In this excerpt, Piper is taking issue with Wright's charge that imputation makes no sense in the New Testament's courtroom metaphor:
But there's a catch. In God's courtroom, the Judge is omniscient and just. Now everyone in the first century would agree that in a courtroom where the Judge knows everything and is just, there can never bee a case where there is a discrepancy between the truth of the charge and the truth of the verdict. In this court, what would be the basis of saying, "I bestow on you the status of righteous, and I find you guilty as charged"? How could such a finding be intelligible, not to mention just? One right answer that I think Wright would agree with is that this is what the atonement is all about. Christ died for our sins to provide a basis for this finding, and therefore, though guilty, the court can exercise clemency (or in God's case, forgiveness) because of Christ and we go free.
John Piper in
The Future of Justification: A Response to N.T. Wright (Pg. 73-74)
In this excerpt, Piper is taking issue with Wright's charge that imputation makes no sense in the New Testament's courtroom metaphor:
Matt 18 - 25"But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26"So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.' 27"And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt...
ReplyDelete32"Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' 34"And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35"My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."
Is this the kinda thing Piper finds unjust?