Richard Smith, at The Spurgeon Blog has provided an interesting post in which he considers what the real Turretin had to say about the use of faith in justification (link). Specifically Turretin provides “proof that the act of believing is not our righteousness.”
-TurretinFan
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
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TF
I went over there and read the article. I was very impressed and offered a similar comment as this one:
I first asked him which "justification" was being applied?
We know from the study of the Greek that in Romans 5:16 the word used means an "equitable" deed done for another. And in Romans 5:18 the word used means an "acquittal" is given out to those who believe in the equitable deed done for them seeing there is nothing inherent in any one of us that can bring about the societal change Faith effects.
The societal change is this for the heirs of Salvation, those of Adam's post fall race, a "right" relationship with God.
All of us have sinned. According to God there is none righteous no not one. Our relationship in this world initially and thereafter with God is a broken, unrighteous relationship, something effected by the Fall of Adam in the garden of Eden.
I also noted that there are three forces at work against this societal change effected by Faith. The three forces are my flesh, this world and the devil.
Of course the purpose of Faith is to bring about a societal change in the life of the Elect in this world as we see written about here by Paul the Apostle:
Col 2:11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
Col 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Col 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
Col 2:14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Col 2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
We are saved by Godly intervention not by any work we have done so as to merit the change in our life.
I also noted a couple of verses in Romans that point to that affect, Romans 1:5 and 16:26 where this phrase is used: "the obedience of Faith".
The Faith is God's. The effect is God's. The Glory of the affect is equally God's as I also noted:
Rom 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Rom 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
When it is all said and done, we who are acquitted, were those guilty ones before God and only by Faith gain the benefit of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ Our Lord and God gets all the Glory for the change, not us!
I particularly noted Turretin's "second" point in the Turretin quotation used as the basis of his article, so noted.
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