JBaldwin
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
We are going through the Westminister Confession in Sunday school along with the elder nominees for our church. Today we discussed Chapter 11 --Justification. It was the first paragraph that got my attention:
I. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.
One of the key points of our discussion was the difference between "infusion" of righteousness vs. "accounting" of righteousness. The confession cleary states that we are not infused with righteousness, but are accounted righteous because of the work of Christ and for sake alone.
As I thought about this, I realized that most of my struggle with sanctification over the years has been wrapped up in a misunderstanding of justification. To be infused with righteousness would mean that God actually made us righteous to one degree or another (I was taught that we were actually now completely sinless, but that we had an old nature that we still remembered, like an old habit). To be accounted righteous (as the confession confirms the Scriptures to teach) means that we are still just as sinful, and therefore, we must rely on the work of Christ for everything.
What a difference this makes in sanctification! If we believe we are infused with righteousness, we will always trust in our own works for sanctification rather than in the work of Christ. If we understand our sinful condition, we are forced to run to Christ for every need.
I am sharing this, because sanctification was such a struggle for me. I didn't realize the root of my problems was my view of justification. I realized as I've thought back on my years in the church, that even in reformed circles, the confessional view of justification is rarely taught in a clear manner. It seems to me that this is vital.
I would like to continue this discussion and perhaps follow this idea further.
How do different views of justification affect the way you live your Christian life, i.e. your sanctification?
I. Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; not by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.
One of the key points of our discussion was the difference between "infusion" of righteousness vs. "accounting" of righteousness. The confession cleary states that we are not infused with righteousness, but are accounted righteous because of the work of Christ and for sake alone.
As I thought about this, I realized that most of my struggle with sanctification over the years has been wrapped up in a misunderstanding of justification. To be infused with righteousness would mean that God actually made us righteous to one degree or another (I was taught that we were actually now completely sinless, but that we had an old nature that we still remembered, like an old habit). To be accounted righteous (as the confession confirms the Scriptures to teach) means that we are still just as sinful, and therefore, we must rely on the work of Christ for everything.
What a difference this makes in sanctification! If we believe we are infused with righteousness, we will always trust in our own works for sanctification rather than in the work of Christ. If we understand our sinful condition, we are forced to run to Christ for every need.
I am sharing this, because sanctification was such a struggle for me. I didn't realize the root of my problems was my view of justification. I realized as I've thought back on my years in the church, that even in reformed circles, the confessional view of justification is rarely taught in a clear manner. It seems to me that this is vital.
I would like to continue this discussion and perhaps follow this idea further.
How do different views of justification affect the way you live your Christian life, i.e. your sanctification?