"The Foolishness of the Gospel: Covenant and Justification Under Attack" was the theme of a conference hosted by Westminster Seminary California (WSC) on April 30 and May 1. At the conference, WSC faculty responded to recent developments they believe compromise the biblical doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone.

"Confusion and outright rejection of the doctrine of justification by faith alone exists - not in their churches but some of our churches," stated the brochure announcing the conference. "The doctrines of covenant and justification are under attack. It is time to respond."

 A standing room crowd from across North America came to hear that response, offered by WSC President Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, and professors Dr. Steven M. Baugh, Dr. Michael S. Horton, Dr. R. Scott Clark, and Dr. Hywel R. Jones.

At the conference, WSC released a "Testimony on Justification," which served as the launch pad for the lectures. The document outlines the criticisms made against the confessional understanding of justification, identifies the movements leading the charge, and highlights the confessional understanding.

The "Testimony" is directed at those who teach some or all of the following: 1) the Reformed doctrine of justification is not biblical; 2) Luther and Calvin differed on justification; 3) the Reformation misunderstood Paul on justification; 4) justification is not by faith alone but by "faithfulness" (trust in Christ and obedience); 5) the idea of Christ earning or meriting salvation for His people is unbiblical; 6) Christ died for our sins (passive obedience) but did not keep the law in our place (active obedience), and thus, Christ's righteousness is not imputed to believers as the grounds of their justification; 7) obedience and good works are not just the fruit of faith, but are part of the ground or instrument of justification; and 8) justification is in some way dependent on works at the final judgment.

Dr. Steven Baugh began by examining the so-called "New Perspective on Paul" (NPP), which asserts that the Reformation erred in developing the doctrine of justification by faith alone. According to the New Perspective, the concern of Paul in Romans and Galatians is not how sinners are right before God, but how gentiles are included in the covenant. According to the NPP, Paul advocates "covenantal nomism" or the idea that one gets into the covenant through grace, but stays in the covenant through law-keeping.

"If Paul is not arguing against legalism, then there are repercussions on how we should read Paul. The Reformed doctrine of justification cannot be right," Baugh warned.  

Baugh also addressed the formulations of Rev. Norman Shepherd that one is justified "in the way of faith and obedience" or through "a living and obedient faith" rather than faith alone. "He is clear in what he denies," said Baugh. "The covenant of works, the covenant of redemption, justification by faith alone, and that works are the fruit of justification, but, he is not clear on what he does believe."

Dr. Michael Horton argued that the "Federal Vision" proponents have spotted problems with some approaches to the covenant theology, but a covenant theology of "grace and obligation" is not the answer. According to Horton, "The cure is worse than the disease."

Historic covenant theology handles the problem through the covenant of redemption, which Christ fulfilled for us, the covenant of works with Adam as our federal head, which Christ also fulfilled for us by his active and passive obedience, and the covenant of grace where God the Spirit applies His saving grace to His people.

Horton emphasized that a Reformed view of covenant and justification must not join obedience to faith as a condition of justification. The result of such moves is to remove the distinction between law and gospel, to deny Christ's active obedience, confuse justification and sanctification, or posit an initial justification based on grace and a final justification based on works. Whatever we call this view, it is not the gospel.

"Justification must be by grace or works. It cannot be both," said Horton. Saying that one "gets in by grace and stays in by works is no different than Trent," he added. "No. We get in by grace and we stay in by grace, and, it involves some notion of merit - either ours or Christ's."

This theme was picked up by Dr. R. Scott Clark, who defended the imputation of Christ's active obedience. "When Christ said 'It is finished,' what did he mean?" asked Clark. "That I did my part now you do yours? Or, did it mean, 'I have done it all?' I submit it is the latter."

Jesus Christ kept the law, not just for himself, but for our sake as well. The basis upon which sinners are declared right with God is Christ's perfect obedience imputed to us when we believe. Clark noted that between 1603 and 1612 four French Reformed Synods affirmed the imputation of Christ's obedience, and this was reaffirmed again by the Synod of Dort in 1618-19. "The entire mainstream of Reformed theology taught the imputation of active obedience."

Confessional Reformed theology is rejected by the Federal Vision. For example, Rich Lusk denies not only active obedience, he says that "justification requires no transfer or imputation of anything." This view denies our sinfulness, said Clark. "We're not just a little fallen."

WSC President Dr. W. Robert Godfrey spoke on sola fide and rejected any notion that Luther and Calvin differed on the doctrine of justification. "Calvin defends Luther," said Godfrey. "On this, the Reformation speaks with one voice."

He said a test for any doctrine of justification is whether it raises the Romans 3:8 question: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may abound?" Herein lies the problem. "That question would never arise from reading these [Federal Vision, New Perspective] people," said Godfrey. "And if that question does not arise, you have not preached the gospel."

 Godfrey also criticized the redefinition of faith in justification, viewing it as more than resting in Christ's finished work. "When it comes to justification, faith, in and of itself, is of no worth or price," said Godfrey. In justification, it is Christ's person and work which makes faith powerful.

Dr. Hywel Jones capped the conference with a lecture on the role of justification in sanctification, emphasizing that a proper understanding of the relationship between them must always start by drawing distinctions. "There is not only one Saviour, there is only one way to be saved," said Jones.

 "Justification is the realization that one is pardoned of all sin, accepted by God without works of any kind, and this motivates and supports one in doing the will of God as nothing else does. Pursuing holiness has a number of motivators, but justification is prime. That is what drives the engine."

Jones emphasized that the Christian life is indeed a life of freedom from the curse of the law, but it is also a life of fulfilling the law out of gratitude. "There is no contradiction between the two statements. They are complementary and not contradictory," said Jones. "If we are not free from the law, we cannot begin to fulfill it."

On confusing justification and sanctification, Jones said "I hope you do not think we've been calling wolf in this conference. There will be those who hear of this, and will cry foul! But they have been smitten under the fifth rib, and that's what we would expect."

During the question and answer session, Dr. Godfrey said that the errors now being discussed are so serious that "People who hold these views should not hold office because these views are antithetical to the confessions."

According to the conference speakers, we need to understand that there is a serious challenge to the gospel in our midst, and with Paul, Luther and Calvin, the gospel must be re-stated and defended in our time.

Conference proceedings (on CD or cassette for $45 U.S.) and copies of the Testimony can be ordered by contacting Westminster Seminary California at (760) 480-8474.

Casey Vander Ploeg is a member of Bethel United Reformed Church of Calgary, Alberta.