Justification: The Lost Doctrine of the Church
In the not-too-distant past, the label evangelical identified those who were committed to historic Christianity including the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. That’s no longer true in our ‘enlightened’ day, and evangelical scholarship is challenged by trends in biblical studies to abandon the Reformation's understanding of justification.
Outright criticism of the doctrine of justification as it is defined in our Reformed confessions has become common even in conservative churches. Most people in the pew, however, are simply not acquainted with the doctrine of justification. Even in many churches committed to Reformation teaching, the doctrine of justification often is overlooked as a sermon topic.
So the question we should ask is, who needs justification?
Paul relates everything, including sanctification, the problems of ethics, and church harmony, to Christ's cross and resurrection. That’s because Paul understood that God justifies the wicked.That's pretty radical. It is more radical than the claim that God heals the morally sick or gives grace to those who are willing to cooperate with it or that he rewards those who try to do their best. We don't even have to deny justification outright. It's just irrelevant when we stop asking the most important question. Having trouble with your marriage or kids? Sure. Not living up to expectations? Doesn't everybody? Not really getting the most out of life and need some fresh advice? I'm listening. But we don't care about being "sinners in the hands of an angry God" if we have never encountered a holy God. And if we do not sense a great need, we do not cry out for a great Savior.
When God is no longer a problem for humanity, but a domesticated icon of either an irrelevant transcendence or a usefully immanent source of therapeutic well-being and moral causes, justification becomes an empty symbol. Because we no longer see ourselves as lost, we view us and our friends as simply somewhat dysfunctional but well-meaning victims who simply need "empowerment" and better instructions. No, our experience is far removed from that of the Israelites assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai when they heard God's terrifying voice and begged for a mediator.
With the holiness of God obscured, the sinful human condition is adjusted, first, to the level of sins -- that is, to particular acts or habits that require scolding and reform. Weary of brow-beating that actually trivializes the sinful condition, the next generation takes a more positive, therapeutic approach, offering "tips for living" that will make life happier, healthier, and more fulfilling.
Now, this is a blog and blogs are supposed to be short – so, yes, I now there is much more to be said, but not in a short blog. Getting to the point of this blog…
TRUE JUSTIFICATION
Properly taught and understood, justification reveals how good works may be freely performed for God and neighbors without any fear of punishment or agony over the mixed motives of each act. Because of justification in Christ, even our good works can be "saved," not in order to barter with God or improve our standing.
“When God is no longer a problem for humanity, but a domesticated icon of either an irrelevant transcendence or a usefully immanent source of therapeutic well-being and moral causes, justification becomes an empty symbol.”
There are five key concepts every believer should grasp if they are to understand what the Bible teaches about the doctrine of justification.
First, the Christian is at the same time, justified and a sinner: Scripture powerfully reminds us that even though we are right with God, we still violate his commands, feel the sting of conscience, and battle against sin. On this side of the consummation, we will always be sinning saints, righteous wretches, and on occasion even justified jerks. God does not acquit us of our guilt based upon our works, but because we trust “him who justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5).Second, our right standing with God is based on an alien righteousness. Alien doesn’t refer to the extra-terrestrial kind, but spirituality. It means we are justified because of a righteousness that is not our own. I am not right with God because of my righteousness, but because “the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ” has been credited to me. “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to thy cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the Fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die” wrote August Toplady in the old hymn too seldom sung today. We contribute nothing to our salvation. The name by which every Christian must be called is “The Lord is our righteousness” (Jer. 23:6).Third, the righteousness of Christ is ours by imputation, not by impartation. That is to say, we are not made holy, or infused with goodness as if we possessed it in ourselves, but rather Christ’s righteousness is credited to our account.Fourth, we are justified by faith alone. Evangelicals have long held that “all I need to do is accept the gift of God with a believing heart.” Yes, that is true -- justifying faith must show itself in good works. That’s what James 2 is all about. But these works serve as corroborating evidence, not as the ground of our justification. We are justified by faith without deeds of the law (Rom. 3:28; Titus 3:5). The gospel is “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:30-31), not “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and cooperate with transforming grace and you shall be saved.” There is nothing we contribute to our salvation but our sin, no merit we bring but Christ’s, and nothing necessary for justification except for faith alone.Finally, with all this talk about the necessity of faith, Scripture teaches that faith is only an instrumental cause in our salvation. In other words, faith is not what God finds acceptable in us. In fact, strictly speaking, faith itself does not justify. Faith is only the instrument by which we embrace Christ, have communion with him, and share in all his benefits. It is the object of our faith that matters. If you venture out on to a frozen pond, it isn’t your faith that keeps you from crashing into the water. True, it takes faith to step onto the pond, but it’s the object of your faith, the twelve inches of ice, that keeps you safe. Believe in Christ with all your heart, but don’t put your faith in your faith. Your experience of trusting Christ will ebb and flow. So be sure to rest in Jesus Christ and not your faith in him. He alone is the one who died for our sakes and was raised for our justification. Believe this, and you too will be saved.The evangelical faith and practice proclaimed in the Scriptures is always unnatural to us. Born in sin, we assume that we are good people who could be better if we just had a good plan, environment, and examples.Since Satan lost the war at Golgotha and the tomb, he has turned his assault to the very faith of believers in the gospel and the progress of that gospel to the ends of the earth. He knows our weak spot and he exploits it. If he cannot destroy the church by persecution, he will weaken it through heresy. As believers we have a responsibility to know the gospel and the truth of the gospel – the doctrine of justification is but one truth.