Ben Chomp
Puritan Board Freshman
In pondering the relationship between regeneration and justification, I wonder if they are perspectivaly related. Think about the broader concept of union with Christ.
Union with Christ from a normative perspective is justification. When a person is united to Christ, Christ's righteousness is imputed to them and they are seen as righteous from the perspective of their legal status before God.
Union with Christ from a situational perspective is effectual calling. It is God's effectual calling which unites a person to Christ and enables them to believe.
Union with Christ from an existential perspective is regeneration. When a person is united to Christ they experience a softening of the heart, faith, repentance, and a desire for God. They feel with new feelings and think with new thoughts.
Rome has wanted to unite the concepts of regeneration and justification. They call justification an infusion of righteousness and so collapse regeneration (and sanctification) into justification. I think Rome's error is a failure to see that these two items are distinct. They are correct in that we should not separate regeneration from justification in the individual because a person is both regenerated and justified when they are converted. But they are incorrect in their inability to properly distinguish the two. I think relating them perspectivaly in this way is helpful. Your thoughts?
Union with Christ from a normative perspective is justification. When a person is united to Christ, Christ's righteousness is imputed to them and they are seen as righteous from the perspective of their legal status before God.
Union with Christ from a situational perspective is effectual calling. It is God's effectual calling which unites a person to Christ and enables them to believe.
Union with Christ from an existential perspective is regeneration. When a person is united to Christ they experience a softening of the heart, faith, repentance, and a desire for God. They feel with new feelings and think with new thoughts.
Rome has wanted to unite the concepts of regeneration and justification. They call justification an infusion of righteousness and so collapse regeneration (and sanctification) into justification. I think Rome's error is a failure to see that these two items are distinct. They are correct in that we should not separate regeneration from justification in the individual because a person is both regenerated and justified when they are converted. But they are incorrect in their inability to properly distinguish the two. I think relating them perspectivaly in this way is helpful. Your thoughts?