From his introduction to Witsius’ Economy of the Covenants,

Who is God? God is the triune Creator, who purposes to have a covenant people whom in love he will exalt for his glory. (“Glory” there means both God’s demonstration of his praiseworthiness and the actual praising that results.) Why does God so purpose? –why, that is, does he desire covenantal fellowship with rational beings? The most we can say (for the question is not one to which God has given us a direct answer) is that the nature of such fellowship observably corresponds to the relatonships of mutual honor and love between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit within the unity of the divine being, so that the divine purpose appears to be, so to speak, an enlarging of this circle of eternal love and joy. In highlighting the thought that covenantal communion is the inner life of God, covenant theology makes the truth of the Trinity more meaningful than it can otherwise be.

Reminds me of something I read about Peter Leithart recently. Also…

(When I wrote this I thought the pop-culture references were cool.  Now they just make me feel old.  TV artificially ages us.)

A. Repentance to life involves endeavoring to

1. believe real hard that your saved.
2. reject infant baptism.
3. stop watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
4. walk with God in all the ways of his commandments.

B. What is necessary so that no sinner may expect to be forgiven unless he does it?

1. Only believing that Jesus is Lord and God raised him from the dead.
2. Reading the Bible every morning before breakfast.
3. Promising never to disco dance.
4. Repentance to life.

C. Without the practice of true holiness by a Christian, what will result?

1. He won’t be a credible witness of God’s grace.
2. He will be able to make lots of money on the Trinity network.
3. He will continue watching TNT’s Witchblade because they know drama.
4. He will never see the Lord.

D. In addition to accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace, saving faith includes what other general acts?

1. No other acts; this is just a subtle attempt to deny the Protestant Doctrine of sola fide the article by with the Church stands of falls, and if you were any kind of real Reformed Pastor you would have repeated that article in Latin the way the nice people at ModernReformation do it.
2. Tipping no less than 15% no matter what the service was like.
3. Only attending churches where the preacher has law and gospel, in that order, in every sermon.
4. Believing to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein; and acting differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands, trembling at the threats, and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.

E. When are the elect justified in God’s sight?

1. From eternity; because God loved them and regarded them in Christ so that they have always been righteous in his sight.
2. From the moment Jesus died on the cross and made satisfaction for their specific sins so that there is no longer any just cause for them to be under God’s wrath.
3. Not until after 1516 because before that no one believed in justification as a forensic verdict received by faith alone and therefore, all “Christians” from the time of the Apostles until Luther, were nothing more than a pack of damned pagans.
4. At the time the Holy Spirit applies Christ to them.

F. Does God continually forgive those he has justified?

1. That is not possible because justification forgives all sins: past, present, and future.
2. Only as long as they renew their subscription to the White Horse Inn or until they subscribe to the Reformation & Revival Journal.
3. Normally, but not N. T. Wright’s.
4. Yes.

G. List out the ordo salutis.

1. Justification, Adoption, Sanctification.
2. Justification, Sanctification, Adoption.
3. I don’t know about Sanctification and Adoption but if you don’t put justification first you’re gonna burn.
4. There is no order in that sense: Union with Christ gives you Justification, Sanctification, and Adoption; and Justification, Sanctification, and Adoption are simply manifestations of our union with Christ.

H. What three things are required of us that we may escape God’s wrath and curse, which we deserve because of our transgression of the law of God?

1. Faith, faith, and faith.
2. Required? Christ fulfilled the conditions of the covenant. Solo Christo! Here I stand!
3. Faith, Repentance, and listening to the White Horse Inn regularly unless providentially hindered.
4. Repentance toward God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and the diligent use of the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation.

I. What is a sacrament?

1. A sacrament is a symbolic act meant to bring to mind a doctrinal truth.
2. An empty gesture.
3. A rite in the Roman Catholic Church.
4. A means by which Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are applied to believers, and thus an effectual means of salvation.

J. Is God in covenant with the Church as he was with the nation Israel?

1. No, the nation of Israel included many who were not predestined to eternal life but God’s new covenant is with the elect only in distinction from Israel.
2. No, this is the dispensation of grace where God no longer threatens covenant members with the possibility of being punished as Covenant breakers.
3. No, the book of Hebrews is in error.
4. Yes, The preface to the ten commandments still applies to us and it teaches us that God is a God in covenant, as with Israel of old, so with all his people; who, as he brought them out of their bondage in Egypt, so he delivers us from our spiritual thralldom; and that therefore we are bound to take him for our God alone, and to keep all his commandments.

