The Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation vividly confirmed their position of their serious apostasy--to which ecumenism with Rome inevitably leads. A denial
of the Gospel and the Righteousness of Christ

(ecumenism is the movement or tendency toward worldwide Christian unity or cooperation. The term, of recent origin, emphasizes what is viewed as the universality of the Christian churches.) For a fuller understanding, see Ecumenism

While apostasy is predicted in Scripture, it still comes as a shock to see it face-to-face

The apostasy in the October 31, 1999, Roman Catholic Church and The Lutheran World Federation "The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" is being called "a milestone in Christian history" "the end of reformation" and other similar statements of acceptance.

The Bible believer is to remember such was foretold and is to continue to contend for Biblical faith. The Lord Jesus Christ through the Apostle Paul commands His disciples to "stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel". Philippians 1:27 They are likewise commanded to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them". Ephesians 5:11

On July 10, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI released a new decree. In it the Pope has restated his conviction that the Roman Catholic Church is the one Church founded by Jesus Christ and that other churches are either defective or not true Churches at all. What is new in this document is the authoritative statement that “Christian Communities born out of the Reformation of the sixteenth century” cannot be “called ‘Churches’ in the proper sense.” CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH 8/10/2007.

Richard M. Bennett, a former Roman Catholic priest writes:

"There have been numerous, alarming attempts over the past five years to declare Roman Catholics as "brothers and sisters in Christ" during the dialogue between Evangelicals and the Roman Catholic Church. Now something more sinister and authoritative has taken place."

"The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification", an official doctrinal statement jointly authored by representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation, has been signed on October 31st, 1999, as a joint confessional agreement."

On the 482nd anniversary of Martin Luther's pivotal posting of the yet unanswered "95 theses" that ignited the Protestant Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran World Federation vividly confirmed their position of the serious apostasy--to which ecumenism with Rome inevitably leads.

The Lutheran World Federation have now embraced the doctrine of the Council of Trent, and in so doing have officially and formally denied the Gospel and the righteousness of Christ." Read Richard Bennett's Testimony "From Tradition to Truth"

Heretical Landmines

There are presuppositions upheld in "The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" itself, which are not stated as such in the Official Common Statement. Some of these presuppositions totally negate Biblical justification as, for example, the idea that justification is by means of the sacrament of baptism. Such a tradition of men is accepted by both parties to the agreement which in "The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" states,

4.4 The Justified as Sinner

28. We confess together that in Baptism the Holy Spirit unites one with Christ, justifies,
and truly renews the person.

This heresy is in line with the teaching of the Council of Trent,

Can. 8 "If any shall say that by the said sacraments of the New Law, grace is not conferred from the work which has been worked [ex opere operato] but that faith alone in the divine promise suffices to obtain grace: let him be anathema."

Biblical truth, however, is that the believer's faith cannot be based on any physical works of men whatsoever, as true faith is in God's work alone.

Baptism and other "church sacraments" are some of these presuppositions which totally negate Biblical justification as, the idea that justification is by means of the sacrament of baptism. See Anabaptists, were various Protestant sects in Europe that denied the validity of infant baptism and were terrible persecuted, both by Roman Catholicism and Protestant churches.

While such deadly landmines as this permeates "The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification", this analysis is limited mainly to examining the Official Common Statement ratified by both parties. To examine adequately the superabundance of heresies and half truths in the full "The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification" document is far beyond the scope of this paper, but certainly it is hoped that Evangelicals will undertake to address these.

Because of Adam's sin, mankind is born spiritually dead. God justifies His own Holiness in graciously providing the believer's rectitude by imputing to the sinner the perfect righteousness of Christ and His perfect propitiation-sacrifice. The Scriptures proclaim the Holiness and Righteousness of God in the flawless life and death of the God-Son of man, Son of God, the Lord Christ Jesus. Justification in the first place has to do with God Himself, to show that He is just in justifying the sinner in Christ.

The Gospel has to do with who God is in His Holy and Righteous nature. The Gospel demonstrates that because of who God is, He alone justifies. Thus Romans 3:26 states, "To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

The final cause of justification is the glory of the Divine Holiness, Justice and Goodness. Thus the one who preaches any other gospel is accursed by God (Galatians 1:8-9).

Perversion of the Gospel is an enormous crime. It debases the perfect righteousness and sacrifice of Christ, and in so doing stands against the very nature of God's Holiness. Through the prophet Isaiah the Lord warns, "But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness."

