Sunday, April 12, 2015

For the Believer his standing depends not on works but on the perfect rightouesness of Christ imputed

"The law which believers are under is the law of Christ, and of God in Christ, which has no promise of eternal life to them for their obedience to it. The promise of eternal life to the saints is the promise of  the covenant of grace or the gospel, and not of the law, as a rule of duty. Eternal life is promised to them not in consideration of their sincere obedience to the law as a rule of life, but on account of Christ's perfect obedience to it as a covenant of works received by faith and imputed by God. It is promised to them not as a reward of debt for their sincere obedience, but as 'the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord' (Romans 6:23). The righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to them gives them a perfect title to life; they are already heirs of it, 'and joint heirs with Christ.' They have begun possession of it, and have the gracious promise of the gospel that they shall, in due time, attain the perfect and everlasting possession."

John Colquhoun, A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel

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