...Justification by Faith By Russell D. Stalvey Introduction A statement that is ancient but also timeless and just as relevant for today’s believers is that we are justified by faith. The Apostle Paul gave insight to this statement very distinctly and in great aspect but to completely understand the statement, we first must possess a foundational comprehension of what it means to be justified. In understanding justification we will see that it is inseparably interrelated to faith, but not just any faith. We will also see that the undertaking of justification by faith has overwhelming effects on the justified. Definition Justification is seen as an act of God’s wonderful grace, free grace that is available to all sinners. God exonerations all of the sins, receives the sinners, not because of anything fashioned in the sinner or performed by the sinner, but only for the unflawed submission and complete satisfaction of the Lord, through God’s impartation and received by faith alone. The Westminster Larger Catechism answers the definition of justification in this manner: “Justification is an ‘act’. It is a courtroom verdict .We are the defendants and charges have been filed against us. The judge passes his verdict. Logically there are only two verdicts available to the judge. One of these verdicts is ‘condemned’, and the other is ‘justified’. If we are ‘condemned’, then the judge has pronounced us ‘guilty’. If we are ‘justified’, then the judge has pronounced us...
Words: 2907 - Pages: 12
...Liberty University Justification by Faith A Research paper submitted to Professor Laverne Smith In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for BIBL 161-D01 Willmington School of the Bible By Jason Miller Lynchburg, Virginia FRIDAY November 28, 2014 CONTENTS Introduction 1 Man’s Unrighteousness 1 Man’s Need for Redemption 2 The Righteousness of God 3 Justification by Faith 4 Salvation from God’s Wrath 6 Contemporary Church’s View of Justification 6 Conclusion 7 Introduction The Protestant Reformation began when Martin Luther’s study of the scriptures revealed to him that mankind can only be justified by faith. This truth from God’s Word transformed Luther’s life and opened the door for believers to break free of religious bondage. Luther would say that justification by faith is the article upon which the church stands or falls. The reformer John Calvin would later echo that sentiment by stating that justification by faith is the hinge by which everything else turns. In reading Paul’s letter to the Romans one can easily see that the doctrine of justification is truly a cornerstone of the Christian faith. This doctrine is a theme that appears throughout the book. By examining man’s unrighteous state and his need for redemption the apostle Paul methodically shows the reader that not only is a person justified by faith alone but also that they are saved from God’s...
Words: 2518 - Pages: 11
...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR BRADLEY MCDANIEL 201540 FALL 2015 BIBL 161-B01 LUO BY DEIRDRE JONES-SHOOK LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA OCTOBER 2015 Table of Contents Definition 3-5 How is the term justification defined by scholars? What is your own definition based on your research? Basis 5-6 What is the act of being justified based or grounded on, that is, what is necessary to have happened or to be true in order for justification to be possible? Means 6-7 How does one obtain justification? What is the means by which one is justified? Time Factors 7-8 Is justification an act or a process? Is it instantaneous or gradual? Results/Fruits 8-10 Once one has been justified, what benefits or results follow? Assurance 10-12 How can one be assured of justification? Conclusion 12 Bibliography 13 JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH “Justification by faith alone” (justificatio sola fide) summarizes the doctrine of justification that has come to us as the great legacy of the Protestant Reformation. We frequently hear this formula used in preaching and teaching. The doctrine of justification by faith is a biblical doctrine. The Apostle Paul gives a full exposition of this doctrine. The letters he wrote to the Galatians and the Romans are especially important in this connection. However, the core message of justification by faith is found in the Old Testament. Paul himself argues from the...
Words: 3443 - Pages: 14
...Nouwen 4-MAT Book Review 1 Nouwen 4-MAT Book Review Quinton Neighbors Liberty University Nouwen 4-MAT Book Review 2 Summary Reaching Out The Three Movements of The Spiritual Life by Henri Nouwen, published on November 20, 2013. The author lays out three dimensions of spiritual movements in the Christian life. Each one proceeding from the previous one to make a simple but profound process for the reader to understand. Explained first as the spectrum of loneliness to solitude. Next, hostility to hospitality, and finally illusion to prayer. The needs of loneliness manifest its in the quest for messianic completeness in other things to fill the void. This has many implications as violence, resentment, and other reactions to having such flawed idols are being used to fill the gap. On the other hand, the author presents Christ as the point of wholeness that we as humans long for. Our innermost selves are filled by this to become receptive to inner talk, the world and others. The immovable wholeness in Christ is the axiom in which the heart solitude provides loving faith filled responses. Going further into solitude is an process of inner stability in Christ, that plants seeds of hospitality instead of the natural hostility our world has created. Hospitality is defined as a biblical term of open freedom of space so that strangers can be invited as friends. Balanced in heart solitude and freedom from attachment to things either material or immaterial makes the space for a good host...
