As a catalyst for expediting the material Denver Sound Church’s study of justification and as a hermeneutical and theological control for future discussions and criticisms, we assume the following ten statements to be well supported in the biblical text:   

1. The Bible is the absolute and final authority to which Christians must submit their minds as well as their lives to in all things, including all theology. Therefore any tradition, historical figure, theologian, theology, doctrine, statement, thought, idea or assumption must be supported by the Bible. Furthermore, any and all can be questioned on the basis of Scripture and scriptural teaching. In other words, the Bible knows no “sacred cows” beyond itself (2 Corinthians 10:5).
2. Only the Bible is inspired, not men or history (2 Timothy 3:16).
3. The Bible’s teaching, especially on issues directly related to salvation is completely perspicuous and knowable, though it will require a range of understanding. This understanding encompasses more than just the doctrine of soteriology. It includes other disciplines within systematic theology and biblical theology (2 Peter 3:16).
4. The Bible is completely inerrant and consistent in revealing but one plan of salvation. Though there are levels of discontinuity between the two major covenants, God’s redemptive dealings with man over time is characterized by great continuity (1 Corinthians 10:11).
5. All theological error is heresy and wickedness. Therefore all error ultimately leads to the destruction of the Gospel (2 Timothy 2:19).
6. The basis of justification is the finished, all-sufficient death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 4:25).
7. Justification is a gift granted only by the grace of God to those exercising faith in Jesus Christ alone. It is therefore not something that can be earned or merited through a person’s efforts, actions or works in any form religious or otherwise (Romans 3:28).
8. Faith is also a gift granted by the grace of God that precedes justification as its condition and the pre-requisite to eternal salvation (Ephesians 2:1-10).
9. Salvation is never merit/works-based, though faith is never alone (James 2:14-26).
10. God has ordained those who will be eternally saved, and therefore salvation cannot lost (Ephesians 1:1-11).

Is the doctrine of Justification settled theology?

There have been battles over justification since the beginning of the church and those debates will no doubt continue. To make things worse, the debates tend to focus the theories of justification that have been advanced by great men of the faith rather than on the actual biblical evidence. Studies tend to exegete Calvin, Luther, Trent or ECT more thoroughly than they exegete Scripture and the study of justification can degenerate into a huge game of “telephone” where theological conclusions gradually become more and more divergent with Scripture.

Nearly every man-made synthesis of this doctrine has fallen short when subjected to biblical scrutiny and most leave major, textually-based questions unanswered.  Is it possible to address all concerns without contradiction?

Here are some of the sticking points that have been the cause of some of the confusion:

Perceived contradictions in the biblical prescription

A lack of historical consensus in relation to soteriological meaning, permanency and frequency

A heavy emphasis on church history while neglecting biblical history and support

Strong biases which severely hinder objective analysis and conclusions in relation to the biblical text.

Demagoguery and misappropriation of biblical/theological terms that cloud the debate

Pastor Scott at Denver Sound Church is teaching a series that will highlight all of these issues in an effort to reach biblical a biblical consensus. We hope to cut through bias and look at the clear truth of Scripture. Everything is up for question on the basis of the biblical evidence.

Justification Rediscovered will be seminary level teaching. Eventually much of our discussion will be written about here at SoundChurch and posted to the audio page at Denver Sound Church. However, if you are free on Wednesday evenings at 7 PM MST, we invite you to join us live as the class will be streamed as it unfolds. Most Wednesday Night Seminary classes last between 70 and 90 minutes.

Modern Reformed theologians such as RC Sproul, Wayne Grudem and others teach that in order for the believer to be justified, he must be imputed with both the righteous life of Christ (His active obedience) as well as the sacrificial death of Christ (His passive obedience). This teaching, sometimes called “double imputation” or the doctrine of Active Obedience (AO) is not supported by Scripture and more importantly, AO has become a major threat to the Gospel. It is time for a serious evaluation of AO in light of its purported Scriptural support and the wide-ranging effects that it has had on both Reformed thought and wider evangelical teaching. The Bible teaches that God’s plan to redeem mankind centers on Christ’s sacrificial work of atonement: the Cross. It is the imputation of this righteous act alone that places the believer in a justified (righteous, forgiven, reconciled) state before God. There is no indication of or need for the imputation of the active obedience of Christ.

