(02/08/2016) More On Divine Justification

Today, I share thoughts in response to the blog by Marcus Ampe at guestwriters.com posted February 02, 2016, Justification – salvation is by grace through faith – JI Packer.  In my present developing Christian awareness, justification pertains to grace, more than to adjudication and formal investigations for truth-finding aimed at establishing conclusive declarations of innocence or guilt.  Works called forth and motivated by faith do not deliver, they display; and the act of being (i.e., existing) is not work.  Rather than an outcome of judgment (i.e., the application of divine law to resolve conflicts and settle disputes), an aspect of deliverance and salvation, or an overlaying of divinity that serves as atonement, justification is the acknowledgment of correct composition and disposition as emergent from GOD.  Properly understood, the things justified by Deity are themselves all appearances and aspects of that that is divine.  Included, therefore, are such elements as covenant, events, forbearance, forgiveness, imparted spirit, miracles, praise, sacred promise, prophecy, eternal purpose, sacraments, and divine utterance.  Hear that a different way:  Covenant is justified; covenant-keeping is justified; covenant law is holy, and just, and good; covenant-breaking is not.  Forbearance and forgiveness are justified—along with all the many acts of GOD to benefit Creation, including Incarnation, damnation, virgin birth, and the second death—defiance, disobedience, idolatry, and rebellion are not.  Ampe’s presentation suggests that some believers seek to justify and save themselves by faith without works, and he begins with the following:


Today there is still lots of commotion about works and faith. Still too many Christians do think they do not need any works.
The Catholic church, we must say, has from the beginning seen that certain works were necessary. One can not become a Christian without putting the previous life of sin away by having regret, asking for forgiveness of sins and taking steps to show regret (an act to be taken), opening oneself for remission by going for a baptism (a work).

Not only Rome sees baptism as a channel of sanctifying grace, as the primary instrumental cause of justification, and the sacrament of penance, whereby congruous merit is achieved through works of satisfaction, as the supplementary restorative cause whenever the grace of God’s initial acceptance is lost through mortal sin.


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law:  that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:  for by the law is the knowledge of sin.  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:  for there is no difference:  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:  that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay:  but by the law of faith.  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.  (Romans 3:  19-28, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Salvation Only Through Christ? (01/07/2016); Actions Make Divine Essence Visible? (12/18/2015); Justified Through Christ? (08/26/2015); Justifying GOD? (03/15/2015); Justification? (12/12/2010); Faith Forced? (12/13/2010)


In the emphasis I propose, justification through the active presence and operations of divine grace in the life pertains to the substance of ones existence, and is not a matter of external actions by GOD applied to alter living content as with rebirth and regeneration.  Believers in Christ are to put away the notion of using a standard to measure, rank, and compare themselves against one another, for the Scriptures also speak of GOD being justified.  In the same way, human babies discover and explore their own composition and makeup directing their hands, digits, elbows, and feet into their own mouths, divinity seeks out that that is divine, consumes, inbreathes, ingests and internalizes it, then emanates, beams forth and out-breathes what was sought as pre-chosen and “elect”.  In the holy writings, a condition of being justified is described using such words as anointed, blameless, consecrated, good, innocent, just, pure, repentant, and sanctified.  Applied to finite beings and living creatures, neither having full sacred knowledge, nor a state of ones substance as completely holy and perfected are intended.  Grace and faith should be understood as aspects of our condition as a new creation, not merely as aspects of divinity that operate on our behalf.  Thus, works are the appearance of that that is, not merely efforts and operations of self-will to achieve and accomplish a higher state.  Grace, faith and righteousness are the very substance of GOD.  Consider again the following verses from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible:

(1.)  Job 25:  4-6, KJV:  4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?  5 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.  6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

(2.)  Job 32:  1-3, KJV:  1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.  2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram:  against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.  3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

(3.)  Ephesians 2:  8-10, KJV):  8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:   9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.  10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, to say, “tribulation worketh patience,” states that existing spirit substance is aroused, increased, and nourished as in (4.) Romans 5:  1-3, KJV:  5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:  knowing that tribulation worketh patience;)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC