The Doctrine of Salvation
How
"Righteousness by Faith"
Really Works
"Righteousness by Faith"
Really Works
Transcript of Lesson 10
Welcome again to our study on The Doctrine of Salvation - How “Righteousness by Faith” Really Works
We are in Section C: What Are Justification and Sanctification?
And this is Lesson 10: Justification Experienced
We are in Section C: What Are Justification and Sanctification?
And this is Lesson 10: Justification Experienced
Just as with every crucial aspect of salvation, Satan has provided a counterfeit justification, by which salvation is promised but not delivered. Just as there were false gospels masquerading as the truth in Paul's day, so we have false gospels today promising what they cannot deliver. Multitudes of sincere Christians have bought into Satan's version of the gospel, because it sounds so good.
What is this popular counterfeit of true justification? Basically, it is limiting justification to Lesson 9 alone: Justification Declared – Righteousness by faith in God’s grace to forgive us of our sins. This is an incomplete gospel. It restricts God’s amazing and unlimited grace in justifying us (forgiving us of our sins) to a simple “legal” declaration that we are righteous.
In other words, it makes only half of the justification process the whole gospel. Many Christians believe that justification is limited to pardon and forgiveness and declaration alone.
In this lesson we will see that there is another vital aspect of justification -- the other half of the whole everlasting gospel. Without this other half or dimension, justification is totally ineffective.
What is the other aspect of justification? Titus 3:5-7 tells us: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; Which he (God the Father) shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Justification is regeneration and renewing. Look carefully at how God saves us: The washing of regeneration does not refer to the waters of baptism, but to the washing or cleansing of the heart. Justification is an outward, legal declaration made by God (based on his forgiveness or pardoning of our past sins), but it is also an inward experience of our heart -- a complete transformation.
It happens in the mind. It changes our values and our attitudes. The Holy Spirit of Christ renews our mind. No longer are we self-centered; we are now Christ-centered and others-centered. Now, we have the mind of Christ.
When this washing and renewing have been accomplished by Christ through His Holy Spirit, then I am justified and saved. There is more to justification than being pardoned from past sins. True justification is experienced in the inward life.
It is crucial to understand that justification, and its declaration, follows the regeneration and renewing of our heart. Let’s look at how Jesus described salvation: John 3:3 explains “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The new birth experience happens BEFORE we are saved. Jesus did not use the word justification as often as Paul did to describe the work of salvation, but Jesus was very clear about how we are saved. He said the new birth is an essential prerequisite to salvation.
In its most basic expression, justification experienced is the new birth. The new birth does not follow justification; it is justification.
What does it mean to be “in Christ” ? 2 Corinthians 5:17 explains: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
To be “in Christ” is to be made new and declared new. To be in Christ is to be in salvation or to be saved. The one who is “in Christ” is a new creature – a new person. God creates a new person with new motivations and desires. Jesus compares this process with being born all over again.
What must happen to the “old man” ? (The previous person with the sinful nature.) Romans 6:6-7,11 tells us: “Knowing this, that our old man (sinful nature) is crucified with him (Jesus Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin... Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The old man and sin die together. The old man is our old way of living, in which selfishness and self-love rule our lives. This old man must die and be replaced by the new creature which is produced by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us at our new birth.
Notice that to reckon ourselves to be dead is the same as actually being crucified. To be declared dead is to be actually dead. And when the old man is dead, sin is dead at the same time. Just as the old man and sinning are synonymous, so the new creature and obedience are synonymous. Thus, justification and obedience are one and the same thing.
It is because this does not always hold true that we begin to doubt our justification experience and wonder if we are really justified. It is at this point that we must once again rely on the forgiving half of justification, because we must be forgiven again for “new” sins committed.
But remember, re-justification involves BOTH: the forgiving-of-our-sins half, AND the renewing-of-our-heart half of justification.