The act of imputation is not really the issue of concern here since it is an idea that is treated in a simple way by the biblical writers. Scripture does not spend a great deal of time analyzing the act itself in great depth. The issue at stake has more to do with the what of imputation rather than the how. The main purpose of this article is to look at biblical teaching in regards to what is imputed. However, since there is danger of misunderstanding imputation itself, we will begin with a short summary of the biblical concept of imputation and then the rest of the article will focus on exactly what is imputed to the believer according to the Bible.

What is imputation?

First of all, imputation is not always translated using an English form of the word “impute.” Other words that carry the idea of imputation include: credit, reckon, regard, count, attribute or calculate. Imputation is found in both the Old and New Testaments, in passages such as: Genesis 15:6, 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 32:2; Matthew 6:33; Romans 4:3-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9. In looking through these examples, we understand that imputation takes place when an attribute, value, status or responsibility is ascribed to a person or object that does not possess or has not earned that attribute, value, status or has not taken on that responsibility. Imputation is essentially the identification of the party who is now responsible.

Through imputation, God allowed Christ to pay the penalty for sin in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:24) which then makes us righteous before Him. If the penalty is paid, then you are righteous. Scripture explains exactly how this is accomplished and as we will see, there is no need for the imputation of the active obedience of Christ.

The Old Testament picture of imputation and atonement does not include AO.

The concept of imputation for atonement is pictured throughout the Old Testament, particularly in Leviticus 16:7-10; 20-22 where we read about God’s commandment regarding the “scapegoat.” Every year on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, two goats were presented to the Jewish high priest. The high priest laid his hands on one of the goats and symbolically transferred or “imputed” to that goat the sins of the people. This “scapegoat” was then released into the wilderness to carry away that sin. The second goat was sacrificed on the altar in order to atone for the sins of the people. One goat carried their sins away; the other paid for those sins. The concept portrayed by these two goats foreshadowed both aspects of what Christ would accomplish through His death on the cross.

The rest of the Old Testament sacrificial system is the same. Individuals, who needed forgiveness for sin, could atone for that sin by bringing an animal sacrifice to the priest. The animal was then killed according to precise instructions ordained by God in the Mosaic Law. It is important to note that under the Law, atonement could only be made through the death of an animal. There was no atonement without the death of the animal.

This sacrificial system was a picture constructed by God in order to foreshadow the way in which He would eventually make man truly righteous (See Note #1) through the death of the Messiah – not His perfect life. Under the Old Testament system, God allowed the substitutionary death of an animal to make men righteous. However, atonement did not come because of the perfect life lived by the animal, but because of its death in the place of the Jewish believer. There is nothing in the Old Testament picture that indicates that the “perfection” of the animal was in any way imputed to the man for whom it would atone. While it is true that it was essential for a sacrificial lamb to be without spot or blemish, there is no picture or foreshadowing of the imputation of the active obedience of Christ

New Testament atonement by means of Christ’s Once-for-All sacrifice does not include AO.

Despite the fact that the doctrine of active obedience was not a part of the Old Testament picture, many still believe that AO is a necessary element of New Covenant atonement. Is it possible that AO is an area of discontinuity between the Old and New Covenants? Does Scripture teach that under the New Covenant the perfect life of the sacrifice must also be imputed in addition to the sacrifice itself in order to make one righteous? Let us look at what is imputed for our justification according to the New Testament:

For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. – Romans 5:17-19

This the preeminent proof-text used to support AO. The assertion is that this passage teaches the imputation of the active obedience of Christ. They believe that the phrase “one man’s obedience” is a reference to Christ’s life of perfect law keeping. They make this case despite the fact that all of Romans 5 is concerned with how the death of Christ is sufficient to make us righteous. Furthermore, since these statements are parallel, doesn’t that mean that Adam’s one act is parallel to Christ’s one act? The sin that Adam brought to mankind was not as a result of a lifetime of disobedience, but as a result of “one act,” therefore, man is made righteous because of “one act” of obedience (Philippians 2:8). Everything in Romans 5 points to the death of Christ as what is imputed for righteousness.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! – John 1:29

This statement by John the Baptist is one of the earliest revelations of how the Messiah would remove sin. In this statement, he specifically used the word “Lamb” in order to signify the connection back to the Old Testament sacrificial system and highlight the fact that Christ was going to make a sacrifice. Notice also, that John sees that the focus of Christ’s ministry to us was not in living a perfect life so that it could be imputed, but instead it was the giving of Himself in sacrifice – a sacrifice given to take away the sins of the world. It is the sacrifice alone which John sees as the only thing needed to make us righteous before God. (See Note #2) 

AO advocates claim that Christ’s sacrifice was enough to take away sin, but the sacrifice is not enough to make one righteous. First, that idea is not present in this particular text and furthermore, the assertion that the Christ’s sacrifice is somehow insufficient really demonstrates the absurdity of the position held by AO advocates. The removal of sin results in righteousness!

