Salvation/Justification

March 31, 2010

What is Justification? Why do we care?
The whole process:
And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he
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also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Rom 8)

After we have faith it is God's response:

the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.... (Rom 3)

Payoff:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5)

Free from the law:

know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by
faith in Jesus Christ. (Gal 2)
Are the Protestant and Catholic Views
Different?
As far as I can tell ... no.

The Council of Trent: "[N]one of those things which precede

justification, whether faith or works, merit the grace of
justification; for if it is by grace, it is not now by works;
otherwise, as the Apostle [Paul] says, grace is no more grace"
(Decree on Justification 8, citing Rom. 11:6).

CCC 2008:Thus God’s grace and his promise form the

foundation for all human merit
JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF
JUSTIFICATION

1. We confess together that persons are justified by faith in

the gospel "apart from works prescribed by the law" (Rom 3:
28).

2. We confess together that good works - a Christian life lived

in faith, hope and love - follow justification and are its fruits.

3. We confess together that

sinners are justified by faith
in the saving action of God
in Christ. By the action of the
Holy Spirit in baptism, they
are granted the gift of salvation.
Salvation
The Time Dimension

When are we saved?

1. In the past
"I was saved"
Christ saved us once and for all.
2. On going process.
"we are being saved"
3. In the Future.
"we shall be saved."
Nature and Locus of the Need

1. Vertical
Separation with God.
2. Horizontal
Need to restore the relationship to the people around us.
3. Internal
The feelings of guilt, insecurity, etc. must be changed.
The Extent of Salvation

Only applied to certain people:

Some lost, some saved.
Depends on a person's response to the grace of God.

Universalist Position
No one lost.
God restores all to himself.
Necessary to accept Jesus and all do so OR
God simply accepts all.
Summary

Predestination
- who gets to be saved?

Effectual Calling, Conversion and Regeneration

- how are we changed so we may be saved?

Union with Christ, Justification and Adoption

- how does God accept us after we have changed?
 Predestination

Calvinism vs. Arminianism

Calvinism - TULIP

T otal depravity
U nconditional predestination
L imited atonement
I rresistible grace
P erseverance
Total Depravity

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws

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him (John 6)

As it is written:
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"There is no one righteous, not even one;

there is no one who understands,
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no one who seeks God.

All have turned away,
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they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,
not even one." ... for all have sinned and fall short of the
[c] 23

glory of God (Rom 3)

Total Depravity Cont.

1
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in
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which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world
... All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the
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cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and

thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
(Eph 2)

Every person is so sinful that he is unable to respond to God's

grace.
Sovereignty of God
He does whatever he wills and is answerable to no one:

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard:

Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired
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last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I
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want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am

generous?' (Matt 20)

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is
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formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like
this?' " Does not the potter have the right to make out of the
[h] 21

same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some
for common use? (Rom 9)
Election

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be

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holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to

5 [c]

be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance

with his pleasure and will (Eph 1)

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to
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go and bear fruit (John 15)

For he says to Moses,

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"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,

and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." [a]

It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on

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God's mercy. (Rom 9)

Election Cont. (Calvinism)

Election is the cause of faith not the result.

1. Purely based on God's will not on merit

2. Election is certain.
3. Election is eternal.
4. Unconditional
5. Immutable - God does not change his mind.

Inconsistent with free will?

-> How can a man repent of sin when he loves it?

It is the inability of a man under which he labors

-> A bird with a broken wing is free to fly.

Double Predestination

God chooses some to save and other to be lost

OR

God chooses the elect and leaves others in their choice of sin.

Same result!
Arminianism
God desires all to be saved:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some

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understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting

anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2
Peter 3)

3
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men
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to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim 2)

1
Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat! (Isa 55)
Come to me , all who labor and
are heavy-laden, and I will give
you rest (Matt 11)
Arminianism Cont.

If God did not intend for people to be saved he would be

insincere in his offer!!

Therefore all people must be able to believe

Otherwise

Why universal invitation? -> Can't be total depravity

Prevenient grace -> like the sunshine.

Arminianism View of Election

Those predestined are merely those in his infinite wisdom he

foresees choosing him.

For those God foreknew he also predestined (Rom 8)

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Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

1

To God's elect, strangers in the world, ... who have been

2

chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father (1

Peter 1)

But God would foreknow if he predestined ...

Other Objections to Calvinism

Fatalistic

What about free will?