How does God deal with this problem of sinning? 1 John 2:1 explains: “My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
It is God's purpose that we do not sin, but Jesus will forgive us again, IF we repent of our sin again. Because of God's great mercy, He continues to forgive us if we sin after our new birth. But we must never think that sin is inevitable after being justified (forgiven and renewed), because it is God's plan and desire that we do not sin.
He really wants us to be dead to sin, and alive to obedience -- a new creature, alive by the Spirit of Christ. We must never mistake the mercy of God with the plan of God. He does many things for us because of His love and mercy which He wishes He would not have to keep doing, namely, to continually forgive us for our continual sinning.
God's plan of justification is in making us new creatures in Christ, which means being dead to sin. What is God's way of achieving this goal? Philippians 2:5 says “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” We can actually have the mind of Christ.”
If this text is really true, then there is a way to participate (cooperate) in God's plan. If we walk daily with Christ and behold Christ and commune with Christ, then by a miracle of His Holy Spirit, we will actually think like Christ and make decisions like Christ, and resist sin like Christ. The seemingly impossible becomes a reality!
Perhaps we need to spend more time and energy learning how to have the mind of Christ every day. Here is an insightful quote about this: “God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness for our sin, but a reclaiming of us from our sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms the heart (mind).” (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 114)
David had the true conception of forgiveness when he prayed: Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
God's forgiveness – justification – is more than declaring our sins forgiven and declaring that “legally” we are considered righteous in His sight. God’s forgiveness reclaims, transforms, and renews us. God’s forgiveness creates a new heart within us.
This is not sanctification. It is part of justification. Justification transforms at the same time that it forgives. Justification is pardon with its inward transformation.
Here’s another quote and verse to help explain this: “Having made us righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ, God pronounces us just, and treats us as just... ‘Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1).” Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 394
This statement is not in harmony with the current definition of justification in the Christian world. The whole, true gospel teaches that before God pronounces us just (declares us righteous), He makes us righteous. Justification by faith is being made righteous.
Current Christian theology says that justification is simply being declared righteous, and that the making righteous in us comes later with sanctification. But what we have studied tells us clearly that justification is forgiving us of our past sins AND making us righteous inwardly as well, so that God can truthfully (and legally) declare us righteous.
Here’s another quote and verse to support this: “As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus... God Himself is ‘the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’ (Romans 3:26).” Christ's Object Lessons, p. 163 Justification is receiving a new heart from God, becoming a new creature.
Right now, there is a major attempt being made to separate the transforming power of the Holy Spirit of God and Christ from justification; to put transformation totally within the process of sanctification. But what we are finding in these Bible verses is that transformation and making righteous are part of the justifying process, after which God declares us righteous.
What is this popular counterfeit of true justification? Basically, it is limiting justification to Lesson 9 alone: Justification Declared – Righteousness by faith in God’s grace to forgive us of our sins. This is an incomplete gospel. It restricts God’s amazing and unlimited grace in justifying us (forgiving us of our sins) to a simple “legal” declaration that we are righteous.
In other words, it makes only half of the justification process the whole gospel. Many Christians believe that justification is limited to pardon and forgiveness and declaration alone.
In this lesson we will see that there is another vital aspect of justification -- the other half of the whole everlasting gospel. Without this other half or dimension, justification is totally ineffective.
What is the other aspect of justification? Titus 3:5-7 tells us: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; Which he (God the Father) shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Justification is regeneration and renewing. Look carefully at how God saves us: The washing of regeneration does not refer to the waters of baptism, but to the washing or cleansing of the heart. Justification is an outward, legal declaration made by God (based on his forgiveness or pardoning of our past sins), but it is also an inward experience of our heart -- a complete transformation.
It happens in the mind. It changes our values and our attitudes. The Holy Spirit of Christ renews our mind. No longer are we self-centered; we are now Christ-centered and others-centered. Now, we have the mind of Christ.