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. – Romans 3:23-25

Notice: there is no mention of a perfect life, only His blood which is just another way to speak of His death.

But God showed his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. – Romans 5:9-10

The phrase “justified by His blood” could not be clearer. Again, there is no mention of need to also be imputed with a perfect life in order to be justified.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all…All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself … in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them… – 2 Corinthians 5:14-18

We are reconciled (justified) to God on the basis of the death of Christ. He lived a perfect life so that He could become the perfect, sacrifice, but it was the death of Christ that was vicarious; His law-keeping was not! It is His death alone by which we are reconciled to God and by which He does not count our trespasses against us.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross and you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation. – Colossians 1:19-23

We have peace, reconciliation, holiness on the basis of His blood. Christ’s death on the cross makes us “above reproach.” No mention of the imputation of His perfect life. In fact, the only mention of how a person should live is in regard to us. On the basis of His substitutionary death, Christ will present us holy, if we continue in the faith!

The death of Christ is the issue in focus. It is by this one act alone that we become righteous before God. (See Note #3) This is the exclusive and prevailing theme throughout the rest of the Bible. The New Testament is all about how His death is that which makes us righteous before God:

In him we have redemption through his blood. . . – Ephesians 1:7

. . . he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:6-8

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all . . . -1 Timothy 2:5-6

. . . Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone . . .bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. – Hebrews 2:9-10

He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. – Hebrews 7:27

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. – Hebrews 9:22

. . . he has appeared once for all . . . to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. – Hebrews 9:26

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God . . . – Hebrews 12:2

The Gospel is all about Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross! He vicariously paid the penalty for sin that God’s justice required. Christ had no sin for which to atone, yet He freely offered Himself as a sacrifice in order to pay for the sins of man. This sacrifice for sin is the righteousness of Christ that God reckons to our account. If we are in Christ, God the Father looks upon us as a people possessing a forgiven and therefore righteous state before Him.

Where is the imputation of the active obedience of Christ?

The doctrine of active obedience states that in order to be justified, the believer must have the imputation of Christ’s perfect life of law-keeping in addition to the removal of sins that took place on the cross. As far as we can see, this idea is not found anywhere in the pages of Scripture!

Our strong support for the biblical truth of the imputation of the righteous act of Christ on behalf of the believer does not in any way diminish that it was essential for Christ Himself to be perfect. Without His perfect life – His active obedience if you will – the sacrifice would have been meaningless. It cannot be emphasized enough that Christ’s active obedience – his perfect life of law-keeping demonstrated and affirmed His righteous standing before God. Active obedience certainly qualified Jesus Christ to be the perfect sacrifice, but it was His passive obedience that has made us righteous. The imputation of active obedience is not found in the biblical record nor is it necessary for justification to take place. The sacrifice, the atonement, the Cross itself, is the moment to which all of Scripture looks because this is what has made us whole.

Even so, despite its lack of support, the doctrine of the imputation of the active obedience of Christ continues to be widely held at the highest levels of Christian scholarship. This might not seem to be a huge problem because they consider it to be a minor doctrine. However, any error has the potential to destroy the Gospel . . . and among some, AO already has.

#1: We understand that what was gained as “justification” under the Old Covenant was not true justification; it was only “Passover” justification. True justification did not come until Christ died. If the OT justification was true justification, then Christ only need to perfectly keep the law and then sacrifice a lamb . . .

#2: We are assuming more than what may be explicitly expressed. However, such assumptions are validated by the overwhelming biblical data. John the Baptist’s statement is consistent with the rest of Scripture.

#3:  As was already mentioned, this is complete continuity with the Old Testament sacrificial system.

