Justification by Faith
George Burnside
A FEW FACTS ON THE FAITH THAT JUSTIFIES
Is Justification by Faith Alone a Fact or a Fable?
Fact Number 1
There is no statement anywhere in the Bible that says we are justified by Faith Alone.
Fact Number 2
Martin Luther added the word 'Alone’, when translating the Bible into German, and was rebuked for so doing. "His insistence on faith was so definite that when he translated the New Testament, he added the word "Alone" to "faith" in Romans 3:28. This word is not in Scripture, he well knew, but he argued that it had been used before by others such as Ambrose in translating this passage." 7 Bible Commentary, page 50.
"There is the famous example where Luther rendered ‘Justification by faith' as 'justification by faith alone.' When taken to task for this liberty, he replied that he was not translating words but ideas, that the extra word was necessary in German to bring out the force of the original. Through all the revisions of his lifetime he would never relinquish that word 'alone.’ “Here I Stand," by Roland H Bainton, A life of Martin Luther.
Fact Number 3
Luther called James “an Epistle of Straw." In the introduction of his AD 1523 translation of the New Testament, Luther called James "an epistle of straw." Daniel Dragen. Bibliographic researcher in Chicago, U.S.A. Review & Herald, August 18, 1977
Fact Number 4
The Bible States: "Justified and not by faith alone." James 2:24
James 2:17 says "Faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone."
The only time the Bible links the word 'alone' with faith, it is to say it is a 'dead' faith. It is dead because it leads to death.
Faith without works is not faith - it is a fraud, a fake. Faith without works, God never regards. Works without faith, God never rewards.
Fact Number 5
The testimony of Jesus on ' Only Believe.'
"The doctrine of faith and faith only, is a popular doctrine." Great Controversy, page 472
"The Bible is against the ensnaring doctrine of faith without works." Great Controversy, page 472
"Let us not be deceived by the oft-repeated assertion 'all you have to do is to believe.' Faith and works are two oars which we must use equally.
Fact Number 6
Eternal Life is a Gift.
Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death." Note, Death is wages. It is earned. It is merited.
"But the gift of God is eternal life." Eternal life is a gift. It cannot be earned. We can never merit it. We cannot buy it. It is a gift.
Fact Number 7
There are conditions to the Receiving of God's Unspeakable Gift. "There are conditions to our receiving justification and sanctification, and the righteousness of Christ." 1 Selected Messages, page 377
"The conditions of eternal life, under grace, are just what they were in Eden - perfect righteousness, harmony with God, perfect conformity to the principles of His law." Mount of Blessings, page 116
Fact Number 8
There are perverters of the truth of justification by Faith. A class who pervert the doctrine off justification by faith and neglect to comply with the conditions laid down in the word of God ‘If you love Me keep My Commandments.' Religionists generally have divorced the law and the gospel. Let point be fully settled in every mind: If we accept Christ as a Redeemer, we must also accept Him as a Ruler. We cannot have the assurance and perfect confiding trust in Christ as our Savior until we acknowledge Him as our King and are obedient to His commandments. Thus we evidence our allegiance to God. We have then the genuine ring in our faith, for it is a working faith. It works by love." E.G.W. in Review & Herald, February 24, 1977.
REPENTANCE AND FAITH BRINGS JUSTIFICATION
Acts 20:21. "Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
Matthew 4:17. Jesus – “Repent"
Mark 1:15. Jesus “Repent you and believe the gospel." Note - Jesus put repentance before believe. Fools do at the end, (Revelation 6:14-17) what the wise do at the beginning.
WHAT IS REPENTANCE?
"Repentance includes sorrow for sin, and a turning away from it." Steps To Christ, page 26.
WITHOUT REPENTANCE THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION
"Repentance must precede forgiveness." 1 Selected Messages, page 390
"There is no salvation without repentance." 1 Selected Messages, page 365 It is true that repentance must precede forgiveness." l Selected Messages, page 390.
"Except the sinner repent, he cannot be forgiven." l Selected Messages, page 390.
SPIRIT OF PROPHECY COFIRMS THE SAME TRUTH
"Steps to Christ," which gives the plainest statement on the way to Christ and His justification is worthy of our earnest attention. All that Elders Jones and Waggoner of 1888 said on Righteousness by Faith, Sister White said too and she has put it even plainer. Note further, that the first step for the sinner to take is Repentance, as revealed in "Steps to Christ."
"How shall a man be just with God? (How can a man be justified?) How shall the sinner be made righteous? It is only through Christ that we can be brought into harmony with God, with holiness; but how are we to come to Christ? Many are asking the same question as did the multitudes on the day of Pentecost, when, convicted of sin, they cried out, 'What shall we do?' The first word of Peter's answer was, Repent." Steps to Christ, page 26.
JUSTIFICATION AND CONVERSION ARE JOINED BY GOD
John 1: 10. The world's maker was walking in this world and yet was ignored by the world.
John 1: 12,13. "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name, which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. " This Scripture gem reveals four great facts, that God has linked together. To receive the Lord Jesus Christ is to receive His power. This is by believing on His powerful peerless, and all-prevailing Name, and thus to be "born of God," and so become "sons of God."
"The whole heart must be yielded to God, or the change can never be wrought in us by which we are to be restored to His likeness." Steps to Christ, page 47
TO THEM GAVE POWER
In every command or injunction that God gives, there is a promise underlying the command." Mount Blessings, page 116