Words: 1112 - Pages: 5
...Romans (A) Introduction (1) Romans is the _LONGEST__ of Paul’s letters. (2) Romans is the most _____THEOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT___ of Paul’s letters. (3) The letter of Romans has been greatly influential in the history of the Church (i) Augustine CHRISTIAN WHO LIVED IN THE 4TH CENTURY. HE BECAME CONVINCED THAT CHRISTIANITY IS TRUE, BUT COULDN’T SUBMIT TO CHRISTS LORDSHIP. HE HAD SINS THAT WASN’T WILLING TO GIVE UP. CHILD SAID “TAKE UP AND READ.” ROMANS CH 13 13-14. (ii) Martin Luther FATHER OF PROTISTHANT REFERMATION. BELIEVES THAT YOU HAVE TO EARN GODS FAVOR. EXCOMUNICATED FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. (iii) John Wesley ENGLISH REVIVALIST. (4) Is Romans a systematic presentation of Paul’s Theology? YES & NO: YES, BECAUSE IS WRITTEN SYSTEMATICALLY. NO, BECAUSE WAS NOT WRITTEN AS A SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY. (B) Author (5) Claim of the text – written by Paul. (6) Little scholarly debate about this claim (C) Date and Place of writing (7) Paul likely wrote Romans in ____AD 57____________ to Christians in Rome. (8) Paul did not found the church at Rome (we do not know who did). (9) A man named ___TERTIUS_________ (Rom 16:22) served as Paul’s amanuensis. (10) The place this letter was probably written -- ___CORINTH____________ (11) The letter was likely carried to the Romans by ___PHOEBE_____ (Rom 16:1-2) (D) Audience (12) There probably were...
Words: 714 - Pages: 3
...not come to fruition, he still believed. He and Sarah were up in age and it didn’t seem like their promise was going to come to pass. Abraham believed in God’s ability to change circumstances by calling those things that do not exist as though they did exist (Romans 4:17). Abraham had an authentic faith that did not deny that there was an obstacle, but believed that God was greater than the obstacle. There was no pretense where he was concerned. On the other hand, if Abraham was justified by the law, it would have been for what he had done and not his faith. He would have something to boast about (Romans 4:2). Justification would have been according to his flesh. The Jewish people esteemed him highly and put him on a pedestal. They put him close to God and he could do nothing wrong. They believed that he followed the law perfectly and that was the reason for his justification. The entire premise as it relates to Abraham is that because he believed, God imputed righteousness on him. His salvation and eternal forgiveness was because of his faith. David was also highly esteemed among the Jewish people. But David, in his own selfish behavior had committed some heinous acts such as murder and adultery. He knew that under the law, he himself should have been put to death. If he had been given what he deserved, he would have died and would not have been declared righteous. David had a relationship with God and...
Words: 470 - Pages: 2
...BASIC DRAWING COMMANDS FOR AUTOCAD Measuring Commands GRID: Displays a grid of dots at a desired spacing on the screen. Command: GRID (enter) On/Off/Tick spacing(x)/Aspect: (enter value) (enter) SNAP: Specifies a "round off" interval so that points entered with the mouse can be locked into alignment with the grid spacing. Command: SNAP (enter) On/Off/Value/Aspect/Rotate/Style: (enter value) (enter) Basic Draw Commands CIRCLE: Draws circles of any size. Command: Circle (enter) 3P/2P/TTR/: (pick a center point) Diameter or : (Pick a point on the circle) LINE: Draws straight lines between two points Command: LINE (enter) From Point: (pick a point using the mouse) To Point: (Pick a point using the mouse) To Point: (Press return to end the command) ARC: Draws an arc (any part of a circle or curve) through three known points. Command: ARC (enter) Center/ < Start point > : (pick the first point on the arc) Center/End/ < Second point > : C Center: (pick the arc's center point) Angle/Length of chord/ : (pick the arc endpoint) Display Commands LIMITS: Sets the size of the drawing paper. For size "A" drawing paper the limits should be set for 10.5 x 8. Command: LIMITS (enter) On/Off/Lower left corner (enter) Upper right corner: 10.5,8 (enter) ZOOM: Enlarges or reduces the display of a drawing. Command: ZOOM (enter) All/Center/Dynamic/Extents/Left/Previous/Vmax/Window/: ...
