“Faith is not our saviour. It was not faith that was born at Bethlehem and died on Golgotha for us. It was not faith that loved us, and gave itself for us; that bore our sins in its own body on the tree; that died and rose again for our sins. Faith is one thing, the Saviour is another. Faith is one thing, and the cross is another. Let us not confound them, nor ascribe to a poor, imperfect act of man, that which belongs exclusively to the Son of the Living God.” – Horatius Bonar

“…the cross saves completely, or not at all. Our faith does not divide the work of salvation between itself and the cross. It is the acknowledgment that the cross alone saves, and that it saves alone. Faith adds nothing to the cross, nor to its healing virtue.” – Horatius Bonar

JI Packer

It cannot be over-emphasised that we have not seen the full meaning of the cross till we have seen it as the divines of Dort display it- as the centre of the Gospel, flanked on the one hand by total inability and unconditional election, and on the other by irresistible grace and final preservation.

For the full meaning of the Cross only appears when atonement is defined in terms of these four truths . Christ died to save a certain company of helpless sinners upon whom God had set his saving love. Christ’s death ensured the calling and keeping – the present and final salvation – of all whose sins He bore . That is what Calvary meant, and means. The cross SAVED ; the Cross SAVES. This is the very heart of true Evangelical faith.

J I Packer from his introduction to a modern edition of ” the Death of Death ” by John Owen

• “Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies; not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God… God does continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified; and although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God’s fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.” – The Westminster Confession of Faith, Of Justification, Chapter 11:1,5,6, Original Edition, 1647.
• “This one and firm rock, which we call the doctrine of justification is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine, which comprehends the understanding of all godliness… if this article stands, the Church stands; if it falls, the Church falls.” – Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians, 1538.
• “We explain justification simply as the acceptance with which God receives us into His favour as righteous men. And we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.” – John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3:11:2.

Welcome to the japan Bible Institue

This is where you will find rich life-changing, motivating truths that will guide you into finding heartfelt answers to many of life’s unanswered questions and keys for direction, guidance, motivation, and assurance in these uncertain times which we all face. We have personally found God’s Word (The Holy Bible) to be totally reliable and an endless well of total sustenance for inner inspiration and victorious well-being. The Bible is something that we have found we can rely on on through out “all life’s” changing circumstances.

The Japan Bible Institute is an Online Correspondence School. We have No offline facilities or campuses. The Study Materials are in PDF format which can be printed from any printer and we will help you with questions via email. We will conduct some Seminars from time to time and will be happy to notify you of these through our weekly ezine. (Newsletter)

We are here to help empower independent Christian ministers in Japan and around the globe with the tools and backing they need to reach lost souls for Christ. We are here to help you with the challenges you face in preaching the Gospel and want to supply the ministry credentials you need to do the job.

May God Bless You as you begin the Leap of Faith into Greater Knowledge of our Lord and His Word and Serious Preparation for  Service in His Kingdom.

Dr. Ken Kovach

The Japan Bible Institute

If anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, “What have you that you did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7), and, “But by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).

If anyone affirms that we can form any right opinion or make any right choice which relates to the salvation of eternal life, or that we can be saved by assent to the preaching of the gospel through our natural powers without the effectual work of the Holy Spirit, who makes all whom He calls gladly and willingly assent to and believe in the truth, he is led astray from the plain teaching of Scripture by exalting the natural ability of man, and does not understand the voice of God who says in the Gospel, “For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), and the word of the Apostle, “Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God” (2 Cor. 3:5).

– Council of Orange 529 AD

Dr John Gill

To inquire what is meant by the imputation of this righteousness; which is the way in which it becomes ours and indeed is the only way in which it can become ours. The Hebrew word כשח in Genesis 15:6 and the Greek word logizwmai used by the apostle here, signifies to estimate, reckon, impute, or place something to the account of another. So the righteousness of Christ is estimated, reckoned, and imputed to be his people’s, and is placed to their account as such by God the Father, and looked upon as much by him as their justifying righteousness or as though it had been wrought by them, in their own persons.