As Christians, more than anything, we should want to be like our Savior and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. His words should be our words, His thoughts our thoughts, His theology our theology and based on His words, thoughts and theology – Jesus was a Calvinist! Although the system itself and the man it was named after did not come into existence until almost 1,600 years after Jesus’ death, the truths taught both by John Calvin and the system bearing his name, are as old as the Bible itself. The Bible teaches Calvinism, which means that Calvinism is good biblical theology. It is the sound doctrine of Jesus and the Scriptures. We can clearly demonstrate this thought by considering what are commonly known as the “Five Points of Calvinism” and a few of the biblical texts that record Jesus’ teaching on each of those points.

There is a host of biblical data that could be used to make the point that Jesus was a Calvinist, but for purposes of brevity, we will confine our study to only the words of Christ as they appear in the Gospel of John:

Total Depravity

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. – John 2:23-25

Unconditional Election

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:12-13

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”- John 3:3-8

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day… It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) – John 6:44, 63-64

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. – John 15:16

Limited Atonement 

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. – John 6:38-39

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. – John 10:14-15

But you do not believe, because you are not among My sheep. – John 10:26

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. – John 17:1, 2

I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. – John 17:9

Irresistible Grace 

Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent… All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out…No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” – John 6:29, 37, 44-45

Perseverance of the Saints 

And this is the will of him who sent me that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. – John 6:39

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me,is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” – John 10:25-29

While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. – John 17:12-15

Remember, in order to live like Jesus, we must think like Jesus. Before we can act like Jesus our theology must be the theology of Jesus, and as we have just seen, Jesus’ theology was congruent with the theology supporting Calvinism. We are called to “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). If you are one who continues to resist biblical doctrine on this matter, we call on you to conform your thoughts and beliefs to the mind of Christ. Or, if you are one who is convinced of the biblical teaching regarding Calvinism, the next time someone asks you why you hold to the doctrine of election, just say: because Jesus was a Calvinist!

All kinds of superstitions surround the calendar event that occurs when the 13th day of a month falls on a Friday. Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number “13″ and friggatriskaidekaphobia is specifically related to the fear of  Friday the 13th.

One of the blessings of knowing Christ is in realizing that this day is no different than any other. In other words, there is nothing especially bad about Friday the 13th. All such beliefs are false. However, in Proverbs 13 we do find warnings against living a life of continual refusal to listen and be obedient to ALL that God has commanded. This particular proverb – maybe more than any other proverb – reveals that living in that way will mean the forfeiture of the blessings and abundant life we all strive for. Continual disobedience means instead that our life will be filled with destruction (v. 13), poverty, disgrace (v. 18), disaster (v. 21) and suffering of want (v. 25). What makes all of this really terrible is that such “curses” are not a warning for just one day, but every day. Or, worse, an entire life of misfortune to those who remain disobedient. It is the warning of a life of curses rather than blessings.

Of course, this is NOT what we desire for any of you! There is nothing that I can do to remove what may potentially be a tough life for you other than to remind you that there is One who has the power to make the difference. Proverbs 13 (on this beautiful Friday the 13th) is a timely reminder to all of us to be sure that we are living lives in full obedience to all that God has commanded us in His Word.  A reminder to “be careful…to do as the LORD your God has commanded you” and “not turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32).

Instead of unbiblical superstitions regarding bad things and blessings, let us instead renew our minds with sound doctrine on the subject:

1. Bad things happen to the unfaithful. (Romans 1, Proverbs 13)
2. Blessings turn into bad things for the unfaithful. (Psalm 17, Romans 2)
3. Blessings happen to the faithful. (1 Peter 3)
4. Bad things turn into blessings for the faithful. (Romans 8; John 9)

Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. – Proverbs 13:13

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The pure grace of the gospel is not threatened by a call to obedience. Indeed, the gospel, properly preached, understood, and embraced, demands and promises obedience, In the Scriptures, heralds of the gospel essentially interchange faith and repentance as appropriate responses to the message (cf. Acts 2:38; 16:34). In other place, Scripture speaks of “the obedience of faith” and calls hearers to “obey the gospel” (Romans 1:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:8). In still other texts, faith and obedience (cf. Romans 10:16) as well unbelief and disobedience (Hebrews 3:18-19) are interchangeable. The basic gospel confession is, “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 9; 1 Corinthians 12:3) – which is to say, “He has given himself for me, and I now owe him my allegiance.” In the gospel, we find that God’s righteous requirements are not legalistic imposition, but gracious gifts he promises to work in us (cf. Romans 8:1-4).

