I. Each Meets All Requirements
There are two ways in which we may consider the unity of the great salvation of the Gospel: we may regard it as a series of bestowments of which one perfects the remainder: or we may regard each as full and complete under one special aspect. According to the former view there is first a discharge from guilt in justification, this word ending its function there, or being supplemented by adoption. The new birth is simultaneous, with its fruits and privileges. But all flows into the state of perfectness through a progressive sanctification which is entire at length and consummate. According to the latter view the unity of the blessings of the Christian covenant may be illustrated by the completeness with which each meets the twofold category of our estate as sinners: that of a position before God, and that of an internal character. The grace of redemption must needs meet both requirements. Each of the main privileges of Christianity perfectly responds to the sinner’s need whether as relative or internal. His righteousness is, on the one hand, a justification in which God does not impute sin; and it is, on the other, an infused grace through which the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in him. His sonship is similarly the adoption which places him in the relation of a child, and the new birth which makes him such. His sanctification is the external sprinkling which takes away the hindrance to his acceptance on the altar, and also the internal purification which cleanses him from all sin. Now each of these blessings makes provision for the consummation of the soul’s religion under its own particular aspect: there is perfection in the presence of the law, there is perfection in the regenerate life, and there is perfection in holiness to the Lord. These points will be hereafter dwelt on.
II. Terminology
Meanwhile, it may be useful to consider some of the theological terms that denote the distinction above referred to, and the proprieties of their several application.
- Absolute and Relative
We find it necessary to speak of absolute and relative blessings: being more exactly counterpart terms than Relative and Real, though these two are often used, and the latter perhaps avoids a certain unconditionalness which clings to absolute. The believer’s privileges are all of them inherent gifts while all of them are relative: they do now and will for ever affect his relation in the sight of God, while they are now and will hereafter more fully be the absolute possession of those who receive them: they are FREELY given, but they are freely GIVEN, to us of God (1 Cor 2:12). The same truth is expressed by three other pairs of counterparts, which explain their own meaning : EXTERNAL and INTERNAL, DECLARATORY and IMPARTED, IMPUTED and INWROUGHT.
- Forensic and Moral
It is obvious that forensic and moral, as correlatives, have not so wide an application. The former belongs to the judicial court or forum, where only the absolution from guilt is received: it has not to do with sanctification, nor with adoption, unless this term is supposed to be derived from the usage of Roman law. There is a forensic justification alone; and that only in the present life; for, while the righteousness of the perfected saint will be through eternity a matter of imputation—his past sin being an everlasting fact—the court in which it is pronounced is not within the gate of heaven. It may be added that the term Imputed is conventionally limited to justification, and the term Declaratory to adoption: we speak with mere propriety of an imputed righteous ness than of an imputed sonship, which is the gracious declaration of the Father. And, further, though theological language generally limits the term sanctification to the internal process, it may be said also to be imputed or declared or external. But forensic of course it cannot be.
- Ideal and Actual
Some other correlates may be noted, not so obvious in their meaning. The blessings of the covenant are IDEAL as they are exhibited in all their perfection in the charter; REALISED or actual as they are the general experience of Christians: this finds its illustration in St. John’s unsinning regeneration: whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin (1 John 3:9); and St. Paul’s testimony that God hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3). They are UNCONDITIONAL and CONTINGENT at once: the former to the Church of the elect as foreknown in Christ, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4); the latter to its militant members in probation bidden to make their calling and election sure (2 Pet 1:10).
- Uses
It will be hereafter seen that all these several correlative terms have their uses; that the peculiarities of Romanist and Calvinistic and other errors have much to do with their perversion; and that therefore a precise valuation of their meaning is important, both to the theologian and to the preacher. Meanwhile, the fitness with which each blessing surrounds the whole estate and conditions of the believer’s life shows that the covenant salvation is but one in its diversity.
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— William Burt Pope, A Compendium of Christian Theology: Analytical Outlines of a Course of Theological Study, Biblical, Dogmatic, Historical, Volume 2, pp. 397-99. (This is from the second volume of Pope’s 3-volume systematic theology. The full 3-volume systematic theology can be accessed here.)
