2LCF Chapter 11 - Of Justification, Part 2

Jim Butler

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 11 (Of Justification), paragraphs 3–6 are expounded in this Sunday school session, building on an earlier treatment of paragraphs 1–2. The study examines the basis of justification in Christ's penal substitutionary atonement and the satisfaction of divine justice (paragraph 3); the ordering of justification in time against the error of eternal justification (paragraph 4); the ongoing forgiveness of post-conversion sin in light of remaining corruption, with David's Psalm 51 as a case study (paragraph 5); and the uniformity of justification across both testaments, showing that Old and New Covenant saints are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (paragraph 6). The Westminster Larger Catechism's distinctions between justification and sanctification are brought in to guard against both antinomianism and perfectionism, and the session closes urging justified sinners to run to their Advocate rather than wallow in guilt.