Is Piper teaching a Works based righteousness here?

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I was replying to you KMK

Do you agree with the confession? Do you agree with the fact that 'the saints grow in grace' and 'press after an heavenly life' and 'obey'?

I prefer the language of Westminster Larger Catechism 73: «Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God not because of those other grace which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification; but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.» Conclusion: at regeneration all the graces of justification, adaption, sanctification, etc... that we will ever need in the Christian life are giving to us at the same time (though not in the same logical order) and you cannot separate one from the other. In other words there is no justification without sanctification. Sanctification starts as soon as ur united to Christ.
 
I don't think we disagree. All I am saying is even though God causes me to love righteousness that does not mean I do not actually and truly love righteousness.

Ursinus:

Man's conversion to God consists in a change of the corrupt mind and will into that which is good, produced by the Holy Ghost through preaching of the law and the gospel, which is followed by a sincere desire to produce the fruits of repentance, and a conformity of the life to all the commands of God. Commentary on the Heidelberg, pg. 469
 
In Philippians 2:12 we are told "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;". Our responsibility is to live in accord with our salvation, allowing the implications of our relationship with Christ transform, Romans 12:1ff, our social relationships. James also tells us that faith that does not transform our lives is dead and useless. Even the devils believe but they are not saved, James 2:19-20. Their faith is not transforming.
 
We should be aware that, while there is a future element to the kingdom of heaven, the reality is that the kingdom has been established on earth and Christians are to be living the heavenly life here and now, with the heavenly rest serving as the consummation of an earthly fight of faith. The Psalms provide an antidote to the sentimental hymns in that they locate the worshipper's desire for nearness to God in this life amidst the congregation of God's people.

I have been thinking of this with profit, but puzzling over seeming ramifications of it, for a couple days -- specifically, how the last sentence relates to the future element mentioned. Is the 'house of God' in the Psalms typical of NT worship, then? I've taken it to be typical of eternity, teaching me to fix my desire on eternally dwelling with God as opposed to fixing my hopes on dwelling with anything less, in transient houses here -- & how it relates to the nearness of Christ in private worship? Is that not as important or of sub-importance -- less of heaven here because it lacks a corporate aspect? I think I'm probably confused in over-thinking something I ought to be able to understand more simply, but would be grateful to understand a little better than I do.
 
I have been thinking of this with profit, but puzzling over seeming ramifications of it, for a couple days -- specifically, how the last sentence relates to the future element mentioned. Is the 'house of God' in the Psalms typical of NT worship, then? I've taken it to be typical of eternity, teaching me to fix my desire on eternally dwelling with God as opposed to fixing my hopes on dwelling with anything less, in transient houses here -- & how it relates to the nearness of Christ in private worship? Is that not as important or of sub-importance -- less of heaven here because it lacks a corporate aspect? I think I'm probably confused in over-thinking something I ought to be able to understand more simply, but would be grateful to understand a little better than I do.

There are two trajectories for the Old Testament "house of God" in the New Testament in keeping with the spheres of our Lord's redemptive work -- the earthly and the heavenly. There is (1.) Immanuel, God with us, who temporarily tabernacled with us, whose mediatorial work constitutes Him our temple and His name as the means of access to worship God. By extension those in union with Christ become known as the temple of God, and wherever there is a corporate gathering for worship and witness in His name there Christ has vouchsafed His gracious presence. (2.) The heavenly temple, the place which Jesus Christ entered as our high priest with His one only offering to sanctify the very presence of God for us. This is the house to which believers are travelling in their earthly pilgrimage and shall permanently inhabit when they put off the tabernacle of their earthly body. It is that which believers groan for, but only insofar as they contemplate the temporality of life, the necessity of its termination, and its inability to fully meet their hopes of communion with Christ. So far as service to God is concerned, believers echo the Psalmist's concern to continue in this world in order to worship and witness for God (Ps. 6:4, 5; 30:8, 9) -- a sentiment expressed by the apostle Paul in Philippians 1:20-26.
 
There are two trajectories for the Old Testament "house of God" in the New Testament in keeping with the spheres of our Lord's redemptive work -- the earthly and the heavenly. There is (1.) Immanuel, God with us, who temporarily tabernacled with us, whose mediatorial work constitutes Him our temple and His name as the means of access to worship God. By extension those in union with Christ become known as the temple of God, and wherever there is a corporate gathering for worship and witness in His name there Christ has vouchsafed His gracious presence. (2.) The heavenly temple, the place which Jesus Christ entered as our high priest with His one only offering to sanctify the very presence of God for us. This is the house to which believers are travelling in their earthly pilgrimage and shall permanently inhabit when they put off the tabernacle of their earthly body. It is that which believers groan for, but only insofar as they contemplate the temporality of life, the necessity of its termination, and its inability to fully meet their hopes of communion with Christ. So far as service to God is concerned, believers echo the Psalmist's concern to continue in this world in order to worship and witness for God (Ps. 6:4, 5; 30:8, 9) -- a sentiment expressed by the apostle Paul in Philippians 1:20-26.

That's very wonderful to understand and think about -- thank you. Do believers also groan for heaven because of afflictions, and longing to be free from them -- is that a different or more negative longing than the ones you listed, and not one that we should countenance so much? (I know that a lot of the sentimental mindset, where heaven is a place we get to at last rather that a place we're 'going all along' to borrow from Emily Dickinson, has more of that element than perhaps positive longing for Christ's presence?)

I was reluctant to ask because I was sure it was a question I should know the answer to, but I'm glad I did.
 
Do believers also groan for heaven because of afflictions, and longing to be free from them -- is that a different or more negative longing than the ones you listed, and not one that we should countenance so much?

Afflictions might be seen under all three aspects of the undesirability of earthly life. They are heavy reminders of life's temporality, they lead ultimately to the termination of earthly life, and they stand in the way of the believer fully enjoying God in both body and soul. OTOH, afflictions might be seen from the perspective of witness and worship. Therein the believer has a tremendous opportunity to suffer patiently and demonstrate to the world that the eternal weight of glory is far greater than the momentary troubles of life; as well as to find God's grace sufficient and His power perfected in personal weakness, and thus to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings.

I was reluctant to ask because I was sure it was a question I should know the answer to, but I'm glad I did.

The wonder of divine things involves knowing things we never thought we knew as well as not knowing things we thought we knew. Every one of us are learners (disciples) in Christ's school in that respect.
 
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