Norman Shepherd was the professor of systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia from 1963 to 1981. He was released from his post due to controversy over his doctrines of the covenant and justification. After his release and before his retirement, he served two pastorates in the Christian Reformed Church. He is the father of what is known as federal vision theology.

This theology has infiltrated every Reformed and Presbyterian denomination in North America. Federal vision theology is a development of the covenant theology of Dr. Klaas Schilder and the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated). Prof. David Engelsma has led the way in exposing federal vision theology as a corruption of the pure Reformed doctrine of the covenant and of the gospel truth of justification by faith alone.

Federal vision theology teaches that every baptized child is incorporated into the covenant and receives covenant grace in the form of a covenant promise of God to save that child and to be the God of that child. Every baptized child is engrafted into Christ by a real and vital union and receives the promise of salvation. Whether the promise issues in the child’s final salvation is contingent on the child’s trusting and obeying, faith and faithfulness, or faith and covenantal loyalty. The covenant promise is fulfilled in the way of faith and the covenantal loyalty of the one to whom the promise was given. Necessarily, then, the promise is given to more than to the elect; more than the elect are members of God’s covenant of grace. And the grace of the covenant is resistible grace. The federal vision also teaches the real possibility of falling away out of the covenant of grace and falling away into eternal perdition by those who were at one time in the covenant and the objects of God’s favor and who possessed the promise of salvation. This teaching necessarily also corrupts the doctrine of justification—justification that is by faith alone without works and that grants the sure promise of heaven and eternal life now and forever, only for the sake of Christ’s perfect work received by faith without works.

In the Protestant Reformed rejection of Norman Shepherd and federal vision theology, I believe we have missed some things, and if not missed them entirely, have not emphasized them as we should have. I think as well that there is a popular caricature of federal vision theology and its preachers and writers. The distorted thinking is that federal vision preachers and writers breathe out the word condition in almost every sentence; they blatantly say that justification is by faith and works; they openly state that saints can fall away; they clearly make known that the promise is for elect and reprobate alike; and, therefore, they and their theology are easily detected. The opposite is in fact true.

The issue for me, and what I want the reader to focus on, is this: what does federal vision teaching actually sound like? Many have written about Norman Shepherd and his federal vision theology, but I am not going to quote those writers. I am going to quote Norman Shepherd himself from his book The Way of Righteousness.¹ This title is a reference to Proverbs 12:28, as he quotes it from the NIV: “In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.” In this book Norman Shepherd sets down his view of justification and thus also of the covenant promise and salvation. We are going to take a walk through this book to hear what federal vision theology sounds like.

Norman Shepherd begins with this statement about salvation:

Eternal life is a gift in the fullest sense of the word. It is not something that anyone can achieve, earn, or merit, or in any way deserve. Eternal life is a gift of sovereign grace. It is a gift that God gives to whomsoever he wills according to his eternal plan and purpose. He gives us eternal life, and he gives us the faith by which we lay hold on this gift of life. Our salvation is all of grace from beginning to end (Eph. 2:8). (19)

What error could possibly come out of such a statement? Much! And it depends on how one teaches and preaches justification and the faith by which the believer is justified. The issues are whether justification is by faith alone without works and whether that justification by faith alone without works gives to the believer the knowledge of his salvation, peace with God, the Holy Spirit as the earnest of his inheritance, fellowship with God, assurance of his salvation, and ultimately heaven itself. It depends on whether one teaches that the believer has all of these blessings on the basis of Christ’s righteousness alone and that the believer’s works are no basis at all for any of these blessings. The answer of the gospel is yes! The answer of Norman Shepherd is no! Justification is not by faith alone without works. Justification is by faith; however, the faith that justifies is a penitent, obedient, loyal, working faith. That faith only justifies with its penitence, obedience, and covenantal loyalty.

