Summing up what has been said up until now:

(i) I was taught Christian life progresses in these stages: justification–> Sanctification –> Glorification

(ii) In current discussion, the narrow definition of “Legalism” is not “earning salvation through my own works” but “trying to earn ‘favor’ (not “salvation”) from God by doing good works.”

(iii) Contra Roman church, you cannot confuse Justification & Sanctification: Justification does not, cannot depend on the success of your sanctification.

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Now, let’s finalize our inquiry.

(i) J->S->G is a Lutheran teaching, not a Reformed teaching (The Lutheran church is obviously the heir of Martin Luther & his successor Philip Melanchton. The Reformed church is, while sharing the fundamental doctrines such as Sola Fide with Lutherans, the heir of many different protestant pastor-theologians among which John Calvin is viewed as the fountainhead.) While there are some truths to this 3-stage view, it is at odds with Biblical data.

(ii) Referring to “Legalism” tendency in Korean American churches, what people mean by “Legalism” is often Spiritual Discipline imposed on them by the church that they cannot keep up with. Then, they wave the flag and say “It’s Legalism.” Good example would be: Dawn Prayer. Most of Ko-Am churches have SBKD. If you ask any pastor, “are you trying to earn your salvation by waking up at 4am everyday, rest of your life?”, they will say, “are you out of your mind?” See, no Bible believing Christian will claim that they are doing SBKD in order to earn salvation. But that’s how “Legalism” is often (mis) applied to Ko-Am churches. That is not the point.

Then, what is the problem? What is so deadly about many Ko-Am churches (but not limited to them)? It’s their view (doctrine) of salvation which is summed up in (i).

Broadly speaking, I am not too far fetched to say: many Korean American churches’ view of salvation is the same as 3-stage view of Lutheranism (summarized by F. Pieper). I’ve never heard (I probably heard hundreds) distinctly Reformed or Calvinistic doctrine of salvation. Have you? NO. Because if you preach doctrine of salvation in a deep way on Sunday, not many will ‘receive grace’ as we used to say. What people need is encouragement (fire, in my case), not some doctrine. Who cares about the doctrine? You see. That’s how I grew up: “The doctrine is for scholars not average Sunday church goer.” But as time goes on, people fall away from church, not because of lack of encouragement-fire, but because of lack of doctrine. And I’m not talking about some high, scholarly doctrines, but the ones that are foundational to Christian theism. The very basic. But you never hear the very basic.

So, what’s “more” (because Lutheran view is still Biblical in some sense too) Biblical view of salvation in the Reformed/Calvinistic tradition? I’m sure it will change the view of many legalistic churches forever (the reason why churches are “legalistic” is because of lack of robust doctrine of salvation), including your personal Christian life.

It’s the doctrine of U-N-I-O-N with Christ.

In the traditional post Lutheran (starting roughly with Melanchton) theology, Justification by Faith alone (Sola Fide) is the starting point for all benefits of redemption. Therefore, Justification “effects/produces” sanctification, then sanctification produces glorification at the end. Sounds familiar?

In the Reformed tradition, however, one receives the whole Christ first (the Union). And justification/sanctification/adoption/glorification are received/communicated “simultaneously,” and “inseparably yet distinctively” IN UNION WITH THE RISEN CHRIST.

What’s the difference between the two? In strict 3 stage view, you leave Jesus Christ out of the picture. You receive Justification first apart from living, risen Christ. Then, the union occurs along with sanctification (Pieper does have Union. So it’s wrong for me to equate popular 3 stage view with Pieper’s. However, because the centrality of Doc of Justification overshadows whole redemption process for Lutheranism, unless explicitly stated, it may leave the impression that is equal to 3 stage view). So once justified, you leave Gospel behind. After all, “the gospel is needed for conversion! Not for sanctification!” (See, many people think “how can the gospel be the motivation for holy living? You need instructions, programs, to-do lists…here is the pitfall. Gospel recedes into back, and the Law is introduced, in order to spur you, in order to motivate you for holy living”) How about your experience? Don’t you equate “conversion” with the “salvation”? E.g. We say “when were you saved?” “When did you receive Jesus Christ?”

In 3 stage view, the process of sanctification is a lonely, frustrating, angering journey. Because you will never be good enough. Yes, WCF can meaningfully speak of sanctification, which is REAL. Yet, in many “discipleship” programs, we leave Gospel and Jesus Christ behind. Why? I’ve used him up. I know what he did on the cross. Now, let’s memorize verses, and join Bible studies. Let’s learn and pray. Where is Christ? IN YOUR PAST.

In the Reformed view, salvation is not limited to “conversion.” But the gospel/Jesus Christ encompasses the whole process. And guess what? In the sanctification process (in their 2nd stage), Jesus Christ does not stand in heaven and watch you how you do it. He is not even with you. In fact, He is united (spiritual, mystical, yet REAL union) to you.  I am at this moment united with risen Christ. Where is Christ? Not in my past experience. But here and now, with me.

Let’s sum up.

