a legal declaration; God has wiped our slates clean for us = imputed righteousness
New Testament Teaching:
*[Romans 3:21-28]*
> the roots of justification are in the OT (v.21) [Gen 15:6, Deut. 25:1]
-Abraham's faith was justifying faith, God declared him right
-to be declared right based on the lawgiver, not because they are guilty or innocent
> the appropriation of justification is by faith alone (v.22)
> the necessity of justification is based on the universality of sin (v.23)
> the basis of justification is Christ's atoning work on the cross (v.24-25)
> the legitimacy of justification is based on God's character (v.26)
> the summary of justification: it is by faith, not works! (v.27-28)
The Roman Catholic Concept of Justification
- Justification is an infusion of grace which results in a change of nature such that a person can merit God's favor
- God created us ---> original sin ---> God gives grace through the work of Christ ----> now we are able to love God through the sacrament of the mass ------> cooperation ----> process of justification
- (given a measure at baptism, usually infant baptism, removes original sin)
Imputation
- Greek logizomai = "to reckon, calculate"
- A legal term, which signifies holding guilty or innocence against someone
- an economic term, which signifies crediting a sum to an account
- 3 places we see this:
- Adam's sin Imputed to us [Romans 5:12]
- Our sin imputed to Christ [1 Peter 2:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:21?]
- original sin + sins (acts of sinful behavior)
- Christ's righteousness imputed to us [Romans 4:24]
- when He looks at us, He sees His Son and righteousness