---

ANSWER KEYFor Questions A & B:

Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 15

II. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God,[3] purposing and endeavoring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments.[4]

3. Ezek. 18:30-31; 36:31; Isa. 30:22; Psa. 51:4; Jer. 31:18-19; Joel 2:12-13; Amos 5:15; Psa. 119:128; II Cor. 7:11; I Thess. 1:9

4. Psa. 119:6, 59, 106; II Kings 23:25; see Luke 1:6

III. Although repentance be not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof,[5] which is the act of God’s free grace in Christ;[6] yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it.[7]

5. Ezek. 16:61-63; 36:31-32; Isa. 43:25
6. Hosea 14:2, 4; Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7
7. Luke 13:3, 5; Mark 1:4; Acts 17:30-31
For Question C:

Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 13

I. They, who are once effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart, and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection,[1] by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them:[2] the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed,[3] and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified;[4] and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces,[5] to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.[6]

1. I Thess. 5:23-24; II Thess. 2:13-14; Ezek. 36:22-28; Titus 3:5; Acts 20:32; Phil. 3:10; Rom. 6:5-6
2. John 17:17, 19; Eph. 5:26; Rom. 8:13-14; II Thess. 2:13
3. Rom. 6:6, 14
4. Gal. 5:24; Rom. 8:13
5. Col. 1:10-11; Eph. 3:16-19
6. II Cor. 7:1; Col. 1:28, 4:12; Heb. 12:14

For Question D:

Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 14

II. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word, for the authority of God himself speaking therein;[5] and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands,[6] trembling at the threatenings,[7] and embracing the promises of God for this life, and that which is to come.[8] But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.[9]

5. II Peter 1:20-21; John 4:42; I Thess. 2:13; I John 5:9-10; Acts 24:14
6. Psa. 119:10-11, 48, 97-98, 167-168; John 14:15
7. Ezra 9:4; Isa. 66:2; Heb. 4:1
8. Heb. 11:13; I Tim. 4:8
9. John 1:12; Acts 15:11, 16:31; Gal. 2:20; II Tim. 1:9-10

For Question E:

Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 9

IV. God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect,[11] and Christ did, in the fullness of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their justification:[12] nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit doth, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.[13]

11. Rom. 8:29, 30; Gal. 3:8; I Peter 1:2, 19-20
12. Gal. 4:4; I Tim. 2:6; Rom. 4:25
13. Eph. 2:3; Titus 3:3-7; Gal. 2:16; cf. Col. 1:21-22

For Question F:

Westminster Confession of Faith
Chapter 9

V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified;[14] and, although they can never fall from the state of justification,[15] yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of his countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.[16]

14. Matt. 6:12; I John 1:7, 9; 2:1-2
15. Rom. 5:1-5, 8:30-39; Heb. 10:14; cf. Luke 22:32; John 10:28
16. Psa. 32:5; ch. 51; 89:30-33; Matt. 26:75; Luke 1:20; I Cor. 11:30, 32
For Question G:

Westminster Larger Catechism

Q69: What is the communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ?

A69: The communion in grace which the members of the invisible church have with Christ, is their partaking of the virtue of his mediation, in their justification,[1] adoption,[2] sanctification, and whatever else, in this life, manifests their union with him.[3]

1. Rom. 8:30
2. Eph. 1:5
3. I Cor. 1:30
For Question H:

Westminster Larger Catechism

Q153: What doth God require of us, that we may escape his wrath and curse due to us by reason of the transgression of the law?

A153: That we may escape the wrath and curse of God due to us by reason of the transgression of the law, he requireth of us repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,[1] and the diligent use of the outward means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of his mediation.[2]

1. Acts 16:30-31; 20:21; Matt. 3:7-8; Luke 13:3, 5; John 3:16, 18
2. Prov. 2:1-5; 8:33-36

For Question I:

Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q91: How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?

A91: The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them;[1] but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them.[2]

1. I Cor. 3:7
2. I Peter 3:21

Q92: What is a sacrament?
A92: A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented,[1] sealed, and applied to believers.[2]

1. Gen. 17:10
2. Rom. 4:11

For Question J:

Westminster Larger Catechism

Q33: Was the covenant of grace always administered after one and the same
manner?

A33: The covenant of grace was not always administered after the same manner, but the administrations of it under the Old Testament were different from those under the New.[1]

1. II Cor. 3:6-9

Q34: How was the covenant of grace administered under the Old Testament?

A34: The covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament, by promises,[1] prophecies, [2] sacrifices,[3] circumcision,[4] the passover,[5] and other types and ordinances, which did all foresignify Christ then to come, and were for that time sufficient to build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah,[6] by whom they then had full remission of sin, and eternal salvation.[7]

1. Rom. 15:8
2. Acts 3:20, 24
3. Heb. 10:1
4. Rom. 4:11
5. I Cor. 5:7
6. Heb. ch. 8-10; 11:13
7. Gal. 3:7-9, 14

Q35: How is the covenant of grace administered under the New Testament?

A35: Under the New Testament, when Christ the substance was exhibited, the same covenant of grace was and still is to be administered in the preaching of the word,[1] and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism [2] and the Lord’s Supper;[3] in which grace and salvation are held forth in more fulness, evidence, and efficacy, to all nations.[4]

1. Mark 16:15
2. Matt. 28:19-20
3. I Cor. 11:23-25
4. II Cor. 3:6-9; Heb. 8:6, 10-11; Matt. 28:19

Q101: What is the preface to the ten commandments?

