Justification from everlasting !

The Beginning of Justification !

Justification has it's beginning [ If we can call it a beginning], not when a sinner believes or is converted, not even when Christ died upon the cross [in time] but before the world began in the Eternal Counsels of the God Head, in the Everlasting Covenant, at which time [ If we can call it time] many were chosen in Christ Jesus, The Only Eternally Begotten Son and Mediator, and they were Predestinated to the Adoption of Children see Eph 1:3-5 and 2 Tim 1:9, here it is stated that many in Christ were given Grace and Justification is freely by Grace Rom 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. The word freely here is important. It is the greek word dorean and means undeservedly ! Not because of ones Faith or Repentance or anything they did or did not do, not even their accepting it, for they did not even exist yet except in God's Mind and Eternal Purpose.

Now this being True, The Elect were viewed by the God Head in Christ and having Union with Him from Everlasting, and this Eternal Union is the foundation of the communicating of all the spiritual blessings or saving benefits [from the fall] which they the elect receive in time, all for the Glory of God's Grace freely given them in Christ before the world began Eph 1:6; 2 Tim 1:9 !

Not a inward work !

Justification is not a work that was wrought in the elect sinner [inwardly], for it is not the New Birth, however it is the fruit of it. In other words all whom are Justified from everlasting will in time be the recipients of the New Birth by the Spirit. This is when God causes the elect sinner to partake of a nature that corresponds with His declaration of them as Justified or Righteous because of the obedience of Christ. However Justification is just a legal term that defines the elect sinner as righteous in the Mind of God, even when the sinner is unrighteous in themselves and their manner of life. What they do or are doing or what they have not done has nothing to do with it, but it only has to do with what Christ done in their behalf, and the Father hath accepted it. 2

Justification is legally and declaratively a right standing before God as Judge. One can be before God either Justified or condemned, there is no middle ground. One is either born into this world as Justified or condemned before God, though all are born sinners. These are both what is termed forensic words, having to do with a courtroom setting. Now reconciliation, propitiation, justification and remission of sins are all joined together and all are dealt with by the blood of Christ. His blood has satisfied God's Justice in all these area's. Everyone Christ died for, having been slain in the Eternal Purpose of God before the foundation of the world, are reconciled, propitiated, justified and have remission of sins when they are born in this world dead in Trespasses and sins. This is True only Legally before God without them knowing about it.

Imputation of sins of the elect to Christ from the foundation!

Rev 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

If in the Eternal Purpose of God, the Lamb has been slain from the foundation of the world, what was He slain for ? It was for the sins of those He was actually slain for in time ! God's Elect. We know this because Peter writing to God's Elect in 1 Pet 1:1-2 writes this to THEM 1 Pet 2:24

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Whose our sins ? Its the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God !

Now, if Christ was slain in the Eternal Purpose of the Father, it was for the sins of the foreknown Elect of God.

And that means their sins had been imputed to His Charge, in the Eternal Purpose of God before the foundation of the world. See 1 Pet 1:20 !

It was before the foundation of the world that the Triune God, The Father, Word, and Holy Spirit, The God-Head, in the Counsel of the Everlasting Covenant, Christ being the designated Surety thereof, The Father imputed, laid to the Sureties charge, in His Mediator Office 1 Tim 2:5, the sins of all His Elect. Also they received from Him the Imputed Righteousness of His future obedience unto the Law of God.

This imputation concerns only the Election of Grace among men, and not that of the reprobates, men or angels ! 2

By chance, are you using a cookie cutter, and cutting cookies, you are in and you are out attitude according to your studying,
Who is to say, but God alone who is elect and who is not? Now Christ went willingly to that cross, once for all, did he not? Hebrews 10:10
Father was not satisfied in all, the sacrifices made by man to get him to be pleased by them, And man to this day is still doing the same today, when Christ said Matt 5:17, John 19:30, Hebrews 9:14-17, Then read Acts 1 thoroughly through Pentecost, his hanging out for forty days as risen, explaining to the disciples the reason why he had to go to that cross first, to reconcile all people unto himself to deliver that to Father
Col. 1-2 explain this truth to me anyways, thank you
God loves us all y'all, go to God personally between Gos and you and see new too

Eternally Justified in God's Purpose !

Everyone who is truly believing in the Son of God for their Salvation Jn 3:16, for the word believing there is in the present tense hence "whosoever is believing" was eternally Justified in the Purpose of God by the Grace of God Rom 8:30; 2 Tim 1:9

Rom 8:30

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

2 Tim 1:9

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

The Justification of the Elect of God did not begin in time, but from everlasting. Paul when revealing in His Gospel the eternal decree of God and of predestination, states clearly that all of God's Elect were Justified in His Eternal Purpose of Grace ! Thats what Paul also points to in Titus 3:7

7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

What Hope of Eternal Life ? This right here Titus 1:2

1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

The Elect were made Heirs of Eternal Life before the world began, by Grace, and they were Justified by that Grace before the world began !