When this washing and renewing have been accomplished by Christ through His Holy Spirit, then I am justified and saved. There is more to justification than being pardoned from past sins. True justification is experienced in the inward life.
It is crucial to understand that justification, and its declaration, follows the regeneration and renewing of our heart. Let’s look at how Jesus described salvation: John 3:3 explains “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
The new birth experience happens BEFORE we are saved. Jesus did not use the word justification as often as Paul did to describe the work of salvation, but Jesus was very clear about how we are saved. He said the new birth is an essential prerequisite to salvation.
In its most basic expression, justification experienced is the new birth. The new birth does not follow justification; it is justification.
What does it mean to be “in Christ” ? 2 Corinthians 5:17 explains: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
To be “in Christ” is to be made new and declared new. To be in Christ is to be in salvation or to be saved. The one who is “in Christ” is a new creature – a new person. God creates a new person with new motivations and desires. Jesus compares this process with being born all over again.
What must happen to the “old man” ? (The previous person with the sinful nature.) Romans 6:6-7,11 tells us: “Knowing this, that our old man (sinful nature) is crucified with him (Jesus Christ), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin... Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The old man and sin die together. The old man is our old way of living, in which selfishness and self-love rule our lives. This old man must die and be replaced by the new creature which is produced by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us at our new birth.
Notice that to reckon ourselves to be dead is the same as actually being crucified. To be declared dead is to be actually dead. And when the old man is dead, sin is dead at the same time. Just as the old man and sinning are synonymous, so the new creature and obedience are synonymous. Thus, justification and obedience are one and the same thing.
It is because this does not always hold true that we begin to doubt our justification experience and wonder if we are really justified. It is at this point that we must once again rely on the forgiving half of justification, because we must be forgiven again for “new” sins committed.
But remember, re-justification involves BOTH: the forgiving-of-our-sins half, AND the renewing-of-our-heart half of justification.
How does God deal with this problem of sinning? 1 John 2:1 explains: “My little children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
It is God's purpose that we do not sin, but Jesus will forgive us again, IF we repent of our sin again. Because of God's great mercy, He continues to forgive us if we sin after our new birth. But we must never think that sin is inevitable after being justified (forgiven and renewed), because it is God's plan and desire that we do not sin.
He really wants us to be dead to sin, and alive to obedience -- a new creature, alive by the Spirit of Christ. We must never mistake the mercy of God with the plan of God. He does many things for us because of His love and mercy which He wishes He would not have to keep doing, namely, to continually forgive us for our continual sinning.
God's plan of justification is in making us new creatures in Christ, which means being dead to sin. What is God's way of achieving this goal? Philippians 2:5 says “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” We can actually have the mind of Christ.”
If this text is really true, then there is a way to participate (cooperate) in God's plan. If we walk daily with Christ and behold Christ and commune with Christ, then by a miracle of His Holy Spirit, we will actually think like Christ and make decisions like Christ, and resist sin like Christ. The seemingly impossible becomes a reality!
Perhaps we need to spend more time and energy learning how to have the mind of Christ every day. Here is an insightful quote about this: “God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness for our sin, but a reclaiming of us from our sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms the heart (mind).” (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 114)
David had the true conception of forgiveness when he prayed: Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
God's forgiveness – justification – is more than declaring our sins forgiven and declaring that “legally” we are considered righteous in His sight. God’s forgiveness reclaims, transforms, and renews us. God’s forgiveness creates a new heart within us.
This is not sanctification. It is part of justification. Justification transforms at the same time that it forgives. Justification is pardon with its inward transformation.
Here’s another quote and verse to help explain this: “Having made us righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ, God pronounces us just, and treats us as just... ‘Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1).” Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 394
This statement is not in harmony with the current definition of justification in the Christian world. The whole, true gospel teaches that before God pronounces us just (declares us righteous), He makes us righteous. Justification by faith is being made righteous.
