The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Is the church in crisis

1. This is exactly what I stated above re: heretics using confusing and deceptive language to avoid the accusation of not embracing the truth. Anyone who knows a wit of theology, specifically the doctrine of justification by faith knows that the "active obedience of Christ" is specifically the life of Christ on earth that was in perfect harmony with the law of God; aka: perfect holiness, the life required by God by every man, woman and child in thought, word and deed. It is THIS, perfect righteousness that is imputed to the believer.
2. What does he mean in his answer that "In the life of Jesus, Israel finally does it right? The word "Israel" in the Bible has c. 5 different meanings. The singular, God-man, the incarnate Son of God, the second Adam, Who came to be the substitute for all whom God predestined to salvation and fulfill both their lack of perfect righteousness (active obedience) and to fulfill the penalty of their transgression of the law, eternal death, by dying as their substitute on the cross (passive obedience). This He did thus securing absolutely ALL that was necessary for their redemption. Soooo, again further, what does Wilson mean "and He does it right on behalf of all Israel, all who are gathered to Him by faith."? The elect are not 'gathered to Him by faith", but rather they are gathered to Christ by and the consequence of the sovereign work of regeneration and irresistible grace of the Holy Spirit. The RESULT of the sovereign work of God is the conviction of sin, repentance of sin(fulness), and a hearty believing upon Christ, which unites them to Him and His work on their behalf. Thus they are adopted as sons of God and the kingdom.

I was once told a axiom which I find to be indispensable and necessary for anyone when explaining/defending the faith: You must be precise, profound and cogent. The above alleged statements from Wilson do not meet any of those three elements. And I suggest that Wilson has a loooooong history of speaking/writing in confusing terms in order to hide his 'unique' views which are at best on the fringe of orthodoxy and in the case of his views on FV, NPP... heretical and worthy of condemnation.

3. As for your personal dilemma, I would ask you to examine yourself in all honesty and if you are more concerned with what others think of you and your views vs. being concerned that Doug Wilson is a wolve in sheep's clothing and is quite successful in deceiving some of your "friends" and/or some you might esteem as faithful? Personally, I would not waste my time with this matter. And UNTIL/IF Wilson totally repudiates ALL of FV, NPP, etc. and articulates in detail that he now holds to the historic doctrine of justification by faith AS UNDERSTOOD AND TAUGHT THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES by the historic Reformed churches and stated in their respective Confessions and Catechisms, this man should not be given the time of day and avoided as an enemy of God and the Church as is taught in Scripture.