The problem in many contemporary Evangelical Reformed churches is the widespread and institutionalized disbelief that faith and faith alone justifies a sinner in God’s sight. Faith cannot be sufficient. There must be some ritual and some existential crisis, some courageous act of commitment, which puts one right with God.

The secondary problem is the (not as widespread) relunctance to warn God’s people, professing believers, that they must continue in faith in order to be saved, that a true faith not only rests on Christ, but treasures the promises and trembles at the warnings in God’s Word. Thus, once one has made the heroic leap of faith into a justified state, one must never ever be warned or exhorted to pursue what God has promised and reject the temptations of unbelief.

This combination means that anyone who affirms sola fide will find himself the victim of untrue claims that he doesn’t exhort his congregation to faith and repentance rather than leaving them complacent. It also means, that when it is admitted he in fact does make such exhortations, he will be accused of “legalism” and again be portrayed as an enemy of the Gospel.

FOR FURTHER READING:

• Are Good Works Necessary To Salvation / Zacharias Ursinus
• Election: Corporate & Individual / Mark Horne
• Faith Seeks / Mark Horne
• Infants Baptized As Believers / Zacharias Ursinus
• The Necessity of New Obedience / Mark Horne
• Justifying Faith: A Prima Facie Vindication of Norman Shepherd According to Reformed Orthodoxy / Mark Horne (PDF)
• The Justification of a Righteous Man / Benedict Pictet
• Special & Common Election / John Calvin
• Standing on the Promises: Faith & Assurance in the Bible
• The Grace of Justification / Norman Shepherd
• Trustworthy Precepts / Mark Horne
• Whose Legalism? Which Works-Righteousness? The 2002 Auburn Avenue Pastor’s Conference and the Assurance of Grace / Mark Horne
• Admission Into the Church: Biblical Theology & Baptism / Mark Horne
• Calvin on Baptism, Penance, & Absolution / Rich Lusk
• Can Baptism Do Anything / Mark Horne
• In Defense of the Baptismal Liturgy / John Nevin
• Is God the God of the Mature Professing Christians Only? A Reply to Greg Welty (a credobaptist) / Mark Horne
• Sacramental Assurance & The Reformed Faith: The Biblical Perspective of the Westminster Standards / Mark Horne
• Sacramental Efficacy / Peter Leithart
• Samuel Miller, Baptism, and Covenant Theology / Mark Horne
• You and Your Son and Daughter: Christ’s Communion with Young Children