The starting point for his doctrine of justification is James, and the following quotation is the road map for the walk that we will be taking through Shepherd’s book:

What James has to say [about justification] is every bit as clear, authentic, and authoritative as anything that we find in the teaching of Paul, and therefore we are taking as our starting point for understanding the biblical doctrine of justification in James. From there we will go on to the teaching of Paul and our Lord in the New Testament, and then to justification under the Mosaic covenant in the Old Testament. The final chapter will take up justification under the new covenant dealing especially with matters related to our experience of this biblical truth today. (20)

A little explanation is in order. Shepherd’s contention is that James 2—a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone—is teaching justification in the same sense as Paul in Romans 3—a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Further, the doctrine of James and Paul concerning justification is no different than what the rest of the Bible teaches about justification.

What does Norman Shepherd say James teaches about justification? The key and central passage for Shepherd’s whole argument is James 2:14–26. He rather fully analyzes this passage, so I will quote him at length.

James is using the word “justify” (vs. 24) in a sense parallel to the word “save” (vs. 14)…Salvation in verse 14 is therefore salvation from condemnation when we stand before the Lord God to be judged. Salvation from condemnation in the judgment of God is exactly what we mean by justification…Justification has to do with the judgment that God makes concerning the sinner that leads to eternal life. It is a saving declaration that the one being judged is free from guilt and is accepted as righteous in the sight of God…Salvation in verse 14 and justification in verse 24 both mean forgiveness, deliverance from eternal punishment, and entrance into eternal life. (21–23)

James’ conclusion, according to Norman Shepherd, is that in the final judgment people will be saved from condemnation and enter glory. “They will be justified and saved by what they do and not by faith alone” (26).

So the question naturally becomes, what does James mean when he says that justification is by works and not by faith alone?

The first and most important observation we must make is simply that James is not denying that justification is by faith. He is not saying that justification is by works alone…Rather, verses 14–26 are designed to establish justification by faith in a pointed and precise way. The one who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be justified and saved…James teaches a gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. He urges faith not as a meritorious human virtue making a person worthy of being saved, but as total dependence on Jesus Christ as the only Lord and Savior…[James 2:14–26] does not teach salvation or justification by works apart from faith or even justification by works in addition to faith. The bottom line is that justification (salvation) is by faith…James and Paul cannot be set over against one another as though James taught justification by works and Paul, justification by faith. Both teach justification by faith.

But James says more about this faith when he says that justification is by works and not by faith alone (vs. 24). These words focus our attention on the kind of faith that justifies and saves. Justification is by faith, but not a faith that stands all alone devoid of action and unproductive of good works. Saving faith in Jesus Christ is a faith that works. It is a living and active faith. Only a living and active faith justifies and saves. (26–27)

Norman Shepherd goes on to use the illustrations of James 2:14–26 to prove his point that only a living, active faith justifies and saves.

In verses 15–17 James begins by illustrating his point…Suppose someone is without clothes and food. You wish him well but do nothing to meet the pressing need. The wish without the deed accomplishes nothing…In the same way, faith without deeds accomplishes nothing. It does not save and it does not justify. (27)

Shepherd moves to the two examples of the doctrine drawn from the Old Testament, Rahab and Abraham, the two extremes by which James establishes that “what is true for converted Jews is also true for converted Gentiles…James is saying that there is now no difference between Jew and Gentile when it comes to justification and salvation” (29).

What he says about Abraham will suffice to establish his point.

