Beyond Sola Scriptura Sunday July 16 2006 Last

Beyond. Sola Scriptura Sunday, July 16, 2006

Last week’s video… It’s available as a DVD from Amazon. com n The title is “The Forbidden Book” n It costs about 20 bucks n

The Difference between Theology and Religion n Theology is theocentric – When we engage in the quest to understand God, it is theology. n Religion is anthropocentric – When our quest is limited to understanding how people react to theology, it is religion.

5 Solas Defined the Reformation n n Scripture Alone Christ Alone Grace Alone Faith Alone Glory to God Alone n n n Sola Scriptura Solus Christus Sola Gratia Sola Fide Soli Deo gloria

Great Book on the 5 Solas n James Montgomery Boice, – Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? n Rediscovering the World n Available Table the Doctrines that Shook on your church’s Book

Aristotelian Categories of Causality n Material Cause – That out of which something is made n Stone n used for a sculpture Formal Cause – The design, idea, or blueprint n The n sculptor’s idea or pattern Final Cause – The purpose for which something is made n The final use or purpose of the sculpture

Aristotelian Categories of Causality n Efficient Cause – The chief agent of cause n The n sculptor Instrumental Cause – The instrument used to create n The sculptor’s chisel

Causes of the Reformation n n Material Cause Formal Cause Final Cause Efficient Cause Instrumental Cause n n n Sola fide Sola Scriptura Soli Deo gloria Sola gratia Sola fide

Causes of the Reformation n The formalcause – – Issues regarding authority sola ( Scriptura) n The materialcause – – Issues regarding justification sola ( fide)

Having explored. SOLA SCRIPTURA, we will venture briefly into… …SOLA FIDE, justification by faith alone.

What is Justification? n. A newspaper article reported that John Gerstner had preached on… – ”Just a vacation by faith. ”

Justification is the Heart of the Gospel n n n Problem: We are under God’s wrath Romans 1: 18 , “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ” John 3: 36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. ”

Justification is the Heart of the Gospel n Justification involves a legal judgment by God, a declaration by him that we are just. n We referred to this as forensic justification; it’s legal a declaration.

Martin Luther n n “simul iustus et peccator” “At the same time [simultaneously], just and sinner

“Justification by faith alone” merely shorthand for “justification by the righteousness of Christ alone

Justification Has Two Sides 1) The removal of sin because Christ bears our curse n 2) The imputation (crediting) of righteousness because we are in Christ and his righteousness is counted as ours n (Note this is why the NIV’s “declared righteous” is insufficient. ) n

The Great Exchange n 2 Corinthians 5: 21 , “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ”

The Great Exchange n 2 Corinthians 5: 21 , “For our sake (1) he made him to be sin who knew no sin, (2) so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ”

OUR SIN IS IMPUTED TO GOD MAN GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IMPUTED TO US

“Just if I’d” never sinned… …is not fully sufficient.

John Calvin n Justification is “the acceptance with which God received us into his favor as righteous men. And we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. ”

John Calvin n Justification is “the acceptance with which God received us into his favor as righteous men. And we say that it consists in (1) the remission of sins and (2) the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. ”

Martin Luther Called the doctrine of justification the belief that determines whether the church stands or falls n “Christ took all our sins upon him, and for them died upon the cross. ” n “They are righteous because they believe in Christ, whose righteousness covers them and is imputed to them. ” n

Justification determines whether the church stands or falls The Roman Church at the Council of Trent (1546 -63) saw justification as the central doctrine at issue by the reformers. n The reformed church of the 16 th century was purified by reaffirming it. n Roman Catholicism was destroyed by denying it. n

Protestants have viewed the doctrine of justification (by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone, for the glory o God alone, as taught with final authority in Scripture alone) as the heart of the biblical Gospel.

Protestants have viewed the doctrine of justificationby( grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone, for the glory o God alone, as taught with final authority in Scripture alone) as the heart of the biblical Gospel.

Protestants have viewed the doctrine of justification (by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone, for the glory o God alone, as taught with final authority in Scripture alone) as the heart of the biblical Gospel.

Protestants have viewed the doctrine of justification (by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone, for the glory of God alone, as taught with final authority in Scripture alone) as the heart of the biblical Gospel.

Protestants have viewed the doctrine of justification (by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone, for the glory of God alone, as taught with final authority in Scripture alone) as the heart of the biblical Gospel.

Protestants have viewed the doctrine of justification (by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone, for the glory o God alone, as taught with final authority in Scripture alone) as the heart of the biblical Gospel.

