The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Question concerning Debate

I am trying to understand something that Douglas Wilson meant in his debate with James White, when he stated that what Federal Vision does is not deny Sola-Fide’, rather it embraces both covenant and Sola-Fide. I don’t think James White responded to this part of what he said.

Tom

NPP and FV teach that salvation is by grace AND works; one finds favor with God by first believing and then to maintain and continue in God's grace one needs, as a member of the covenantal community, to obey the laws of the covenant. IF both elements are found (faith and obedience to the law) at the final judgment, then God seals the salvation of that individual by pronouncing him/her justified... again (final justification). This "covenant" element Wilson is speaking about is called "covenantal nomism". To explain further in extremely brief terms, Dunn, Sanders, Wright and current FV adherents believe that Luther, Calvin, et al misunderstood Paul's objection to the Pharisees' teaching which they believed was semi-Pelagian and contemporarily found in Roman Catholicism (grace+works=justification). They insist that the keeping of the COVENANT LAW was required for justification but the Pharisees demanded that Gentiles conform to specific Jewish laws and rituals. Thus, one believes and is 'justified' (identified) as a member of the covenant community of believers, and must then conform to covenant law (covenantal nomism) until the end whereby due to one's faith and faithfulness, they are finally justified.

Need I say this again? Like nearly every heresy that has ever been invented throughout history, which originates with the clergy and/or teachers, is counterfeit in appearance (it looks/sounds like the real thing), and uses commonly recognized terms which are redefined (without notification), and those who bring the heresy claim it is confessional, orthodox, and/or some notable men of the past, e.g., Calvin, Edwards, Owen, et al, believed it too. Biblical and doctrinal illiteracy within the modern Church and the pride of the academia group, who invariably love to have their ears tickled with something new that will set them apart and above the laity, are the two main reasons heresy today makes quick and easy entrance into the churches, IMO.

How recent was this debate? Supposedly Wilson has distanced himself some from FV recently. To what distance, it is up in the air.

They would be placing the person under a type of probationary status, as God would save the sinner , but then He will examine their lives after that, and see if they merited keeping eternal life, correct? Isn't that very sililiar to the 7tg day Adventist version of the Investigative Judgement process?

John
You are correct Wilson has distanced himself from FV. Unfortunately however, that distancing is only from the name FV itself because according to him the name no longer is helpful. He remains committed to the Auburn Confession however. He stated also that he no longer likes the way some of the movement is going, because a lot of the movement would like to distance themselves from Protestantism altogether, while he wants to remain part of Protestantism.

Thought that ot was trying to find its way back to Rome?