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Christianity Today, June, 2009 |

Not an Academic Question

Pastors tell how the justification debate has changed their ministry.

Trevin Wax and Ted Olsen | posted 6/26/2009 09:55AM

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But even those two concepts do not adequately describe the Christian gospel, said Derek Leman, rabbi of a Messianic Jewish congregation in Atlanta. "The issue is God redeeming and bringing to perfect consummation all things and calling us to be part of it, a process which begins with justification. Justification is entering school, not graduating from it. I do not make the focus of my teaching how to be justified, a point I regard as elementary and to be moved far beyond," he said.

Additionally, Leman said, "as a Messianic Jewish leader, it is important to me to keep issues of Jewish and Gentile identity in the New Testament at the forefront—something I feel Wright does far better than Piper."

While several pastors praised Wright's and Piper's books as models of civil theological debate, David Swanson says Piper and his supporters have come across as "less generous and humble than I'd hope. On an emotional level, this makes Wright's view more intriguing. But I've tried not to dismiss the traditional Reformed view of justification out of hand because of the rhetoric." Swanson, pastor of community life at Chicago's New Community Covenant Church, said the debate has changed his ministry mostly in that "I'm more convinced of the mysterious nature of atonement and justification. I'm grateful that Scripture gives us ways to talk about it, but I'm hesitant to explain the mystery in too much detail."

The debate has provoked precisely the opposite response from Hershael York, pastor of Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort, Kentucky. "I find myself emphasizing these themes of God declaring us righteous, even though we are not, and imputing his own righteousness to us," he said. "Knowing that the dear people to whom I preach may hear this challenged by voices that have been otherwise trustworthy makes me a wary shepherd on watch against anything that would disturb the safety and security of my sheep."

Trevin Wax is associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and author of Holy Subversion: Allegiance to Christ in an Age of Rivals. He blogs at TrevinWax.com. Ted Olsen is CT's managing editor, news and online journalism.

Related Elsewhere:

The article was posted today with The Justification Debate: A Primer.

Previous Christianity Today articles on the topic of justification include:

Christ Alone | Why indulgences are still a bad idea. (June 1, 2009)

It's Not Broke, So Fix It | New EFCA statement of faith clarifies positions on controversial doctrines. (July 14, 2008)

What Did Paul Really Mean? | 'New perspective' scholars argue that we need, well, a new perspective on justification by faith. (August 10, 2007)

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June 2009, Vol. 53, No. 6

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The G

Posted: June 29, 2009 10:02 PM

JoJo is technically incorrect concerning justification. Justification is "Just if I'd paid the penalty" and not "just if I'd never sinned." God does take away the fact we sinned. Jesus paid the penalty for us on our behalf and so God is able to declare to sinners, "Penalty paid in full! Go free!" The work of grace is transferred to us by faith. Justification makes right or righteous not because it now appears we have never sinned, but that the JUSTICE of a holy God is SATISFIED because the penalty for our sin has been paid in full. Nothing changes the fact that we sinned. The punishment Jesus took in our place is the price that is imputed (IMPUTATION) to our spiritucal account so that we do not have to pay for our sins. We were guilty. That does not change. But the holiness of God is satisfied because our debt to Him for sin is paid. I recommend all read Jack Cottrell's latest book on Grace. Do yourselves a favour. It is excellent. Cottrell is superior to Wright.

RC	Posted: June 28, 2009 8:53 PM

Part of me can't help but think that this "debate" is a publisher-funded cock-fight. I don't get the impression that Wright was thrilled about having to defend himself against yet another Reformed evangelical who has inferred heresy on topics that he has not yet published on. Any pastor who actually takes the time to engage with Tom Wright's writings will come away with a better understanding of the categories that Paul used to describe these things. If that doesn't happen to square with classic Reformed theology then, yes, maybe we need to do some recalibration work (gasp!). But don't paint Wright as heterodox. He has done more to defend the historic Christian faith in scholarly and church circles than anyone else has in recent history and he deserves more respect among American evangelicals regardless of whether or not we happen to agree with all of his conclusions.

Jojo Bive - UFCC

Posted: June 28, 2009 1:28 PM

Justification is a legal act by which God declares a believer to have never sinned in His life on the basis of Christ's substitutionary death. A pardon is different in a sense that the one forgiven still has a record of what he was first of all forgiven of. Thus, an inmate who was pardoned is called an EX-CON. The forensic application of justification goes far beyond the commission of sin. It pressuposes that the believer has never sinned at all. For this reason, the one who believed in Christ is called a New Creation. There is no record of previous wrongs. Where Justification stops, sanctification begins. Justification is a one-act declaration that extends throughout the sanctification period. Sanctification ends on the day of glorification where our earthly bodies will be replaced with heavenly bodies for good.

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