|
 In
PRESENT TRUTH Magazine, Special Issue on Justification, 1972, we
find a concise statement of the theology espoused by its
writers. Several of "our brethren" have endorsed or
complimented various aspects of this denominational paper; and
although we do not charge them with accepting all the paper
teaches, we believe they have been "taken in" by the
bait, and are being pulled closer and closer toward the
Calvinistic "hooks." Even the terminology of PRESENT
TRUTH appears in their writings.
We
ask our readers to look closely at the following quote. Our
comments are enclosed in parentheses, and (?) is placed where we
wish you to question — asking yourself if scriptures really
teach this, and trying to see the specific application made of
each point, to their general theology.
------------------------------
"Adam
was the first head (?) of the human race. Because the whole
human race was incorporated in him (?) he stood before God as if
he were every man (?). When he sinned the whole race of men
became sinners in the sight of God (?). When he fell, all fell
in him (?). We did not become sinners because of something we
did or experienced (?) but by something that happened completely
outside of us in the person of Adam (?), i.e., by a historical,
objective event.
God
did not redeem us by doing something within our experience. (The
statement is "loaded" and subject to various
interpretations.) While we were dead in trespasses and sins, He
gave us another Father, Isa. 9:6 (an abuse of scripture), a
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new Head (only to those who come to Him), a
second Adam. Christ now stood before the bar of eternal justice
as the representative Man (?); for by His Incarnation, humanity
was incorporated in Him (?) as it was in Adam (?). He stood
before God as if He were every man (?). When He lived, humanity
lived in Him (?); when He was punished, humanity was punished in
Him (?); when He died, humanity died in Him (?); and when He
rose again, humanity was restored to God's favor in Him
(?)."
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My
question marks are NOT placed wholesale and indiscriminately.
PRESENT TRUTH writers do not believe in "universal"
salvation (i.e., that every individual will be saved eternally)
but the "representative" concept of Christ is their
foundation for the "imputation" of righteousness upon
"elect" particulars (individuals). Denying synergism
(any necessary cooperation on man's part) and making faith
itself a "gift of God through the Spirit" which
"creates in (the sinner's) heart both the desire and the
willingness to accept the salvation which is in Jesus." And
those with whom the Spirit fails?? "We can not explain it
because it is "the mystery of iniquity." Hmmmmmm!
Show
the error in ADAMIC IMPUTATION, and the whole system falls. The
error is based largely upon misuse of metaphors (in Adam, and in
Christ) or the dramatic contrasts of Rom. 5:12-f. It is a LEGAL
viewpoint — to "vindicate God's sovereignty" or
"satisfy the law"; ignoring free agency, God's Mercy,
and Final Judgment.
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