The writer John Gill once said " God's will to elect is the election of His People; so also His will to Justify them is the justification of them" !

God's Justification of His People is an act of Grace and based upon the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Rom 3:24

24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Now this redemption, took place in the mind and purpose of God before the foundation of the world 1 Pet 1:20 and Rev 13:8


20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Rev 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Do yu nderstand what I stated about:

Imputation of sins of the elect to Christ from the foundation!

Click to expand...

In the Mind of God !

The religious people of our time have shown profound irreverence to God, as though, when something in the Mind of God means nothing to them, as though what's in His Mind as True cannot be True unless its true in the minds of his creatures, reducing God to their levels, which is blasphemy !

However in the Mind and Purpose of God, the Lord Jesus Christ was the lamb Slain from the foundation of the World Rev 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This is not saying that He was literally slain in time from the foundation, but that He was slain in the Mind and Eternal Purpose of God from the foundation of the World !

You see God the Father constituted His Son as an Surety of the Covenant, the Everlasting Covenant before the world began. He was designated a substitute and redeemer before the world began, and as such God in His own Mind looked upon His Son as having been slain, put to death for the Sins of His Elect from Eternity. This was prefigured with Abraham and Isaac. Even though Abraham did not literally put his son to death, he certainly had purposed to do so in his mind ! This purpose was so real that it was said that he received his son back from the dead ! Heb 11:19

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Abraham looked at his son as good as dead, and believed that God could raise him from the dead to establish His earlier promises regarding him !
And so, The Father looked at His own beloved Son as already scarified for His Sheep from everlasting, according to the agreement in the Everlasting Covenant , when Christ became Surety !

Its dishonoring to God to despise and treat with contempt that which He See's as real and complete in His Mind, because it was not so in the minds of His creatures. 2

Continuing with Justification from Everlasting !

As we should consider the Gospel Truth of Eternal Justification, we Look at Eph 1:4

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

For it cannot be honestly denied that God the Father did view the Chosen as In Christ before the Foundation of the World, for they were Loved in Him Before the foundation of the world Jn 17:23-24

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Now, If God the Father did view them in Christ before the foundation, did He view them in a state of condemnation or Justification ? We dare not conclude condemnation because that is impossible for those which be in Christ Jesus Rom 8:1, So it must be Justified, for also He did not lay their sins to their charge in Adam Rom 8:33-34; 2 Cor 5:19. The conclusion is obvious, they were Justified before the foundation of the world ! 2

I covered that Greek word in a different thread (some time back), and wonder how you might respond to what I put (about that word) in the first half of my Post #725 - https://christianchat.com/threads/calvinism-and-context.194694/post-4374223


(I also cover the OTHER Greek word translated "call / called" in the next part of that post [G2822 - klētos ]; and explain that both of these are used in BOTH/EACH of the contexts I'm pointing out in that post: that is, in Romans 8:28,30 AND Matthew 22:1-14)



... my question HERE, for THIS post, concerns HOW the word "G2564 - kaleō " (the word you are talking about) is used in the Matthew 22 context which I was SPECIFICALLY pointing out in the first HALF of that post (at LINK ^ ); IOW, how does that jive, or not, with what you are presenting about it? Take your time and really examine that word in Matt22, and then let us know if it aligns with what your point is.

I have some points derived from scripture Truth, why all those Christ died for are Justified from Eternity, from their sin in adam and consequently all sin following. I have listed six reasons, and I am indebted to God through one John Brine from his treatise on Eternal Justification.

Point #1 Justification is an immanent, and consequently an eternal act. This argument must be allowed conclusive, unless it can be proved that Justification is a transient act.

What is meant by an immanent act ? Well the word itself means:


remaining within; indwelling; inherent.

2.
Philosophy . (of a mental act) taking place within the mind of the subject and having no effect outside of it. Compare transeunt.

3.
Theology . (of the Deity) indwelling the universe, time, etc. Compare transcendent ( def. 3 ) .

It means it's a inward act of God's reckoning. Its a Judgment of God based on nothing outside of Him, and so such a act would be Eternal simply because God is Eternal Deut 33:7

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

This is why David could write regarding God's Mercy Ps 103:17

17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

You see that ? The mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting, to who ? Those who fear Him or the Vessels of Mercy Rom 9:23

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

An Immanent Act of God is different from an transeunt act of God which produces effects outside of God ! An example of that would be Creation, it's accomplishment is outside of God and by His Power !

