DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OLD & NEW SCHOOL BAPTISTS 5/6

 
Here Beebe will speak on the topic of Justification - ed.

In setting forth the principle difference between old and new Orders of Baptists on the subject of justification, we shall study brevity. Much may be said and written on this vitally important branch of the Christian doctrine, which does not belong to the present exposition of difference. It may be the most proper method for us to state one of the sentiments of Old School Baptists, and then what we understand those of the New School to be on the subject.

With the Bible as our standard book, we believe that in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory. Such was a testimony of Isaiah the prophet, and the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ was given abundant testimony that all that was written of him in the prophets is completely fulfilled, even to the most minute jot and tittles.

By the seat of Israel, we are not to understand all the natural descendants of Jacob. For they are not all Israel that are of Israel. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children. But in Isaac shall thy seed be called, that is, they which are the children of the flesh. These are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. The children of Israel intended in our quotation from Isaiah are none other than the children of God, children of promise, and counted for the seed. If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's Seed and heirs according to the promise. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For he is not a Jew, which is 1 outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew, which is 1 inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

By the foregoing Scriptures, we are warranted in our conclusion that the seat of Jacob, interested exclusively in the promise of eternal justification and glory, is the seed of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Jacob or Israel was but a type. This conclusion is also sustained by the connection in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, where There it is distinctly predicted that when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied by his knowledge, shall my righteous servant justified many, for he shall bear their iniquities. And again it is written of Christ a seed shall serve him, It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. Psalm 22.30. And Peter, by divine inspiration, identifies this seed as a chosen generation, royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, and as a chosen they are an elected generation of Jesus Christ, not chosen into him, but chosen in him before the foundation of the world. That they should be holy and without blame or holy and justified. Before God in love. Christ is the seminal head and progenitor of this seed and day, by virtue of this relationship to him, shall say as his own body. In the Lord have thy righteousness and strength. For their transgressions, he was bruised for their iniquities. The chastisement of their peace was upon him, and with his stripes, they are healed. All day like sheep have gone astray, but the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of them all. He was delivered up for their offenses and raised up again for their justification. By one offering he has perfected forever all them that are sanctified, and therefore it is that all consistent Old School Baptists believe in the Lord. All the seed shall be justified and shall glory.

Justification, as held by Old School Baptists, is a perfect complete deliverance from guilt, wrath, and condemnation from first to last. It is of God, and not of the creature that the subjects of it, in their spiritual existence, are, and always were in Jesus Christ. But in their earthly natures, they were children of wrath, even as others. And that in the application of the blood and righteousness of Christ to them, according to the eternal purpose and decree of God, they are freely justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses for by the deeds of the Law. No flesh can be justified. Justification before God, then, is only In Jesus Christ. But in their earthly natures the other children of wrath, even as others, and that in the application of the blood and righteousness of Christ to them, according to the eternal purposes and decree of God They are freely justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. For by the deeds of the law, no flesh can be justified. Justification before God, then, is only in Jesus Christ the Lord, and all those who are in him and have justification in him have also glory in him. It is as impossible to separate the state of justification from the certainty of ultimate glory as it is the work of justification from Jesus Christ. Who then shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died. Yay, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for them. Who then shall separate them from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. No in all these things. They are more than conquerors through him that loved them. Paul was persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate them from the love of God, which is precisely where their justification and righteousness and strength and life. And Election is. In Christ Jesus, dear Lord.

After having briefly stated what we understand to be the doctrine of justification as held by Old School Baptists, it may seem quite unnecessary to draw the contrast by presenting the views of the New School. As none of that order will pretend to claim what we have written as a correct version of their faith upon that subject. Indeed, whatever may be held by them in their written articles of faith, it cannot be denied that in their preaching, exhortations, revival making, and missionary operations generally, they represent the justification and salvation of sinners as resting on some other basis than the blood and righteousness of the Son of God. Should they admit what the Scriptures affirm, that all for whom Christ was delivered up? Were completely and forever perfected by this one offering, and justified in his resurrection from the dead, they would be compelled either to relinquish their darling system of general atonement or embraced the doctrine of universal salvation, unless they should prefer a dilemma still more absurd. That a portion of those whom he has justified and forever perfected will, at last, be consigned to interminable wrath and Perdition. To avoid these difficulties, the New School Baptists generally represent justification as a duty, atonement as saving nobody a mere provision to be offered to all men indiscriminately, and if they reject it, that is null and void, but if they will condescend to accept it the merit and efficiency. Of it consists in their acceptance. Should they admit that the Atonement made by Christ and the justification of His people is absolute and effectual in themselves, such admission would prostrate their whole machinery of free will and human power, and with it all their new school peculiarities. What will become of all their popular institutions of missionary tract and Sunday schools for evangelizing the world and saving sinners from hell? Should they admit the doctrine of a finished salvation, a perfect and effectual atonement for all the sons of God? And your everlasting justification secured beyond the possibility of failure. What would they find left to be secured by their zeal and outlay of capital in the work of salvation? The apostle has assured us that If salvation is of grace, it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace, and if it is of works, it is no more of grace, although wise of work is no more work. It cannot, therefore, be a mixture of grace and works. It must be either exclusively of the one or of the other. Nor has the same inspired apostle left us in the dark to determine on which salvation. Is actually founded. For says he, by grace, you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has before ordained that we should walk. In them.

We have probably said enough to show the difference between the old and new kinds of Baptists on the subject of justification. Is as great as upon any other of the branches of doctrine upon which we have written.

In our next, we propose to exhibit some difference between the two kinds of Baptists on the subject of predestination.

Elder Gilbert Beebe

New Vernon, NY

March 15, 1848