I will say this also. Obedience does save us from the pitfalls and consequences of sin. Salvation is more than the doctrine justification by faith alone. I again will quote Michael Horton using the word condition. It seems to be a word that has some up in arms also.
It isn't a bad thing to wrestle with language and grow to understand it. We are co-labourers with God in 1 Corinthians 3:9 but we know God does all the work in giving the increase. In Act 2:40 we are encouraged to save ourselves from this generation but we also know God is the only justifier. Language should be as precise as we can make it but we shouldn't be afraid of learning what is meant or said. Are things difficult and need to be worked through? Yes.
Example;
As in justification, are there conditions to be met? Yes there are. Faith and Repentance are required. But we also know it is monergistic and eternal. It is God's work alone on our behalf. Are they meritorious? No.
I have read the paper twice and I believe it has noted that instruments, means, conditions are noted to be non meritorious. Maybe we should try to understand that.
This isn't really about antinomianism in my estimation as much as it is about life before God, how we define the Gospel, and telling a world with whom they have to deal with as their Creator. Kind of a Whole Counsel of God thing. BTW, I started reading Richard Gamble's book 'The Whole Counsel of God'.
The New Testament lays before us a vast array of conditions for final salvation. Not only initial repentance and faith, but perseverance in both, demonstrated in love toward God and neighbor are part of that holiness without which no one shall see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14) Such holiness is not simply definitive-- that is, it not only belongs to our justification, which is rather an imputed than imparted righteousness, but to our sanctification...
Holiness, which is defined by love of God and neighbor...is the indispensable condition of our glorification: no one will be seated at the heavenly banquet who has not begun, however imperfectly, in new obedience...
Too often we use justification and salvation interchangeably so that the suggestion we are justified without any other condition of faith leads some to conclude that it is the only condition of salvation. However, salvation is understood broadly that encompasses the whole work of God.
Introducing Covenant Theology
Michael Horton
It isn't a bad thing to wrestle with language and grow to understand it. We are co-labourers with God in 1 Corinthians 3:9 but we know God does all the work in giving the increase. In Act 2:40 we are encouraged to save ourselves from this generation but we also know God is the only justifier. Language should be as precise as we can make it but we shouldn't be afraid of learning what is meant or said. Are things difficult and need to be worked through? Yes.
Example;
As in justification, are there conditions to be met? Yes there are. Faith and Repentance are required. But we also know it is monergistic and eternal. It is God's work alone on our behalf. Are they meritorious? No.
I have read the paper twice and I believe it has noted that instruments, means, conditions are noted to be non meritorious. Maybe we should try to understand that.
This isn't really about antinomianism in my estimation as much as it is about life before God, how we define the Gospel, and telling a world with whom they have to deal with as their Creator. Kind of a Whole Counsel of God thing. BTW, I started reading Richard Gamble's book 'The Whole Counsel of God'.
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