Quote:
Originally Posted by Poimen  Quote:
Originally Posted by Civbert Quote:
Originally Posted by Poimen
I would agree if only we were speaking about what man does but we are speaking (here) exclusively of God's act(ion) in salvation. When we talk about salvation as received by man then we must say that justification is by faith alone.
|
Our sanctification does not save us. The act of God that is saves is the justifying work of Christ on the cross. Do you disagree? | I do not disagree.
But as I pointed out, God in Christ also saves us from the power of sin. This also is salvation by God for us. (not by us for us) In neither act do we play a part. |
But then we are speaking about two senses of salvation, not one. One is to eternal life by imputed righteousness in a single perfect act of God with eternal implications. The other is a continuous work of God in our life time by infused grace through the Holy Spirit.
Since our sanctification does not save us, it is confusing to say that the single term (salvation) "circumscribes" both justification and sanctification. It certainly does not do so in each instance in Scripture.
Really, what we are arguing about is definitions. Bahnsen seem to have defined "salvation" so broadly as to "circumscribe" both justification and sanctification.
I think this is confusing since the common defintion of salvation refers to an act of saving or the state of being saved, and normally refers to the theological doctrine of justification, while sanctification does not justify us and we want to avoid implying otherwise.