The World's Ruined: the given life: Holiness, Obedience, and Gospel Enthusiasts {a review of De Young's The Hole in Our Holiness}

Sunday, January 20, 2013

the given life: Holiness, Obedience, and Gospel Enthusiasts {a review of De Young's The Hole in Our Holiness}

From Laura Rosenkranz's review of Kevin DeYoung's book:

It seems to me that DeYoung's audience (and maybe I am wrong about this) is primarily made up of conservative Christians, readers of The Gospel Coalition blogs, those who lean toward or are Reformed, those who are trying to answer the question, "How do the sola gratia, sola fide, and sola Christo of the gospel relate to the holiness of God and my sanctification?"

These repeated moments of confusion in The Hole in Our Holiness become a shadowy straw man, subtly calling into question the teaching of those who preach and teach "the unimpeachable nature of our justification." It would be a shame for anyone to think he should be concerned or suspicious of bold, unapologetic, unqualified gospel proclamation.

My concern is that those who fear that the gospel can be overemphasized and should be balanced, maybe even limited by law will find fuel for their worry in DeYoung's words, instead of realizing that these two realities for the Christian--that we are freely justified by faith as a gift AND that God calls believers to lives of obedience and holiness--are complementary truths and gain their meaning and power in relation to each other not in opposition to each other.

Read the whole thing here:
the given life: Holiness, Obedience, and Gospel Enthusiasts {a review of De Young's The Hole in Our Holiness}

3 comments:

Charlie J. RayJanuary 22, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Justification and sanctification are not "complementary truths." The Christian faith is grounded and founded on the rock of justification by faith apart from works. Period. Sanctification is the "therefore" and a result, not the equal complement of justification. Justification is the finished work of the cross and Christ's sinless life applied legally to the Christian. Sanctification could never withstand the judgment of God and therefore not now or ever the basis for salvation. It is therefore not the "complement" of justification. That's the Roman Catholic view.
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Charlie J. RayJanuary 22, 2013 at 6:35 PM
The problem with most neo-Calvinists is they are as self-righteous as the Arminians. The pedagogical use of God's law still applies after saving faith. Why? It is there to remind the Christian that salvation is all of God's grace and at no single point does the Christian's sanctification EVER rise to the level of making the Christian worthy to stand in the final judgment. The most wicked sinner who repents in the last hour is as elect and saved as the elect who lives his or her life for Christ by faith from and early age. Nothing we do adds one whit to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross nor does anything we do merit God's grace or favor.
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Jack MillerJanuary 22, 2013 at 8:00 PM
Charlie, i'm not sure who your comments are directed towards. If me, then you have ignored the bulk of my posts over the last few years. If directed toward Ms. Rosenkranz, I can assure you she is no closet Arminian.
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The Mere Mercy of God

This calling of Abram is a signal instance of the gratuitous mercy of God. Had Abram been beforehand with God by any merit of works? Had Abram come to him, or conciliated his favour? Nay, we must ever recall to mind that he was plunged in the filth of idolatry; and God freely stretches forth his hand to bring back the wanderer. He deigns to open his sacred mouth, that he may show to one, deceived by Satan's wiles, the way of salvation.

But this is done designedly, in order that the manifestation of the grace of God might become the more conspicuous in his person. For he is an example of the vocation of us all; for in him we perceive, that, by the mere mercy of God, those things that are not are raised from nothing, in order that they may begin to be something.

-John Calvin, Genesis, (Banner of Truth), p. 343

"Nor the faith also does not shut out the justice of our good works, necessarily to be done afterwards of duty towards GOD (for we are most bounden to serve GOD, in doing good deeds, commanded by him in his holy Scripture, all the days of our life): But it excludes them, so that we may not do them to this intent, to be made good by doing of them. For all the good works that we can do, be imperfect, and therefore not able to deserve our justification: but our justification doth come freely by the mere mercy of God..." (Thomas Cranmer - Homily of Justification)

Justification-Sanctification/Law-Gospel

In short, I affirm, that not by our own merit but by faith alone, are both our persons and works justified; and that the justification of works depends on the justification of the person, as the effect on the cause. (John Calvin, Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote)

The law guides, directs, commands, all things that are against the interest and rule of sin. It judgeth and condemneth both the things that promote it and the persons that do them; it frightens and terrifies the consciences of those who are under its dominion. But if you shall say unto it, “What then shall we do? this tyrant, this enemy, is too hard for us. What aid and assistance against it will you afford unto us? what power will you communicate unto its destruction?” Here the law is utterly silent, or says that nothing of this nature is committed unto it of God: nay, the strength it hath it gives unto sin for the condemnation of the sinner: “The strength of sin is the law.” But the gospel, or the grace of it, is the means and instrument of God for the communication of internal spiritual strength unto believers. By it do they receive supplies of the Spirit or aids of grace for the subduing of sin and the destruction of its dominion… (John Owen, A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace)