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NASB | Romans 8:33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 8:33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]. |
Subject: Theological Term: Justification |
Bible Note: Continuing the discussion of justification: The verb justify in the Greek has a range of meanings but a very common meaning is "to declare righteous." You can see this meaning very clearly in Paul's writings. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5) It is a legal declaration. Imagine a judge acquitting a man on trial for a crime. The judge declares his innocence. Note that in this case the judge does not make the man innocent, rather his judgment is a declaration to the society at large that the man is to be considered and treated innocent. This is a common understanding of what judges are supposed to do. We see this in the Old Testament. (By the way, the Septuagint translates the word justify using the same word that Paul uses.) If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. (Deuteronomy 25:1) With that in mind, look again at the verse cited in this post. Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (Romans 8:33-34) When the Bible contrasts justification with condemnation, the legal nature of justification becomes even more obvious. Please note at this point that God can declare a believer to be just because He imputes the righteousness of Christ to him. As I have noted in previous posts, Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer, therefore God think of it as belonging to the believer (Romans 4:3, 6; 5:17). Further, the believer's sin is imputed to Christ. See also 1 Corinthians 1:30, Philippians 3:9, Romans 3:21-22, etc. - - - - - - - - - - - - This view of justification is very different from the Roman Catholic perspective. Their view is not based on imputed righteousness, but rather "infused righteousness." This is righteousness that God is said to place inside of the believer in order to cause his nature to change in such a way as to cause him to merit grace. Consequently, believers experience various degrees of justification, but no one can know for certain if they are in a "state of grace" without explicit, special revelation by God. As Ludwig Ott, a Roman Catholic theologian, writes, "For the justified eternal life is both a gift of grace promised by God and a reward for his own good works and merits . . . Salutary works are, at the same time, gifts of God and meritorious acts of man." - - - - - - - - - - - - - "The word gospel means good news. That which is preached as gospel in so many churches is not even news. A man has been found guilty, shall we say, of a heinous crime and has been sentenced to death. He is now in prison, awaiting the day of his execution. A friend comes to visit him. This friend calls out: 'I have good news for you!' Eagerly the condemned man asks: 'What is it?' The answer comes: 'Be good.' In that message there is not so much as a shred of good news. It is most cruel mockery. Yet many a self-styled minister of Christ holds forth to sinners under the sentence of eternal death a precisely equivalent message as gospel." --R. B. Kuiper "Alas! it is an infinite righteousness that must satisfy for our sins, for it is an infinite God that is offended by us. If ever your sin be pardoned, it is infinite mercy that must pardon it; if ever you be reconciled to God, it is infinite merit must do it; if ever your heart be changed, and your soul renewed, it is infinite power must effect it; and if ever your soul escape hell, and be saved at last, it is infinite grace must save it." --Matthew Mead |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Rom 8:33 | Author | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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Tamara Brewington |