Theological Term of the Week

simul justus et peccator
Latin for “at the same time just and sinner,” a formula Martin Luther used to communicate “the objective  reality of justification by faith alongside the Christian’s continual struggle against sin.”1

• From scripture:

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness .  .  .  . (Romans 4:5 ESV)

• From the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 11, Of Justification:

I. Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies; not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.

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Linked Together: Two Questions on the Two Natures

It’s the season when we celebrate the incarnation, when the second person of the Trinity took on a human nature. Here are two questions, along with good answers, to help you think accurately about the incarnate second person. Start with the first question, because if you understand it’s answer, you’ll find the answer to the second easier to grasp.

Does Jesus Have One Nature, or Two?
“[T]he Council of Chalcedon declared that Christ was vere homo, vere Deus, that is, ‘truly man and truly God,’ having two natures in one person.”—R. C. Sproul.

How Can Jesus Not Know, But Still Be Divine?
“[D]uring Jesus’ earthly ministry his divinity was “in repose,” or, as the Latin version of Calvin’s commentary puts it, “the divine nature was kept, as it were, concealed; that is, did not display its power.” But the divine nature was not lost or even turned off, so to speak, during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Instead it was hidden, or concealed.”—Luke Stamps.

Heidelberg Catechism

Question 14. Is there any mere creature who is able to satisfy for us?

Answer: No. First, God will not punish another creature for the sin which man has committed. (a) Furthermore, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God’s eternal wrath against sin, and thus deliver others from it. (b)

(Click through to see scriptural proofs.)

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