Verses 21–24 present the example of Abraham. Verse 21…literally…says that Abraham was justified by works…Verse 22 makes the point that this action of Abraham was an expression of his faith…His faith was not merely demonstrated by what he did, but was completed by what he did. Without the deed the faith would not be genuine faith. It would be useless and dead…Abraham trusted and obeyed. His obedience is the obedience of faith. It springs from faith and is an expression of his faith. Verse 23 says that in this way Scripture was fulfilled. The Scripture referred to is Genesis 15:6, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” This happened at the point when the promise was given to Abraham, but of course the work of offering Isaac as a sacrifice did not happen until much later in the experience of Abraham…The point is that the faith Abraham had when he believed the promise was the kind of faith that would issue in obedience…What is credited or imputed to Abraham? The answer is his faith…faith and the obedience flowing from faith are of a piece with one another and together they constitute the righteousness of Abraham. Abraham was a righteous man. He trusted the Lord and obeyed him. This fact is recognized, acknowledged, and declared in the judgment of God. This is the man who is justified and saved, the man who believes God and who believes in God with a living, active, and obedient faith…James is saying that the person who believes God, who believes in his Son, and who believes the gospel with a living, active, and obedient faith, is a righteous man. He is in the right with God now and will be saved from condemnation in the Day of Judgment. He is justified now and will be justified in the final judgment. (29–30; emphasis added)

Norman Shepherd then summarizes his argument about the gospel of James.

First, James 2:24 is talking about justification in the forensic-soteric sense, not in the demonstrative sense. Second, this justification takes place on the Day of Judgment when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead. Third, those who will be justified in that day are those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior with a living, active, and obedient faith. Fourth, faith that is not living, active, and obedient is a dead faith, and dead faith will not justify and will not save. (32)

So do James and Paul conflict with one another? James teaches that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone (2:24). Paul teaches that a person is justified by faith without the works of the law (Rom. 3:28). What does Shepherd say the apostle Paul means when he says that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law?

First, justification is the forgiveness of sins so that we are accepted of God as righteous and receive the gift of eternal life. Second, justification is the forgiveness of sins grounded on the imputed righteousness of Christ. Third, the righteousness of Christ imputed for our justification is his death and resurrection for us and in our place. (33)

Justification for Paul in Romans 3:28 is the same as in James: it is a forensic, saving declaration of God, the forgiveness of sins grounded on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Then the question becomes, what does Paul mean by the faith that justifies?

First of all, justifying faith is faith in Jesus…Faith in Jesus means trusting Jesus, accepting, receiving, resting upon Jesus for the pardon of sin and the title to everlasting life…The shed blood of Jesus atones for sin and is the ground of our pardon…

Second, justifying faith is a penitent faith [citing Romans 2:4, 7]…The impenitent are storing up the wrath of God for the Day of Judgment; but the penitent, those who turn away from sin and persevere in doing good, will enter into eternal life…It is inconceivable that justifying faith can be anything but a penitent faith. Paul says in Romans 4:5 that God justifies the wicked…God justifies the wicked who repent, who turn away from sin with deep sorrow and who turn to Jesus for pardon…

Third, justifying faith is not only a penitent faith but also an obedient faith…Justifying and saving faith is a penitent and obedient faith…In Romans 2[:7] Paul speaks of the necessity of repentance that becomes evident in doing good. He says God will give eternal life “to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality”…In Galatians 5:6 Paul writes, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Faith that expresses itself through love is an obedient faith, and this obedient faith is justifying faith…Faith, repentance, and obedience are possible in the experience of sinners only by grace, because we are a new creation…The believer, who believes in Jesus Christ with a living, active, penitent, and obedient faith, is the righteous man who lives by faith (Rom. 1:17). (36–38)

According to Norman Shepherd, this justification has nothing to do with justification by works of the law. The issue is how he defines works of the law that are excluded from justification.

First, by works of the law Paul refers to the Mosaic Covenant as such. You will not be justified by living according to Jewish religious regulations…When you do you separate yourself from Christ…and apart from Christ there is neither justification nor life!

Second, by works of the law Paul means obedience to a limited selection of law found in the Law of Moses and in tradition.

Thus works of the law mean self-chosen obedience to some laws of Moses and tradition while neglecting “the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness.”