It must be carefully observed that it is not more possible for those who pervert the Gospel to continue unaccused than for God to permit His glory to be set aside. The time frame is not known; however, the certainly is inevitable.

The Lord Jesus Christ is personally All Holy; yet as the substitute for the believer's sin, He rendered Himself legally responsible to the wrath of God. The consequence of Christ's faithfulness in all that He did, culminating in His death on the cross, is that His righteousness is credited to the believer. It was God who legally constituted Christ to be "sin for us." He was "made sin" because the sins of His people were transferred to Him, and in like manner, the believer is made "the righteousness of God in Him" by God's crediting to the believer Christ's faithfulness to the precepts of the law. This is not our righteousness, it is Christ's Righteousness in us!

Quite clearly, therefore, justification is a judicial and gracious act of God whereby a believing sinner has legal right standing in Christ. Without this perfect righteousness of Christ Jesus credited to you, you are spiritually "dead in trespasses and sins." (Ephesians 2:1).

The Author of the Gospel: God Just and Justifier Alone

It is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10) that seeks, finds, and saves His people. Justification is God's gift to the believer, which is imputed to him based on Christ's finished work on the tree.

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Romans 4:5-8 (emphasis mine)

Quite simply, justification is God’s righteous judgment of the believer, declaring him both guiltless in regard to sin, and righteous in regard to his moral standing in Christ before Holy God. This judgment by God is legally possible because of the substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ Jesus in the place of the believer. Justification is first and foremost God’s legal judgment of the believer.

Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Romans 5:18 (emphasis mine)

Justification is God’s righteous judgment to demonstrate in the words of Romans 3:26, that He is “just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

This righteous judgment of God is the center of the apostolic preaching of the good news in the Bible. It is a righteous judgment freely given by God:

" Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God, without the law, is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 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: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Romans 3:20-28 (emphasis mine)

Scriptural meaning of Justification

The precise import of the term “to justify” is clearly seen in that it is the exact opposite to the term “to condemn.” It is God that justifieth.

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." And "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us". Romans 8:33-34

Condemnation is not a process by which a good man is made bad, but is the verdict of a judge declaring a man blameworthy. Now just as to condemn a man is not to infuse evil into him, but declares him guilty, so justification does not infuse goodness into a man, but declares that he is just. Justification is that formal sentence of the Divine Judge whereby He pronounces the believer before Him righteous.

For a better understanding of the term condemnation and justification; there are texts such as Deuteronomy 25:1 "If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked." Job 9:20 states: "If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse." see also: Job 32:2. And Proverbs 17:15 warns: "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD." "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matthew 12:37. " And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." 1 Timothy 3:16 "And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." Psalm 143:2 "For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me." .

Purpose of the Justification: to Reveal Christ’s righteousness

The Scripture declares the righteousness of God without the law is manifested; it is the purpose of the Gospel.

What is declared in the Gospel is not human works righteousness of any kind, but rather it is God's righteousness in the Lord Jesus Christ that is revealed. The Gospel is the demonstration, in concrete historical fact, of the perfect satisfaction which Christ rendered to all the demands of the law, and which God places to the credit of every true believer in Him. Before God’s all Holy nature, sin had to be punished and true righteousness established. This has been accomplished in the faithful obedience of the Lord Christ Jesus and His propitiatory sacrifice. Thus Christ’s faithfulness is proclaimed in Romans 3:22, “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ."

When the Bible declares that justification is God’s gift to the believer, it also shows in few words what this justification is.

Justification is found in and of Christ. It is the demonstration of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, even unto death.[The word faithfulness is Greek pistis. There are several passages in which faithfulness of the Lord is mentioned. In each case, the name of Jesus Christ is in the genitive case indicating that faithfulness is a character quality which He processes (Galatians 2:16, 3:22; Ephesians 3:12, Philippians 3:9).]

Such perfect rectitude is of God, and from God, “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22). The great news is that this absolute righteousness is “unto all and upon all them that believe.”

Legally what is shown is the true believer’s identification with the Lord Jesus Christ. God has provided Christ’s righteousness to sinners who believe.

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Galatians 2:16 and Jesus "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Ephesians 3:12 "... and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: " Philippians 3:8-9

The human condition and the Graciousness of God

According to Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, every person under the law has fallen short of the glory of God and thereby is possessed both of a bad heart because of sin nature and a bad record because of personal sin.

