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- Title
ORIGINAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.
- Authors
Boersema, Ralph F.
- Abstract
Understanding Christian justification starts with Adam's righteousness at creation, righteousness that was integral to the image of God. He was not called to attain righteousness through performance of works, but to preserve the right-standing he received as a gift at creation. Had he not sinned, his obedience would have maintained and testified to this righteousness. The Bible does not teach a distinction between innocence and righteousness. For Adam, righteousness was not a commodity to be produced in order to earn right-standing or eternal life. Right-standing was his from the beginning, even though it could be lost through unfaithfulness to the Lord. Entitlement to eternal life was his through sonship and would become his, by sight, when man's work on earth was completed and the mandate to fill the earth and subdue it was fulfilled. The probation was not a means of attaining justification. Adam was counted as righteous from the beginning. Instead, the probation was intended to serve as a means for spiritual growth, as happened in Jesus' life. To correctly understand justification the right order must be observed. One must be righteous before he can perform righteousness and not the other way around. Adam's original righteous obedience was not that of works without faith. In true righteousness, faith and works are joined. When the New Testament contrasts faith and works, it is not distinguishing between two functions in the life of the believer, but two incompatible principles: salvation through faith in Christ and his atonement, rather than justification through self-righteous works.
- Subjects
CHRISTIAN life; JUSTIFICATION (Christian theology); SELF-righteousness; BIOGRAPHY of Jesus Christ; AFTERLIFE in Christianity
- Publication
Fides Reformata, 2013, Vol 18, Issue 2, p99
- ISSN
1517-5863
- Publication type
Article