Current Christian theology says that justification is simply being declared righteous, and that the making righteous in us comes later with sanctification. But what we have studied tells us clearly that justification is forgiving us of our past sins AND making us righteous inwardly as well, so that God can truthfully (and legally) declare us righteous.
Here’s another quote and verse to support this: “As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus... God Himself is ‘the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’ (Romans 3:26).” Christ's Object Lessons, p. 163 Justification is receiving a new heart from God, becoming a new creature.
Right now, there is a major attempt being made to separate the transforming power of the Holy Spirit of God and Christ from justification; to put transformation totally within the process of sanctification. But what we are finding in these Bible verses is that transformation and making righteous are part of the justifying process, after which God declares us righteous.
Justification is synonymous with the process of our new birth:
Pardon + Transformation = New Creation (New Birth)
Pardon + Transformation = New Creation (New Birth)
“By receiving His (Christ’s) imputed righteousness, through the transforming power of His Holy Spirit, we become like Him (Christ)."
(SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1098) Notice that imputed righteousness comes through the transforming power of the Spirit of Christ.
Some today want to say that we are justified by what Christ did at the Cross and then sanctified by a “third” divine being. Nowhere does inspiration support this separation of the work of Christ and His own Holy Spirit. Christ alone has accomplished the necessary means for our salvation in both justification and sanctification.
Imputed means more than accounting and crediting. “To be pardoned in the way that Christ pardons is not only to be forgiven, but to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. The Lord says, ‘A new heart will I give unto thee.’ The image of Christ is to be stamped upon the very mind, heart, and soul.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.
So, what can we Conclude from all this? The first part of justification is to be pardoned – forgiven – of our sins. The second part of justification is to be transformed in the new birth experience. Justification is both declarative and experiential.
The current popular understanding of justification is that it is the first part only – declared. The second part – the new birth (experienced) – is said to be part of sanctification. This means that we can be justified and saved before the new birth happens. This would imply that even if the new birth experience does not occur, or is not changing us from the inside out, we are still justified and saved.
This unbiblical separation between declaring us righteous and making us righteous is doing more than any other teaching to allow Christians to tolerate sin in their lives, since they believe that they are justified even when open, unforgiven sin is active in their lives.
The reality is that we are dealing with two different gospels here, both competing for our allegiance. Satan's counterfeit of the gospel is as real and destructive as his counterfeit day of worship.
We need to be very sure that we know from our own study and experience what the gospel really is, and how it really works, so that we can say with Paul in Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
(SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1098) Notice that imputed righteousness comes through the transforming power of the Spirit of Christ.
Some today want to say that we are justified by what Christ did at the Cross and then sanctified by a “third” divine being. Nowhere does inspiration support this separation of the work of Christ and His own Holy Spirit. Christ alone has accomplished the necessary means for our salvation in both justification and sanctification.
Imputed means more than accounting and crediting. “To be pardoned in the way that Christ pardons is not only to be forgiven, but to be renewed in the spirit of our mind. The Lord says, ‘A new heart will I give unto thee.’ The image of Christ is to be stamped upon the very mind, heart, and soul.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.
So, what can we Conclude from all this? The first part of justification is to be pardoned – forgiven – of our sins. The second part of justification is to be transformed in the new birth experience. Justification is both declarative and experiential.
The current popular understanding of justification is that it is the first part only – declared. The second part – the new birth (experienced) – is said to be part of sanctification. This means that we can be justified and saved before the new birth happens. This would imply that even if the new birth experience does not occur, or is not changing us from the inside out, we are still justified and saved.
This unbiblical separation between declaring us righteous and making us righteous is doing more than any other teaching to allow Christians to tolerate sin in their lives, since they believe that they are justified even when open, unforgiven sin is active in their lives.
The reality is that we are dealing with two different gospels here, both competing for our allegiance. Satan's counterfeit of the gospel is as real and destructive as his counterfeit day of worship.
We need to be very sure that we know from our own study and experience what the gospel really is, and how it really works, so that we can say with Paul in Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”