Words: 1467 - Pages: 6
...You might be a Christian and you are telling yourself that you have prayed over this same problem for one or two years now but there are no results yet. It is because you are counteracting your prayer with negative words. You tell every Tom, Dick and Harry you meet about your problem. As you talk about your problem all the time, they become bigger and difficult to solve. You wonder why the more you pray the more problems that come your way. The two sides of the equation are balanced and as such, there are no results. Instead of talking about your problems to multiply them rather talk to the problems to minimize them. Words are very powerful, so be mindful of the words others speak to you and vice versa. Let us see the revelation in this statement too. The spirit gives life, the flesh profits nothing. Things in the spiritual realm are more important than things in the physical world. The word is a spirit so it gives life to anything that is dead in your life. Anything that you do not have is dead in your life. If you want to have them, you must speak the word into the situation to give it life. What you spoke will come into existence. Never and I repeat never ever say, “Will the words that I have said come to pass?” That is the power of fear which you are entertaining. If you sow a seed, does it even occur to you that it will never grow? No, you do not. It is the same with words. Your duty is to speak the word. It will do its own work. Jesus put it this way in a parable. He said...
Words: 1656 - Pages: 7
...awarded apart form deeds, it was announced by the Law of Moses and the Prophets and establishes the former law; it does not destroy it (Romans 3:21,31). How does he build his case? Paul presents three implications of justification through faith apart from deeds in Romans 3:27-31. First, justification by faith excludes boasting (Romans 3:27-28). Salvation does not come through what we have done (our works or deeds), but by putting our trust in Christ. We are to lift up Christ by exalting in the works he has done, not our own works (Moo, pg. 142). Second, justification by faith excludes ethnic barriers (Romans 3:29-30). If it is by faith, then it cannot be by circumcision, race, or nationality. Every believer in Christ will be justified by God, regardless of origin. Third, justification by faith excludes antinomianism (Moo, pg. 129). Though some may charge the Apostle Paul with promoting lawlessness, the accusation is unfounded. We do not reject God’s law by affirming salvation by grace; we place law in its proper context within both salvation history and in the life and practice of the believer. What is his conclusion? Compare Paul's conclusion here with James 2:14-26. The Apostle Paul uses the 4th chapter of Romans to defend and explain the doctrine of justification through faith from the Old Testament scriptures. He uses Abraham, before the Law of Moses (Romans 4:1-3), David, under the Law of Moses (Romans 4:6-8), and believers in...
Words: 857 - Pages: 4
...In order for Christian Counseling to be effective, an emphasis must be placed on the utilization of a curative theology, and the promotion of biblical sanctification. There are many instances when temporary relief can be found through secular psychology, but that relief is most often fleeting, and the person is quickly thrust back into a world inundated with “father absence, abuse, violence, marital discord, and emotional problems” (Clinton, Hart, & Ohlschlager, 2005). By emphasizing a curative theology, a healing or cure, rather than symptom relief, Christian Counselors will be more effective in the long-term recovery of their patients. Author Dallas Willard offers a concise viewpoint on the shortcomings of secular psychologists, saying; “Obviously, the problem is a spiritual one. And so must be the cure” (Clinton, Hart, & Ohlschlager, 2005). Until a person comes to the realization that we are all fallen sinners (Rom. 3:23, ESV), and comes to repentance, faith, and love in Christ, the “cure” will always allude them. Once a person is justified by faith alone, they are able to understand that “God will never allow a situation to develop in any believer’s life to which he cannot respond biblically” (Crabb, 2013). Jesus Christ is the cure, but biblical sanctification is not immediate in the way that regeneration is, it is progressive. While we have an eternal cure in Jesus Christ, we will encounter sin, depression, and resentments that continue to occur after one is saved...
Words: 355 - Pages: 2
...presented by Martin Luther in the sixteenth century greatly influenced the Protestant church reformation. Luther offered several ideas that tried to determine the relationship between the gospel and the law and others that sought to explain justification by faith. Unlike the Christian teachings during his time, Luther affirmed that the Christian righteousness is only acquired from without. He suggested that the righteousness not only comes from Christ but is also Christ’s righteousness that is ascribed to Christians through faith. In this regard, Luther explored the dissimilarities between the righteousness accorded to Christians as a gift through faith and Christian’s own proper righteousness which works in the power of the gift through Jesus to do different works of mercy and love. Consequently, Luther presented a Latin phrase that further described Christian justification, “Simul Justus et Peccator” which is directly interpreted as “simultaneously just and sinners.” Therefore, this paper will explain and evaluate Martin Luther’s ideas of the double righteousness possessed by Christians using his commentaries on Galatians and Romans as well as his 1519 sermon on two kinds of righteousness. Luther’s ideas on Simul Justus et Peccator and Justification Luther’s sermon on the two kinds of righteousness is associated with the reformers belief of salvation and living by faith and not works. The original justice presented by Luther is the alien righteousness that comes from without. This...
