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Friday: Further Thought – Justification by Faith — 5 Comments

  1. Thank you to ALL those who have posted this week. Personally, your input has certainly fostered much thinking, reflecting and bible re-searching in preparation for my teaching of this week's lesson.

    God guide us as we seek to see and know You more and more clearly - so that we can be healed, transformed and restored more and more into your likeness to bring you glory and to be better 'serve' those around us in a way that lifts you up!

    (27)
  2. I have recognized that the good Lord is trying His best to save us all. We have read all the facets which will aid in saving our souls so there is absolutely no excuse for this not to be done. Readers let us all purpose in our hearts to make it to Heaven. I want to be there, what about you?

    (6)
  3. EGW has written, "Pardon and justification are one and the same thing!" [Exclamation point mine.] You can read her entire paragraph in FW103.2.An SDA university theologian once said, we should be aware of the grammar in Romans 3:23: "All *have sinned*, [present perfect tense] and *come short* [present tense] of the glory of God." He added, this would therefore mean we should be justified daily. My words: Justification--put right with God daily; sanctification--keeping right and growing, with God, daily.

    Have so enjoyed and benefited from all the posts!

    (5)
    • Hi Lorayne.

      Your post got me pondering - I wonder if justification and sanctification are more intertwined and less distinct that they are often made out to be.

      So I did some digging. I found that in 1 Cor 6:11 the order of terms is reversed (justification is mentioned after sanctification). Did Paul make a mistake - or is it perhaps that there is no clear order and distinction?

      Did some more digging. I found a reference to Ellen White's earlier life experience during a time where she anguished for fear that she was somehow not able to be saved. The following quote is from Life Sketches (1880, p 150.2)

      “My ideas concerning justification and sanctification were confused. These two states were presented to my mind as separate and distinct from each other. Yet I failed to comprehend the difference or understand the meaning of the terms, and all the explanations of the preachers increased my difficulties...."

      From the context, it appears that the presentation to her mind of justification and sanctification as 2 separate and distinct states was from preachers - not from personal divine revelation.

      Later in her life, she wrote the following (Faith & Works: p 14.2)

      "Many commit the error of trying to define minutely the fine points of distinction between justification and sanctification. Into the definitions of these two terms they often bring their own ideas and speculations. Why try to be more minute than is inspiration on the vital question of righteousness by faith? Why try to work out every minute point, as if the salvation of the soul depended upon all having exactly your understanding of this matter? All cannot see in the same line of vision."

      The reference to Inspiration in the above quote by Ellen White appears to be the Bible.

      Have we somehow muddied the waters on this topic? Is there a context through which the realities of justification and sanctification are actually more synonymous and less separate and distinct?

      Hmmmm. Food for thought...

      (3)
  4. God love us much his plans is to safe us and what we as human need to do is to do good to others and have faiths in Jesus. May God help us.

    (0)

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