Eternal Justification !

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Rom 8:29-30

The scripture teaches Eternal Justification in Rom 8:29-30

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Paul in these verses is not speaking so much as to what has or will transpire in time, but what has been accomplished and is a done deal in the Eternal Purpose of God. These things are done in His Purpose before the world began, and before we come to experience them in time.

The Prophecy of Isa 53 of the suffering servant proves the basis of Eternal Justification, by placing all the events of His suffering in the past tense, not the future tense, because Isiah's Prophecy was declaring the decree of God.

Yes, I know that the events would have an accomplishment in time, but that would only be the manifestation of what was a done deal from the standpoint of God's Eternal Purpose ! Ecclesiastes 3:15

15 That which hath been[In God's Eternal Purpose] is now; and that which is to be hath already been[In God's Eternal Purpose]; and God requireth that which is past.

 

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More on Eternal Justification !

Before the world began God saved and called [named] His Elect with a calling of Grace given them in Christ from Eternity, 2 Tim 1:9-10

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Now the word called in both 2 Tim 1:9 and Rom 8:30 are speaking about a calling or a naming that took place before the world began. It is the greek word kaleō and means:


to call i.e. to name, by name

a) to give a name to

1) to receive the name of, receive as a name

2) to give some name to one, call his name

b) to be called i.e. to bear a name or title (among men)

c) to salute one by name

They were named or called the Children of God by their Union with and being Placed in the Son of God. The Children of God Heb 2:13-14

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

They were named or called Children before partaking of flesh and blood in Adam !

Yes, before the world began, before the foundations thereof were laid, God named all His Chosen the Children of God, even at that date they were sanctified or set apart from all others who would populate the world Jude 1:1

1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

And so being called or named as Children in the Eternal decree of Election in Christ, they were Justified then in God's Eternal decree, or named in the Everlasting Covenant for their Surety of the Covenant. 2

 

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[The doctrine of eternal justification, a chief tenet of Antinomian Hyper-Calvinism, is dealt a crushing blow by the Puritan John Flavel in an appendix to his Vindiciarum Vindex. Flavel rightly describes it as an attempt to fight against the free grace of God under grace’s own colours. Hence its success in deceiving the unwary. The following is a summary of his arguments against it, extracted from his general condemnation of Antinomianism. Ed.]

Flavel first concedes that the notion of justification from eternity is not as great an error as the Popish view, which depresses the righteousness of Christ and exalts inherent righteousness. He further believes that some who hold this error in their heads have the truth in their hearts, a fact which thankfully "will not suffer them to reduce their own opinions into practice."

Nevertheless, he sees it as dangerous teaching that needs to be exposed. Six of the grave errors connected with it are:

1. The elect were justified in eternity (or at the time of Christ’s death).
2. In justification the elect are persuaded of Christ’s love for them.
3. We ought no more to question our faith than to question Christ.
4. Believers should not confess sin or pray for its forgiveness, because all their sins being pardoned from eternity, they are no longer sins.
5. God sees no sin in believers, whatever sins they may commit.
6. To say that God is angry with the elect is a reflection on His justice.
These, says Flavel, are principal errors, and are "of a very dangerous nature."
Despite the whole "scope and current of Scripture" and the "experience and
practice of the saints" being against them, they nevertheless gain great sway
over people.

1. That the elect are not justified from eternity is clear, because although their justification is purposed in eternity, it is not purchased and applied until time. We are justified by Christ’s blood and by faith. (Rom. 5.9,1) The elect sinner is not freed from condemnation nor justified till he is united to Christ, which union is by faith, and takes place during the elect’s life-time. It is both irrational and unscriptural to imagine that men can be justified before they exist. God’s purpose or intention to justify them is not the same as His actually justifying them. Besides, John 3.18 expressly declares that only "he that believeth in Him (Christ) is not condemned." Furthermore, in the great chain of salvation mentioned in Romans 8.30, the elect are first predestined and called before they are justified. Lastly, it is highly derogatory to Christ to teach eternal justification, for men had to be lost before He could save them. Justification is the fruit of His meritorious death and satisfaction given to justice. Justification is not, therefore, from eternity.

