I’m Just Sayin’…..
“When the ground of justification moves from Christ outside of us to the work of Christ inside of us, the gospel (and the human soul) is imperiled. It is an upside down gospel.”
~ John Piper
“When the ground of justification moves from Christ outside of us to the work of Christ inside of us, the gospel (and the human soul) is imperiled. It is an upside down gospel.”
~ John Piper
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Bill,
If I recall correctly, you are Presbyterian. Is that right? If so, should I assume you agree with everything your denomination believes and practices because you are associated with them? I suspect not. Why then do you, Paul and others like you insist on assuming that because people hold some beliefs in common,they must all believe all the same things?
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Bill,
Do you really believe God accepts us as righteous based on our works? Your comment about Cornelius makes it appear you believe that. Or could he have been a Jewish proselyte who had not yet fully made the transition into the church. I don’t think we are actually told he wasn’t circumcised are we? We are told he was a devout person who feared God. This is language that was usually used of proselytes. You certainly aren’t suggesting that his works were acceptable to God in and of themselves apart from the cleansing blood of Christ? My Bible says we offer acceptable sacrifices to God THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. Are you suggesting that our works are acceptable to God apart from Christ? Do you think your works are no longer tainted by any sin whatsoever? If they are tainted by any sin at all, isn’t it “filthy” sin? Is there any other kind?
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Bill,
Could you give some detail about your definition of “Antinomianism?” That term has been used so differently throughout Church history that I am not sure what you mean by it.
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Paul,
If Bridges believes legal union and vital union are the same, why does he write the following?
“We can DISTINGUISH these aspects of our union with Christ this way:”
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A,
He says they are the same for all practical purposes because the only way to access the
vital union is thru the legal union. “Disciplined by Grace” p.94 Bridges also says on the same page that the vital union cannot be accessed through our own efforts, but only by the legal union via preaching the gospel to ourselves. So, there should be no effort to obey, but rather a focus on the legal union. Ie.,Gospel
Contemplationism which is backdoor antinomianism. Does that answer your question?
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A,
He says they are the same for all practical purposes because the only way to access the
vital union is thru the legal union. “Disciplined by Grace” p.94 Bridges also says on the same page that the vital union cannot be accessed through our own efforts, but only by the legal union via preaching the gospel to ourselves. So, there should be no effort to obey, but rather a focus on the legal union. Ie.,Gospel
Contemplationism which is backdoor antinomianism. Does that answer your question?
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Does he say “they are the same for all practical purposes” or are those your words? If one is accessed through the other, they could not be the same in any sense. If they were the same or even the same for all practical purposes, then the vital would not need to be accessed by the legal. It would be the same as the legal. To say that the same people enjoy both legal and vital union with Christ is a true statement. To say they are the same for all practical purposes is not.
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He plainly says the vital union is accessed by preaching the legal union to ourselves: end
of discussion.
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Costa Rica,
I see I’ve got lots of questions here. Hope all is well down there. Will ans. as time allows.
“Do you not distinguish between Christ in us and the ground of our justification being Christ in us? ”
Yes, I agree with the statement above. Ground and application differ.
Arkansas Bill
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Costa Rica,
Your question:
“Do you really believe false brothers derail God’s plan and purpose? What a pitiful god. The God I serve always accomplishes his purpose.”
Yeah, the God I serve always accomplishes his purpose in the ultimate sense (decreetive will). However, in the drama of this life, for example, “the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.” God had plan for man, but sin derailed the plan. God’s going to get it done anyhow.
Arkansas Bill
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