What Does It Mean To Be Reformed? 11 The Heresy Of Conditional Grace I know people will respond to that by saying that I have simply popped my cork. How could anyone dare suggest that those men and churches, known everywhere for preaching unconditional election, limited atonement, and irresistible grace, are guilty of teaching conditional grace? I will show you, again in their own words. First, in the matter of justification, they teach that sinners are justified by the merit of Christ’s blood through the instrument of faith. They tell us that we were justified, not when Christ died for us and satisfied the justice of God, but when we appropriated the work of Christ to ourselves by the instrument of faith. The Westminster Confession states that “Faith, receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification.” Thus, they teach that the Scriptures require faith in Christ as a condition of, or qualification for justification. Archibald Alexander (1772-1851) wrote that faith is a condition of justification in the sense that it is “a duty which God requires to be performed by us prior to our justification.” Alexander goes on to say, “When an elect sinner is united to Christ and believes, his faith is imputed for righteousness; that is, the righteousness of Christ which is the object of faith, is made over to him and his sins are, IN THAT MOMENT, pardoned, and his person accepted as righteous in the sight of God, or in other words, he is justified.” His doctrine is that Christ, by his obedience and death laid a solid foundation for the justification of the elect, but did not actually accomplish it. It is not accomplished until the chosen sinner believes. That is a good, accurate summary of reformed theology. But that is not the doctrine of Holy Scripture! What Does It Mean To Be Reformed? 12 When the Word of God declares that we are justified by faith, it does not make faith a condition or instrument of justification, but the mere recipient. Faith in Christ is the result, not the condition, of justification. Our justification was accomplished and finished when the Son of God paid our debt and satisfied the justice of God for us at Calvary (Rom. 3:24; 4:25; 5:8-11; Heb. 10:10-14). Romans 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 4:25 "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Romans 5:8-11 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (10) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (11) And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." Hebrews 10:10-14 "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (11) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: (12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (13) From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." What Does It Mean To Be Reformed? 13 When God the Holy Spirit regenerates the sinner, giving him faith in Christ, as that sinner looks to Christ alone as his Savior and Redeemer, the blessed Spirit sprinkles the blood of Christ upon the conscience and speaks like a bailiff reading the verdict in court - “JUSTIFIED!” Thus every believing sinner receives justification by faith in Christ, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified, by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Faith does not justify us. Christ did that. But faith does fetch from the crucified Christ the blessed peace of being justified by his blood. Christ has justified us by his great sin-atoning sacrifice; and all who believe on Christ as Lord and Savior receive the many benefits of his finished work. One of those many benefits which we receive by faith is justification. Faith does not cause God to justify us. The obedience of Christ has done that. But faith, resting upon Christ alone as Savior, obtains peace with God, even the peace of perfect, complete justification. Faith does not merit justification with God; but faith receives justification. Faith is not the basis upon which men are justified; but faith is the instrument by which justification is received. Faith is essential; but it is not meritorious. Faith receives Christ; but it does not merit Christ. Faith receives the forgiveness of sin; but it does not merit forgiveness. Faith receives grace; but it does not merit grace. Faith receives justification; but it does not merit justification. We were justified in the court of heaven by the decree of God the Father and by the death of God the Son. Then, in the experience of grace, we are justified in the court of conscience by the declaration of God the Holy Spirit. What Does It Mean To Be Reformed? 14 When the Scriptures speak of us being justified by faith, or by the faith of Christ, and of faith being imputed to us for righteousness, the meaning is not that our act of faith is imputed to us for righteousness, but that Christ, the Object of our faith, and his obedience to God as our Representative is imputed to us for righteousness. That which God imputes to us for righteousness must itself be perfectly righteous. Our faith can never meet that qualification; but Christ does. It is not our faith which is imputed to us for righteousness but Christ’s obedience which is the object of our faith (Rom. 5:19). According to Paul’s language in Romans 4:25-5:1, Christ was delivered over to the sword of justice because of our offenses which were imputed to him. Once he had satisfied justice for our sins by the sacrifice of himself, he was raised from the dead because of our justification accomplished. His resurrection was God’s public declaration that his one sacrifice for sin forever satisfied justice for his people and forever put away our sins. Now, every chosen sinner, being justified by his blood, obtains peace with God by faith in Christ, even the peace of perfect, everlasting justification. We are not justified by the act of faith. We are justified by Christ. We obtain the peace of justification by faith in Christ.
