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There haas been much discussion surrounding justification but yet the discussion never seems to center on what the scriptures actually say.

Let's try a different approach – instead of me running my mouth let’s turn this dialogue over to the word of God and let the sword of the Spirit speak.

I will presume two things here before I go on:

1. The apostle Paul was writing to saints in his epistles – his words were addressed to believers not unbelievers.

2. My authority will be the verses themselves with no reference to the Greek. The verses stand and need no correction or updating – they are perfect with no errors.

Now let’s put our tennis shoes and run through some verses.

Now remember Paul is writing to saints - not unbelievers who were hoping to become Christians.

Every question can be answered by a simple YES or NO.

1. Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
According to the verse:
Do you have redemption right now?
Do you have forgiveness right now?

Now – think a bad thought and read the verses again.
Again:
Do you have redemption right now?
Do you have forgiveness right now?

2. 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,
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
According to the verses:
Are you sealed right now?
How long is this sealing good for?
What were you sealed with?

3. Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
According to the verse:
Are you saved by his mercy right now?
According to the verse what was the work done?

4. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
According to the verse:
Are you in Christ right now?
Are you a new creature right now?

5. Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
According to the verse:
Have you been raised up?
Have you been made to sit in heavenly places in Christ?
Where is the real you right now?

6. Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
According to the verse:
Have you been spiritually circumcised?
Have the body of sins been put off?
How was it put off?

7. Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
According to the verse:
When does one get the righteousness of God?

8. Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.:
According to the verse:
Are you justified?
How were you justified?

9. Rom 8:30 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.
According to the verse:
Have you been called?
Are you glorified?
Are theses words past tense?

10. Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
According to the verse:
Are you accepted?
How are you accepted?
Who is the beloved?

11. Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
According to the verse:
Are you redeemed?

12. 1 Cor 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
According to the verse:
Are you washed?
Are you sanctified?
Are you justified?

13. Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
According to the verse:
Are you complete?
Are you complete in you or Christ?

14. Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins:
According to the verse:
Are you quickened right now?

15. Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
According to the verse;
Are you right now a member of his physical body?

16. Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
According to the verse;
Are you crucified right now?
How do you live right now?

17. 1 Pet 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
According to the verse;
How are you kept?
compare the above verse with the verse below::
1 Cor 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
What or who is the power of God?
So then, who are you kept?

18. 1 Cor 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
According to the verse:
Did Christ die for you sins?
Which sins did Christ die for - some or all?
Now - was what Christ did sufficient for your sins?

19. 1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
According to the verse:
What can you know?
Do you have eternal life right now?
What does eternal mean to you?

20. Where were all the above verses taken from:
Were they taken before Calvary?
Were they taken from books written to believers?
Were they taken from the OT?
Were they taken from tribualtion pasages written to Israel?

Now – I don’t what else I can do.
Just explain those verses and tell me God didn’t do a work in you that has been done – past tense.

What do the above scriptures say to you?
Do they doctrinally apply to you?
Then why would you think justification is a process?

Now wasn't that fun - at least I had a good time!

God bless

I do not know of any people who would say justification is a process (inside orthodoxy anyway).  I certainly wouldn't.  Justification is a one-time, in the past thing.  But sanctification is not--it is a process.  And sanctification is part of salvation, as is glorification, which is future (look at Romans 8:30).  So I'm not really sure what you're getting at.  I imagine most here would agree with your post.  But as it relates to 1 Corinthians 1:18, that text could be referring to justification--the one-time declaration--or to sanctification--the process, both of which are valid from the Greek and and inside orthodoxy.

Joel

Thanks Joel - I have run across many people who believe jutification is a process - hence the post for here in case some think it is a process.

God bless

Good words!-asaph

[quote author=AVBunyan There haas been much discussion surrounding justification but yet the discussion never seems to center on what the scriptures actually say.
Let's try a different approach – instead of me running my mouth let’s turn this dialogue over to the word of God and let the sword of the Spirit speak.
Just explain those verses and tell me God didn’t do a work in you that has been done – past tense.
What do the above scriptures say to you?
Do they doctrinally apply to you?
Then why would you think justification is a process?
God bless
......................
That is a great post AVBunyan.
       You have a good way of making the scripture truths come alive.You are a good gifted teacher in this post,and I look forward to hearing more from you.
I am Justified,Sanctified,Seated in heavenly places.My salvation is sure.All glory to God.

Thanks Peter - I am humbled.  

The idea for the post came while I was seeking to deal with Justification.  I introduced a thread on "What Happens At The Point of Salvation" to counteract the false teaching that justification was a process.  While reading the responses I realized that all were just knocking the idea and the post but not dealing with the verses.
 
So I started the new one that we are on here to seek to force folks to deal with the scriptures.  I din't expect the rejectors to get much but if one who was wrestling with the issue were to read through the post then maybe God would show them the wonderful work Christ did for them at Calvary.

God bless

Amen brother. I had fallen to my flesh today. Praise God I can be washed again by the blood of the lamb.

Thank you Lord Jesus, that I am washed, santified and justified in you! Thank you Lord that it is no longer I who live but it is You in me. May you blood cleanse me right now! Amen

Revelation 22:14
Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.