If you are caught up in the 2nd stage, trying hard sincerely, trying hard not to earn salvation but to please God by “proving” my progress, stop. Stop “doing” for a moment. Stop trying to prove your love for God, because God is the one who proved his love for us once and for all (get this, ‘for all’ part) on the calvary. There is no more proof needed from your side. You are not walking toward Jesus who’s far away at the end of the road waiting for you. He’s in you, you in him. Then, tears will flow from your eyes. Joyful praise will burst forth from your mouth. “Lord, you did not leave me alone. I’m so dirty, weak…yet I am united to risen Christ here and now? How can that be?”

Remember Rev. Shishko’s thundering voice singing this? Remember Rev. Wilson singing this at the dinner table?

Eph 2:1ff

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

1 Cor. 1:30

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption

If you persevered through this rather long article, I pray that your walk with the Lord is now in the Lord, motivated not by fear but by love and assurance. Don’t let anyone take that joy away from you. No one.

*if you are reading this from facebook, this is imported from our new song church blog: newsongNY.org/blog

Now looking back my Christian life (received Christ as Redeemer and Lord in my 1st year college in Austin, TX), there are few things that I wish I had in my college years.

(i) Reformed Confession of Faith (particularly the Westminster Confession of Faith)

(ii) the Study Bible (NIV Study Bible was the only one that was available, but now I recommend the Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible (NIV), because the notes are better than the Reformation Study Bible (ESV) & it has WCF and the Three Forms of Unity in the back: a winning combination, or ESV Study Bible)

*Note: The MacArthur Study Bible is coming out in ESV but since I don’t own one I can’t recommend it (not sure how dispensational his notes are)

(iii) and of course, Cornelius Van Til’s Defense of Faith

(iv) finally, wish I had joined a Reformed congregation when I was younger

If you are on your own at some college campus, surviving through KCF’s & some application driven preaching somewhere, I suggest you take hold of those three that I mentioned above (possibly with the fourth one): You can’t go back to “just read your bible and pray” Christian life.

The reason why I mentioned above items is because: I would have known and appreciated the Gospel of Jesus Christ in clearer way (this makes life and death difference). If you utilize the resources above (that is, you actually sit down and read through the books), you would not become a victim of the Legalism, which is no Gospel at all.

So what I am about to say regarding Legalism can be found in the Reformed tradition, particularly in the Westminster Confession of Faith.

This is my plea: Read the Confession.
You will say the same thing to others, once you taste the Westminster Standards.

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The very first thing that I want to mention is: You CANNOT confuse Justification & Sanctification.

Traditionally, the confusion between the two very important doctrines occurred in the Roman Church. Some accuse Roman church for placing Sanctification before the Justification (I’m sure you have heard people saying Roman Catholics teach works-righteousness (you earn your salvation through your works) whereas the protestants got Justification by faith alone right thanks to Martin Luther). As far as I know (after reading the Trent, Vatican II, Catholic Catechism, Hans Kung’s Justification; yea, he’s liberal, I know), that is completely false. The Rome never taught or teaches “salvation by works.” Never! They emphasize “Salvation not by works but by Grace.”

HOWEVER, the problem lies in their confusion of the Justification and Sanctification in a “Christian’s” (not a pagan’s) life (after you become a Christian). It (Catholic teaching) goes something like this:

You are saved by grace alone. Human beings do not contribute to their own salvation (we agree). But you do not and cannot know infallibly that you are saved (we disagree: Read WCF Ch.18 or Lager Catechism Q.80). (We can understand what Catholics are saying because (i) you never heard God’s voice confirming your salvation, (ii) remaining sin in our Christian life often makes you wonder whether you are saved or not). Since you CANNOT know for sure that you are saved, you now must perform good works. Then, at the judgment seat, God “may” give you the pass (WCF LC Q&A 90 talks about final acquittal at the consummation but this differs substantially from what we are saying about the Catholic teaching).

Did you get that? The justification of the sinners is contingent upon the success of the sanctification of the believer’s life. As my advisor taught me, the contention of the Reformation was not so much about the Justification by faith (Luther) vs. Works (Catholics), but rather the Assurance of Salvation. So the Reformers mocked them by saying, “Does Pope know? (that he is absolutely, infallibly saved)” Since Catholic teaching never allows you to have assurance of your salvation, Catholic teaching de facto becomes works-righteousness in the end. It’s no different from other religions of the world.

*Justification comes at the outset of Christian life, independent from your good works: it’s declaration of pardon by God; it’s judicial; it depends on Christ’s work & merit. And we receive it by faith “alone.” The traditional (yet still helpful) language that is used to describe Justification is IMPUTATION; imputation of Christ’s righteousness to sinners.

*Sanctification is the life of a sinner who is declared just by God (by virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection) in the power of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of mortifying sin remaining in our lives. However weak you may become/feel about your Christian life, your Justification stands. That is, you cannot lose your salvation because it (salvation) never really depended on your performance in the first place.

