XI. Scriptures and the ‘Standard Reformed’ View Compared

XI. Conclusion: Scriptures and the ‘Standard Reformed’ View Compared

We are all familiar with geometric figures known as square and rhombus. They have one common feature – both are plane geometric figures having four equal sides. Squares have all four equal sides at right angles. Rhombuses have four equal sides at oblique angles. The ‘standard reformed view uses all the same terminology of the Scriptures, as the four equal sides of squares and rhombuses – but the two views are as different as rhombuses from squares. Sometimes a rhombus can look so similar to a square that to the untrained eyes they appear exactly the same. But a simple plumb line will reveal that it is not a square. Other times, the difference is so obvious that even a very poor-sighted man can notice. Please take note that I have no desire to misrepresent the ‘standard reformed’ view espoused and defended by some people. If you see anything inaccurate, I would appreciate being informed. I need to point out that not all the ‘reformed’ people believe exactly like the ‘standard reformed’ folk of the Reformed Baptist Fraternal.

 

When square-like rhombuses are mistaken or claimed as squares the results are glaring inconsistencies and amusing contradictions. Below are various types of rhombuses compared with what I see as squares. May our Lord grant us wisdom to rightly divide the word of truth, and distinguish the rhombuses from the square. Please compare the two schemes and examine whether the ‘standard reformed’ view has any resemblance to the biblical view summarized in the 1689 LBCoF. Note carefully that in the biblical order, it is God’s sovereign and free grace in the effectual call unto life that puts the application of salvation put into motion – this is free grace, pure and undefiled. In the ‘standard reformed’ view, it is men’s obedience to preach to gospel that puts the application of salvation into motion – this is grace, mixed and contaminated.

A Simple Comparison of the Two Different Views

1689 CoF Order of Salvation
Effectual call unto life: definitive sanctification
- Justification: condemned is declared righteous
- Regeneration: dead is given eternal life
- Adoption: received as sons, and given gifts

Gospel call is blessed for further sanctification
- Faith/Repentance through the ministry of the word
- Faith evidences justified state
- God works in them to will and to do His good pleasure
- Perseverance: God perseveres to preserve the elect in the state of grace
- Glorification - based on God’s perseverance to preserve alone

‘Standard Reformed’ Order of Salvation
General call - in the free offer of salvation
Effectual call - general call made effectual
Regeneration - receives spiritual gift to believe
Conversion – response of faith to the gospel
‘Born again’ – believes to receive eternal life
Justification – believes to be declared righteous
Adoption – believes to be received as son
Sanctification – progressively more holy
Perseverance – the believer persevering in a life of faith and holiness
Glorification - based on the elect’s perseverance

Before the application of salvation, an elect, just as the non-elect, is under just condemnation, is spiritually dead, and is a child of wrath, i.e. a condemned, dead child of wrath. By the effectual calling to life, an elect is justified, regenerated and adopted, thus effectually transformed into a justified living child of God. And spiritual gifts are bestowed upon the adopted children of God, not the children of wrath. The adopted sons alone are capable of exercising the gifts bestowed for further sanctification. Only the adopted alone are capable of receiving spiritual things. All their spiritual activities are responses to the salvation already bestowed by pure grace. It is only to such adopted sons that the gospel is good news – news of what God has actually done to them by free grace. Only such have good news to believe – the good news preached and heard is true of them! This is vastly different from the ‘order’ of the ‘standard reformed’ position espoused and defended by the Reformed Baptist Fraternal.

The first act of God in applying the salvation secured by Christ upon His individual elect in His appointed and accepted time is to justify him, i.e. to remove that just condemnation of death and declare him righteous. The ‘standard reformed’ people would be familiar with this simple definition: ‘Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.’

The clause ‘received by faith alone’ has been variously understood. The ‘standard reformed’ folks have commonly understood this to mean that justification as an act of God’s free grace, is conditioned upon the faith of the condemned, i.e. no faith, no justification. They understood faith as the necessary prerequisite for God’s free grace to justify, i.e. God’s free grace to justify is dependent upon man’s act to believe. The ‘standard reformed’ folks may wish to ask, “Is God’s grace to justify the elect still free?” How ‘free’ is God’s free grace to justify the condemned, dead child of wrath if justification is conditioned upon the faith of an elect in such a state?

Does ‘faith is not alone in the person justified’ inform us what the clear-minded authors of the Confession intended by ‘received by faith alone’? Does it not mean that faith is an effect of justification by God’s free grace and that the blessings of the justification by God’s free grace are known and experienced by that faith alone? In God’s purpose, it is, “faith is accounted to him for righteousness,” i.e. the blessedness of the justification by grace is known and experienced by faith alone, “received by faith alone.” Justification is by God’s free grace. Knowing and experiencing the blessings of that justification is by faith alone.

Here is a simple illustration: A billion dollars have been credited (imputed) into the bankrupt’s account by the towkay’s free grace, not by the bankrupt’s faith. Justification is by grace, and not by faith. The towkay also magically gave (imparted) the gift of saving graces, including faith, to the bankrupt. Faith is not alone in the person justified. That wealth credited by free grace can only be known and experienced by faith, i.e. by the bankrupt’s believing the good news of what the towkay has done by his free grace, and his going to the bank merely discovered the wealth that has been credited into in his account by free grace. Justification is by free grace and received by faith alone. It wasn’t his going to the bank that caused the towkay to credit the $1b into his account. Believing the news and going to the bank to make use of that money’ is the towkay’s appointed means for the bankrupt to know and receive the blessing of that free grace transaction.

Justification is received by faith alone is AN EFFECT of justification by free grace alone. They are two distinct and separate events. Justification by God’s free grace alone is a separate and distinct event from the justification received by faith alone, i.e. our objective justification by God’s free grace when we were dead in sin ungodly and were enemies is a separate and distinct event in time from our subjective knowing and experiencing the blessings of our justification by God’s free grace when we believe. “Faith is accounted to him for righteousness.”

Does “received by faith alone” declare that the bestowal of justification by free grace is dependent or conditioned upon its reception by faith? Or does ‘received by faith alone’ declare that faith is the means to evidence and experience the justification that has taken place by free grace, i.e. prior to faith? Faith believes what has happened, not believing in order to make something happen. Doesn’t ‘received by faith alone’ mean that it is by faith alone, as the divinely appointed means through which the blessedness of justification is experienced through faith alone? Does not the clause “received by faith alone” require that justification has taken place, that justification has been bestowed, and what has been bestowed can be received by faith alone? Does not ‘faith is not alone in the person justified’ inform us what the clear-minded authors of the Confession intended by the words ‘received by faith alone’? They plainly declared that faith is one of the effects of justification, and this faith is the means to enter into the blessings of the justification. Justification is by free grace. The means to know and experience the blessedness of justification by free grace is also by free grace since ‘faith is accounted for righteousness.’ However, ‘faith is the means to secure our justification’ is the mantra of the ‘standard reformed’ folks.

Which Order is in Conformity to the Holy Scriptures?

It has been impudently suggested that it is because of pride and anger that I have rejected the ‘standard reformed’ view of the order of salvation espoused and defended by the Reformed Baptist Fraternal. This is unfortunate. The simple truth is that there are irreconcilable contradictions and inconsistencies between the ‘standard reformed’ view and the Scriptures' view on the order of salvation. Let each man with a sound mind (2Tim 1:7) judge for himself whether the ‘standard reformed’ view conforms to The One True Standard.

Scriptures: “The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17) is a declaration that it is the justified ones who shall live by faith, i.e. believe in Christ. Justification precedes faith.
S Reformed: “The just shall live by faith” is an offer that by faith in Christ the condemned ones shall be justified and given spiritual life to live. Faith precedes justification.

Scriptures: “God justifies the ungodly” (Rom 4:5). God justifies His elect while they are in a state of ungodliness, i.e. while they are condemned dead children of wrath, while they have no ability to believe.
S Reformed: “God justifies the believing.” God justifies His elect when they believe. The elect while still under the condemnation of death, can believe in order to receive life and be justified. 

Scriptures: Faith justifies the believing ones, i.e. faith is the instrument that declares and vindicates the justified state of believers. An instrument shows or indicates or manifests something.
S Reformed: Faith justifies the condemned ones, i.e. faith is the instrument that secures the justification for those under condemnation. An instrument secures, obtains or gets something.

Scriptures: “We were justified/reconciled to God when we were enemies”
S Reformed: We were justified/reconciled to God when we believe 

Scriptures: “Justified freely by His grace” (Rom 3:24) means God justified us freely, i.e. without us meeting any condition. We were utterly incapable of meeting any condition when we were condemned dead children of wrath. Faith is the result of justification by free grace, thus enabling us to hear and believe the gospel. The good news is news of what has happened to us by God’s grace.
S Reformed: “Justified freely by His grace” means God gives us the gift of faith while we were still condemned and dead children of wrath in order that we might exercise that faith in order to secure eternal life, justification and adoption. Life and justification are conditioned upon faith, not by free grace. No faith, no justification. The ‘good news’ is an offer of what will happen if we do something. 

Scriptures: “Justified freely by His grace” (Rom 3:24) is entirely different from ‘justified by my faith.’ My faith justifies me (evidentially) as a result of being justified (legally, and vitally) freely by God’s grace.
S Reformed: “Justified freely by my faith” is the other side of “justified freely by His grace.” My faith justifies (legally) me just as God’s free grace justifies (legally) me when I believe. 

Scriptures: “He might be… the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom 3:26) means one’s faith in Jesus demonstrates that God has justified him, i.e. God is his justifier therefore he believes. Only those whom God has justified believe in Jesus. Justification is by God’s free grace.
S Reformed: “He might be… the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” means when one has faith in Jesus, then God justifies him, i.e. God is his justifier because he believes. God will justify those who believe in Jesus. Justification is by man’s faith – no faith, no justification.

 

Scriptures: “He might be… the life-giver of him who believes in Jesus,” means his believing in Jesus is proof that God the life-giver has given him life to believe. ‘Living man believes’ is sensible.
S Reformed: “He might be… the life-giver of him who believes in Jesus,” means his believing in Jesus makes God His life-giver; i.e. God gives him life for believing. ‘Dead man believes’ is insensible.

Scriptures: “It was accounted to him for righteousness” (Rom 4:3) is read as “his faith is accounted to him for righteousness.” (Rom 4:5) See also Ps 106:30-31. Don’t miss this passage.
S Reformed: “It was accounted to him for righteousness” is read as “the righteousness of Christ was accounted to him for justification” (where does this idea come from?)

Scriptures: “It was accounted to him for righteousness” means by faith he received and experienced the blessedness of his righteous standing in Christ through the righteousness imputed to him while ungodly. Faith secured this blessedness of knowing his justified state by free grace.
S Reformed: “It was accounted to him for righteousness” means his faith secured the righteousness of Christ for his justification before God. His faith secured the double imputations: by faith his sins were imputed to Christ and Christ’s righteousness was imputed to him.

Scriptures: Double imputation took place at the cross.
S Reformed: Double imputation takes place when a person believes.

Scriptures: “A man is justified by faith” (Rom 5:1) means his faith declares and vindicates that he is an elect of God, redeemed by Christ, justified by God freely by His grace, regenerated and adopted as son of God. Faith is evidence of justification, regeneration and adoption.
S Reformed: “A man is justified by faith” means by his faith he secures his justification before God. His faith is the instrumental means to secure his justification, to have his just condemnation of death removed by God, declared righteous, and given spiritual life.

Scriptures: “By grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph 2:1-9) means God by His free sovereign grace effectually called each of His elect to eternal life from a state of sin and death (condemned dead children of wrath) to grace and salvation (justified, regenerated and adopted) through the faithfulness OF-OF-OF Christ. This effectual call to salvation enables His elect to respond to the gospel call. Justification, eternal life and adoption are by free grace alone.
S Reformed: “By grace you have been saved through faith” means God by His grace blesses the preaching of the gospel to regenerate His elect (i.e. give them spiritual abilities), thereby enabling them to hear and believe. In cooperating with the grace of God through their faith they receive eternal life and are justified. Eternal life, justification, and adoption are conditioned on man’s co-operation – e.g. preaching, hearing and believing. Salvation is by ‘free’ grace plus works.

1689 CoF: “Faith is not alone in the person justified” means faith is one of the effects of justification.
S Reformed. “Faith is not alone in the person justified” means faith alone will secure one’s justification.

Scriptures: We are justified by grace through the faith of Christ. Justification by God’s free grace through the faithfulness of Christ is evidenced by our faith in Christ. (Romans 3:22. Gal 2:16; 3:22)
S Reformed: We are justified by grace though our faith in Christ. Justification by ‘free’ grace through the finished work of Jesus Christ is conditioned upon and secured by our faith in Christ.

1689 CoF: “Faith is not alone in the person justified” means faith is an evidence of justification applied.
S Reformed “Faith is not alone in the person justified' means faith alone will secure one’s justification.

1689 CoF: “Faith is not alone in the person justified” presupposes a logical and chronological order of justification and faith. Justification precedes faith. No justification, no faith.
S Reformed: “Faith is not alone in the person justified” says nothing about the logical and chronological order of justification and faith. Faith precedes justification. No faith, no justification.

Logical: “Breath is not alone in the person resuscitated” means the breath is one of the effects of being resuscitated. There will also be sight, movements, etc. Breath as an activity of life is sensible.
Irrational: “Breath is not alone in the person resuscitated” means the breath is the means to be resuscitated. Breath as an activity to secure life is a ridiculous idea.

1689 CoF: “Faith is the sole instrument of justification” means faith in Christ is the sole instrument by which a man may know and experience the blessedness of his righteous standing before God. ‘His faith is accounted for righteousness,’ even though works of faith are evidence of justification too, because ‘faith is not alone in the person justified.’
S Reformed: “Faith is the sole instrument of justification” means faith is the sole instrument by which a man may secure his justification before God. ‘His faith is accounted for righteousness’ means his faith obtains and secures the righteousness of Christ for his justification.

1689 CoF: The Spirit of God regenerates an elect whom God has justified by grace prior to faith. The condemnation of death is removed and the justification of life imputed before regeneration.
S Reformed: The Spirit of God regenerates an elect who is still under God’s just condemnation of death. An elect is regenerated but remains under the condemnation of death until he believes!

Scriptures: A regenerated elect is already justified; he is no longer under the condemnation of death.
S Reformed: A regenerated elect is still under the condemnation of death until he exercises his gift of faith.

Scriptures: Abraham was already a justified man in Gen 12-14. His faith in Gen 15 declared and evidenced his prior justified state by free grace, demonstrating the grand truth, ‘the just shall live by faith.’ By faith he evidenced his justified state by free grace.
S Reformed: Abraham was still under the condemnation of death and a child of wrath, in Gen 12-14. His faith in Gen 15 secured his justification, demonstrating the ‘truth’ that ‘by faith a condemned man shall be justified and live.’ By faith he secured his justification.

Scriptures: All the good works of Abraham in Gen 12-14 were effects of his justified states. However his works were not imputed to him for righteousness. By his works, a fruit of justification, he did not experience the blessedness of his justified state by free grace. It pleases God to account faith for righteousness. Therefore, it was by faith in the promised seed that he experienced the blessedness of his righteous standing before God.
S Reformed: All the good works and faith of Abraham in Gen 12-14 are not because of his justified state but by the operation of common grace. By his faith in the promised seed Gen 15, Abraham was justified for the first time. It pleases God to account his faith for justification. A man under the condemnation of death is capable of the good works and faith recorded in Gen 12-14. His faith (Heb 11:8), a product of common grace, was an inferior kind of non-justifying faith!

Scriptures: Cornelius was already a justified man before he heard the gospel from the apostle Peter. Everything that Cornelius did evidence that he was a justified living child of God.
S Reformed: Cornelius was still under the condemnation of death and a child of wrath before he heard the gospel from Peter. A condemned dead child of wrath can do all those things that Cornelius did.

Scriptures: Cornelius was accepted with God, cleansed, and justified long before meeting Peter.
S Reformed: Cornelius needed to hear the gospel from apostle Peter and believe before he could be justified.

Scriptures: Regeneration is the bestowal of spiritual and eternal life upon one that God has justified, i.e. the condemnation of death removed and the justification of life imputed through Christ’s righteousness, and adopted as a son.
S Reformed: Regeneration is the bestowal of spiritual ability upon one who is still under the condemnation of death, spiritually dead and a child of wrath. Spiritual gifts are given to condemned dead children of wrath for them to utilize! Dead condemned elect can utilize spiritual gifts.