That this righteousness becomes ours this way, is manifest. For in the same way that Adam’s sin became ours, the same way the righteousness of Christ becomes ours; or the same way we are made sinners by the disobedience of Adam, are we made righteous by the obedience of Christ (Rom. 5:19). For as by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners. So by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous. Now Adam’s sin became ours, or we were made sinners, through his sin; by imputation, it was reckoned, it was placed to the account of all his posterity. So Christ’s righteousness becomes ours, or we are made righteous, through that righteousness of his; by the imputation of it to us, it is reckoned, it is placed to our account. Again, the same way our sins became Christ’s, Christ’s righteousness becomes ours, as appears from (1 Corinthians 5:21). He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Now the way in which Christ was made sin for us, was by imputation; he never had any sin inherent in him, though he had it transferred unto him and laid upon him. So the way in which we are made the righteousness of God, must be by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and indeed we cannot be made righteous any other way, than by imputation. For the objects of justification are ungodly persons in themselves; for God justifies the ungodly, as in the verse preceding my text. Now if they are ungodly in themselves, then they are not justified by a righteousness of their own, it must be by the righteousness of another. And if they are justified by the righteousness of another, that other’s righteousness must be some way or other made theirs, it must be placed to their account, and reckoned as their own, which is only done by an imputation of it to them.

John Gill – 1697-1771

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Assurance of Grace and Salvation

1. Temporary believers and other unregenerate people may deceive themselves in vain with false hopes and fleshly presumptions that they have God’s favor and salvation, but their hope will perish.¹  Yet those who truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him sincerely, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, maybe certainly assured in this life that they are in a state of grace. They may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God,² and this hope will never make them ashamed.³

¹Job 8:13, 14; Matthew 7:22, 23. ²1 John 2:3; 3:14, 18, 19, 21, 24; 5:13. ³Romans 5:2, 5.

2. This certainty is not merely an inconclusive or likely persuasion based on a fallible hope. It is an infallible assurance of faith⁴ founded on the blood and righteousness of Christ revealed in the Gospel.⁵  It is also built on the inward evidence of those graces of the Spirit about which promises are made.⁶  It is further based on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with our spirits that we are the children of God.⁷  As a fruit of this assurance, our hearts are kept both humble and holy.⁸

⁴Hebrews 6:11, 19. ⁵Hebrews 6:17, 18. ⁶2 Peter 1:4, 5, 10, 11. ⁷Romans 8:15, 16. ⁸1 John 3:1–3.

3. This infallible assurance is not such an essential part of faith that it is always fully experienced alongside faith, but true believers may wait a long time and struggle with many difficulties before obtaining it.⁹  Yet with the enabling of the Spirit to know the things freely given to them by God, they may attain this assurance using ordinary means appropriately without any extraordinary revelation.¹⁰  Therefore, it is the duty of all to be as diligent as possible to make their calling and election sure. In this way their hearts may be enlarged in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, in love and thankfulness to God, and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience. These effects are the natural fruits of this assurance.¹¹  Thus, it does not at all encourage believers to be negligent.¹²

⁹Isaiah 50:10; Psalms 88; 77:1–12. ¹⁰1 John 4:13; Hebrews 6:11, 12. ¹¹Romans 5:1, 2, 5; 14:17; Psalms 119:32. ¹²Romans 6:1, 2; Titus 2:11, 12, 14.

4. True believers may in various ways have the assurance of their salvation shaken, decreased, or temporarily lost. This may happen because they neglect to preserve it¹³ or fall into some specific sin that wounds their conscience and grieves the Spirit.¹⁴  It may happen through some unexpected or forceful temptation¹⁵ or when God withdraws the light of his face and allows even those who fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light.¹⁶  Yet they are never completely lacking the seed of God,¹⁷ the life of faith,¹⁸ love of Christ and the brethren, sincerity of heart, or conscience concerning their duty. Out of these graces, through the work of the Spirit, this assurance may at the proper time be revived.¹⁹  In the meantime, they are kept from utter despair through them.²⁰

¹³Song of Solomon 5:2, 3, 6. ¹⁴Psalms 51:8, 12, 14. ¹⁵Psalms 116:11; 77:7, 8; 31:22; ¹⁶Psalms 30:7. ¹⁷1 John 3:9. ¹⁸Luke 22:32. ¹⁹Psalms 42:5, 11. ²⁰Lamentations 3:26–31.

1. God was pleased, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them, to be the mediator between God and humanity.¹  God chose him to be prophet,² priest,³ and king,⁴ and to be head and savior of the church,⁵ the heir of all things,⁶ and judge of the world.⁷  From all eternity, God gave to the Son a people to be his offspring. In time these people would be redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified by him.⁸

¹Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20. ²Acts 3:22. ³Hebrews 5:5, 6. ⁴Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33. ⁵Ephesians 1:22, 23. ⁶Hebrews 1:2. ⁷Acts 17:31. ⁸Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30.