The only kind of faith that justifies is a faith that lives – that is to say, a faith that loves, obeys, repents, calls, and seeks. Thus, faith can be seen (cf. Mark 2:5) and demonstrated (James 2:18); it is embodied and embedded in outward action. True, at the moment of initial justification, faith has not yet done good works. But the kind of faith that lays hold of Christ for justification is a faith that will issue forth in obedience, not because something will be added to that faith a nanosecond after its conception (as if faith had to be “formed” by additional virtues, ala Roman Catholic teaching), but because that faith already carries within itself the seeds of every virtue.

Found in A Faith That is Never Alone, “From Birmingham with Love: ‘Federal Vision’ Postcards” p. 121-2

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Though the Scripture is clear that the church is God’s foundational institution, there are still many who insist on believing that this role was given to the family. While it is not my intention to “sling mud” at those who make such claims, the following is important to consider with an objective mind and an open Bible:

For the Christian, our true family is not physical but spiritual.

In Matthew 12, Jesus posed the question: “Who is my mother and who are my brothers? Then He answered the question with, “Whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:46-50). We all desire for our physical family to be members of our true spiritual family, but our loyalties cannot be divided. Jesus changed the definition of true family and while blood may be thicker than water, the bond of the spirit is stronger yet. Our true family is the Church.

Strong families do not create strong churches.

Rather, it is the church that is the key to strong families. In nearly 11 years of public ministry, I have yet to meet one strong or mature Christian family who was not also a part of a strong biblical church that put great emphasis on doctrinal precision and purity. This should not be a surprise to any of us. Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 4:11-16 that God ordained that believers (and families) grow spiritually through the teaching and preaching that takes place in the local church.

The local church is not a family meeting in a home, shepherded by a man who has proclaimed himself to be “daddy pastor.” The fruit of such practice is usually something corny, creepy or at best, totally out of step with the New Testament witness. The Bible teaches that a family is made strong, only through the corporate teaching and discipleship taking place in the church.

The Church exercises authority over the home and not the other way around.

I bring this up because it is a factor in our consideration regarding the church and the family. When Paul gives instructions to children in Ephesians 6, he doesn’t ask fathers (or mothers) if he has permission to speak into their lives. The same is true as it relates to husbands and wives. Paul speaks into each of those realms giving instruction and direction. He does so by his authority as a leader in the church, not by the authority of his apostleship. We know this because he charges other pastors to do the same with their churches (Titus 2:1-5).

Families are to submit to the authority of the church (Hebrews 13:17). Because of this, there is no way that we can say that the family is the foundation or the key to strong churches. Think about it: if the family is the foundation of the Church, then why is it not the family that is given authority? Why does the Bible teach that it is the church that holds the “keys of the kingdom”? (Matthew 18:18-19; John 20:23)

Christ did not die for the family, He died for the Church

That statement alone should end the argument. God sent the Son, not because He desperately loved families, but because He desperately loves His church. It is those in His church whom He decreed from eternity past to call into fellowship with Himself. This was the goal of the Son’s mission: to come and die for them.

We cannot be say it any more clearly: it is the church Christ that loves and came to die for and not the family (Acts 20:28).

This is the first article in a small series dealing with the doctrine of imputation, the term “the righteousness of Christ” and the doctrine of active obedience.

Recently we here at Sound Church realized that there exists a bit of confusion surrounding the term “double imputation.” For some, the term refers to imputation of both Christ’s passive obedience (death) and active obedience (perfect life). For others, the term does not hold this meaning. Instead, they understand it to mean that the sins of the believer were laid on Christ and that believer has now become the righteousness of Christ, thus, double imputation. However, the real issue is not the concept of double imputation. The main area of misunderstanding lies in the meaning of the term “the righteousness of Christ.”

Though, we do not consider John Piper to be the cause of the confusion, a close examination of his book, Counted Righteous in Christ can help us to see how this confusion has arisen. Mr. Piper wrote his book to support the doctrine of imputation of the righteousness of Christ – a doctrine for which there is strong biblical support. Mr. Piper’s book opposes Robert Gundry’s view (as contained in an article for Christianity Today) that Christ’s righteousness has not been imputed to the believer. Gundry is represented by quotations such as, “…the doctrine that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to believing sinners needs to be abandoned” and “…that doctrine of imputation is not even biblical.” In this case, we agree with Mr. Piper and affirm that the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the sinner is necessary for justification.

