God Who Justifies

R. White James

Description

A Comprehensive Study of the Doctrine of JustificationThe history of the Christian church pivots on the doctrine of justification by faith. Once the core of the Reformation, the church today often ignores or misunderstands this foundational doctrine. Theologian James White calls believers to a fresh appreciation of, understand of, and dedication to the great doctrine of justification and then provides an exegesis of the key Scripture texts on this theme.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2007
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441211644
• Langue: English

Extrait

Copyright © 2001 James R. White
Published by Bethany House Publishers 11400 Hampshire Avenue South Bloomington, Minnesota 55438 www.bethanyhouse.com
Bethany House Publishers is a division of Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan. www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-1164-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the NET (New English Translation). Copyright © 1997–2001, Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. and the authors. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified ASV are from the American Standard Version (1901).
Scripture quotations identified JB are from The Jerusalem Bible © 1966 Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Scripture quotations identified KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations identified NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ® , © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations identified NEB are from the New English Bible © 1970 Oxford and Cambridge Universities Presses.
Scripture quotations identified NKJV are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified NIV are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® . Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations identifed NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations identified TEV are from the Bible in Today’s English Version ( Good News Bible ). Copyright © American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976, 1992
Scripture quotations identified TLB are from The Living Bible © 1971 owned by assignment by Illinois Regional Bank N.A. (as trustee). Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.
Cover design by Eric Walljasper
The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.
“The great truth this book so ably proclaims, explains, and defends is the heart of the Christian faith. In a time when so many are fleeing our great heritage in the Protestant Reformation, James White has performed an admirable service in this thorough study of justification. If you do not understand this vital doctrine, you must read this book. If you do and are already persuaded, you will profit immensely by this faithful and uplifting exposition.”
Richard D. Phillips , Minister of Preaching, Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“Certain doctrines are absolutely essential to genuine Christianity. One of those central theological truths, justification by faith, has been under concerted attack over the last decade. The God Who Justifies is a timely treatment of this crucial tenet of Christian faith. Basing his argument squarely on the Word of God, Dr. James White powerfully demonstrates that the historic position of Christian theology accurately expresses the teaching of the Bible. The God Who Justifies is an important contribution to the defense of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
James M. Renihan , PhD, Dean of the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies and Associate Professor of Historical Theology
“That God in grace justifies ungodly people through Jesus Christ and by faith alone is both the central theme of the Christian gospel and the whole ground of the believer’s hope. James White has done us a favor in providing a careful articulation of it biblically, theologically, and evangelically. It is a pleasure to recommend his new book as a reliable resource for deepening your understanding of this great theme.”
Fred G. Zaspel , Pastor, Word of Life Baptist Church, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Lecturer in Religious Studies, Pennsylvania State University, Schuylkill Campus
“The doctrine of justification is a jewel in the crown of Christ’s gospel, which many hands have fought over. Where it is lost, churches and nations perish. We warmly welcome the up-to-date and orthodox treatment by Professor James R. White.”
Maurice Roberts , Editor, Banner of Truth Magazine
This work is dedicated with Christian love and honor to some of my closest brothers in the Lord who have been so instrumental in encouraging me in the path of righteousness. Christian brothers are a gift from God, so with heartfelt thanks I dedicate this work to:
Brick Darrow,
a brother whose constancy in faith challenges and encourages me;
George Soto,
my truly powerful brother in Christ;
Michael Porter,
to whom I am often the student;
Warren Smith,
my long lost younger brother and dear friend;
Michael O’Fallon,
whose dedication and selfless service to Christ inspire all who know him;
David King,
my dear fellow minister in the gospel;
Colin Smith,
my British brother, Phil Keaggy fan, and everyday encourager;
&
My fellow elders Don Cross and Don Fry, with whom I share the call of the gospel at the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church.
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Endorsements
Dedication

Introduction: A Neglected Yet Vital Issue
Chapter 1: The Heart of the Gospel
Chapter 2: The Centrality of God’s Word
Chapter 3: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Chapter 4: What Is Justification by Faith?
Chapter 5: Justified: The Bible’s Meaning
Chapter 6: The Grounds of Justification: The Cross of Christ
Chapter 7: Imputation: The Only Hope of the Sinful Soul
Chapter 8: Luther’s Dunghill
Chapter 9: Introduction to Exegetical Defense and Demonstration of Justification by Faith
Chapter 10: Romans 1–3:18: The Foundation Man in Sin
Chapter 11: Romans 3:19–31: The Gospel Stated
Chapter 12: Romans 4:1–12: The God Who Justifies
Chapter 13: Romans 4:13–5:1: Justification Applied
Chapter 14: Romans 8:28–34: Justification in the Golden Chain of Redemption
Chapter 15: Accursed of God: The Gospel Brings Judgment
Chapter 16: Paul Confronts Peter on the Gospel
Chapter 17: Grace, Faith, and Law
Chapter 18: Fallen From Grace
Chapter 19: Paul’s Summary of Salvation to the Ephesians
Chapter 20: James Attacks Empty Faith
Chapter 21: Exegesis of Important Passages Not Yet Covered
Bibliography
Subject Index
Scripture Index
About the Author
BHP Books by James R. White
INTRODUCTION
A Neglected Yet Vital Issue
T hroughout the history of what is called the Christian church there has been a constant desire on the part of some to “return to the simplicity and purity of the apostolic era.” Many today seek to rid themselves of the trappings of the modern church and return to what they seem to believe was a “golden age” of the church, a time when apostles walked the earth and proclaimed with authority the truth of God in Jesus Christ.
Yet when we take time to consider the writings of those apostles, we discover that their ministry was hardly one of ease and simplicity. In fact, the letters they wrote, primarily preserved for us in the writings of Paul, reveal a situation that is hauntingly like what we experience today. They struggled with difficulties in the church that ran the gamut from personal bickering, gossiping, and slander, to sin in the camp, strife between parties, and jealousy among church leaders (what we would call today “church politics”). But most telling is the constant struggle the apostles themselves faced with false teachers. Heresy, a word that seemingly has fallen out of the modern church lexicon, was a constant concern for John, Peter, Luke, and Paul.
Immediately the Christian with a finger on the pulse of most of contemporary Christendom senses a “disconnect” at this point. Heresy, false teaching, false doctrine such seem so “out of touch” with the modern day, for they assume the one thing our culture has been so adamant on denying: objective standards of morality and truth. No one can be seeker-friendly while clashing openly and directly with the main pillar of cultural orthodoxy: subjectivism (“My truth is cool, yours is too ‘-ism’”). The church that unashamedly tells people “This is truth, what you embrace is error. Repent and believe the gospel” is immediately consigned to the trash heap of the old ways that no longer work. Such a fellowship might as well hang a sign out front: “Proud Member of the Church Shrinkage Movement.”
But the disconnect only widens when one considers the topics that occupied the minds of the early Christian