2. That justifying faith is not assurance that Christ loves us is evident, because many who believe on Christ for salvation lack such assurance. This is clear both from Isaiah 50.10, which describes a child of light walking in darkness, and from the cases of Job, David, Heman and Asaph. It is receiving Christ, not being persuaded that He loves us, which entitles us to become children of God. (John 1.12) Besides, many are convinced that Christ loves them who are still unconverted. (Luke 18.9; Rev 3.17) Furthermore, this error confuses two kinds of faith that must always be kept distinct: dogmatic faith and saving faith. It is one thing to believe the proposition that God laid the iniquities of us all on Christ. It is another to rest on Christ as our Sin-bearer. The assent of the understanding is not the consent of the heart. As James says: "Thou believest there is one God, thou dost well; the devils also believe, and tremble." (2.19) Lastly, only saving faith, or cleaving to Christ, can support us when we do not know that "He died intentionally for me.”

3. That believers should never doubt or question their faith is also untrue, because examining our faith is an expressly "commanded Scripture duty." "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith" (2 Cor 13.5), "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Pet 1.10) and "Look to yourselves, that we lose not the things which we have wrought" (2 John 8) are only a few such commands. This "snare of the devil laid for the souls of men" is all the more dangerous because it leaves no way out for them to recover from their error. "It cuts off all means of conviction or better information, and nails them fast to the carnal state in which they are." What is more, it makes the strong persuasion that we are saved as infallible as the foundation truths of Christianity. It is not enough to believe either that Christ died for sinners, or that He bore away our iniquities. Our hearts are deceitful enough to cheat us on this vital point. We must actually believe on Christ and test our faith for genuineness by the clear marks of Scripture.

4. That believers are not bound to confess their sin, nor pray for its forgiveness, because it was pardoned in eternity, and pardoned sin is no longer sin, is manifestly false, because it implies that there is no sin in believers; whereas Scripture says: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1.8) It also says: "There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not." (Eccl. 7.20) and "In many things we offend all." (James 3.2) While it is true that the blood of Christ has removed the guilt of believers’ sin, its "stain and pollution" remains in them till glory, "even in their justified state." Indeed, there is "considerable evil" in their sins. They "greatly wrong and offend their God" (Psa 51.4) and hinder their communion with Him. (Rom. 7.21) Furthermore, God has expressly declared it to be His will that His people confess their sins before Him (1 John 1.9) and mourn for them (Isa 22.12; Matt 5.4). Paul, Ezra, Daniel and other saints, though justified, all do this. (1 Tim 1.13; Ezra 9; Dan 9)

To the objection that these sins were committed before they were justified, Flavel replies that it makes no difference when they were committed if they were all pardoned from eternity. Besides, Paul’s complaints in Romans 7 were "after he was a sanctified and justified person." In short, "the greatest favourites of heaven have freely confessed and heartily prayed for the remission of sin."

5. That God sees no sin in believers, whatever sins they commit, is false, even when claimed under the colour of Scripture. For in Numbers 23.21- "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nor seen perverseness in Israel", the original reads: "He hath not beheld wrong against Jacob, nor hath He seen grievance against Israel." That is, says Gataker, God did not approve of the wrongs done by others to His people. The whole context, and especially Balaam’s advice to Balak, to draw them into sin so that God would forsake them, confirms this. As for Jeremiah 50.20 – "The iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found" – it means that even their sins shall not lead God to punish them forever.

Besides, God sees everything about us all, both good and evil. (Prov 15.3)
Furthermore, He is highly displeased with His people’s sins; witness David’s
adultery and murder (2 Sam 11.27) and presumptuous attendance at the Lord’s
Supper in Corinth. (1 Cor 11.32).

