Thursday, January 31, 2008

Romans 4:23-25

"Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification" (Romans 4:23-25).

Federal Visionists love this passage because they think that the resurrection has something to do with justification. However, this is utterly Tridentine.

The Reformed faith has always insisted that justification only involves the life and death of Jesus. Jesus’ life (law-keeping) is given to us in the imputation of the active obedience of Christ. Jesus’ death (payment for sin) is given to us in the imputation of passive obedience of Christ.

The resurrection has nothing to do with justification. The resurrection is probably important for other reasons, but it has no place in the Reformed doctrine of justification.