# Resources on Justification



## Herald (Sep 4, 2005)

I am preaching for two weeks this October while my pastor is at the the Ligonier Pastors Conference in Orlando. I have chosen the topic of justification. Justification is under assualt by the N.P. and it demands to be taught biblically in our churches. I am reading, "Counted Righteous in Christ" by John Piper. Can anyone suggest one or two other good reads as prep material?

Thanks.

[Edited on 9-5-2005 by BaptistInCrisis]


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## Scot (Sep 5, 2005)

I have a little book called "Not Guilty" from Grace publications. It's the abridged version of James Buchanan's "Justification." You might want to check it out.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 5, 2005)

Romans 3 - 5!


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## Herald (Sep 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Scot_
> I have a little book called "Not Guilty" from Grace publications. It's the abridged version of James Buchanan's "Justification." You might want to check it out.



Thanks. I certainly will.


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## Herald (Sep 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> Romans 3 - 5!



You mean I should preach from the text? What a novel idea!


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## Steve Owen (Sep 5, 2005)

May I recommend very strongly
*The God Who Justifies* by James R. White (_Bethany House: _ISBN 0-7642-2288-0 )?

When I was studying, _Justification_ by Buchanan was required reading. I found it immensly hard going. Most 19th Century Scotsmen seem to have had a particularly turgid style of writing. Give me a Puritan any day! I'm glad to hear that there is a 'condensed' version of Buchanan available now.

The book by White is the first comprehensive study of Justification for more than 100 years- since Buchanan, in fact. White deals with it in a very careful and orthodox manner. Especially valuable are the detailed expositions of the relevant chapters of Romans, Galatians, James and other important passages of Scripture.

James white is not as well known in Britain as he is in America, and this is the first of his books that I've read. It is *excellent!* I would advise anyone uncertain of this doctrine to purchase it without delay. I am contemplating buying a dozen copies and sending them to the quasi-evangelical Pastors in my area in the hope that it might (dv) shake up their ideas.

One minor gripe is that it uses an obscure (to me anyhow!) version of the Bible, the N.E.T. Why White does this is a mystery, because he frequently has to correct it by the N.A.S.B. So why didn't he use that in the first place? 

There are positive reviews of this book on its back cover by Joel Beeke, Jay Adams, Fred Zaspel and Maurice Roberts.

Grace & Peace,

Martin

[Edited on 9-5-2005 by Martin Marprelate]

[Edited on 9-5-2005 by Martin Marprelate]


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## Scott Bushey (Sep 5, 2005)

The best resource in my opinion is Turretin's "Justification"


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## fredtgreco (Sep 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Scot_
> I have a little book called "Not Guilty" from Grace publications. It's the abridged version of James Buchanan's "Justification." You might want to check it out.



Buchanan's book is the locus classicus. There is nothing better.


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## NaphtaliPress (Sep 5, 2005)

See
http://www.fpcr.org/blue_banner_articles/articles.htm#Soteriology


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## Herald (Sep 5, 2005)

> "The question must finally be answered exegetically from biblical texts, not historical precedent." - John Piper, Counted Righteous in Christ - Crossway, 2002



Earlier today I had a dicussion with a university professor on this very topic. What I pulled out of this discussion is the belief, by many, that the imputation of Christ's righteousness is a uniquely Reformation idea and is not supported in the text. I disagree. Are we to say that all who believe imputation walk, in lock-step, with Luther and are not able to exegete the text independent of the Reformers?


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## RamistThomist (Sep 5, 2005)

_Justification by Faith ALONE_ is pretty good.


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## andreas (Sep 6, 2005)

This by A.W.Pink is great.

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Justification/justification.htm

andreas.


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## Brian (Sep 6, 2005)

> > Quote:
> >
> > "The question must finally be answered exegetically from biblical texts, not historical precedent." - John Piper, Counted Righteous in Christ - Crossway, 2002
> 
> ...



Though I agree with Piper that our ultimate authority is Holy Scripture, I think it false to think that justification by faith alone and the imputed righteousness of Christ is an article unique to the Reformation. Maybe not spelled out the same, but in the Early Church in infant form. Go here and check out the download. It deals specifically with the Ancient Fathers on justification etc.

Enjoy Piper, but be just a little careful with this book (take about 99%). Read White, Turretin, Buchanan, etc as well.

For God, the Just and the Justifier, of the ungodly,
BRIAN


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## Herald (Sep 6, 2005)

[/quote]Enjoy Piper, but be just a little careful with this book (take about 99%). Read White, Turretin, Buchanan, etc as well. [/quote]

I have to chuckle at your admonition. I have been resistent to reading Piper for a few years. My pastor and a few others in my church got on the Piper kick. I am a contrarian by nature, so I naturally refused to read Piper. Not a very scholarly response but uniquely me. So here I am, deciding to teach on justification and the imputation of Christ's righteousness, and who am I reading? Piper! I am also delving into the other authors suggested in this thread. Of course everything is filtered through the prism of God's word. 

As I said in my last post, I disagree with the premise that imputation is a uniquely Lutherian or Reformation teaching.

[Edited on 9-6-2005 by BaptistInCrisis]


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