6. To claim that God’s anger with the elect reflects on His justice, because He has already justified them in eternity, is false, because God hates sin in them just as much as in others. Christ’s sacrifice did not abolish God’s hatred of sin in believers. It merely took away His hatred to their persons. "His hatred to their sins and love to their persons are not inconsistent." Those who would abolish God’s anger towards His people fail to distinguish between His judicial, vindicatory wrath and His paternal displeasure. Scripture everywhere speaks of Him laying the rod of chastisement on His wayward children. (Heb 12.8; Job 5.6; 2 Sam 12.9-14; Exod 4.13-14) Indeed, His children themselves acknowledge their sin as the cause of their chastisements. (Lam 3.39-40; Psa 38.3,5; Mic 7.9; Job 22.5-6) Such "fatherly correction of His saints" is fully consistent with God satisfying His justice with the blood of Christ for all their sins. (Psa 89.30-33) Christ never shed His blood to "abolish God’s displeasure against sin, in whomsoever it be found." Indeed, it would be unjust of God not to chastise His people when they sin.

We should be thankful for Flavel’s refutation of this dangerous error, for in some quarters there is a resurgence of it. Like the supralapsarianism to which it is linked, it derives not from Scripture, but from Plato, via Philo the neo-Platonist Jew and Polanus’s ‘Syntagma Theologiae Christianae’, a standard text-book among theological students after the Reformation. The Platonic archetypal theology it expresses forces Biblical truths concerning God’s way of salvation into a rigid strait-jacket that warps the way they are to be understood. Such archetypal theology belongs only to God, and is confined to the perfect knowledge He has of Himself. Into such realms we are forbidden to pry. And whenever the outcome of such prying imposes a restriction on the clear Gospel message of justification through faith in the precious blood of the only Redeemer of God’s elect, it both detracts from the free grace of God and closes the door of salvation to poor, needy souls. May we be warned. Theologians can devise subtle ways of excluding both themselves and others from the kingdom of God. There is only one answer to the momentous question: "What must I do to be saved?" It is: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." "And by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13.39)https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2004/eternal-justification/

hope this helps !!!

 

[civic]

Romans 5:1 being justified through faith.

THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

The English word justification is a direct translation of the Greek term dikaiosis, a literal legal term that emanated from the action of making something or someone righteous.

The ultimate goal of justification is the conversion of a sinner into a righteous believer. That happens by having faith and believing in what Jesus accomplished on the cross. God has already done all of the work. All we must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

Yes it happens in time when we believe not by being a preprogrammed robot in eternity past. Its nothing but a static god, fatalism/determinism.

 

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More on Eternal Justification !

Now all who were named or called, at the same time, by the same Divine Purpose and Decree, Justified by the Grace of God, given them in Christ Jesus 2 Tim 1:9, through the redemption of Christ Blood, as the Lamb slain from or before the foundation of the world.

Rom 3:24

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Rev 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

The trespass they would commit in time, first in Adam their head, and their personal sins when after they are born sinners, they were never laid to their Charge legally, and because of non imputation they were already forgiven of all sin, for David writes of that Ps 32:1-2

1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. See Rom 4:7-8 also !

They also were declared Righteous by Imputation of Christ Righteousness, that He would faithfully work out in Time. All this was accomplished before one speck of dust was created to this world !

 

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In God's Eternal Purpose, the Elect were predestinated to be conformed to the Image of His Son Rom 8:29

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

So this Fact tells us that God already reckoned them as Sons, so they were Justified in His Eternal Decree, He viewed them in Christ, His Only Begotten Son. This means consequently, all their sins were forgiven before they were committed, the curse withdrawn before it was incurred, God's Justice completely satisfied before the Law was broken, they were Justified in Christ before they sinned in Adam, accepted or Highly Favored in the Beloved before they were made sinners. The Redemption of the Elect was done, accomplished, when the Father accepted Christ as their Surety, and had respect unto His sacrifice, as the Lamb slain from the foundation ! Rev 13:8

8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 2

 

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Still nothing in the bible saying anyone is eternally justified, its made up. All I'm reading is eisegesis with no exegesis.

