John Henry Newman (1801-1890), in lecture 6 of his Lectures on the Doctrine of Justification (1838), noted the following about the use of “gift” in the New Testament and how such supports infused righteousness, not imputed righteousness, within the realm of justification:
3. But further, Scripture expressly declares that righteousness is a definite inward gift, while at the same time it teaches that it is not any mere quality of mind, whether faith or holiness; as I shall now proceed to show.
By a gift I mean a thing given. Now, there are four words [1] used in Scripture to describe the special abiding gift of the Gospel, which either is, or at least includes justification, nay, which is expressly said to be justification, and they all signify a thing given, not a mere giving;—not a favour (as if we should say, "it is a great mercy we are saved," that is, an act, display, proof of mercy), but, as indeed the word gift means in English, a possession; as when you say a man has the gift of languages, it is a faculty in him; whereas you would not say that popularity was a gift, which is something external, but rather the talent of becoming popular, or influence, is the gift; nor would you say acceptance was a gift, but acceptableness.
For instance, in Rom. v. 17 we read, "They that receive the abundance of grace, and of the gift [2] of righteousness, shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ." The word gift here used certainly must mean a thing given; implying that the righteousness of justification, whatever it turn out to be, is a real and definite something in a person, implanted in him, like a talent or power, and not merely an act of the Divine Mind externally to him, as the forgiveness of sins may be.
But the preceding verses contain a still more convincing statement, on which indeed one might not be unwilling to rest the whole question. St. Paul says, "Not as the offence, so also is the gift [3] … the gift is of many offences unto justification." Here, observe, he distinctly declares that justification is the result of a gift. Now the word used for "gift" in the original, is the very word used elsewhere for extraordinary gifts, such as of healing, of tongues, and of miracles; that is, a definite power or virtue committed to us. Nowhere else does the word occur in Scripture without this meaning; indeed, it necessarily has it from its grammatical form. For instance, St. Paul says, he "longs to see" the Romans, "that he may impart unto them some spiritual gift;" again, that "the gift of God is eternal life." He enumerates as gifts, prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and showing mercy. Speaking of continence, he says, "Every man has his proper gift from God." He says, there are "diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." He exhorts Timothy "not to neglect the gift that was in him," but to stir up, to re-kindle, "the gift of God which was in him." St. Peter too speaks of our "ministering" our "gifts as good stewards." [Rom. i. 11; vi. 23; xii. 6-18. 1 Cor. vii. 7; xii. 4. 1 Tim. iv. 14. 2 Tim. i. 6. 1 Pet. iv. 10.]
If, then, by a gift is meant a certain faculty or talent, moral, intellectual, or other, justification is some such faculty. It is not a mere change of purpose or disposition in God towards us, or a liberty, privilege, or (as it may be called) citizenship, accorded to us, but a something lodged within us.
To the same effect is St. Paul's intimation, that righteousness is ministered or dispensed by the Spirit [4]; for surely the idea of dispensing, as well as the general office of the gracious Dispenser, lead us to conclude that the righteousness dispensed is a thing, and not a name.
To these passages we shall be right in adding a number of others which speak of the Gospel Gift, though not calling it justification. For they speak as if there was one great benefit given to us under the Gospel; and so great and essential is justification, that it must be either this or must be included in it.
For instance, our Lord says to the Samaritan woman, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water." The water was a real thing to be given and received.
Again: St Peter says to the multitude, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost;" [John iv. 10. Acts ii. 38.] can we doubt that this is identical with the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness of which St. Paul speaks?
Again: the latter Apostle alludes elsewhere to "those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift." [Heb. vi. 4.] Will it be said this means sanctification? then is sanctification represented as greater than justification; else why is not justification mentioned in a passage which is expressly speaking of a case in which a second justification is pronounced to be impossible? The contrast surely requires that justification should be mentioned; yet unless included in "the heavenly gift," it is passed over. We may add such passages as the following: "The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." And "He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." With such compare the words in the Prophet: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you." [John iv. 14; vii. 38. Ezek. xxxvi. 25.] This means justifying purification, for renewal is not mentioned till the next verse:—"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." By water, I say, is typified justification, which accordingly is a something applied and communicated, not a change in the Divine Mind merely.
The same doctrine is implied in the Sacrament of Baptism, which certainly typifies the justifying gift. But if so, that gift is not an act merely on God's part, but a something, proximate and one, received and embraced by us.
Once more: whatever be the more precise meaning of the words, does not "the Bread of Life" which is to be "eaten," imply an inward gift, not merely an imputation? Yet who can deny that that gift carries with it the application of Christ's merits to the soul, that is, justification?
Moreover, these passages show that this gift, whatever it is, is not any moral excellence or grace, such as faith or a renewed state. For instance, to recur to the last instance, faith is but the recipient of the heavenly Bread, and therefore cannot be identical with it.
Thus an examination of the promises made to us in Scripture bears out the conclusion I had already drawn on other grounds, that the righteousness, by virtue of which we are called righteous, or are justified,—that in which justification results or consists, which conveys or applies the great gospel privileges,—that this justifying power though within us, as it must be, if it is to separate us from the world, yet is not properly speaking of us, not any quality or act of our minds, not faith, not renovation, not obedience, not anything cognizable by man, but a certain divine gift in which all these qualifications are included.
Notes for the Above
[1] [charisma, doron, dorea], and [dorema]
[2] [doreas].
[3] [charisma].
[4] 2 Cor. iii. 8, 9
Roman Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong has a good article on this issue, too:
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