However, it becomes clear throughout the book that Mr. Piper is writing less to support the doctrine of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the believer and more to support the doctrine associated with active obedience of Christ. We contend that this purpose is different than what we are led to believe in the title and tagline on the book cover: Counted Righteous in Christ, Should we abandon the imputation of Christ’s righteousness? Again, we affirm and wholeheartedly support the doctrine of the imputation of the righteousness of Christ to the sinner for our justification, but we do not extend that endorsement to the imputation of the active obedience of Christ – and that is what Counted is all about. We believe that the Bible teaches the imputation of the righteousness of Christ only in reference to His death on the cross (passive obedience) and we do not endorse the imputation of the active obedience of Christ for the justification of the sinner.

Here are some snippets from Counted that reveal Mr. Piper’s understanding of the term “righteousness of Christ”:

• In chapter 2, he states that his purpose for writing this book is “to give exegetical foundation to the historic Protestant teaching that the basis of our justification through faith is the provision of Christ for both pardon and imputed perfection.” At this point in the book, it is unclear if these are a result of the death of Christ or if they demand the imputation of both the passive (death) obedience and the imputation of the active (life) of Christ, but the implications of this statement become clear as we read further.
• In chapter 4, Mr. Piper spends a significant amount of time to explain that by using the phrase “one act of righteousness,” Paul actually means “the entire life of Christ’s obedience.”
• As we draw closer to the end of the book, Mr. Piper informs us that the imputation of the righteousness of Christ does not rest in the crucifixion alone, but also includes Christ’s many acts of obedience throughout His life. To his credit, Mr. Piper includes a lengthy footnote recognizing that Jonathan Edwards held that “Christ’s death itself both paid the penalty for our sin and accomplished or positive righteousness.” Clearly, Mr. Piper sees a contrast between the view for which he is advocating and that of Jonathan Edwards. Therefore, since Edwards never denied the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, the difference between him and Piper is this understanding of the “righteousness of Christ.” For Piper, it is imputation of the active obedience of Christ. For Edwards, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ is only in relation to the death of Christ or His passive obedience. This is precisely the same difference that distinguishes the position of Sound Church.
• In another footnote found in the conclusion of the book, Mr. Piper finally explains that “Christ’s righteousness” has two components: His passive obedience (death) and His active obedience (perfect life). He further points out that in both his passive and active obedience, Christ acted vicariously on behalf of the believer.
• Even the list of endorsements on the back cover of Counted Righteous in Christ, demonstrate a convolution of the discussion. R.C. Sproul and John Frame use the terms imputation and righteousness of Christ to commend Mr. Piper for his defense. Neither of them specifies whether or not they have in mind the imputation of the active obedience of Christ. But Wayne Grudem clearly sees Counted as a defense of the imputation of the active obedience of Christ when he states that “Christ’s lifelong record of perfect obedience to God” has been “credited” to the account of the believer.

You see, the doctrine of justification is facing a major threat and that threat has been ushered into broader Christianity via a mutant doctrine of imputation. This mutated doctrine of imputation begins on firm biblical footing when it teaches that Christ vicariously bore the punishment for our sin on the Cross. But it moves into an area completely without biblical support, when in the view of those who hold to the doctrine of the imputation of active obedience, Christ’s act of sacrifice was not enough to make us righteous before God and that the imputation of Christ’s life of obedience is also necessary for justification.

This lack of precision and flip flopping between “righteousness of Christ” and the idea of active obedience only serves to muddy the water and unfairly paint opponents with a broad brush. There is a difference between a denial of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness and the denial of the imputation of the active obedience of Christ. Piper and many others do not make that difference clear, but instead subtly meld the two together as though they are the same or symbiotic partners of each other. Eventually, those who deny the imputation of the active obedience of Christ are seen as deniers of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. Denver Sound Church is the former, but not the latter.

