Sunday, November 5, 2023

Schreiner says no transformation, then no justification but what does he mean?

 Schreiner in his book says that if there is no transformation then there is no justification (pg. 89). Look how he has flipped the truth on its head. Rather he should have said unless Christ is for you on the cross, He is not in you. The question is if this is so, Mr. Schreiner, then can you please qualify it or quantity it? I'm sure you would confess to being a great sinner. You wouldn't say things like you have arrived. So tell us so we can be such good Christians.

He further suffers from confusing belief in the Gospel and repentance unto life. These two are distinct. Again he says belief is more than intellectual assent and so he tacts on repentance to his idea. John Calvin didn't do such. Faith and repentance were dealt separately. Faith was dealt passively in Justification, and repentance was dealt in sanctification.
He talks about the new creature and the new man (Page 141) but for Schreiner these are all connected to the ethic and morality so that if you are not being transformed or becoming better in your walk then you have reasons to doubt.
Schreiner treats justification and the free forgiveness of sins as if they are not the same. Dear brothers and sisters, the gospel is what justifies sinners. Paul was sent to preach the forgiveness of sins. These are one and the same message (Acts 13).
We are finally brought back to Schreiners idol, when in Romans 6 he says to die with Christ entails being transformed (Page 140). This is wrong. Romans 6 is about the death of Christ and how the elect have died with him securing their justification, salvation, and sanctification, and glorification.

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