The World's Ruined: A "Rude and Vulgar Idea": That Our Works Aid Us In Possessing Redemption

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

A "Rude and Vulgar Idea": That Our Works Aid Us In Possessing Redemption

"The Lord had formerly taught the same thing by his Prophet: "I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him," (Hosea 14:4.) Assuredly he is not influenced by works if his love turns to us spontaneously. But the rude and vulgar idea entertained is, that we did not merit the interposition of Christ for our redemption, but that we are aided by our works in obtaining possession of it."

John Calvin. Institutes of Religion, 3.14.6

2 comments:

MarkNovember 25, 2017 at 7:29 PM
mark jones---Incidentally, when we discuss “how many works are necessary for salvation” it is important to note that in the realm of acceptatio, only Christ’s full obedience to the law will suffice because of the intrinsic value of his law-keeping before the justice of God. If we are speaking of acceptilatio, then we must move to the realm of sanctification where we can speak of “sincere obedience” as sufficient for walking on the path to glorification

Mark Jones--The Reformed,however, view imputation as according to truth”)— God considers Christ’s righteousness as ours, precisely BECAUSE it is ours, through union with him. The verdict that God passes on his Son is precisely the same as that which he passes on those who belong to him— “righteous”— but only through imputation. (Faith.Hope.Love, p. 53).

Mark Mcculley--but if I were to say that we only belong to HIM (are IN HIM) because of God's imputation to us of the merits of Christ's death, would that NOT be "according to truth"?

HTTPS://CALVINISTINTERNATIONAL.COM/2017/11/23/ARMINIANS-GO-HEAVEN/

good works are not a cause or condition of salvation

"Salvation" is a result of God's grace and God's imputation of Christ's death

good works are part of "salvation"

"Salvation" is Necessary for Good Works

Proverbs 15:8 “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD”

Romans 6:20 ”For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those thing is death”

Romans 7:4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we now bear FRUIT FOR GOD. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear FRUIT FOR DEATH.”

Luke 16:15 That which is highly esteemed among humans is abomination in the sight of God.
ReplyDelete
Replies
MarkNovember 27, 2017 at 7:35 PM
Mark Jones--Man exercises faith in order to receive the saving benefits of Christ’s works of impetration... Good works a necessary part of our perseverance in the faith in order to receive eternal life. Good works are consequent conditions of having been saved.

Nathan J. Langerak, --What Mark Jones means by “consequent conditions” is that they are new conditions of salvation imposed on the saved person because the person is now saved

No benefits applied before faith is exercised? Is not faith itself applied before it is exercised? What about regeneration

https://rfpa.org/blogs/news/the-charge-of-antinomianism-3-against-an-unconditional-covenant
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

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)