Point 2

2. The elect were by God considered and viewed in Christ from everlasting; which is excellently expressed by Dr. Thomas Goodwin in these words:

"Look, as God did not, in his decrees about creation, consider the body of Adam singly and apart from his soul, nor yet the soul without the body (I speak of his creation and state thereby) neither should either so much as exist, but as the one in the other: so nor Christ and his church in election, which gave the first existence to Christ as a head, and to the church as his body, which each had in God's decrees." Exposition of the First Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, London, 1681, Pt. 1, p. 72.

Now as God considers His elect in Christ, they are either objects of condemnation, or Justification. The former must be denied, and therefore the latter evidently follows; except, as God beholds the elect in Christ, they are neither objects of condemnation, nor Justification; which is an absurdity that none will admit.

There is no doubt that God viewed His Chosen In Christ before the Foundation Eph 1:4

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 2

For your CONSIDERATION:

--the "we" (and "us") of verse 4 ^ (your verse ^ ) is the same "we" as in the following verse:

Eph 1:12
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted [/fore-hoped - G4276 (one word)] in Christ.

Eph 1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,


--notice the change in pronoun between verse 12 ("we") and verse 13 ("you [also]");




Why do you suppose that pronoun-change exists, between these two sections? That's my first question.

^ And second question:

What do you believe it means where it says the "we / us" (v.12) "FORE-HOPED [G4276] in Christ"? And does that differ, in any way, from what v.13 is conveying of the "you [also]" ("...when YE heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation...") ?

Point # 3

Eph 1:3-4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

The Elect were blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ before the foundation of the world, and therefore with Justification, for that is a spiritual blessing !

It was then they were taken into covenant relationship with and in Him, to be God's peculiar people, and were thereby eternally Justified in Him from all things. It was then that Christ their Chosen Head became their Surety, and covenanted to pay all their sin debts as Justice due, for the sin they shall commit in Adam along with all the sins they shall commit after their personal manifestation into the world !

This Grace by which they are Eternally Justified, was given to them In Christ [Their Surety Head and Mediator] before the world began,2 Tim 1:9, from Everlasting, because from everlasting God Loved them in Christ Jer 31:3 and made them accepted in Him Eph 1:6 !

"Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, and this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2Ti 1:8-10 NRSVue

1646 First London Confession of Faith, of Particular Baptists
XXVIII.
Those that have union with Christ, are justified from all their sins by the blood of Christ, which justification is a gracious and full acquittance of a guilty sinner from all sin, by God, through the satisfaction that Christ hath made by His death for all their sins, and this applied (in manifestation of it) through faith.

1 John 1:7; Heb. 10:14, 9:26; 2 Cor. 5:19; Rom. 3:23; Acts 13:38,39; Rom. 5:1, 3:25,30.

Point 4

When Christ, as a surety, engaged for the elect, they were Justified. "At the same time in which Christ became a surety for us, and our sins were imputed to him, we were absolved from guilt, and reputed just; that is, actively justified:" Which was from everlasting, or before the foundation of the world.

I believe God the Father constituted His Son a Surety in the Counsel of the Everlasting Covenant Heb 13:20

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Prov 8:22-23,31

22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

31Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. 3

Point 5

God eternally decreed not to punish sin in his people, but in his Son. His decree to punish sin in his Son, includes his will to impute it to him; and his purpose not to punish it in his elect, takes in his will not to impute it to them, and must be their Justification from all sin in his sight.

I believe this is why Paul wrote 2 Cor 5:19

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

This has to do with God's Eternal Purpose in Christ Eph 3:11

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

This Eternal Purpose in Christ is the same as the Everlasting Covenant with Christ, and God never purposed to impute sins to the Elect, but upon Christ, so this was their Justification !

6. "Christ's atonement and bearing sin was in the eye of God from eternity, as if already done: hence the patriarchs were actually and personally justified by it,"

as Dr. Isaac Chauncy well observes. Neonomianism Unmasked, London, 1692, Part 2, p. 53. Therefore why may it not be concluded that the elect were justified from everlasting, since God had the atonement of Christ then in His eye? I should be glad to see these arguments thoroughly examined, and solidly refuted, if they do not sufficiently prove what they are brought for.

We know this point to be True because of such scriptures as 1 Pet 1:20

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Rev 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 3

Because of Suretyship !

Justification before the foundation for the Elect of God is True because of Christ's Suretyship in the Everlasting Covenant Heb 7:22

22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

This is Pre Creation within the Eternal Purpose Eph 3:11

11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Also called the Everlasting Covenant, Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation Rev 13:8, He agreed and took upon Himself all the sins of the Elect to sponsor, hence it was God's Purpose not to charge them [sins and lawbreaking] against His Elect, but confirmed Christ's Suretyship, therefore He became the main debtor to God's Law and Justice for their sins, and they being made free from any and all accountability, for themselves to satisfy God's Law and Justice ! To deny this Justification is to deny a foundational blessing of Christ's Suretyship for His Sheep !