Protestants have viewed the doctrine of justification (by grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Christ’s blood and righteousness alone, for the glory o God alone, as taught with final authority in Scripture alone) as the heart of the biblical Gospel.

Almost everyone believes they will be justified before God. Four Views on Justification

Typical Worldly View WORKS JUSTIFICATION— FAITH

The View of the World The worldly man believes justification is earned by his own good efforts. n He believes that by acting virtuously while abstaining from sin, he may make himself acceptable to God. n He trusts in himself. He does not trust in God; hence, “minus FAITH. ” n

Warren. Buffett– billionaire philanthropist “There is more than one way to get to heaven, but this is a great way. ” Quoted in WORLD Magazine, July 15, 2006

The View of the World n He may assert that he is a Christian. He “believes” the gospel that Christ died for his sins and that He arose from the dead.

Test Question from Evangelism Explosion n “If you were die tonight, why should God let you into His heaven? ”

Possible Responses I’ve worked hard in my career n I’ve been a good parent n I’m a faithful church member n I’ve never killed anyone n Well, I killed one guy, but that’s all! n At least I’m not a mass murderer n

Ephesians 2: 8 -9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

2 nd View: Antinomianism Typical Worldly View WORKS FAITH JUSTIFICATION — FAITH WORKS

The Second View of Justification: The Antinomian View “Antinomian” means “against the law” n Antinomians will stress that Christ is indispensable for salvation n Their view of “faith” is orthodox n

The Antinomian View “Free from the Law, O blessed condition, I can sin all I want and still have remission. ”

The Antinomian View n Antinomians refer to those who hold the Biblical view of justification as “Lordship salvation” teachers.

For More on this… n The Gospel According to Jesus, by John Mac. Arthur – Mac. Arthur argues against Gospel Under Siege by Zane Hodges

32 rdnd. View: Catholic View: Roman Antinomianism FAITH + WORKS — WORKS JUSTIFICATION

The Cry of the Reformation! n Faith Alone! – Sola fide!

R. C. Sproul“The Roman Catholic church believes that grace, faith, and Christ are all necessary for the sinner’s justification. They are necessary conditions, but not sufficient conditions. While grace is necessary for justification, it is not enough. Works must be added to faith, however, for justification to occur. ”

“Likewise the righteousness of Christ is necessary for justification. This righteousness must be infusedinto the soul sacramentally. The sinner must cooperate with and assent to this infused righteousness, so that real righteousness becomes inherent in the person before he can be justified. ”

The Roman Catholic Sacrament of Penance Rome: “the second plank of justification for those who have made shipwreck of their souls. ” n “works of satisfaction” are needed to be restored to a state of grace. n

Saving Faith Romans 3: 27 -28– Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Three Aspects of Saving Faith n Notitia (knowledge) – Requires knowledge regarding the gospel n Assensus (intellectual assent) – Assent to the truth of the gospel n Satan has notitia and assensus n Fiducia – A personal trust and reliance on Christ

Roman View n n n Instrumental cause: baptism Infused righteousness Inherent righteousness Reformed View n n n Instrumental cause: faith Imputed righteousness Alien righteousness

Roman View n n Reformed View Grace plus merit Faith plus works Christ’s righteousness plus ours No assurance of salvation n n Grace alone Faith alone Christ’s righteousness alone Assurance of salvation

3 rd 4 th View: Roman Biblical Catholic View FAITH + WORKS FAITH JUSTIFICATION + WORKS

James 2: 20 -26 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"— and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Ephesians 2: 8 -10 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works , which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Romans 4: 2 -8– For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. " Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. "

Biblical View FAITH JUSTIFICATION+ WORKS

Why Is Justification Good News? Why is it good news to you that your sins are forgiven? n Why is it good news to you that you stand righteous in the courtroom of the Judge of the universe? n

Man-Centered Responses “Because I don’t what to go to hell” n “Being forgiven is good news because a guilty conscience is a horrible thing, and I get great relief when I believe my sins are forgiven. ” n

These answers do not treat God as the final and highest good of the gospel.

These man-centered answers… Do not express a supreme desire to be with God. n Did not even mention God; only His gifts were mentioned. n Thus, justification is not an end in itself. n

1 Peter 3: 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.

God Is the Gospel!

Bibliography Gerstner, John, Primitive Theology which includes “A Primer on Justification” Piper, John, Counted Righteous in Christ Piper, John, God is the Gospel Sproul, R. C. , Grace Unknown – The Heart of Reformed Theology