Our Zoom Bible Study was reading the Chapter on Justification by Faith this week.
I found Mike Radliff’s post useful for further understanding. Adding my own comment:
This is a great post Mike. Amazing you have the time to write these.
For anyone interested in a further study of Grace. I’d recommend:
The Grace of Christ Sinners Saved by Unmerited Kindness by William S. Plumer “We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved.” Acts 15:11
In the chapter our Bible Study read this week, we have:
”But what is the meaning of the expression “we are justified by faith?” How are we justified by faith? Why are we never said to be justified by other Christian graces?”
“Humility is an excellent grace, much commended in Scripture, and puts us where we ought to be— in the dust. Meekness bears the outrageous wrongs heaped upon us, with pity and forgiveness, and so makes us like Christ, who was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent—so he opened not his mouth. Hope is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast, and being lively, animates the soul in all times of trial. Love with her broad mantle covers the faults of others, fills the world with the fame of her deeds, and never fails. Penitence sits at the feet of Jesus, and bathes them with its tears. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death. Excellent as all these graces are, yet it is nowhere said in Scripture that a man is justified by the fear of God, by charity, by penitence, by hope, by meekness, or by humility. But he is often said to be justified by faith. God does not put this honor upon faith because it is greater than other graces, for it is not. 1 Cor. 13:13. Love is greater. So are all graces, which shall flourish forever. But the reason why faith justifies—is because it receives Christ. In the language of the Bible, to receive Christ is to believe on him.”
“The London and Philadelphia Baptist Confessions, the Confessions of the Savoy, Cambridge and Boston, and the Confessions of Presbyterian Churches generally in Great Britain and America agree in saying, “Faith receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness, is the sole instrument of justification; yet is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith—but works by love.””
In my own journey I had a time of “do”. It was mostly after being exposed by the works of Richard Foster and Dallas Willard back 40+ years ago. The Spiritual Disciplines. Which has evolved into a much more widespread movement of Spiritual Formation, now taught to most pastors in virtually all seminaries and Bible Colleges. I’ve noted one of the leading teachers today is John Mark Comer. He has a book “Practicing the Way”. I even taught the Foster materials back around 2000. God refocused me on solid Bible teaching. And a hunger to read and explore the 16th-17th Century Great Confessions and Catechisms of the Reformed Churches. Not to “do”, but to understand the depth of the Biblical Doctrines they summarize. I would encourage anyone to pick up the Canons of Dort (Dordrecht and begin reading….and believe the teachings…
Head I: Of Divine Predestination
ARTICLE 1
As all men have sinned in Adam, lie under the curse, and are deserving of eternal death, God would have done no injustice by leaving them all to perish, and delivering them over to condemnation on account of sin, according to the words of the apostle, Romans 3:19,”that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” And verse 23:”for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And Romans 6:23:”for the wages of sin is death.”
Rainbow Trout 