“A FOUR POINT SUMMARY OF REFORMATION JUSTIFICATION” Part 2
The following is a four point summary of the absolute
importance and complete opposite differences between Roman
Catholicism and the Reformation. Points 1 & 2 were discussed
yesterday
(Tues 27th July 2021). Today we will deal with Point 3.
Tomorrow,
Thurs 29th July 2021, we will discuss Point 4
|
Roman Catholicism |
The Reformation |
|
1.
Justified by God’s work of grace in man |
1.
Justified by God’s work of grace in Christ |
|
2.
Justified by faith which has become active by works |
2.
Justified by faith alone |
|
3. Justified
by infused righteousness |
3. Justified
by imputed (outside of yourself) |
|
4.
Justification means making a man righteous in his |
4.
Justification means that a man is accounted |
In Romans chapter 4 and Galatians 3:6, Paul uses the
words “accounted”, “counted”, “reckoned” and “imputed”
which all mean the same but with variations. The Reformers merely
re-emphasized
the clear teaching of them.
….
Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness. (Rom4:3) But to him that worketh not, but believeth
on
him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness.
(Rom 4:5) Even as David also
describeth
the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without
works (Rom 4:6)
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not
impute sin. Cometh
this
blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision
also?
for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for
righteousness. (Rom 4:8-9) And being
fully persuaded, … therefore it
was imputed to him (Abraham)
for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake
alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it
shall be imputed,
if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (Rom
4:21-24) Even as Abraham
believed God, and it was accounted
to him for righteousness. (Gal 3:6)
The word “impute” means that we get our
right-standing
(righteousness) with God from an outside source.
For CATHOLICS: It is poured into us –
this is impartation
The Catholic definition of justification is the infusion
of grace. They wrongly use the Latin meaning of the word “justify”, to MAKE
righteous, and they support this by deceptively using the King James
Bible
which says we are “…made free …” (Rom 6:18, 22; 8:2;
1Cor
7:21; 9:19; 12:13; Gal 5:1). However, the King James uses this
phrase not
for getting saved but for assuring the believer he is saved and
eternally
secure.
For CHRISTIANS: It is credited or accounted
to us while being kept and stored in Jesus Christ himself – this is imputation.
Previously mentioned, it’s like a child of a very rich father who says
“My
father is very rich therefore I am rich.” Similarly, if the father buys
a new
car, the children can say “We have a new car.”
The Christian definition of justification is to declare
a man free from the penalty of sin on the ground of Christ’s
righteousness and
what he has done and HIS right-standing with God the
Father.
When Christ came to earth, he passed all the tests
that God the Father gave him in the Laws of the Old Testament – that
is, Christ
not only completed the outward actions required but fulfilled them, but
with a
love of the laws. Christ fulfilled the Law. Christ passed all tests
with the
100% highest distinctions possible.
However, the Roman Catholic Council of Trent
pronounces a curse on anyone who would teach that justification comes
“through
the imputation of Christ’s righteousness alone.” Catholics do not
know what
love is – that a man would lay down his life not only for his
friends, but
for his enemies! (Rom 5:8)
As Christians, we do not have to look into our own
hearts to see whether we have a certain amount of infused
righteousness. We
are free like a prisoner out of jail. When a civil judge declares a
criminal
free because someone else has paid the fine, this is not dependent
on
anything the criminal has done. His freedom comes from a source outside
of himself. In extreme cases, should the civil law demand a life as the
death
penalty for a crime, someone else could volunteer to die in the place
of the
criminal. The law would be satisfied. His freedom would come from a
source
outside of himself.
In our case, God the judge, has demanded the death
penalty for us, but God has taken off his judge robes and gone to the
‘death’
chamber instead of us. As the only one who could, God has satisfied his
own
laws. God’s happy, Christ’s happy, we’re happy! Everyone’s a
winner! Freedom
has come from outside of ourselves!
Harley Hitchcock
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