Archive for the ‘Justification’ Category

In Justified by Faith Alone, R. C. Sproul clarifies the differing views of justification:

The Roman Catholic Church cites James 2:14-26 (“faith without deeds is dead,” verse 26) to support their rejection of sola fide. In response the Reformers insisted that true saving faith is not  devoid of good works. They argued that “justification is by  faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.”

The chief differences between the Roman Catholic and Reformation views of justification:

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW

1. Baptism (with penance) is the instrumental cause of  justification.
2. Justification is by infusion.
3. Justification is  analytical.
4. Justification is based on an inherent righteousness.
5. Justification is by faith plus works.
6. Justification is by grace and merit.
7. Justification is on the basis of Christ’s righteousness and my righteousness.
8. Justification can be undone by mortal sin.
9. Justification may be completed in purgatory.
10. Justification may be obtained by drawing from the Treasury of Merit.
11. Justification is sacerdotal.

THE REFORMATION VIEW

1. Faith is the instrumental cause of justification.
2. Justification is by imputation.
3. Justification is synthetic.
4. Justification is based on an alien (Christ’s) righteousness.
5. Justification is by faith alone.
6. Justification is by grace alone.
7. Justification is on the basis of Christ’s righteousness
8. There is no “mortal sin” for a person who is justified.
9. There is no purgatory or need for it.
10. The only merit is that of Christ alone.
11. Justification is non-sacerdotal.

The differences between these two “gospels” is in grave danger of being lost in our day. Efforts to heal the breach between Rome and the Reformation have yielded confusion among many. The issue cannot be resolved by studied ambiguities or different meanings attached to the same words. The crucial issue of the infusion verses imputation remains the irreconcilable issue. We are either justified by a righteousness that is in us or by a righteousness that is apart from us. There is no third way.

(Excerpt from Justified by Faith Alone, pp 51-54)

Crossway is excited to announce the release of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ Living Waters: Studies in John 4. Over the next few weeks we look forward to introducing you to this never-before published work through short excerpts from several different chapters. We hope you join us for the debut as Lloyd-Jones begins by discussing The Possibilities of the Christian Life in Chapter 1:

My dear friend, I am holding before you a glorious possibility. I do not care who you are or what you are or what your work is ‒ I am not interested in any of these things. This one case gives me authority to say this: the fullness of the Lord is open to you, so do not evade it on any grounds or bring up any arguments (p.17).

Have we become so accustomed to the Christian message that we are no longer thrilled and amazed and astounded by it? This is the glory of the message of the Christian salvation ‒ the incarnation. He has humbled himself for our sakes. He is the Lord of glory still, though he is weary and sits down and is thirsty. What has happened? It is this: in order that you and I might have this well of water in us, he has laid aside the signs of his eternal glory, he has been born in the likeness of man, he has been born, indeed, in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3). ‘The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14) ‒ and it is not an artificial body, it is as true a body as yours and mine. He is exhausted, and he is thirsty, and he has done all this and humbled himself in order that we might have this great gift, this great blessing of eternal life.

Now I am putting it like this because if we do not know this fullness of life, it means, in a sense, that we really have not understood the whole doctrine. What right have we to say, ‘I only want forgiveness from him; I only want to avoid hell’ ‒ and stop at that? No, no; he came ‘that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly’ (John 10:10). Let us never forget this. So if the devil tempts you and says, ‘This is not for you’, then say, ‘It is! I know he has done all this for me (p.18).’