2. The Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is truly and eternally God. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory, the same in substance and equal with him. He made the world and sustains and governs everything he has made. When the fullness of time came, he took upon himself human nature, with all the essential properties and common weaknesses of it⁹ but without sin.¹⁰  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit came down upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her. Thus, he was born of a woman from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of Abraham and David in fulfillment of the Scriptures.¹¹  Two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without converting one into the other or mixing them together to produce a different or blended nature. This person is truly God and truly man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and humanity.¹²

⁹John 1:14; Galatians 4;4. ¹⁰Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17; Hebrews 4:15. ¹¹Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35. ¹²Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5.

3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature united in this way to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit beyond measure.¹³  He had in himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.¹⁴  The Father was pleased to make all fullness dwell in him¹⁵ so that—being holy, harmless, undefiled,¹⁶ and full of grace and truth¹⁷—he was thoroughly qualified to carry out the office of mediator and guarantor.¹⁸  He did not take this office upon himself but was called to it by his Father,¹⁹ who put all power and judgment in his hand and commanded him to carry them out.²⁰

¹³Psalms 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34. ¹⁴Colossians 2:3. ¹⁵Colossians 1:19. ¹⁶Hebrews 7:26. ¹⁷John 1:14. ¹⁸Hebrews 7:22. ¹⁹Hebrews 5:5. ²⁰John 5:22, 27; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36.

4. The Lord Jesus most willingly undertook this office.²¹  To discharge it, he was born under the law²² and perfectly fulfilled it. He also experienced the punishment that we deserved and that we should have endured and suffered.²³  He was made sin and a curse for us.²⁴  He  endured extremely heavy sorrows in his soul and extremely painful sufferings in his body.²⁵  He was crucified and died and remained in a state of death, yet his body did not decay.²⁶  On the third day he arose from the dead²⁷ with the same body in which he suffered.²⁸  In this body he also ascended into heaven,²⁹ where he sits at the right hand of his Father, interceding.³⁰  He will return to judge men and angels at the end of the age.³¹

²¹Psalms 40:7, 8; Hebrews 10:5–10; John 10:18. ²²Gal 4:4; Matthew 3:15. ²³Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18. ²⁴2 Corinthians 5:21. ²⁵Matthew 26:37, 38; Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46. ²⁶Acts 13:37. ²⁷1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. ²⁸John 20:25, 27. ²⁹Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9–11. ³⁰Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24. ³¹Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9, 10; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 2:4.

5. The Lord Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God, obtained reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those given to him by the Father.³²  He has accomplished these things by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he once for all offered up to God through the eternal Spirit.³³

³²John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15. ³³Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:14; Romans 3:25, 26.

6. The price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after his incarnation. Yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit of it was imparted to the elect in every age since the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices that revealed him and pointed to him as the seed that would bruise the serpent’s head³⁴ and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.³⁵  He is the same yesterday and today and forever.³⁶

³⁴1 Corinthians 4:10; Hebrews 4:2; 1 Peter 1:10, 11. ³⁵Revelation 13:8. ³⁶Hebrews 13:8.

7. In his work of mediation, Christ acts according to both natures, by each nature doing what is appropriate to itself. Even so, because of the unity of the person, that which is appropriate to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person under the designation of the other nature.³⁷

³⁷John 3:13; Acts 20:28.

8. To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, he certainly and effectually applies and imparts it. He intercedes for them,³⁸ unites them to himself by his Spirit, and reveals to them in and by his Word the mystery of salvation. He persuades them to believe and obey³⁹ and governs their hearts by his Word and Spirit.⁴⁰  He overcomes all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom,⁴¹ using methods and ways that are perfectly consistent with his wonderful and unsearchable governance. All these things are by free and absolute grace, apart from any condition for obtaining it that is foreseen in them.⁴²

³⁸John 6:37; John 10:15, 16; John 17:9; Romans 5:10. ³⁹John 17:6; Ephesians 1:9; 1 John 5:20. ⁴⁰Romans 8:9, 14. ⁴¹Psalms 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26. ⁴²John 3:8; Ephesians 1:8.

9. This office of mediator between God and humanity is appropriate for Christ alone, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God. This office may not be transferred from him to anyone else, either in whole or in part.⁴³

⁴³1 Timothy 2:5.

10. The number and character of these offices is essential. Because we are ignorant, we need his prophetic office.⁴⁴  Because we are alienated from God and imperfect in the best of our service, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us to God as acceptable.⁴⁵  Because we are hostile and utterly unable to return to God, and so that we can be rescued and made secure from our spiritual enemies, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, sustain, deliver, and preserve us for his heavenly kingdom.⁴⁶

⁴⁴John 1:18. ⁴⁵Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17. ⁴⁶John 16:8; Psalms 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75.