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Bro. Turner:
 Our
preacher is causing a great disturbance by preaching what sounds
like Baptist doctrine of faith only. Will you discuss faith,
works, and righteousness in some issue? S.M.
Reply:
We
have discussed these things in many past issues but perhaps SM
is a new reader of Plain Talk; or maybe we (like her preacher)
are not communicating very well. It is very possible that the
blame for "disturbance" can be equally divided between
preacher and hearers. That seems to be true in the current general
disturbance over these matters. Let’s all calm down!
Paul
says we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1), but he is not
referring to that "I've believed in Jesus since I was a
little boy" faith that comes to the mind of many readers.
He is not referring to that faith of the "faith,
repentance, confession, baptism" sermon you have been
hearing. In this and like contexts he means a submissive,
obedient trust that looks to Christ for forgiveness;
contrasted with a freedom from guilt on the basis of having no
sin, having done perfectly all that is commanded
(3:1-9-24; Gal. 3:8-14). "Justified,” means being
pronounced "free from guilt," and the only way we
sinners can be so judged is on the basis of trust in the
grace and mercy of God. That love is expressed in Jesus Christ,
who died for us, that we may be forgiven of sins.
Righteousness
may refer to an attribute of God (Rom. 2:5), or of one
completely sin-free. Obviously, this attribute can only be
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applied to man on the basis of
forgiveness: to one who is made "free from
guilt" by a merciful God. "There is none righteous,
no, not one" on the basis of their own perfect life (Rom.
3:10-f). This is where "imputation" enters the picture
(Rom.4:3-f); God forgives, He treats us as though we had not
sinned, when we trust in Christ for our salvation.
Obedient faith is put to our account for righteousness.
Historically,
theologians who denied the free agency of man, taught inherited
total depravity, and that God must miraculously operate on one
to "give faith" to "call the elect" —
these theologians gave a fanciful twist to
"imputation." They have Jesus living on our behalf,
and his perfect life "imputed" to us. Any condition
of doing is repulsive to them, for a depraved man, who has
no free will, cannot implement his salvation. Regretfully, some
of our brethren are eating at the table of such doctrines and
letting it color their preaching.
Man's
doing need not be confused with the proudful concept of
justification through perfect doing. There is a sense in
which men "work righteousness" (do what is right with
God) (Acts 10:35, Rom. 6:16, Titus 2:12, Rev. 19:8). In our zeal
to convince folk they must obey the Lord, and that remission of
sins is at the act of obedience in baptism, and not before, we
may have neglected proper emphasis upon God's grace; but we
can't correct that error by teaching false doctrines in the
other direction.
Proud
men disturb the peace with their stubborn, half-truth humility.
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