[1] Maybe you could mention that one argument commonly put forward by hemi-demi-semi-Pelagian Christians (Catholics, Arminians) is that when Paul in Romans and Galatians says keeping the Law is not necessary or sufficient for salvation, he is talking only about adhering to the Law of Moses, ie the Jewish Torah. Thus "works of the Law" are outside Christianity, but "works of charity" (or some similar phrase) are necessary for salvation.

Curiously, when those who take this view turn to the Epistle of James, they argue differently: when James talks about "works" and "Law", he means not Jewish ritual observances but "love thy neighbour".

[2] Before attacking a declaration as a "(mere) legal fiction", it needs to be asked what the declaration is actually saying. If God really were declaring "David Heddle has never sinned", then He would indeed be the author of a falsehood. But If God is declaring "Although David Heddle is a wicked sinner, yea, chief among sinners, yet nonetheless I declared that no further condemnation or punishment for his sins remains owed by him", then that would be wholly within God's sovereign power. He is acting as a judge fixing a future penalty (N = 0), not as a jury finding past facts.
Tom R | 09.25.05 - 10:43 pm | #