Forensic Justification & Ontological Change in the Believer
Here's a thought.
In forgiving us in Christ, God frees us from the fear of death, which means that we are no longer slaves to sin. So it seems to me that the forensic act renders an ontological change. The ontological change is the fruit of the forensic act.
Heb 2.14-15:
"Therefore, since the children share in blood and flesh, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives."
It is the fear of death that causes us to flee from God (Gn 2.17, 3.8). Forgiveness allows us to draw near to God rather than flee to flee (Jn 1.9-10).
Something of an irony, though, is that God still kills us (Ro 6.1-7, Gal 2.20, Heb 4.12). But we no longer fear that death, because we trust that God resurrects us as well (Eph 2.5-6).
In forgiving us in Christ, God frees us from the fear of death, which means that we are no longer slaves to sin. So it seems to me that the forensic act renders an ontological change. The ontological change is the fruit of the forensic act.
Heb 2.14-15:
"Therefore, since the children share in blood and flesh, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives."
It is the fear of death that causes us to flee from God (Gn 2.17, 3.8). Forgiveness allows us to draw near to God rather than flee to flee (Jn 1.9-10).
Something of an irony, though, is that God still kills us (Ro 6.1-7, Gal 2.20, Heb 4.12). But we no longer fear that death, because we trust that God resurrects us as well (Eph 2.5-6).
posted by Jim at 2:08 PM
1 Comments:
"Something of an irony, though, is that God still kills us (Ro 6.1-7, Gal 2.20, Heb 4.12). But we no longer fear that death, because we trust that God resurrects us as well (Eph 2.5-6)."
Combine this with the Gethsemane post and you can say praying not to not die, but to be resurrected is praying the prayer Christ prayed in Gethsemane. So we are praying WITH Christ when we pray in this way.
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