Our Choice in Justification
I posted today on the Founders.org web blog that I disagreed with a statement that said that the Bible teaches the God predestines and we choose. I still hold that position even though I removed the comment from the website. The reason I removed it was because I felt like it caused more problems than it helped. I was trying to start a conversation about "choice" but I realized that was probably not the proper setting.
I still maintain that we do not make a choice in justification. A choice implies that there is more than one option. Here is specifically in detail what I mean. God predestined us before the foundation of the world. I mean that to say that God specifically chose the elect before He began creating anything. When the time comes for a member of the elect to become justified, God through grace regenerates that person and that person responds to the regeneration. That response could be called a choice. However, I would like to assert that it is in fact not a choice. God implants faith into the person and through that faith that is imparted that person believes in Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:8-9) When God regenerates a person, that person has no other option but to become justified. (John 6:37) So I don't believe this to be a choice.
I can see how this can be seen as a choice to be justified, so don't misunderstand what I am saying. The person is making a choice, but not a choice to be justified rather a choice to be sanctified. The person is making the choice to leave the sinful life behind but not making the choice to be justified. I believe that once we are regenerated that makes us justified. That's tough to argue but I think I can support it. I believe that the choice we make after is one of sanctification rather than justification. Let's go back to the Ephesians scripture (2:8-9). It says that we are "saved through faith." I believe that faith is imparted to us at the time of regeneration. Therefore that is my support for being justified at regeneration. I believe even Romans deals with this in (4:4-8) "but to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness..." I believe that once we are regenerated that God looks at us with the blood of Christ covering us so that He would not refer to us as "ungodly." So that leads me to assume that God justifies us at the time of regeneration and gives us faith at that moment. Then we make the choice to repent of our sinful ways and become more like Him. Believe me I know that I am for the most part arguing from silence however I am simply trying to put it together. Please know that I am seeking to give glory only to the Lord for my salvation. If anyone disagrees with me, which I'm positive some will, I don't think this is a fellowship breaking point. Let's unite under the banner of exalting the glory of Jesus Christ and the grace that His Father has bestowed upon us.
I still maintain that we do not make a choice in justification. A choice implies that there is more than one option. Here is specifically in detail what I mean. God predestined us before the foundation of the world. I mean that to say that God specifically chose the elect before He began creating anything. When the time comes for a member of the elect to become justified, God through grace regenerates that person and that person responds to the regeneration. That response could be called a choice. However, I would like to assert that it is in fact not a choice. God implants faith into the person and through that faith that is imparted that person believes in Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:8-9) When God regenerates a person, that person has no other option but to become justified. (John 6:37) So I don't believe this to be a choice.
I can see how this can be seen as a choice to be justified, so don't misunderstand what I am saying. The person is making a choice, but not a choice to be justified rather a choice to be sanctified. The person is making the choice to leave the sinful life behind but not making the choice to be justified. I believe that once we are regenerated that makes us justified. That's tough to argue but I think I can support it. I believe that the choice we make after is one of sanctification rather than justification. Let's go back to the Ephesians scripture (2:8-9). It says that we are "saved through faith." I believe that faith is imparted to us at the time of regeneration. Therefore that is my support for being justified at regeneration. I believe even Romans deals with this in (4:4-8) "but to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness..." I believe that once we are regenerated that God looks at us with the blood of Christ covering us so that He would not refer to us as "ungodly." So that leads me to assume that God justifies us at the time of regeneration and gives us faith at that moment. Then we make the choice to repent of our sinful ways and become more like Him. Believe me I know that I am for the most part arguing from silence however I am simply trying to put it together. Please know that I am seeking to give glory only to the Lord for my salvation. If anyone disagrees with me, which I'm positive some will, I don't think this is a fellowship breaking point. Let's unite under the banner of exalting the glory of Jesus Christ and the grace that His Father has bestowed upon us.
posted by JST | 2:51 PM
2 Comments:
The person is making a choice, but not a choice to be justified rather a choice to be sanctified.
That's cool. I never thought of it that way before.
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he die, yet will he live.
26 Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
What do you do with these verses? I think there is still a real choice being made, not with autonomy in man, but with genuineness of decision-making and with the emotions and identity of the person.
Sorry, that's John 11:25-26.
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