What about ethical behavior?

What is the point in evangelism?

How is there justice, for we are what we are made to be?

Conversion
Effectual Calling

Universal call by God:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will
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give you rest" (Matt 11)

Special Calling (God working with the elect):

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of
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men." At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matt 4)
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"Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your

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house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him

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gladly. (Luke 19)

Special Callings - Conversions

The conversion of Saul (Acts 9)

Nicodemus takes more time (John 19)

Lydia turning to Christ was simple and calm (Acts 16)

"The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message"

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16)

The Philippian jailer's conversion is more traumatic

The HS acts to remove the sin which separates us from God.

no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. (1

Cor 12)
Repentance - necessary for conversion

Negative end of conversion.

Essential part of the gospel.

Prominent in the preaching of John the Baptist

and Paul, "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he

commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17)

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped
out (Acts 3)

Universal statement.
Faith

OT Hebrew: primarily with the verb form. Something which you

do rather than have. Resting or leaning on God.

NT word: pisteuo (Gk)

To believe : "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the

spirits to see whether they are of God" (1 John 4)

Personal trust : when used with en (in) means trust in - "Repent,

and believe in the gospel" - Acts 10:43
Regeneration

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I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in
them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give
them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be
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careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be

their God. (Ezek. 11)

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the
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kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh

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gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3)
Profound mysteries involved: everyone born of the Spirit is like
the wind.
Justification
Union with Christ

Inclusive term for salvation

We are "in" Christ:

Therefore, if any one is in Christ , he is a new creation; the old
has passed away, behold, the new has come. (2 Cor 5)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness

of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which
he lavished upon us (Eph 1)

He is "in" us:
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I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me (Gal 2)
Models for the Union

1. We are one with God

pantheistic
2. Mystical
Lose our identity in Christ.
3. Friendship
Psychological ones
4. Sacramental
"This is my body ... this is my blood"
This is a profound mystery (Eph 5)
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4
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear
fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. (John 15)
Implications of our Union with Christ

We are justified!!
1
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus (Rom 8)

Also:
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil
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4)

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Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
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if we endure,
we will also reign with him. (2 Tim 2)
Justification is a Legal Declaration

Definition: To declare righteous

not To make righteous

When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors
justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John
(Luke 7)

Tax collectors don't make God righteous!

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who
justifies; who is to condemn? (Rom 8)

the judges: "justify the righteous and condemn the wicked (Deut
25)
Justification forensic?

However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the
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wicked , his faith is credited as righteousness. (Rom 4:5)

What?

in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand

unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so
as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
(Rom 3)
God Declares Us Just in His Sight

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in

Christ Jesus (Rom 8)
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David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man
to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
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"Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered. (Rom 4)
What does this all Mean?
How can we be declared to be something we are not? i.e.
righteous.

Two situations to be righteous:

1. Never sinned.
2. Paid penalty.

Free Gift:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from
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yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can

boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good
works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2)
Obviously works show faith!!!
Justification Continued

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of

the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not
enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:20)

... then he also says ...

This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many

for the forgiveness of sins. (Mat 26:28)
Romans - Summary
Chapter 1:
To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints

God hates evil and wickedness.

Chapter 2:
Do not judge others.
glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good
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A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly... No, a man is a
Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the
heart.
Romans Cont.
Chapter 3
What's the point in being a Jew?
God is faithful to them even if they are not faithful to him
no one righteous, not even one
Righteousness comes from God through faith in Christ to all
who believe. Not in observing the law. We uphold the law
through faith.

Chapter 4
Abraham credited as righteous for his unwavering faith
also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who
believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was
delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our
justification.
Romans Cont.

Chapter 5
We are justified by Christ's blood, saved from God's wrath
and reconciled to God.

Through Adam we all became sinners, and through Christ we will

become righteous.

Chapter 6
Yay we can sin! ... no
Through baptism we are united to Christ, and we become slaves to
righteousness!
Romans Cont.
Chapter 7
If you husband dies you can have a new husband.
With Christ we die to the law and can serve with a new
spirit.
Struggling with sin -> I don't understand

Chapter 8
if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit
is alive because of righteousness
Do not sin for you are God's child
Present sufferings are nothing for we eagerly await to
become adopted sons of, "For in this hope we were saved."
God is at work in us, so nobody can be against us!!!
Christ has Risen

Happy Easter!!!!