The problem has a long history in Israel as evidenced by Isaiah 64:6. Isaiah says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” By “righteous acts” Isaiah does not mean good works, that is to say, works done in faith, according to the law of God, and for the glory of God. He means by “works of the law,” selective acts of obedience that are designed to cover up the massive disobedience of which the people were guilty…These works of the law are, indeed, no better than filthy rags. People who are seeking to be justified by such works of the law are sinners who do not confess their sin but pretend to be righteous. (41-43)

Shepherd continues his explanation of the works of the law that are excluded from justification:

Third, works of the law are works that are done without faith…They were not the obedience of faith wrought by the power of God. They were works done in the strength of human flesh to obtain the justifying verdict of God…There is a vast difference between works of the law that Paul everywhere condemns and the obedience of faith that Paul everywhere commends and encourages. (43–45)

Norman Shepherd then draws the following conclusion from his study of James and Paul:

Therefore Paul does not come into conflict with himself when he declares that justification comes by a penitent and obedient faith, and not by works of the law. By the same token Paul does not come into conflict with James when he says that justification comes by faith without works of the law. Both apostles are saying that we are justified by faith in Jesus, that this faith is living faith. It is a penitent and obedient faith. (45)

Norman Shepherd goes on to explain that both James and Paul teach the same thing that Jesus Christ taught in his ministry on earth. I cite only a few examples to establish the sound of Shepherd’s theology. His basic thought is that Jesus called sinners to faith, repentance, and obedience and forgave the sins of those who believed, repented, and obeyed.

[In the gospel accounts] repentance is presented as unto the forgiveness of sin and as unto justification. Sinners must repent in order to be forgiven. They must repent in order to be justified and saved. Therefore we have to say that in the teaching of our Lord repentance is necessary for justification…

In the ministry of our Lord we see that the call for repentance is coupled with teaching penitent sinners to obey his commands…Jesus says [in the Sermon on the Mount], “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”…Jesus is not talking about the imputation of his own perfect active obedience to sinners as the ground of their justification, but about the righteous behavior he is describing in the Sermon…[The works of the Pharisees] were not the works of faith. Jesus is saying to his followers, “You must not be satisfied with that kind of righteousness. You must press on to be the disciples I am calling you to be, disciples who do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8). That is the kind of faith in Jesus that gives entrance to the kingdom of heaven. (54–55)

In the final part of this section, Norman Shepherd becomes more explicit about what he believes the teaching of Jesus Christ is on justification: “It has become apparent by now that in the proclamation of the gospel, our Lord makes justification and salvation contingent upon obedience.” He states the following as evidence of this point:

Jesus makes the forgiveness of our sins contingent upon our readiness to forgive those who have wronged us (Matt. 6:14–15). This same teaching is found in Mark 11:25…The master passes judgment on the unmerciful servant and says, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Matt. 18:35). These examples are striking because forgiveness belongs to the very essence of justification. Justification is the forgiveness of sins. Unless you are prepared to forgive, you will not be justified in the judgment of God…

In Matthew 12:36–37, Jesus says, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”…Jesus is saying either you will be justified by your words or you will be condemned by your words. This is justification by works (words are works), and it is in the teaching of our Lord. This is the closest grammatical parallel we have in the gospels to the teaching of James 2:24, “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (59–60)

Summarizing his conclusions to this point after studying James, Paul, and the gospels, Shepherd says,

Jesus, Paul, and James all make justification and salvation contingent upon penitent and obedient faith. All of this has nothing to do with justification or salvation on the ground of the merit of good works. Faith receives what is promised. Living, active, penitent, and obedient faith can only receive what is promised, and what is promised of pure grace. Jesus died and rose again to take away the guilt of sin and to destroy its power. He recreates us in his own image so that we can bring glory to God on the earth by reflecting his righteousness and holiness. In this way God saves us and leads us into possession of eternal life. We are saved by grace through faith. (63)

Norman Shepherd has a long section on “Justification under the Old Covenant.” The key text for him is Habakkuk 2:4, which is quoted by the apostle Paul in Romans 1:17.

The righteous will live by his faith…The Hebrew word for faith used in this verse also means faithfulness…The faith by which the righteous live is a penitent and obedient faith…Paul sees his own doctrine of justification by faith as continuous with what we find in the Mosaic laws and in the ministry of the prophets. The Law and the Prophets teach justification by a living, active, and penitent faith. (76)

Now the question is, what are the marks of federal vision’s explanation of the gospel?

