John Piper in Belfast - Beware of his false teaching on Justification by Faith Alone!

This coming Friday & Saturday, 14th & 15th June 2019, there is a Conference and Concert taking place at Assembly Buildings, Belfast. It seems to be sponsored by 'New Irish Arts' and 'Getty Music'.

The Special Guest announced for this event is John Piper. According to his own bio on his website John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Why I Love the Apostle Paul: 30 Reasons.

John Piper is also known for Scriptural and doctrinal views that anyone who loves the truth of the Bible should be concerned about, especially the great Reformation doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone.

Reply to Mr Alban Maginness from Rev David McLaughlin

Rev. David McLaughlin, minister in Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church, has sent the following reply to the Belfast Telegraph in answer to Alban Maginness' comments about the Protestant Reformation.

How much they will print no one knows so it is published here in full.

As a Bible believing Protestant I sincerely respect the right of people to document their views and opinions. This principle of civil and religious liberty is enshrined within the great tenants of our favoured nation. But the freedom to express our opinion does not, in and of itself, immunise us from a thoughtful analysis by those who hold to a different interpretation and application of the subject that is being considered.

Mr Alban Maginness, a former barrister, MLA and Lord Mayor of Belfast, recently wrote in the Belfast Telegraph that the Reformation was "a tragedy that still divides us”. According to the Oxford dictionary the word ‘tragedy’ means , “An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress ..” What Alban Maginness is arguing for is that the Reformation caused great suffering, destruction and distress for the Roman Catholic Church from the 16th Century to the present day? From a Roman Catholic perspective the Reformation is viewed as a “tragedy”, because it exposed the Church’s intimidating system of ritual and penance to earn salvation, to be contrary to the Holy Scriptures. However, from the Protestant perspective the Reformation was neither “tragic nor an unfortunate misunderstanding”. In fact it was a glorious movement of the Spirit of God, because truth triumphed over error, light defeated darkness and the Scriptures exalted over manmade traditions.

Rome's false teaching on Justification

The Catechism of the Catholic Church was revised and reprinted in March 2000. This gives an up-to-date record of Rome's teaching on various doctrines.

This Catechism of the Catholic Church has much to say about the doctrine of Justification. There are at least 40 references to the term 'Justification' in this Catechism of the Catholic Church. These 40 references demonstrate that Rome's view of 'Justification' is still the same as at the Council of Trent and is still contrary to the teaching of the Bible and the truth held by orthodox Protestantism.

The Reformation - A Blessing sent from God and no Tragedy

All this week, the Belfast Telegraph will be carrying a series of articles to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Today, Mr Alban Maginness, a former barrister, MLA and Lord Mayor of Belfast, writes that the Reformation was "a tragedy that still divides us" [click on the link to read his article]

Among a number of comments Mr Maginness makes, there is the impression given that the Reformation was a "tragic" and "unfortunate" misunderstanding and that "by today's thinking, much of the disputed issues are not considered that great a difference in Christian thinking".

Mr Maginness goes on to observe that "In particular, a common understanding about the doctrine of justification by faith has now been reached between the Catholic Church and the Lutheran Churches and others."

In his mind "Some of those historic disputes now seem abstract and irrelevant today. That is not to say that these differences were not real 500 years ago, but rather that they have lost the passion and energy that they once inspired."

He is heartened by the fact that "… ecumenical growth over the past century has led to a healthy and mature reconsideration of the Reformation by all and an easing of the inter-Church tensions."

Reformation Quotable Quote

Every week I preach justification by faith to my people, because every week they forget it. Martin Luther

A. W. Pink on whether Justification brings about a change in man's moral nature

A. W. Pink wrote on the Doctrine of Justification. In chapter two of his work upon this subject he deals with the meaning of Justification. Here is what he says regarding whether a moral change is made in man's nature and explaining the difference between Justification and Sanctification:

Sanctification is moral or experimental, justification is legal or judicial. Sanctification results from the operation of the Spirit in me, justification is based upon what Christ has done for me. The one is gradual and progressive, the other is instantaneous and immutable. The one admits of degrees, and is never perfect in this life; the other is complete and admits of no addition. The one concerns my state, the other has to do with my standing before God. Sanctification produces a moral transformation of character, justification is a change of legal status: it is a change from guilt and condemnation to forgiveness and acceptance, and this solely by a gratuitous act of God, founded upon the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, through the instrument of faith alone. Though justification is quite separate from sanctification, yet sanctification ever accompanies it.

To read the whole chapter use this link - The Meaning of Justification To read the whole book online use this link - A. W. Pink: The Doctrine of Justification

Quotable Quote - John Bunyan on Justification

But if you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the Man Christ without, and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, teaching believers their duty to their God for his love in giving Christ, you are not able to divide the word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the word of God, and cast stumbling-blocks before the people, and will certainly one day most deeply smart for your folly, except you repent. John Bunyan

Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible wrongly teaches that Justification brings about a "change of man's moral nature"

There is at best a most unfortunate mistake in the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible concerning the vital doctrine of Justification. At worse, it is the incorporation of false teaching, even Roman Catholic teaching, into this Study Bible regarding the important truth of Justification.

Either way it surely needs, and deserves, an immediate, public clarification and correction!

There are a number of Christians, including young believers, who have purchased hard printed copies of this Study Bible, who will be unaware of the erroneous nature of this statement. They will accept the content of this footnote as being accurate, believing it to be indeed the truth about the great doctrine of Justification. After all, it is contained in this Study Bible and no clarification or correction has been publicised, even though the publishers know about the error.