AC,

No, I do not understand your confusion. Akin asserts that justification is a "process" worked out by the individual. We assert that justification is a "one time declaration" of God based upon the merits of Christ to believing sinners that they ARE justified; not might be, not will be IF they do xxxx, and not will be again at some future time.

Romans 4 clearly teaches that justification is apart from works and only through faith alone. And btw, faith doesn't justify... Christ justifies. Faith takes hold of Christ. Paul writes that Abraham believed God and it was reckoned, i.e., imputed (Gr. elogistha from logizomai) to him for righteousness. Paul cannot be made to say that this was but one of many instances where God imputed righteousness to Abraham for some act of obedience, for the entire chapter and the one proceeding is a polemic against justification by works, faith + works, or anything else.

In the verses you quoted, Paul is referring to Genesis 15, not 12 and not 17. Nowhere does Paul say that upon the basis of Abraham's offering up Isaac was righteousness imputed to him. The same is true of Genesis 12 when Abraham left his home country. And since it is Christ's righteousness which is imputed, then what more is needed?... a process of good works on the part of the justified one? Hardly. To assert such is to deny the sufficiency of Christ's atonement and His perfect active obedience, which both Rome, NPP, FV, etc., believe.

Some Romanists will say that they too teach justification by grace — by Christ’s righteousness, in fact. But the righteousness of Christ which they claim justifies is not Christ’s own personal righteousness reckoned or credited or given or imputed to believers. Romanists refer to the righteousness which Christ works into the life of the believer or infuses into him in his own living and behavior. It is not Christ’s personal righteousness but the believer’s personal righteousness, which he performs by the grace of God.

It is Christ’s righteousness versus the believer’s own righteousness. It is Christ’s achievement versus the Christian’s achievement. It is an imputed righteousness not an infused righteousness. It is a gift of God versus an accomplishment of man. These two righteousnesses are as different as righteousnesses could conceivably be.

Have you read Joel Beeke's article Justification by Faith Alone (The Relation of Faith to Justification)?

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simul iustus et peccator

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