 

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One would have to be blind completely not to see that scriptures indicates that Justification of God's Elect by God's Grace is an Eternal Act. This Truth is plainly an Apostles Doctrine and not something just read into scripture. In Both 2 Tim 1:9 and Rom 8:30 Paul is showing the Eternal Purpose of God, by which all things work according to Eph 1:11. He[Paul] is declaring the Decree of God, and in God's decree, all of the Elect were Saved, Justified, and Glorified from Everlasting in Christ.

 

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Accepted in the Beloved, When ?

Paul who taught the Eternal Justification of all who are True Believers in Christ, who come to believe in Him in time, that they were accepted in the beloved before the foundation of the world, in accordance with having been Chosen in Him at that date Eph 1:3-6

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as[even as] he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

The verb accepted is the greek word charitoō and means:


to make graceful

a) charming, lovely, agreeable

2) to peruse with grace, compass with favour

3) to honour with blessings

This has to do with the gracious and favorable acceptance of the Chosen Ones of their Persons in the Beloved, which is Christ. Now when was this ? Why its when He chose them in Him before the foundation of the World. Remember this acceptance is according to and to the Praise of the Glory of His Grace to them. When was this Grace given to them ? 2 Tim 1:9

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

It was given them in Christ Jesus before the world began.

As such, God considered them Righteous, if Righteous, then Justified. This is what is meant by being Justified by His Grace.

Rom 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

This Justification by Grace here had nothing to do with being done in time, yes it was through or on the grounds of the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus, meaning His Death, but, God reckoned that as a done deal in His Eternal Purpose and so He was the Lamb slain from the foundation Rev 13:8

8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

No, the cross had not occurred yet in the temporal, but it did in the Eternal, because God's realization of things are always present to Him and Eternal.

 

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The Book of Life !

Eternal Justification is taught in scripture by the fact that there is a book of Life with names inscribed in it from the foundation of the world Rev 13:8;17:8. These are the ones that God called or named in His Eternal Purpose Rom 8:30;2 Tim 1:9. In both of these verses the word called is the greek word kaleō and means:


to call

a) to call aloud, utter in a loud voice

b) to invite

2) to call i.e. to name, by name

a) to give a name to

to receive the name of, receive as a name

2) to give some name to one, call his name

b) to be called i.e. to bear a name or title (among men)

c) to salute one by name

Thats why its written that Jesus calls His own Sheep by Name Jn 10:3

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

See, they were named in the Lambs Book of Life before the foundation, and they are His Own !

The Book of Life is the Book of Election, it knows and names everyone Chosen in Christ before the foundation Eph 1:4. Its the names of all for whom Christ was made a Surety for in the Everlasting Covenant Heb 7:22;13:20.

It is the book of all whom have laid to their charge the Righteousness of their Surety Jer 23:6;33:16

In this book are the names of all for whom the Surety was slain for them from the foundation Rev 13:8. In this book are all the names of all whom God has Promised Eternal Life Titus 1:1-2


1Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

2In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

1 Jn 2:25

25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

This was their Eternal Justification, their sins were never laid to their Charge, but unto Christ.

These are the foreknown of God, His People Rom 11:2

2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying, 2

 

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A word on God's Eternal Purpose !

Eph 3:11

11According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Its quite appropriate to say a word on God's Eternal Purpose when considering such a subject matter as Eternal Justification.

