R.C. SproulThis was my first time to hear Dr. R.C. Sproul in person.  I was greatly impressed.  God used this man as He did the others to teach and instruct me in areas that I needed. 

I know that justification by faith alone in Christ alone is at the center of preaching.  But I believe it is helpful for preachers, such as myself, to hear this as well. 

Thanks to Timmy Brister for this wonderful photo of Dr. Sproul!

Below, you will find my notes…

Together for the Gospel
4-27-06 Afternoon Session
Dr. R.C. Sproul

Justification: The Center of Christian Preaching

An Historical Reminder of the Importance of This Doctrine: Luther has stated that the doctrine of faith alone is the doctrine by which the church stands or falls. Further, it is indeed the article by which you or I stand or fall. Calvin added that sola fide is the hinge upon which everything turns.

This is not the common assessment of the importance of this doctrine today. Leaders, pastors, theologians have described this doctrine as the “small print” of the gospel, the “tempest of a teapot,” and even said to be no longer a serious issue today. Some have said that indeed the Reformation is over. Protestantism and Catholicism have mended their fences. With the rise of the New Perspective, we have had the rise of a “misunderstanding” of Paul’s teaching, thanks to N.T. Wright.

Towards the end of his life, Luther warned that church that the gospel will have to be reaffirmed in every generation because if you ever preach the doctrine of justification by faith alone boldly and accurately, it will produce conflict. You may not be threatened with burning at the stake today, but you will be faced with the loss of your pastorate…if you preach justification by faith today.

The RCC Understanding of Justification: This is a brief reconnaissance into Roman Catholicism. Rome has taught/teaches that justification is a sacerdotal matter; justification is administered by the church through the priesthood. In baptism, grace is infused into the recipient of the sacrament. The church teaches that to a degree, you actually become righteous through this. You will be in a state of grace as long as you keep yourself from mortal sin. This sin is mortal because it “kills” the justifying grace that has been infused into the soul.

The 2nd Council of Trent states that while this state of grace can be lost, true faith can remain.

Another sacrament comes into play – the sacrament of penance. If you lost your justification through mortal sin, you do not get it back through another baptism. You now need a 2nd sacrament and this is penance (confession, priestly absolution, and works of satisfaction). It is important to note that Luther retained confession. We confess to Christ in the name of Christ. In RCC, the priest does not absolve sin, it is the priest absolving sin through Christ on behalf of the people and through works of satisfaction.

This is what was lurking behind the indulgence controversy in the 16th century and the rise of Martin Luther’s 95 Thesis in 1517.

Make it clear that Rome teaches that in order to be justified, one must have faith – Protestants get this wrong about the RCC. Faith is the initiation, the foundation, and the root of justification. The problem is that faith, for the RCC, is that faith is a necessary condition, but it is not a sufficient condition. Sproul uses the illustration of fire and oxygen. Oxygen is necessary for fire, but not sufficient.

Protestants say that it is the presence of faith that justifies. This is enough to create the need for reformation. Faith alone through grace alone. Rome states that it is grace + merit.

One of the greatest debates in the 16th century was the debate of the instrumental cause. When Rome talks about justification, she says that the instrumental cause of justification is #1 the sacrament of baptism and #2 the sacrament of penance. The Reformation said that the instrumental cause is not in the sacraments, the one instrument alone is faith.

Luther says that the person who is justified is at the same time just and a sinner. This sent Rome reeling. This is exactly what the gospel is…. God does this by imputation. The meritorious cause that you have to be justified is the imputation of the righteousness of God to all who believe.

This is no abstract theological doctrine. It is not just important for us to believe it, but also defend and contend with our all for this doctrine. The righteousness of Christ that God imputes to us is righteousness outside of us. (What do you have that was not given?)

We are not justified by the doctrine of justification by faith. You can give your intellectual ascent to the truth of that idea without having the faith that will alone justify you. It is the possession of faith not the profession of faith that transfers people from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. Our only hope is the atonement of our Savior.

The gospel is good news..…the RCC has no gospel, a bad gospel, it is bad news.

The Roman view starts with baptism and gets recovered by penance.

The Reformed view starts with an acknowledging of sin, despairs of our own righteousness and trusts in Christ and Christ alone. All that He has is mine and we are now justified not just for today, but for eternity. Is there any better news than that? Preach justification by faith over and over and over. The church needs to hear it!!