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are universal calls, exhortations, and commands to repent. With regard to the latter, we see the following. “The sufficiency of his [Christ’s] saviourhood rests upon the work he accomplished once for all when he died upon the cross and rose again in triumphant power…It is not the possibility of salvation that is offered to lost men but the Saviour himself and therefore salvation full and perfect.” Second, Murray looks at the nature of faith. There are three aspects of faith: knowledge, conviction and trust. We must have a knowledge of Christ and his work; we must assent to the truth about Christ and have a conviction “that Christ’s sufficiency as Saviour meets the desperateness and hopelessness of our sin and misery”; and we must place our trust in the person of Christ. Repentance Murray quotes the Westminster Shorter Catechism: “Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after new obedience” (Q. 87). “It is impossible to disentangle faith and repentance.” Repentance is “turning from sin unto God,” and faith is “believing in Christ for salvation from sin.” “Repentance consists essentially in change of heart and mind and will.” We repent of our own particular sins and come to the cross of Christ for forgiveness and cleansing. Chapter 5: Justification Since the wrath of God is the just recompense for man’s sin, we must ask, “How can sinful man be right with God?” “Justification is the answer and justification is the act of God’s free grace.” It is God and not us who justifies us. Justification does not make a person righteous; rather, it is the declaration that the person, as respecting the law, is righteous. Justification is judicial; it “is a judgment of God with respect to us.” How can God thus do something it would be sinful for us to do—justify the ungodly? In the act of justification, God not only pronounces us righteous, but also constitutes us righteous: he imputes the righteousness of Christ to us. Faith precedes justification, and we are justified by faith alone. Faith is a gift of God, and faith “receives and rests upon…Christ and his righteousness.” Thus justification is, once again, entirely of God’s grace. Chapter 6: Adoption “By adoption the redeemed become sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty; they are introduced into and given the privileges of God’s family.” Adoption is inseparable from regeneration and justification. “Adoption is, like justification, a judicial act.” It is a change in status, not a change of our nature. “Those adopted into God’s family are also given the Spirit of adoption whereby they are able to recognize their sonship and exercise the privileges which go with it.” Murray finds from Scripture that it is “specifically God the Father who is the agent of this grace” of adoption. Chapter 7: Sanctification Sanctification is closely related to both effectual calling and regeneration. In those who have been effectually called and regenerated, sin no longer has power and dominion. This does not mean that
elievers are freed from all sin. There is, however, conflict in the believer against sin, and sin “does not have the mastery.” It is God the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us. “The mode of the Spirit’s operation in sanctification is encompassed with mystery,” and we are completely dependent upon him. This dependence on the Holy Spirit in sanctification does not exclude our own efforts. “All working out of salvation on our part is the effect of God’s working in us.” Chapter 8: Perseverance “It is possible to give all the outward signs of faith in Christ and obedience to him, to witness for a time a good confession and show great zeal for Christ and his kingdom and then lose all interest and become indifferent, if not hostile, to the claims of Christ and of his kingdom.” Temporary faith can take a person a long way, but yet not far enough. To better understand this, we need to have a proper understanding of the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. The doctrine is not termed the Security of the Saints (with respect to their salvation), but the Perseverance of the Saints. Those who are saints (believers) will persevere in the faith. “It is not true that the believer is secure however much he may fall into sin and unfaithfulness.” This is so because the believer is secure because he “cannot abandon himself to sin.” “It is true that a believer…may fall into grievous sin and backslide for lengthy periods.” But he “cannot come under the dominion of sin.” The true believer will persevere, for he is kept by God. If we would be saints, let us persevere. Chapter 9: Union with Christ Union with Christ “is not simply a step in the application of redemption; when viewed, according to the teaching of Scripture, in its broader aspects it underlies every step of the application of redemption.” “The fountain of salvation itself in the eternal election of the Father is ‘in Christ.’” God’s people “are represented as united to Christ in his death, resurrection, and exaltation to heaven…It is in Christ that the people of God are created anew…It is in Christ that Christian life and behavior are conducted…It is in Christ that believers die…Finally, it is in Christ that the people of God will be resurrected and glorified.” Murray proceeds to speak of the nature of union with Christ. First, it is Spiritual. “’Spiritual’ in the New Testament refers to that which is of the Holy Spirit.” Thus, “the bond of this union is the Holy Spirit himself.” Second, it is mystical. This has, at least in part, reference to the mystery of union with Christ and to communion with him. Murray finally points out that union with Christ brings with it union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Chapter 10: Glorification Glorification is the completion of the application of redemption. “Glorification does not refer to the blessedness upon which the spirits of believers enter at death…It is the complete and final redemption of the whole person when in the integrity of body and spirit the people of God will be conformed to the image to the risen, exalted, and glorified Redeemer, when the very body of their humiliation will be conformed to the body of Christ’s glory (cf. Phil 3:21).” All of Christ’s church from all time will be glorified together at the resurrection. Glorification is closely associated with both “the coming of Christ in glory,” and “the renewal of creation.”
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