A101: The preface to the ten commandments is contained in these words, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.[1] Wherein God manifesteth his sovereignty, as being JEHOVAH, the eternal, immutable, and almighty God;[2] having his being in and of himself,[3] and giving being to all his words [4] and works:[5] and that he is a God in covenant, as with Israel of old, so with all his people;[6] who, as he brought them out of their bondage in Egypt, so he delivers us from our spiritual thralldom;[7] and that therefore we are bound to take him for our God alone, and to keep all his commandments.[8]

1. Exod. 20:2
2. Isa. 44:6
3. Exod. 3:14
4. Exod. 6:3
5. Acts 17:24, 28
6. Gen. 17:7; Rom. 3:29
7. Luke 1:74-75
8. I Peter 1:15-18; Lev. 18:30, 19:37

Q166: Unto whom is Baptism to be administered?

A166: Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, and so strangers from the covenant of promise, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him,[1] but infants descending from parents, either both, or but one of them, professing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are in that respect within the covenant, and to be baptized.[2]

1. Acts 2:38; 8:36-37
2. Gen. 17:7, 9; Gal. 3:9, 14; Col. 2:11-12; Acts 2:38-39; Rom. 4:11-12;
11:16; I Cor. 7:14; Matt 28:19; Luke 18:15-16

I keep asking about how people go about defending the imputation of the active obedience of Christ. I think one of Turretin’s arguments, the one I agree with, is from union with Christ (Lusk affirms this as well, for those of you who care). But other defenses of the doctrine seem like they do more damage to the message of the cross than anything else.

For example:

All the punishment required of us because of our sin, Christ endured for us on the cross. And all the obedience that God required of us, that he, as our Father, might be completely for us and not against us forever, Christ has performed for us in his perfect obedience to God.

But this only works if the punishment Christ endured for us is insufficient to cover sin of failing to obey what God requires of us.

And that cannot possibly be true. In fact, it is an idea that most Evangelicals would instictively recoil from. Even our hymns show this:

This is all my hope and peace:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my righteousness:
nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Of course the rest of Piper’s essay is excellent, except that, instead of claiming that the error he is refuting detracts from Christ’s cross, he says it detracts from Christ’s cross and obedience, as if the cross did indeed require supplementation.

If one wants to include the life of Jesus leading up to the cross in what is imputed to us, the most natural and Biblical way to do this would be to consider the resurrection. This would give us the advantage of actually sounding Pauline rather than sounding like the very basic Gospel depends on formulas that are never found in the apostolic preaching or writing. For example:

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

I quote the whole context to point out the overwhelming emphasis on the resurrection. But notice the resurrection is a forensic event. When Christ was declared righteous at his resurrection, that verdict was not only for himself, but for all believers. That verdict is imputed to us. We are declared righteous in Christ, the righteous one. And that declaration was obviously for his whole life–a declaration that Christ had been totally faithful. We, thus, get credited as totally faithful in Christ.

What we never find in the Bible is anyone preaching the formula “death and righteousness,” or his “doing and dying.” No, constantly we find the death and resurrection of Christ presented as the all-sufficient basis for our standing before God. This isn’t a case where we need a special term like “Trinity.” There is no reason why the apostolic preaching and writing should be insufficient to give us a shorthand summary of the Gospel message we are supposed to preach.

related

Sorry that this is a post for “insiders” (which I do a lot; the apology represents a wish to do so less often).

I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself,
that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
Correct me, O Lord, but in justice;
not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.
Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not,
and on the peoples that call not on your name,
for they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him and consumed him,
and have laid waste his habitation (Jeremiah 10.23-25).

I reject the idea of some sort of (oxymoronic and non-meritorious) “covenantal merit” because, if we applied the idea consistently, we would have to say that believer’s in the NT merit salvation. And that is not true.

If one wants to make a distinction between the Covenant of Works and of Grace, why not speak of a “legal condition” instead of an “instrumental condition”?

Just a thought.

1. PCA report on NPP/FV: a summary

2. PCA report on NPP/FV: some positives

3. PCA report on NPP/FV: some concerns 1

4. PCA report on NPP/FV: some concerns 2

5. PCA report on NPP/FV: some concerns 3

6. PCA report on NPP/FV: some concerns 4

7. PCA report on NPP/FV: some concerns 5

8. PCA report on NPP/FV: some concerns 6

9. PCA report on NPP/FV: conclusions

Humble answers says:

Lastly, the writers question the Committee’s intention, through the Report, of binding PCA pastors to believe in “the concept of merit under the covenant of works.” During his ordination, each PCA elder must answer the following question in the affirmative: “Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith and the Catechisms of this church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures; and do you further promise that if at any time you find yourself out of accord with any of the fundamentals of this system of doctrine, you will, of your own initiative, make known to your Session the change which has taken place in your views since the assumption of this ordination vow?” (BCO 24-6). These Standards speak of “a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience” (WCF 7.2). It would appear that PCA pastors are already bound by their ordination vows, and the committee report merely calls upon them to affirm those vows.

Dr. Ligon Duncan humbly answers:

What God is doing is not merited. Adam has not merited this. We use the phrase Covenant of Works, not to say that man earned these blessings, but to express the fact that this original relationship had no provision for the continuation of God’s blessings if disobedience occurred. So it was a covenant contingent upon Adam continuing in his obligations. (emphasis all in the original).

MORE