The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Arminian Atonement of John Piper

Renat,

Well put, including a little of the historical information re: Piper and Dan Fuller. His Future Grace has been the object of much criticism; justified IMHO. There is but one GRACE which is from eternity and found ONLY in the Lord Christ. It is true that the merits and blessings accrued by His perfect life and full satisfaction in His death are distributed at different times to be sure. But grace cannot be bifurcated and thus labeled "past", "current" and "future" grace. (Rom 8:32; 11:36; 1Cor 3:21; 8:6; Col 1:16-20; Heb 2:10; 2Pet 1:3) If one is 'in Christ', i.e., united to Him by a true living faith then all things are owned; now and for all eternity.

Re: faith as a condition. I also agree that this is at best poor phraseology. It would be far better to say that repentance and faith are prerequisites to salvation, i.e., there is no salvation without them for Christ's salvation includes them. Faith doesn't save... Christ saves. Faith is nothing more than the vehicle which embraces Christ who is salvation. Thus there is no "final justification" for those who are truly in Christ for He is indeed the beginning and end of all things. NPP (New Perspective on Paul), Shepherd, FV (Federal Vision) are damnable heresies which diminish, denigrate and deny the all-sufficiency of Christ's perfect substitutionary atonement (active & passive obedience) and forensic imputation whereby God pronounces the believing sinner, not guilty. We ARE justified in Him once and for all and thus heirs of all things. (Eph 1:3-14)

Lastly, and to repeat, IF Christ died for all men without exception, then of necessity all men must be saved. For in Christ the means are just as surely and infallibly secured as is the end.