An Important Chapter in Our History
The Controversy Over
Justification By Faith Alone
Justification by faith alone is the heart of the Gospel. Believers are
justified before God by grace through faith alone, based on the merits of
Christ our Redeemer. Justification is God's irreversible judicial act at
conversion, in which He freely pardons the believer's sins and accepts the
believing sinner as righteous in His sight. God does this only on account of
the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, received by faith (belief) alone.
Justification by faith alone means that believers do not, in any sense, work
for our salvation. Jesus Christ alone is our righteousness.
This
foundational doctrine has been subject to the attacks of Satan throughout
history – from the time of Abel (Genesis chapter 4 and Hebrews 11:4), to the
error Paul dealt with in the book of Galatians, to the errors of the present
day. Martin Luther called justification by faith alone "the doctrine by
which the Church is standing or falling."
In recent years a new
movement has emerged, attacking the doctrine of justification by faith alone
in new ways. It has spread into a number of churches and denominations,
including the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
Elements of this movement
go by different names, including Shepherdism, the New Perspective on Paul,
Covenantal Nomism, Covenant Moralism, the Auburn Avenue Theology, and
Federal Vision theology. Although they differ on particulars, all of these
deny or debilitate the Biblical doctrine of justification. They have in
common a doctrine of salvation depending in whole or in part on human works,
rather than on the finished work of Christ alone. This movement also spreads
error regarding other Biblical doctrines including the covenants, baptism,
the Church, sanctification, glorification, and the last judgment.
The
session and congregation of Grace Presbyterian Church have taken a firm
stand against these evils, as reflected in the documents below. (Adobe
Reader required.)
September 2003
Resolution on
Justification by Faith Alone
Grace Presbyterian Church session's
Resolution on Justification by Faith Alone.
November 2003
Overture to the 2004
General Assembly Regarding the Decision of the 2003 General Assembly
Regarding the Doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone
An
overture to the 2004 General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
was submitted to the Presbytery of Philadelphia for its consideration. The
text is available for downloading below. It was written by
members of the Grace Presbyterian Church session and concerned men in other
OP churches. They sought to clarify the church's damaged witness concerning
the doctrine of justification by faith alone. This overture faced strong
opposition in the Philadelphia presbytery, and was not passed. A nearly
identical overture was proposed in the Presbytery of the Midwest, but a much
weaker overture, agreeable to both liberals and conservatives and leaving
the denomination in a state of apostasy, was passed in
its place and ultimately approved by the 71st General Assembly.
Overture
July 2004
Dr. Jeffery A. Sheely's
Letter of Withdrawal From the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
September 2004
Our Congregation's
Letter of Withdrawal From the Orthodox Presbyterian Church