Ever heard of Federal Vision? I am sure you probably have because it is a doctrine that is mostly associated with pastor and author Doug Wilson. Now I will confess that this doctrine is confusing, so I had to some research.
To help us with understanding the beliefs that go with Federal Vision, here is a brief summary of the views of this who hold this doctrine from Got Questions:
They hold to a stricter adherence to biblical law, stating that the church should be morally and ethically sound before it can have any influence in the world.
They believe in postmillennialism, seeing Christ returning to a world that has already been fully evangelized or Christianized. However, it is also true that most Reformed and Presbyterian denominations are either amillennial or postmillennial in their outlook on the end-times events. Some also hold to the doctrine of historic premillennialism.
Their most disputed belief relates to the objects of the covenant. They teach that those of the covenant community, regardless of whether they are of the elect, are part of the family of God. In essence, Federal Vision Theology teaches two facets of election. One is what’s called the common election to the church. This means that they will receive blessings for their obedience as well as discipline for disobedience. The other pertains to those called to a special election to salvation meaning that salvation is awarded only to those who persevere to the end. This two-tiered approach to the body of Christ is unsupportable scripturally.
Federal Vision Theology varies somewhat from the traditional Reformed teaching especially with respect to the rites of baptism and communion. Adherents view these sacraments as an imputation of the efficacy of the thing signified in the sign itself. For example, baptism is seen as conferring the benefits of union with Christ in the act of performing the sacrament. This view is more in line with the doctrine of baptismal regeneration such as with Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism, more so than with the classic Reformed doctrine of baptism.
Rather than treating Bible interpretation as a science or a method, they consider it much more of an intuitive art. Thus, interpreting the Bible through the typological system—as opposed to a literal system—means emphasizing literary analysis and the flow of the overarching “Story” through each of the smaller, individual stories.
Lastly, the followers of Federal Vision Theology deny the imputation of Jesus’ active obedience to His followers for their justification. Their contention is that His followers are one with Christ and, as such, share in His resurrected life, but do not obtain His righteousness. This teaching is at variance with the core doctrine of Reformed and Protestant orthodoxy, which teaches that one can indeed be declared righteous before God through the work of Christ on the cross on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Now this is the question, is Federal Vision biblical? The short answer is no. First, those who hold it, as the list above says, believe in baptismal regeneration which any Bible believing person will know it not backed up by Scripture.
Second, their approach to Scripture is to look upon it as a typological approach to make Scripture say something that was never intended to.
Finally, the denial of being imputed with the righteousness of Christ. How can any believer think that we do not share in the righteousness of Christ? We have been given that the moment we believe. Christ satisfied the righteousness of God by fulfilling the law on our behalf and dying the death we deserve. Christ did not earn righteousness, He is righteous. We are the ones who are not righteous in need of a righteousness that is not our own. Anything that says we are saved apart from Christ's finished work is another gospel.
Federal Vision is a doctrine that a follower of Christ must stay clear from and those who hold it, must repent.
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