Justification

By Francis Turretin

Martin Luther contended that the church stands or falls on the doctrine of justification. With challenges to the Reformer's view coming from several directions today, R. C. Sproul finds the appearance... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0875527051
• ISBN13: 9780875527055
• Release Date: February 2004
• Publisher: P & R Publishing
• Length: 115 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Forensic, Alien, and Imputed Righteousness

I've had the distinct honor of poring over a wonderful Reformation classic, Francis Turretin's Justification, excerpted from his three volume set, The Institutes of Elenctic Theology, which was published in 1688. Francis Turretin was a pastor in the Geneva, Switzerland, church and a professor of theology at the Academy in Geneva. He lived from 1623 to 1687. With the skill and precision of a surgeon, Turretin slices away the cancerous ideas of Roman Catholicism/Arminianism/Pelagianism and exposes the healthy tissue of the biblical doctrine of justification. This book is a wonder to read. Differing very much from the style of today's writers, Turretin was thorough and painstaking. There is left no place for "studied ambiguity"; no safe haven for those who would vacillate or seek unity above truth. Turretin distinguishes well ("pi bene distinquit bene docet") and with great presicion and lucidity expounds the biblical doctrine of justification. The righteousness by which we are justified is not inherent or infused as Catholicism/Arminianism supposes, but is imputed by grace alone through faith alone. This, of course, strikes at the heart of the pride of humankind. Our righteousness is alien and it is forensic. However, Turretin makes it abundantly clear that there is also an infused righteousness from God in connection with sanctification, but this is not what justifies us. Rather, it is the effect of justification instead of the prerequisite as is believed by the opponents of Reformational theology. The Bible doctrine of imputation has suffered greatly, first through the Roman Catholic Church and later through the theology of Arminianism. In fact, the large majority of modern Christians hold to some form of Neo-Pelagianism. Turretin's tome on justification is a much needed dose of biblical medicine for a sick church that is in utter bondage to Pelagianism/Arminianism and I am grateful that it has been published in a handy and available format. Highly recommended.