Most religionists fail in their understanding of God's Eternal Purpose or Decree. The Decree is Eternal [Timeless] but it is executed as well in time, however by it being Eternal in the Mind of God who is Eternal Deut 33:27;1 Tim 1:17, its completed from His Eternal Perspective ! An Eternal Being cannot but view things from an Eternal Perspective, since He is God. For God's realization of His Eternal Purpose is not dependent upon the succession of Time or neither is it in Him a process that needs fulfilling before He realizes the completion of it. Now it does for us, His creatures, but that's why we are not God, and can never be God, because our rational being's is temporal. There is succession of God's Eternal Purpose only as it is revealed in time to the creature. For us to think that God only realizes His Eternal Decree or Purpose as it is realized in time by us His creatures is to bring God down to our level as a Temporal Being, or it is exalting ourselves to be equal with Him. For God's realization of things are not governed by temporal means, such as time.

The fulfillment of God's Eternal Purpose in time, does not bring realization of His Purpose to Himself, but to bring realization of it to His creatures in time Heb 6:17-18, He shews to the Heirs of Promise the immutability of His Counsel. God's Eternal Decree comprehends all things before time, throughout time and after time !

 

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Justification before they believed !

The Justification of the Elect before they believed is Taught in Rom 4:25

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Here all the elect or the church were Justified in their Head and Representative, when He rose from the dead after being delivered for their offences!

The YLT: who was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised up because of our being declared righteous.

Christ resurrection from the dead was a testification or gives testimony that all for whom He died have been legally acquitted or discharged from all their sins. It was more than just an acquittal of Christ, because He was not delivered for His own offences, but the offences of others.

For Christ was their Surety, made so from Eternity in the Everlasting Covenant when He had their sins laid to His charge [imputation], by which He became legally liable by the Justice of God, and in due time, He gave Himself as an Offering for their sins, and when He arose from the dead, not as an private person, for He did not die as a private person for his own transgressions, but for the sins of the Many. So when He rose Justified and acquitted, then those for whom He died were also acquitted and Justified. For if He was delivered for their sins, then He was raised for their Justification, therefore all for whom Christ died and rose for , are Justified, even if they have not yet been born sinners, for God knows whose sins He bare , because it was for all those the Father hath given Him Jn 17:2. To deny this, one may as well deny Christ's resurrection from the dead. All this was accomplished [their Justification] before they believed a thing !

 

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If one is Elect !

If one is of the Elect, they are Justified as Early as their Election was. Now Paul writes in Rom 8:33

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

Election and Justification go hand in hand. Paul writes that it is God that Justifieth. Who ? Why the Elect, which is quite plain from the scripture, for this cannot be gainsaid, and from it we read that nothing can be laid to the Charge of God's Elect, but He has Justified them. Now how long has God viewed them as Chosen or Elect in Christ ? Eph 1:4

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

How long ? Before the foundation of the world, then scripture teaches the Elect before God, have been Justified before the foundation of the world.

Also it should be noted that scripture teaches that God viewed His Elect in Christ before the world began, and scripture plainly teaches that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus Rom 8:1 and 2 Tim 1:9

 

[civic]

Yep judas was elect/chosen too. So was Israel whom rejected Christ.

so much for being chosen and elect eh ?

hope this helps !!!

 

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Who are the objects of Justification ?

If we read the sacred writings in Rom 8:33-34

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

34 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.

It cannot be denied that Paul points to God's Elect as being the Ones God Justifies !

Now Who shall lay any Charge upon God's Elect ? Mind You Paul was not Just speaking of God's Elect in his present, but even of those who were yet to be born in the future ! Who would be able to lay charges against them ? Would they be born sinners as other men ? Of course they would. Would they be under the same legal condemnation as other men ? No they would not ! Why ? Because they are God's Elect, and others were not. Thats a benefit of being one of God's Elect, that other men do not have.

So God's Elect can not have anything laid to their Charge, for God has Justified them. Now when did they become God's Elect ? Was it when they believed ? No, they were His Elect from everlasting, they were Chosen in Christ before the world began, and given grace in Him Eph 1:4;2 Tim 1:9. If this be True, then as His Elect then, they were ['declared not guilty] and declared Righteous at the same time.