Words: 2814 - Pages: 12
...Page 1 Article Review – Evangelical Anxieties Over Spiritual Formation Steve L. Porter addresses the evangelical anxieties over spiritual formation in his article Sanctification in a New Key: Relieving Evangelical Anxieties Over Spiritual Formation. The author explains that although there are a plethora of views and meanings for the word spiritual formation, he is going to go through eight notable objections to spiritual formation with the two ideas of recognizing the cautions and corrections that need to be made, and to partially alleviate the objections. The eight objections are spiritual formation is just another passing fad, spiritual formation is Catholic, spiritual formation is new age, spiritual formation is contrary to the sufficiency of scripture, what ever happened to good old-fashioned obedience, spiritual formation encourages works righteousness, spiritual formation is overly experiential, and spiritual formation neglects missions/evangelism. The first objection, spiritual formation is just another passing fad, is concerned that “the evangelical community will have re-tooled its message and programs for the sake of what turns out to be just another passing fad” (Porter). Why would one want to partake in a movement that will ultimately die out? Porter simply puts that what Christians should focus on is the positive contribution that it makes to society through the teachings and practices of spiritual formation. The practices and teachings will become ordinary...
Words: 790 - Pages: 4
...Two Kinds of Righteousness Two Kinds of Righteousness is a sermon that Luther prepared in 1519, in which he discussed two different types of righteousness a person could have. First, there was the “alien righteousness”. This righteousness is given to you at birth and when you accept Christ as your Lord and savior and have been baptized; you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and you believe that Christ lives in you. With these actions, it is said that you become as righteous as he and are covered by God’s grace. Faith is what drives this righteousness. The “alien righteousness” requires no work but is given to us, we have to nurture this faith and grow it through God’s word and carry it with us through life and abide by it through our everyday actions. We have choices and are expected to always make the godly choice because of our “alien righteousness”. Luther said that when our faith and knowledge in Christ grows our “alien righteousness” grows and is perfected at death. The second kind of righteousness is “proper righteousness”. This righteousness is judged by our works and how we treat our neighbor on a daily basis. Luther states that with “proper righteousness” it’s not at all about you, in fact, you hate yourself and love your neighbor. According to “proper righteousness,” you should not be jealous of your neighbor and their possessions or success. You should be happy for your neighbors and serve those that are less fortunate than you. “Proper righteousness”...
Words: 566 - Pages: 3
...My Motive in this paper is to show you how I fell about the passage. This is my thought in the exegetical view of James in his thought of faith and works.With this paper I will show how James instructs us to be “doers” of the Word and not just “hearers.” It is all too easy to forget what we have read in the Bible if we do not put it into practice: Authorship Verses 14-26 are about the relationship between faith and works sing his work to the “Twelve Tribes dispersed throughout the World” (Presumably “Spiritual Israel,” the International Church), the author calls himself” James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not claim apostolic rank or mention a kinship with James, but church tradition Identifies him as the person whom the apostle Paul calls” “James the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19) the principal leader of Palestine Jewish Christianity between about 20 and 62 C.E. He was devout respecter of the Mosaic Torah and was known to his fellow Israelites as “James the righteous”. Despite his high reputation among both Jews and Christians, however, a violent mob killed him about 62 C.E. Two qualities of the Epistle of James give general clues about background. Besides being written in excellent Greek (not something a Galilean nature would likely be capable of), it repeatedly echoes Greek editions of the Hebrew Bible, especially the Book of Proverbs and later Hellenistic wisdom books like Ecclesiastics and the wisdom of Solomon. Forms and Organization Except...
Words: 1824 - Pages: 8
...General Guidance The requirement for the student to produce a short paper as a portion of the learning process in this course was prompted by two considerations. The first was the ongoing need to apply and improve writing skills. The second was to provide an opportunity for the student to select a project management topic of particular interest and expand their knowledge on that topic. Hopefully, this will allow the student to put their time into investigating aspects of a topic that holds their interest, allowing them to enjoy the effort. It should be noted, that while the student has latitude as to the final topic selection the instructor has established the following selection parameters. The topic selected must be from one of the nine (9) project management areas presented in the text. That is not to suggest that you must address an entire knowledge area. You will discover that each of the knowledge areas is actually composed of multiple topics within the context of the larger subject area. Topic Selection Approach It is recommended that you read the 9 chapter summaries to begin to narrow down the topics that interest you most. When you have identified 3 or so that you think are good candidates I suggest you do a little research on each to see what is available and increase your knowledge of the that subject matter. Once you have selected a topic you will be required to submit it, and a minimum of three (3) research sources, to the instructor for approval...
Words: 573 - Pages: 3