Today’s lesson: Do not confuse Justification and Sanctification. Stand with the Reformed tradition on these doctrinal teachings (read ch.11, 13, 16, 18 of Westminster Confession of Faith)

Yesterday was very refreshing. I met Pastor Jonathan Holst who came from CT to see & get to know me. Originally from Wales (the land of Lloyd-Jones), felt like the chatting was with Carl Trueman (from England) though Holst says English accent is different from Welsh. Last Saturday night, I asked my dear brothers and sisters whether they had any relationship(s) that is (Holy) Spiritual. Is anyone who is mature in Christ involved in your life? You see, when efficiency is everything, fellowship with other Christians are viewed as bothersome and waste of time. But you CANNOT live your Christian life alone. Because God didn’t engineer Christian life as “I against the evil world” way.

Do you want to grow? Has God placed the desire to grow in the knowledge and grace of God? Then, have someone who will tell you the truth in love involved in your Christian life. If not, you will not last.

I’ve talked about 3 stage view of Christian life as mis-informed. Yes, there certainly are some truths in dividing Christian life that way, but without further clarification, it proved to me like a death sentence.

In my experience (listening to various Christian pastors in college: mostly Presbyterian and Baptist ministers), Korean American churches have clear understanding of Justification by grace alone/faith alone/in Christ alone. Strong emphasis on the sovereign grace of God: The grace of faith is the work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts.

However, in Christian life (that is after the conversion), suddenly the Law takes control in the name of discipleship, ending up negating the very nature of the grace of God. And it is deadly. So, before we go on, we need some clarification on the term: legalism. When I say “Legalism,” I’m not saying anyone (in their right mind) is trying to earn their “salvation.” Any Christian who sat under the sound/Biblical preaching of the Word will jump to their feet when accused of “legalism.” But I’ve heard all kinds of accusations from EMs condemning 1st Gen Korean ministers of Legalism. But historically when someone says “Legalism,” it means: earning salvation by human endeavor through works-righteousness (in Pharisaic sense). So it is no wonder when 1st Gen reacts sharply, rightly so, when their ministry is accused of “Legalism.”

Narrower definition of “Legalism” should be: trying to earn “favor” (not “salvation”) from God by doing good works.

When defined narrowly, we can finally talk. “Is it ok to seek God’s favor (or, blessings) by doing good?” “What’s the difference between Legalism and Spiritual Discipline?” “Justification and Sanctification”

These are some of the topics that younger Christians should be able to articulate with Biblical knowledge: earlier the better. I’ve seen too many Christians “give up” their Christian lives for failing to understand these crucial/basic differences.

Stay tuned.

When I became a Christian first year in college, I was taught: there are three stages in a Christian’s life. He referred to Rom.8:30
Romans 8:30 says: 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Stage 1: Justification
Stage 2: Sanctification
Stage 3: Glorification

Since “I” accepted Christ, where am I? Stage 2. Stage 3 is not really my concern because to be glorified, I either have to die or Jesus must come for the second time.

While you are in Stage 2, what do we do in good Korean American churches? DISCIPLESHIP. Here, I think, many Korean American churches lose their own denominational (theological) distinctives. If preachers do know (I’m sure they do) about their theological traditions, they don’t preach them explicitly (oh, I’ve heard many Baptist preachers condemning Presbyterians for “pre-destinating people”: exact words, which I still remember from Ed Young was “Hellish Damnation of Presbyterians”). How many of you heard sermons about 5 point Calvinism? Whether you go to Baptist church or Presbyterian church, other than some physical differences [FYI, many Baptist pulpits are crystals (if they have one) not woods because they do not want to be seen as Authoritative. Crystal pulpits assume that preachers and lay people are on the same ground, not separated by "walls"; yes, there are theological reasons for everything that the church does], they really are not that different. You may say, rightly so from your experience, “All churches are (or should be) the same. Denominations are the result of human sin: fighting against other Christian brothers and sisters. Just read John 17!” In my experience, Preaching (pastors preaching to Stage 2 Christians; for Stage 1, they preach “evangelistic” sermons: come forward to receive Christ) was all about “APPLICATIONS” to my life to help me be a better Christian. To do that, all churches do the discipleship programs.

While I was in Stage 2, I was to be holy with the help of discipleship. But stage 2 already presupposes that you will NEVER BE HOLY in this life! So, it seemed to me: “I know I can’t be 100% holy while I am on earth, but I will try anyways. If it doesn’t work out, and Bible tells me it’s not going to, there is nothing I can do about it.” So from the get-go, stage 2 basket is leaking. And I tried hard. 3 hr early dawn prayer (6am-9am), reading through the Bible, Meeting 3 times a week (small groups), meet again for daily night prayers (9pm-10pm). When I look back, I’m thankful for that “discipline” that I’ve learned. But….

One day, my Bible study group leader came to the meeting and said, “I tried to live my life according to the Word of God, but I can’t. I feel like I’m a hypocrite standing in front of you and teaching the Bible. So I quit.” And he quit.

What is wrong with this picture? Wrong theology. As soon as we read the Bible, we become theologians whether you know it or not. This 3 Stage view of Christian life is not the gospel driven Christian life. If what I’ve described about my Christian life resonates with your own life, stay tuned; I will be clarifying some (yet deadly) misunderstandings of Discipleships and Sanctification.