The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

‘The biblical doctrine of justification by faith is that by which the church stands or falls – so thought Martin Luther. John Owen was of the same conviction. Volume 5 of Owen’s works consists of two works: Evidences of the Faith of God’s Elect – a short, valuable exposition of the characteristics of saving faith – and his much longer, magisterial treatise, The Doctrine of Justification by Faith. The great theme of this latter work is that the believer is justified by the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, by faith and not by works. As the apostle Paul says, ‘It is God who justifies’ (Rom. 8:33).