Scriptures: Spiritual life is the absolute prerequisite for spiritual activities. We are given life to believe.
S Reformed: Spiritual activities are possible apart from spiritual life. We believe to get eternal life.

Scriptures: Spiritual life animates all spiritual activities. Spiritual activities are effects and evidences of salvation already bestowed by pure and free grace. God gives life that we may believe.
S Reformed: Exercise of spiritual ability to believe secures spiritual and eternal life and justification. Spiritual activities are the means to secure salvation offered on the condition of faith.

Scriptures: The Triune God effectually calls all His elect to eternal life without the gospel or human aid. The elect are born of God directly and immediately without the gospel or human aid.
S Reformed: The Triune God effectually calls His elect to eternal life through the gospel means and human aid. The elect are born of God through the gospel and human aid.

Biblical: Even a man does not need the assistance of a midwife to father a child in his wife. A midwife is needed to assist with the delivery of the life already conceived.
Irrational: A man requires the assistance of a midwife to father a child in his wife. A midwife is needed to assist in the conception of the new life.

Scriptures: The Triune God does not need gospel and human means (preachers) to bestow eternal life in His elect. He effectually calls each elect to eternal life directly and immediately.
S Reformed: The Triune God is dependent upon human and gospel means (preachers) to bestow eternal life in His elect. He makes an exception for those elect who cannot, or failed to hear.

Scriptures: God has not appointed nor does He need gospel or human means to help Him to effectually call His elect unto eternal life. He has appointed the ministry of the word for the gathering and nourishment of those upon whom He has bestowed salvation by His immediate and free grace.
S Reformed: God has sovereignly appointed gospel and human means as instruments through which He effectually calls His elect unto eternal life. He has appointed the ministry of the word as the instrumental means to bring eternal salvation to His elect.

Scriptures: The ministry of the word is God’s appointed means to “give knowledge of salvation to His children” Lk 1:77. No preaching, no further sanctification or timely salvation.
S Reformed: The ministry of the word is God’s appointed means to bring salvation to His elect who are children of wrath. No preaching, no regeneration (no life) and no eternal salvation.

Scriptures: The good news is news of what has actually happened to us by God’s grace. That is news. Announcement of what has happened to us by God’s free grace and calling us to believe it is proclaiming the good news.
S Reformed: The ‘good news’ is only an offer of what will happen if we do something. That is not news. Announcement of what will happen conditioned upon the hearers’ cooperation is NOT news. It is only making a conditional offer.

Scriptures: The justified, regenerated and adopted elect are called to believe the good news – news of what God has accomplished for and worked in them. Only those in whom the good news is already true will respond to the gospel call to faith.
S Reformed: The condemned dead children of wrath (but regenerated with spiritual abilities!) are called to believe what is not yet true of them. They have no good news to believe. They are called to respond and embrace an offer in order to turn it into good news. 

Scriptures: “Faith comes by hearing” means hearing the gospel is instrumental for converting the regenerated children of God, to bring them to the belief of the gospel truth.
S Reformed: “Faith comes by hearing” means hearing of the gospel is instrumental for regenerating the dead children of wrath, so that they may believe to be justified and receive life.

Scriptures: The elect responds to the good news of salvation already secured and bestowed to them by free grace.
S Reformed: The elect co-operates to obtain the salvation freely offered to them.

Scriptures: “Whoever believes has eternal life” - whoever believes possesses eternal life, the possession of eternal life is the cause of believing,
S Reformed: “Whoever will believe shall have eternal life” - whoever believes will possess life; believing is in order to obtain eternal life.

Scriptures: “Whoever believes has eternal life” - a statement of present possession by pure grace.
S Reformed: “Whoever believes has eternal life” – a statement of potential possession by man’s act.

Scriptures: God gives life that we may believe. This is pure and free grace.
S Reformed: We believe that we might get life from God. This is grace conditioned on works.

Scriptures: God gives the gift of faith to an elect whom He has justified, regenerated and adopted.
S Reformed: God gives the gift of faith to an elect who is still condemned and dead in sin. 

Scriptures: God gives the gift of faith to an elect whom He has adopted as son. And a son believes the good news of what the Father has done to make him a son.
S Reformed: God gives the gift of faith to an elect who is still a child of wrath. And a child of wrath must believe in order that the Judge may forgive him and adopt him as a son.

Scriptures: God justifies, regenerates and adopts an elect while dead in sin.
S Reformed: God gives life and adopts an elect when he believes and is justified.

Scriptures: God justifies, regenerates and adopts an elect so that he believes
S Reformed: God justifies and adopts an elect when he believes.

Scriptures: Romans 1:16 teaches the gospel is perceived as the power of God by believers. The gospel preaching is from faith to faith, to justified and regenerated and adopted sons who have faith.
S Reformed: Romans 1:16 teaches the gospel is literally and actually God’s power to make believers. The gospel preaching is to condemned dead children of wrath with gift to believe.

Scriptures: The certainty of salvation depends on the faithfulness and veracity of God and Christ.
S Reformed: The certainty of salvation depends on man exercising his own faith and persevering. 

Scriptures: Justification is evidenced by faith and works of faith, so James is equal to Romans in weight.
S Reformed: Justification by faith alone is our mantra from Luther, so we keep James in the corner.

Scriptures: Acts 13:39 teaches that those who believe [present tense] were justified [perfect] by the faith of Christ.
S Reformed: Acts 13:39 teaches that those who believe [present tense] are justified [present] by their believing.

Scriptures: Romans 5:12-19 teaches that Jesus Christ justified the elect by His singular obedience.
S Reformed: Romans 5:12-19 still requires the additional obedience of each elect to be justified 

Scriptures: Romans 5:12-19 teaches that ignorance of Adam or Christ does not undo either covenant.
S Reformed: Romans 5:12-19 teaches that ignorance of Christ will undo God’s covenant with Him.

Scriptures: Faith and good works are evidences by which the elect manifest his justified state.
S Reformed: Faith and good works are the necessary conditions to be justified and to persevere.

Scriptures: God’s compassion and mercy is entirely dependent on the will of God (Rom 9:15-16).
S Reformed: God’s compassion and mercy is necessarily dependent on the co-operative will of man as well.

Scriptures: Paul and Timothy preached the gospel to bring life and immortality in the children of God to light (2Tim 1:10).
S Reformed: Paul and Timothy preached to bring life and immortality to them that believe (2Tim 1:10). 

Scriptures: The sheep of Christ hear His voice and believe on Him because they are sheep (John 10:26).
S Reformed: The sheep of Christ become sheep by hearing and believing on Him (John 10:26).

Scriptures: The multitude of the redeemed will give the glory for salvation to Christ’s faithfulness unto death (Rev 5:9).
S Reformed: The multitude of the redeemed will give the glory for salvation to their own faith in Christ.

Scriptures: God gets all the glory without any being shared with a preacher or believer (I Cor 1:29-31).
S Reformed: God gets some of the glory after much of it is given to the preacher and the believer.

Scriptures: There is no place for any work of righteousness at all in obtaining eternal life (Rom 3:24).
S Reformed: Faith is required, even though it is a work of righteousness (John 6:28-29; I John 3:23).

Scriptures: Every one of God’s elect is saved in precisely the same way – God’s free grace in Jesus Christ.
S Reformed: Most are saved by their faith in Jesus Christ, and some few others are saved by free grace alone.

Scriptures: Faith only – the mantra of the reformers – is the dead faith of a devil (James 2:14-26).
S Reformed: Faith only – the mantra of the reformers – allows us to write Sola Fide on our literature!

Scriptures: The remnant church went into the wilderness and was preserved by God (Rev 12:13-17) - biblical view of Church history.
S Reformed: The remnant church was lost in the Harlot Church until Luther and Calvin and followers – the ‘standard reformed’ view of Church history.

Scriptures: A redeemed multitude out of every nation, tongue, and people is a literal fact (Rev 5:9).
S Reformed: The redeemed multitude comes from only those nations where we took the gospel.

Scriptures: The church in the wilderness displeased God, so He overthrew them physically (I Cor 10:1-5).
S Reformed: If they displeased God and were overthrown, then they could not have been children.

Scriptures: Unless you repent, you Jews will be physically destroyed like the Galileans (Luke 13:1-5).
S Reformed: Unless you sinners repent, you will be eternally destroyed in the lake of fire.

Scriptures: He that endured to the end of the destruction of Jerusalem was saved from it (Matt 24:13).
S Reformed: He that endures in faith and holiness by persevering in God’s grace will be saved from hell.

Scriptures: Paul could not wait to get to Rome to confirm the faith of believers (Rom 1:8-15).
S Reformed: Paul could not wait to get to Rome to help more elect get regenerated from death in sins.

Scriptures: The only reformation we know about is the reformation of the old covenant (Heb 9:10).
S Reformed: The only reformation we know about is the modification of Roman Catholicism by Luther and Calvin.

Scriptures: Adam and Christ’s representative acts apply regardless of your knowledge or belief of them.
S Reformed: Adam’s act may so apply, but Christ’s representative act is worthless without your belief.

Scriptures: We are reformed in the sense of keeping the new covenant instead of the old (Heb 9:10).
S Reformed: We are reformed in the sense of modifying the sacramentalism of our mother church.

Scriptures: We are neither Calvinists nor Arminians, for we want to be Bible Christians only.
S Reformed: We must be Calvinists, for that is our Reformed heritage, and it guides our thinking.

Scriptures: According to the eternal purpose that He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. The confidence is by the faith of Christ.
S Reformed: according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. The confidence is by MY faith of Christ. 

Much more could be said but the above is more than sufficient to illustrate the two different views. The ‘standard reformed view’ of the Reformed Baptist Fraternal is popular. The view summarized in the 1689 CoF above has been held by the faithful remnant throughout the church's history.

The Bible position taught by the apostles is salvation by grace through the finished work of Christ and evidenced by faith and works of faith. This Bible position was opposed and misunderstood and twisted from the beginning, and it was further corrupted over the long centuries and eventually became institutionalized into the Romish position. There had always been a remnant of free and independent churches that persevered in the biblical position throughout history. Our Baptist ancestors did not leave much of a legacy in written records for the following reasons: they were hunted down around Europe/Asia/Africa like animals; they were imprisoned, banished, and murdered; and their books were burned on every possible occasion. The Papists anathematized those 'heretics' of the free independent Baptist churches threatening their religion in Europe. They anathematized any denying free will, any denying human means in justification and regeneration by grace alone, etc., etc. Since they burned the books of our Baptist ancestors, we can identify our brethren by the carefully worded anathemas of the mother harlot church against them!

The Romish position of justification (legal) by faith and works, like two gangrenous limbs, became the two pillars that held up the churches of the Christendom through various forms of sacramentalism. The reformers from within the mother harlot church bravely amputated one of those two gangrenous limbs – i.e. the justification (legal) by works during the Protestant reformation. The other gangrenous limb, justification (legal) by faith alone is left untouched. The daughter churches of the mother harlot continue on with one gangrenous limb.

A modified Romish position became known as the ‘standard reformed’ position, i.e. justification (legal) is by believer's faith alone. This is the common doctrine of justification among the ‘standard reformed,’ the free-willer Arminians, and the mother harlot church. A RB pastor has gladly affirmed that the RB has one crucial thing in common with the Arminians because ‘they also believe in justification by faith alone.’ That’s a brave and honest admission! The RB has rejected the ‘order’ of salvation summarized by the Particular Baptists' forebears in the 1689 LBCoF. They give lip service to the 1689 but gladly align themselves with the Arminians on this crucial point.

The Bible's position has always been: that justification (legal) is neither by faith nor by works. It is by free grace alone through the blood/faith of Christ alone. This free grace justification is applied at the effectual calling to grace and salvation and is evidenced and experienced by faith accompanied by works of faith.

I HUMBLY IMPLORE YOU TO SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES

AND KNOW THE TRUTH FOR YOURSELF.

And finally, please be charitable with my faults and failures.
Please remember, I am still learning.
I will do anything to progress to be conformed to the Scriptures. 

Sing F Lau
Penang, Malaysia