“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” – Romans 3:28
Our Saturday morning theology study will focus on James Buchanan’s important book “The Doctrine of Justification.” This doctrine – how God declares sinners righteous – is central to our faith as Protestant Reformed Christians. In fact, Chapter 11 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession deals carefully with this truth, showing how important our church fathers believed it to be.
Why Read Buchanan’s Book?
Here are three key reasons to join us in studying this valuable work:
- Clear Historical Overview: Buchanan walks us through how the church has understood justification over time. He shows how different leaders and movements have either preserved or challenged this truth, from the early church through the Reformation to his own day.
- Deep but Practical: While Buchanan was a careful scholar, he wrote as a pastor who cared for his people. As Sinclair Ferguson says, he combines “clear thinking with pastoral wisdom.” This makes the book both thorough and useful for everyday faith.
- Answers Today’s Questions: Though written in the 1800s, Buchanan addresses issues we still face today. His clear explanations help us answer modern questions about how we’re made right with God.
Four Important Errors Addressed
Buchanan helps us understand and answer at least four key challenges to the doctrine of justification:
- The Roman Catholic View: He explains why the Catholic teaching about righteousness being poured into us is different from the Bible’s teaching that God declares us righteous through Christ.
- The “New Law” Error: Some teach that God has lowered His standards under the gospel. Buchanan shows why this isn’t true and why it matters.
- The “No Law” Problem: While we’re saved by faith alone, this doesn’t mean we can ignore God’s commands. Buchanan explains how being justified leads to holy living rather than careless behaviour.
- The New Perspective on Paul: Though written before N.T. Wright’s “New Perspective on Paul,” Buchanan’s work helps us answer modern claims that the Reformers misunderstood Paul. He shows why the traditional understanding of justification as a legal declaration of righteousness – rather than merely membership in God’s covenant people – is firmly grounded in Scripture.
What We’ll Study Together
Our Saturday sessions will cover:
- How the church has understood justification
- What justification actually is
- Why God can justify sinners
- How we receive justification
- What happens when we’re justified
Join the Study Anytime
We meet every other Saturday morning to learn these important truths together. Whether you’re new to Reformed teaching or have studied it for years, this study will help you understand better how God makes sinners right with Himself through Christ.
Can’t make it in person but would love to participate? No problem! You can join in by Zoom. We have people joining from Africa, USA and Canada.
We started the book on January 18th, 2025. The format is a series of lectures, which means you can join anytime and get good value without having to catchup on the reading.
Details:
- Register with our pastor, Jim Butler. Email [email protected].
- Time: 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM every other Saturday morning
- Place: Free Grace Baptist Church Church Fellowship Hall or Zoom online
- Coffee and tea are provided
- The book is a free download, or approx $15 on Amazon.
- Optionally, join us for breakfast afterwards at a local restaurant.
