Brian Bosse
"The Brain"
I would like to some feedback on the particular model presented below concerning the relationship between justification and works. I plan to build on this, and as such, I want to check my thinking before I go any further. Thank you all for your consideration. To begin, I will try to make explicit my assumptions, which I do not intend to argue for.
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Assumption 1: Regeneration precedes faith.
Regeneration is referred to in the Scriptures as being born-again (John 3:3-8). It is also described as being given a new heart – the heart of stone being replaced by a heart of flesh (Ez. 36:26-27).
Assumption 2: The God ordained instrumental means by which a sinner enters into the state of justification is faith alone (Rm. 3:28).
Assumption 3: Good works necessarily follow regeneration.
Support Verses: 1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 4:7; Matt. 7:15-20; etc…
Assumption 4: Good works justify (vindicate) one’s faith. That is to say, good works are a demonstration that one’s faith is genuine (James 2:14-ff.).
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Based on these assumptions, here is a diagram that I believe is consistent with the assumptions above showing the relationship between regeneration, faith, justification and good works.
The top darker portion of the diagram represents those things that we cannot see. Most would agree the God’s work of regeneration and justification is not something we see; yet, one might reasonable argue that they knew when they exercised faith, and in this sense could see it. My model attempts to account for the idea that a subjective experience of coming to faith does not make it objectively genuine. Assurance of genuine faith can come in a number of ways, one of which is the fruit in our lives over time, i.e., our good works (James 2:14-ff).
One will immediately see that everything flows out of God’s sovereign act of regeneration. From this we can clarify the relationships a little further.
Relation 1 (Faith and Justification): Faith is the instrumental means of justification.
Relation 2 (Regeneration and Faith): Regeneration is the efficient cause of faith.
Relation 3 (Regeneration and Justification): Regeneration is the efficient cause of the instrumental means of justification.
Relation 4 (Regeneration and Good Works): Regeneration is the efficient cause of good works.
Relation 5 (Faith and Good Works): Faith and good works have the same efficient cause.
Relation 6 (Justification and Works): The "instrumental means of justification" and good works have the same efficient cause.
Now, there are a lot of interesting logical relationships between all four of these theological ideas. However, what is glaring is that in this model nowhere do we see good works having any instrumental role in justification. There is only an indirect relationship between the two. So, I can affirm things like “if we do not grow weary in doing good works, then we will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:9)” by understanding Paul’s words here to mean that if we do not persevere in good works, then we are not regenerate, which is a necessary step for justification resulting in eternal life. (Perhaps, I should add eternal life to this model? It would spring from justification going below the line into the "seen" section.)
Notice, there is no direct connection between works and eternal life. One other point regarding this model is that good works do not flow from faith. Rather, good works flow from a regenerate heart. As such, when James says things like “Faith, if it has no works, is dead,” I take him to mean that a lack of good works is an indication of an unregenerate heart, which certainly entails that any claim to genuine faith is false.
Again, thank you all for your consideration. I am looking forward to your feedback, critique and correction.
Sincerely,
Brian
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Assumption 1: Regeneration precedes faith.
Regeneration (def.): The sovereign act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life.
Regeneration is referred to in the Scriptures as being born-again (John 3:3-8). It is also described as being given a new heart – the heart of stone being replaced by a heart of flesh (Ez. 36:26-27).
Assumption 2: The God ordained instrumental means by which a sinner enters into the state of justification is faith alone (Rm. 3:28).
Justification (def.): A sinner is justified if and only if “the sinner, received into communion with Christ, is reconciled to God by His grace, while, cleansed by Christ’s blood, he obtains forgiveness of sins, and clothed with Christ’s righteousness as if it were his own, he stands confident before the heavenly judgment seat.” – Institutes, Book 3, Chapter 17, Section 8.
Assumption 3: Good works necessarily follow regeneration.
Support Verses: 1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 4:7; Matt. 7:15-20; etc…
Assumption 4: Good works justify (vindicate) one’s faith. That is to say, good works are a demonstration that one’s faith is genuine (James 2:14-ff.).
____________________________________
Based on these assumptions, here is a diagram that I believe is consistent with the assumptions above showing the relationship between regeneration, faith, justification and good works.
The top darker portion of the diagram represents those things that we cannot see. Most would agree the God’s work of regeneration and justification is not something we see; yet, one might reasonable argue that they knew when they exercised faith, and in this sense could see it. My model attempts to account for the idea that a subjective experience of coming to faith does not make it objectively genuine. Assurance of genuine faith can come in a number of ways, one of which is the fruit in our lives over time, i.e., our good works (James 2:14-ff).
One will immediately see that everything flows out of God’s sovereign act of regeneration. From this we can clarify the relationships a little further.
Relation 1 (Faith and Justification): Faith is the instrumental means of justification.
Relation 2 (Regeneration and Faith): Regeneration is the efficient cause of faith.
Relation 3 (Regeneration and Justification): Regeneration is the efficient cause of the instrumental means of justification.
Relation 4 (Regeneration and Good Works): Regeneration is the efficient cause of good works.
Relation 5 (Faith and Good Works): Faith and good works have the same efficient cause.
Relation 6 (Justification and Works): The "instrumental means of justification" and good works have the same efficient cause.
Now, there are a lot of interesting logical relationships between all four of these theological ideas. However, what is glaring is that in this model nowhere do we see good works having any instrumental role in justification. There is only an indirect relationship between the two. So, I can affirm things like “if we do not grow weary in doing good works, then we will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:9)” by understanding Paul’s words here to mean that if we do not persevere in good works, then we are not regenerate, which is a necessary step for justification resulting in eternal life. (Perhaps, I should add eternal life to this model? It would spring from justification going below the line into the "seen" section.)
Notice, there is no direct connection between works and eternal life. One other point regarding this model is that good works do not flow from faith. Rather, good works flow from a regenerate heart. As such, when James says things like “Faith, if it has no works, is dead,” I take him to mean that a lack of good works is an indication of an unregenerate heart, which certainly entails that any claim to genuine faith is false.
Again, thank you all for your consideration. I am looking forward to your feedback, critique and correction.
Sincerely,
Brian