Our intention in upcoming articles is to clear up this confusion and teach the biblical truth about the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.

fab4chiky

One of the major threats faced by the biblical Gospel in our day is that of antinomianism (against law). This is a threat that was foretold by many of the biblical authors, for instance, the Apostle Peter wrote:

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction and many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed and in their greed they will exploit you with false words… They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. – 2 Peter 2:1-3a; 19-20

And in Jude we find:

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ… These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves… In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. – Jude 3-4, 12, 18-21

But as Solomon said, there is nothing new under the sun and this is not the first time that orthodox, even Reformed Christianity has faced the threat of antinomianism. In the book, Blown by the Spirit, a historical work covering the emergence of an antinomian underground during the seventeenth century and the time of the Puritans, author David Como makes the following remarks about the antinomians of that day:

• For all their attachment to the doctrines of predestination, unmerited grace, and justification by faith, English puritans [sic] had from a very early stage stressed the importance, indeed the preeminence, of moral, social, and personal reformation. The life of faith as envisioned by godly preachers involved a strenuous and unremitting struggle to do God’s will in the world – that is, to extirpate sin and to exalt and glorify “God by promoting and performing his Law.
• Those who earned the epithet ‘antinomian’ all saw [demands for godly living] as a . form of works-righteousness, an outward, literal, and ‘legalistic’ religiosity that nurtured a slavish devotion to the Law. Hence, godly preachers were routinely likened to ‘Jews’, rabbis, or papists’, while antinomian prophets often claimed to be promoting the true Christian message of free grace and justification by faith entirely apart from any works, legal or otherwise.
• Christians who consoled themselves by supplicating or praying to God, hearing sermons- indeed with the performance of any “duties” – were said to be trapped in a legal or literal servitude to external elements. Most of all, the tendency of the godly to see sanctification, outward holinessand [a demand for] moral reformation were seen as pharisaical error. Nevertheless, in constructing this critique of mainstream puritan divinity, antinomians paradoxically borrowed rhetorical and theological resources from the reformed/puritan tradition, revealing a…tendency of antinomianism – the propensity to use images and motifs common to Puritanism to attack mainstream Puritanism itself.
• [The antinomians] maintained that no act of human effort or will could do anything to earn salvation or assurance, both of which were to come solely from the overwhelming power of Christ’s life and death.
• [The Antinomians] stressed [instead] the passivity of the believer [in relation to moral obligations]…
• …their freedom from the Law was the result of the fact that [they believed] the Law had been fulfilled within them [already]
• … [by virtue of] the believer’s identity with Christ.  By virtue of [this] believers were free from the Law…
• Believers were not inherently pure, but rather rendered imputatively perfect via the holy life of Christ.

Did any of that sound familiar? This is exactly the same words and teaching we are hearing today from many who call themselves Reformed as well as the broader Evangelical Christian community. Ideas such as active obedience, contemplative gospel, etc. are being used to support an antinomian approach to the way of salvation. The only difference between the antinomian controversy of the seventeenth century and our day is that back then, the antinomian gospel was condemned as heresy, while today it is broadly accepted as biblical orthodoxy.

As a result, faithful obedience to Christ is seen as nice but optional. Modern Bible teachers teach that disciplining one’s body and making it your slave as part of the obligation to avoid condemnation (1 Corinthians 9:27) was good for Paul, but for the rest of us, all that really matters is just believing that Jesus will have our back on Judgment Day.

This antinomian gospel was condemned as heresy back in the seventeenth century because individuals who believe that Christ will be a Savior to those who think that obedience is optional or that partial obedience is good enough, those individuals will be standing in the wrong line at That Day (Matthew 7:21-27, Deuteronomy 29:19). If you do not believe that the true Gospel is one that demands full compliance and faithful obedience, you might want to consider other examples in Scripture, such as Cain, Eli, King Saul, Uzzah, the Pharisees, the Rich Young Ruler or the many other biblical characters who thought that obedience was optional or that selective obedience was good enough.

Do you think that those condemned in Matthew 7 believed that they served a God who “who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart” (1 Corinthians 4:5)? Or did they believe that Jesus + Nothing = Everything?

jemimus

There are others who when they see the term “double imputation” who define it as the imputation of both Christ’s passive obedience (His death) and Christ’s active obedience (His life of perfect law-keeping) as being necessary in order for man to have a righteous standing before God. We deny the doctrine of the imputation of the active obedience of Christ.

Please watch as Pastor Scott explains the difference: