To Your Heart's Content

The Council of Trent was the 19th Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It was called in response to the perceived heresies of the Reformation. One of the key complaints was the Protestant concept of forensic justification. Forensic justification is the belief that those who come to Christ in faith are forgiven, cleansed, justified, even clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Without the requirement of actually becoming functionally sin-free, those who trust Christ enjoy imputed righteousness. This, of course, was unacceptable to the Roman Catholic Church. They declared anathema -- a formal ecclesiastical curse, excommunication -- on anyone who would hold that belief. One of their biggest reasons was that if that form of justification was true, it would only enable free sinning.

You have to admit that on the surface this seems perfectly logical. If I know that all my sin is already forgiven, then why not sin to my heart's content? Why not "sin boldly"? Why in the world would anyone want to become holy -- sanctified -- if there are now no consequences to sin?

The question, however, reveals a serious misunderstanding. The suggestion is that this process of "justified by faith" is an external procedure, so to speak. You know; go to the doctor, get a wart removed, go home. In this case, go to Jesus, get your sin removed, go home. Scripture doesn't allow anything at all like that to occur. Jesus said that the one who is forgiven much loves much (Luke 7:47). That is, forgiveness doesn't merely remove sin; it alters the heart. Scripture says that faith produces obedience (e.g., Rom 1:5; Rom 16:26). John wrote, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." (1 John 5:1-3). It's clear enough. When we come in faith, we are "born of God." We are "born again" (John 3:3, 5-6). That's not a procedure. That's not mere "sin removal." It is a fundamental change. It is a new heart.

Trent and the whole "Why be holy if I'm forgiven?" concept miss the point. Scripture says that the one born of God cannot make a practice of sin (1 John 3:9). Cannot sin on a continual basis. All sin (1 John 1:8-10), but those who are born of God cannot sustain it. There is a fundamental change, an alteration of the inner person, beginning with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The question, "Why be holy if I'm forgiven?" would need to be turned on its ear: "I am deeply concerned about the glory of God and long to be more sanctified all the time." Or, "How could I not seek to be holy since I am fully forgiven?"

Rome wanted to know. "If we are justified as Scripture seems to say -- once for all time -- then why won't people sin to their hearts' content?" The correct answer is, "They will ... because justification produces a changed heart (Rom 6:17), so their hearts' content will be to diminish sin."