Five discourses on the soul's eternal salvation in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - III - First discourse continued

Required readingFive discourses on the soul's eternal salvation in Vol I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Third and Fourth Arguments of the Second Point (II. The proof of it) of the 'Discourse on Justification by Faith Alone'.

My summary.

This week Edwards continues the proof of the the doctrine that we are justified by faith only, without any manner of goodness of our own.

Firstly we read his third argument: 'That to suppose that we are justified by our own sincere obedience, or any of our own virtue or goodness, derogates from gospel grace.'

Then most of the reading is taken up with looking at his fourth argument: 'That to suppose a man is justified by his own virtue or obedience, derogates from the honour of the Mediator, and ascribes that to man's virtue which belongs only to the righteousness of Christ: it puts man in Christ's stead, and makes him his own saviour, in a respect in which Christ only is his Saviour. And so it is a doctrine contrary to the nature and design of the gospel, which is to abase man, and to ascribe all the glory of our salvation to Christ the Redeemer. It is inconsistent with the doctrine of the imputation of Christ's righteousness, which is a gospel-doctrine.'

Thus Edwards then spends most of his time discussing the imputation of Christ's righteousness by:

(i) explaining what we mean by the imputation of Christ's righteousness;

(ii) proving the thing intended by it to be true;

(iii) showing that this doctrine is utterly inconsistent with the doctrine of our being justified by our own virtue or sincere obedience.

What grabbed me

I liked how Edwards showed that Adam and Christ were subject to the same law: 'The law that Christ was subject to, and obeyed, was in some sense the same that was given to Adam. There are innumerable particular duties required by the law only conditionally; and in such circumstances, are comprehended in some great and general rule of that law. Thus, for instance, there are innumerable acts of respect and obedience to men, which are required by the law of nature, (which was a law given to Adam,) which yet are not required absolutely, but upon many pre-requisite conditions; as, that there be men standing in such relations to us, and that they give forth such commands, and the like. So many acts of respect and obedience to God are included, in like manner, in the moral law conditionally, or such and such things being supposed; as Abraham's going about to sacrifice his son, the Jews' circumcising their children when eight days old, and Adam's not eating the forbidden fruit; they are virtually comprehended in that great general rule of the moral law, that we should obey God, and be subject to him in whatsoever he pleases to command us. Certainly the moral law does as much require us to obey God's positive commands, as it requires us to obey the positive commands of our parents. And thus all that Adam, and all that Christ was commanded, even his observing the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish worship, and his laying down his life, was virtually included in this same great law.'

Christ's righteousness is the perfect fulfilment of all God's law and therefore we are perfectly righteous through faith in him.

Next week's reading

Read the Third Point (III. To show in what sense the act of a christian life, or of evangelical obedience, may be looked upon to be concerned in this affair).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.