Shaking of Adventism III

[Gerr]

In chapter 2, Paxton discusses "The Heart of the Reformation."

He makes several points of what he believes defines the central thrust of the reformation:

1. Salvation is by grace alone.

2. Salvation is through Christ alone.

3. Salvation is appropriated by faith alone.

I am in complete agreement with all three points, and I believe that is also the teaching of the SDAC. The stickler comes with the next proposition. He claims that, " Along with Paul, the Reformers also spoke of the 'righteousness of [or by]faith' in contradistinction to the righteousness which accompanies and follows faith. However, "The Reformers acknowledged that faith in the righteousness of Christ in heaven is never present without regneration and renewal, and that good works fllow as a consequence of faith. But the righteousness of faith is not, in whole or in part, that renewal which is present with faith. Neither is it that renewal which follows faith. The righteousness of faith is never to be confused with sanctification. It is not sanctification, nor does it include sanctification."

I would have to be shown where Paul makes a distinction between the righteousness that comes through justification from righteousness that comes through sanctification. While they are NOT one and the same, both are the work of God accepted through faith.

5. Perfectionism. That the "Reformers contended that the believer is righteous in this life only by faith. In saying this, they were not denying either the necessity or the reality of sanctification in all true believers. Rather, they were asserting that in this life sanctification is never good enough to stand in the judgment. The believer must look only to the righteousness of fait (the righteousness of the God-man) for his acceptance with God."

I am in complete agreement with this also.

Again, let me ask participants to PLEASE stay on topic.

[Doug]

When people say "by grace" does that mean God spared our lives because we should have been instantly gone when we commit a sin, like a pardon?