PCA Position on Sonship, Federal Vision, and Revoice

Question 1

Sonship Theology

Answer 1

Flagged by the Session of Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Sonship theology originated by the late Dr. Jack Miller, Founder of World Harvest Mission.

SONSHIP THEOLOGY TEACHINGS:
1. The Basic point of Sonship appears to be that faith in our justification is what “empowers our sanctification” or is the key to growing in sanctification and living the Christian life in continuing to “believe the truths of the gospel” and grow in our understanding. Sonship’s primary proof text is Romans 1:16-17 and they regard the gospel as providing the power for the process of sanctification.

2. ON PREACHING AND TEACHING: Sonship doctrine seems to make the Cross the summum bonum or preaching and teaching.
3. ON GOD’S TEMPORAL ANGER: Sonship’s teaching states that because the sons of God are “in Christ”, God sees them only as righteous in Christ and thus God could never be displeased or “angry” with them. [REBUTTAL: WCF 5.5 on Providence.]
4. ON JUSTIFICATION: The assertion of Sonship theology is that the Gospel is intended not only for unbelievers to bring them to salvation, but to believers as well - so much so that the fact of our justification “becomes” the method or power by which we live the Christian Life. We avail ourselves of this power by constantly reminding ourselves of our justification and all it entails. The gospel then is directed to unbelievers through the salvation they receive in the atonement of Jesus Christ, but is also directed to believers as the power they are given as a result of their salvation. The Sonship manual states, “the cross is the ongoing power of the Christian life.”
5. ON SANCTIFICATION: And teaching or preaching that believers have an active need for strenuous effort in the work of sanctification classifies as “works righteousness”. Sanctification comes in “preaching the gospel to ourselves”, thus excluding the work of the Holy Spirit.
6. ON THE LAW AND GOSPEL: Sonship creates a false dichotomy between law and gospel. For example: If a sermon or lesson is able to tie the topic back to the Cross then it was a message of Grace and therefore acceptable. If not, then it was a Law message and therefore promotes works righteousness. Sonship ignores the 3rd role of the law to teach and guide believers. [Rom. 3:31, Mt. 5:17ff, Rom. 8:4]
7. REPENT OF YOUR REPENTANCE: Some in the Sonship camp see repentance as having great potential for “works righteousness”, especially if such repentance has elements or assertions of renewed effort on the believer’s part.
   [REBUTTALS TO THIS VIEW: Phil. 3; Gal. 5; Col. 3. etc.]
8. “GETTING IT”: Piety in the Christian life, such as prayer, Bible study, and obedience are seen in Sonship as products of transformation and not means of transformation. In other words, a person doesn’t change through them but a person who is changed will pray and study the Bible. A person changes by “preaching the gospel to his heart.” This is called “getting it.” Those that “get it” are naturally moved and motivated to do the things God wants his people to do. As we “get it” the Cross becomes larger and more precious to us. Therefore, “believing the gospel” not only leads to justification for the believer but is the power for the Christian to advance their sanctification.