The good news is stated in Romans 3:24, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

This is the pure Sovereign grace of God, showing as it were the very heart of God. His own graciousness moved Him, to devise a way whereby His wondrous love could be seen in the vilest of rebels. As it is written, “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” Isaiah 43:25. The design of God is highlighted by the adverb "freely". This excludes all consideration of anything in man or from man should be the cause or condition of justification. That same Greek adverb is translated “without a cause” in John 15:25, “they hated Me without a cause.”

The believer’s right standing before God is in Christ's redemption, which is freely given, as it is outside anything he can do for himself.

“Being justified” means that since there remains nothing for man in himself, being smitten by the just judgment of God, but to perish, he is to be justified freely through God’s provision in Christ.

There is perhaps no passage in the whole Scripture that illustrates "the good news" in such a striking manner the efficacy of Christ’s righteousness as Romans 3:24 does. It shows that God’s grace is the efficient cause, “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” This shows being justified freely by his grace is through Christ Jesus’ payment and nothing from the believer, lest one might imagine a kind of “half grace”, and should be bold enough to attempt to add his own merit to God’s grace.

Riches of God's Grace: Work's Righteousness Excluded

Herein is the love of God shown through His Son, Jesus Christ, in that this gift of righteousness, which cost Christ Jesus His life, is a finished work and is freely given. For to whom does God owe anything? And who can meet His standards under the law? So who can bargain with God or with Christ Jesus that he should even think of offering God anything in exchange for God’s righteous judgment of Himself? To make such a natural and ridiculous offer would be to attempt bribery of the highest order. Again and again the Bible states, as in the above text, that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer freely by God, or by God’s grace alone. It is in Christ alone that one has right standing before the All Holy God "In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

Biblical justification, therefore, is perfect and a finished work of God.

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?
It is God that justifieth.” Romans 8:33.

Justification is God’s work alone to show His righteousness and the fact that He alone saves. Once God has justified any person, He views that person “in Christ”

The concept in Christ (in the Beloved, in Him, in Whom, etc) occurs 18 times in Ephesians Ch 1 & 2, for God, having forgiven the sinner, reckons to his account Christ’s righteousness.

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified
by faith without the deeds of the law". Romans 3:28

In the Lord Jesus, believers have a righteousness without spot or blemish, perfect and all glorious; a righteousness which has not only expiated all their sins, but satisfied every requirement of the law’s precepts. It is not a transfusion of Christ’s righteousness unto those who are to be justified, so that they could thereby be inherently righteous. No it is a Divine and legal right to eternal life and the title to an everlasting inheritance.

The perfect meritorious obedience of Christ is so truly transferred to believers that they will be called “the righteous” in the last judgment. (Matthew 25:40). Surely the believer has cause to cry out in praise in the words of Psalm 71:15-16:

“my mouth shall show forth thy righteousness, thy salvation all the day. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.”

The Gospel: Not A Process

The type of witnessing that states, “If you will do this and that or take these steps, then God will save you,” is a false gospel, a return to the lie of Satan that implies that God can be manipulated.

The Gospel does not do this. It declares historical facts: God has acted already in Christ to accomplish the reconciliation that is the Gospel. Rather than offering what every person is commanded to believe on is objective and complete fact. God has redeemed all of His own.

"I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee." Isaiah 44:22

"Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Romans 5:18-19

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if One died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." II Corinthians 5:14-21

Two Main Points Of Receiving The Gospel

Biblically, receiving the Gospel has two main points. First, all men are commanded to believe on the Lord Jesus.

Second, while the faith to believe is a free gift of God, yet without God’s grace, no person can believe. The Lord put the command to believe in a nutshell when He said, “if ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24

Likewise, Paul and Silas declared "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31

The central importance of faith was given by the Lord in the words, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” John 6: 47

In a word the Lord summarizes the situation,

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:
and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life;
but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36

The Lord Jesus Christ states clearly the reason for this:

“He that believeth on Him [Christ] is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. and this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." John 3:18-19

The highest expression of the loving kindness of God is grace. The term denotes the very nature of the graciousness of God. Therefore the Scripture insists:

“That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us, through Jesus Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:7-9

Salvation does not proceed from anything in the one witnessed to, but rather it issues forth from the sheer mercy of God. The contrast between His grace and human merit is clearly marked out in the plainest of words:

“And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.” Romans 11:6

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Romans 4:5-8.

The plan that God has devised for saving people is by faith, in order that His justification of them might be by grace alone, that His promise and faithfulness be firmly manifested, and they, therefore, perfect and secure.

“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace;
to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed....”

 Home      Back