First, federal vision theology makes the gospel synonymous with justification and salvation. This is not a criticism. The gospel is synonymous with justification and salvation. This is Reformed and creedal: “We believe that our salvation consists in the remission of our sins for Jesus Christ’s sake, and that therein our righteousness before God is implied.” “We believe that we have no access unto God but alone through the only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous…only on the ground of the excellency and worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose righteousness is become ours by faith” (Belgic Confession 23 and 26, in Confessions and Church Order, 51, 56–57). This is also biblical: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Peace with God encompasses the whole right relationship of the believer with God. He knows God as his God; he understands that God is for him and cannot be against him; and he has the assurance that there is no condemnation to him, that he has passed from death to life, and that he will never die but enter into heaven. The apostle asks the Galatians, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Gal. 3:2). The “hearing of faith” is the hearing of the gospel of Jesus Christ that all the promises of God are yes and amen in him. It is hearing that and believing that—doing nothing for their salvation, trusting and relying on Christ alone—which faith is God’s gift and work in their hearts. By the hearing of faith, they have the Spirit. This means that they are justified, all their sins are forgiven, the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to them, and the Spirit has been given to them as the earnest of their inheritance. To receive the Spirit is salvation, fellowship with God, glory, peace, assurance, and hope in eternal life in heaven. Having the Spirit, the believer will suffer for righteousness’ sake, love his neighbor, and love God. There is no higher state that the child of God can come to than receiving the Spirit. All who have the Spirit have him as the very earnest of their inheritance; they have passed from death to life, can never die again, and will enter heaven. They have the Spirit by faith alone and not by works at all. This is to say, all of that comes by justification. Justification is the chief article of the gospel. Justification is salvation. Justification grants peace with God, assurance of salvation; opens the door of the kingdom; gives access to and fellowship with God, deliverance in the final judgment, and eternal life with God. Justification must be so preached. If justification is not so preached, then one does not have the gospel at all.

Second, Norman Shepherd’s emphasis that justification has to do not only with the here and now but also with the final judgment is important. I would say that is how justification should be preached. The question for the believer is not only how shall I be right with God now, but also how am I right before God every day of my life; every moment of my existence; at the moment of my death when I appear before the great judge, Jesus Christ; and at the final judgment when I shall stand before him in body and soul? Thus the issue of justification for the believer is this: how do I receive the earnest of my inheritance—the Holy Spirit and fellowship with God—now? And how will I receive the fullness of my inheritance—the Holy Spirit and fellowship with God—in the final judgment? The answer is by Christ alone, being justified by faith alone. The preaching of the doctrine of justification must bring the believer all the way into the possession of his salvation, to the final judgment and right into heaven. Now, every day, and at the final day the believer enters his inheritance by faith alone, without works, on the basis of Christ’s obedience, holiness, and righteousness freely imputed to him.

Then how does federal vision theology corrupt the doctrine of justification? It is obvious to anyone reading the quotations of Norman Shepherd that there are many references to grace, the work of the Spirit, Christ’s atoning work, salvation by faith, and even God’s sovereignty. Wherein is the corruption of the truth? It is by means of corrupting the idea of faith itself and coordinating or mingling faith with the fruits of faith, or works. Trusting and obeying are the way to fellowship with God, joy, peace, assurance, and enjoying a richer experience of salvation, and ultimately the way to enter heaven.