Also it was by Electing Grace that they were placed in Christ, and reckoned as in Him before the foundation of the world, and if this be so, then they must be reckoned as Righteous, for there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
2

 

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The Beginning of Justification !

Justification has it's beginning [ If we can call it a beginning], not when a sinner believes or is converted, not even when Christ died upon the cross [in time] but before the world began in the Eternal Counsels of the God Head, in the Everlasting Covenant, at which time [ If we can call it time] many were chosen in Christ Jesus, The Only Eternally Begotten Son and Mediator, and they were Predestinated to the Adoption of Children see Eph 1:3-5 and 2 Tim 1:9, here it is stated that many in Christ were given Grace and Justification is freely by Grace Rom 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. The word freely here is important. It is the greek word dorean and means undeservedly ! Not because of ones Faith or Repentance or anything they did or did not do, not even their accepting it, for they did not even exist yet except in God's Mind and Eternal Purpose.

Now this being True, The Elect were viewed by the God Head in Christ and having Union with Him from Everlasting, and this Eternal Union is the foundation of the communicating of all the spiritual blessings or saving benefits [from the fall] which they the elect receive in time, all for the Glory of God's Grace freely given them in Christ before the world began Eph 1:6; 2 Tim 1:9 !

 

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Not a inward work !

Justification is not a work that was wrought in the elect sinner [inwardly], for it is not the New Birth, however it is the fruit of it. In other words all whom are Justified from everlasting will in time be the recipients of the New Birth by the Spirit. This is when God causes the elect sinner to partake of a nature that corresponds with His declaration of them as Justified or Righteous because of the obedience of Christ. However Justification is just a legal term that defines the elect sinner as righteous in the Mind of God, even when the sinner is unrighteous in themselves and their manner of life. What they do or are doing or what they have not done has nothing to do with it, but it only has to do with what Christ done in their behalf, and the Father hath accepted it.

 

[civic]

no one if justified prior to believing/faith in Christ. Bible Soteriology 101.

no one is saved before faith

no one gets regenerated before faith

no one gets eternal life before faith

no one is sanctified before faith

no one receives the Holy Spirit before faith

hope this helps !!!

 

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Justification is legally and declaratively a right standing before God as Judge. One can be before God either Justified or condemned, there is no middle ground. One is either born into this world as Justified or condemned before God, though all are born sinners. These are both what is termed forensic words, having to do with a courtroom setting. Now reconciliation, propitiation, justification and remission of sins are all joined together and all are dealt with by the blood of Christ. His blood has satisfied God's Justice in all these area's. Everyone Christ died for, having been slain in the Eternal Purpose of God before the foundation of the world, are reconciled, propitiated, justified and have remission of sins when they are born in this world dead in Trespasses and sins. This is True only Legally before God without them knowing about it.

 

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Imputation of sins of the elect to Christ from the foundation!

Rev 13:8

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

If in the Eternal Purpose of God, the Lamb has been slain from the foundation of the world, what was He slain for ? It was for the sins of those He was actually slain for in time ! God's Elect. We know this because Peter writing to God's Elect in 1 Pet 1:1-2 writes this to THEM 1 Pet 2:24

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Whose our sins ? Its the Elect according to the foreknowledge of God !

Now, if Christ was slain in the Eternal Purpose of the Father, it was for the sins of the foreknown Elect of God.

And that means their sins had been imputed to His Charge, in the Eternal Purpose of God before the foundation of the world. See 1 Pet 1:20 !

It was before the foundation of the world that the Triune God, The Father, Word, and Holy Spirit, The God-Head, in the Counsel of the Everlasting Covenant, Christ being the designated Surety thereof, The Father imputed, laid to the Sureties charge, in His Mediator Office 1 Tim 2:5, the sins of all His Elect. Also they received from Him the Imputed Righteousness of His future obedience unto the Law of God.

This imputation concerns only the Election of Grace among men, and not that of the reprobates, men or angels ! 2