Faith itself is presented as man’s response to the gospel, what a man must do to be saved, and man’s activity by which he is saved. The emphasis is on an active faith, man’s response. Over against that must be placed Herman Hoeksema’s teaching on faith and the gospel that the gospel call to faith means do nothing for your salvation. For the gospel is not you must believe, that is, you must; faith is that which you must do. But the gospel call is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, do nothing for your salvation, rest in Christ alone, rely on Christ alone, and you will be saved. The gospel is that Christ’s obedience is the only obedience necessary to enter God’s fellowship and to enter heaven. Believers receive that by faith alone. The gospel is that believers are saved; enter into life; enjoy fellowship with God; and have assurance, joy, and peace through Christ alone by faith alone. They are in him by faith alone; they enjoy all his blessings and grace by faith alone; they are justified by faith alone. That faith is God’s gift, including the bond, the willing, and the believing. All is of God.

Still more, federal vision thinking appears when faith itself is defined by its works. Faith and the works of faith are essentially made one. Faith is defined as an obedient faith, a living (working) faith, a persevering faith, or a sanctifying faith. It is not that Norman Shepherd will not speak of faith and the fruits of faith, but faith does not avail for anything without its fruits. It is faith and its obedience that avail for fellowship with God, assurance, joy, peace, and entering into heaven. Faith without its works does not avail for anything; faith without its works does not justify; faith without its works does not bring into fellowship with God; and faith without its works does not give joy, peace, and the assurance of salvation. The federal vision train that leads to heaven rides on two rails: Christ’s atoning death on the one rail and the believer’s faith and obedience on the other rail. As Norman Shepherd freely admits, this idea makes justification, salvation, and the realization of God’s promises contingent on obedience. One need not say condition, contingent, prerequisite, or any other similar word to have contingency in salvation. Indeed, Norman Shepherd rarely uses these words, or he uses in the way of as a synonym. When the promises of God are not realized until man believes with an obedient, repenting, persevering faith; when the blessings of God do not come except a man trusts and obeys, believes and works; when fellowship with God is not experienced unless a man responds in faith and obedience, then one has contingency, no matter how vigorously it is denied.

This idea of an obedient faith as a justifying faith leads then to other corruptions of the truth.

First, it necessarily leads to the loss of the preaching of the law properly. The law as demand of perfection and as impossible for even the converted believer to keep perfectly virtually disappears. The law is doable for blessedness, grace, fellowship with God, and ultimately heaven itself: the believer obeys and then he receives God’s blessing. Where this appears federal vision theology appears.

Second, the law as doable for blessedness, grace, and fellowship with God is defended because the believer is converted, made in the image of God, and has the Spirit of Christ in him. The believer’s sanctification is not the fruit of his justification and the gift of life with God but is part of his justification and unto fellowship with God, blessing, grace, and glory.

Third, this idea of doing the law is closely coupled with the place of forgiveness in the believer’s experience. Forgiveness of his sins—in which his perfect righteousness before God is implied on the basis of Christ’s atoning work and because of which he has salvation, justification, fellowship with God, and heaven itself—as salvation is missing. In its place is that forgiveness of sins serves chiefly to make the believer’s imperfect works of obedience functional in his salvation. He must trust that God forgives the sin that adheres to his works and that God accepts his imperfect works as perfect because Christ forgives the sin of them. Faith is an obedient faith that penitently seeks forgiveness and trusts that with the sin forgiven God will use the believer’s works in his salvation.

Over against this the truth of justification must be stated with great vigor. A man is justified by faith alone without works, any works whatsoever. His very faith is the gift of God to him. His justification by faith alone is grounded on the perfect obedience, righteousness, and holiness of Jesus Christ, which become the believer’s by faith. There is no other work, no other righteousness, no other holiness, no other obedience needed to come to God, to stand before God, to live with God, to enjoy fellowship with God, and ultimately to enter heaven than the perfect righteousness, obedience, and holiness of Jesus Christ. Being justified by faith alone, the believer has peace with God, the Spirit of grace and reconciliation, joy, assurance, and eternal life. Justification by faith alone is the linchpin of the doctrine of the unconditional covenant. Without it or corrupting it, the doctrine of the unconditional covenant cannot stand. If faith and obedience together garner the believer one benefit of salvation, one blessing, then justification by faith alone is corrupted and by necessity the unconditional covenant is corrupted.