The late John Paul Jackson, a prophetic voice deeply respected within charismatic and Pentecostal circles, experienced a profound vision that centered on the book of Romans, specifically Romans 4. This vision, as recounted by a close associate, wasn’t just a personal revelation for John Paul Jackson; it was a glimpse into a future move of God, one characterized by both a return to the core tenets of Christian faith and the demonstration of apostolic power. This article delves into the significance of John Paul Jackson’s vision, exploring the crucial role of Romans 4 and its “unseen truth” in understanding what this next move of God might entail.
John Paul Jackson, upon receiving this impactful vision, immersed himself in the study of Romans 4. Interestingly, what resonated deeply with him was the miraculous aspect of the scripture – Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac in their old age. This focus on the miraculous hinted at John Paul Jackson’s belief that the forthcoming move of God would be powerfully marked by signs and wonders, echoing the supernatural displays seen in the early church.
For the author reflecting on John Paul Jackson’s vision, the comfort lay in the vision’s implication of a return to historic Christian faith. This wasn’t about contemporary trends of self-centered or feel-good doctrines. Instead, John Paul Jackson’s vision pointed towards a revival of the foundational teachings that stretched from the apostles through influential figures like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and Wesley. Furthermore, it suggested a restoration of apostolic power, a power not witnessed at such a scale since the book of Acts, where the Word and Spirit worked in tandem.
The core of understanding John Paul Jackson’s vision, therefore, lies in grasping the two essential parts of Romans 4: imputed righteousness and personal righteousness. While both are crucial, the discourse in the original text and, consequently, in this exploration, primarily focuses on imputed righteousness and its profound implications. The concept of inheritance, deeply rooted in Romans 4 and Hebrews, emerges as a largely overlooked truth, precisely the “unseen truth” highlighted in John Paul Jackson’s vision.
The Apostle Paul’s declaration in Romans 4:17 about God “calling into existence things that do not exist” further illuminates the miraculous dimension John Paul Jackson anticipated. This verse points towards undeniable healings and miracles as tangible manifestations of this coming move. In conversations between John Paul Jackson and his associate, the excitement surrounding Romans 4 stemmed from this promise of miracles. However, while John Paul Jackson was captivated by the miraculous, his associate found deeper resonance in the promise of gospel restoration. John Paul Jackson even conveyed that this next move would include resurrections from the dead, a truly astounding prospect.
A significant implication of this understanding, as John Paul Jackson’s vision suggests, is the eventual decline of cessationism. The power and reality of the coming move would inherently challenge and ultimately dismantle the doctrine that miraculous gifts ceased with the early apostles.
John Paul Jackson’s poignant statement, “As if I was not the one to proclaim the fullness of it,” might be interpreted as a veiled reference to his own untimely passing. He received the vision at 36 in 1986 and passed away at 65 in 2015. This adds a layer of solemnity to his prophetic insights, urging believers to pay close attention to the message he carried.
Imputed Righteousness: God’s Gift of Right Standing
The term “imputed righteousness” is central to understanding the gospel and, consequently, John Paul Jackson’s vision. “Impute” signifies “to credit” or “reckon.” The Greek word logizetai used in Romans 4 carries the weight of “reckoned,” “imputed,” or “credited with.” This righteousness isn’t earned; it’s a free gift. When one embraces the gospel message – that Jesus Christ died for our sins – His righteousness is imputed to us. God treats us as if we possess His very own righteousness. It’s credited to our account, a declaration from God Himself that we are righteous in His sight. This transformative status is received through faith, trust, and reliance on God’s promise.
This imputation of righteousness is the foundation of salvation, ensuring passage to Heaven rather than hell. We are “justified by his blood” and shielded from the “wrath of God” (Romans 5:9). Regrettably, the crucial doctrine of God’s wrath is often omitted in contemporary preaching, often due to its unpopularity.
Justification by faith is underpinned by three critical “causes”:
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The Meritorious Cause: This encompasses the entirety of Jesus Christ’s redemptive work: His life, death, resurrection, and ongoing intercession. His perfect life, lived in complete obedience to the law (as exemplified by his circumcision and baptism), fulfills the righteousness we could never attain. As Jesus declared to John the Baptist, baptism was necessary “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). He embodied perfect faith on our behalf, leading Paul to state that we are justified by the faith “of” Christ when we believe “in” Christ (Galatians 2:20 KJV). Jesus fulfilled the law and completed the work God entrusted to Him (Matthew 5:17; John 4:34), culminating in his sacrificial death (John 19:30). His shed blood (Romans 3:25; 5:9), resurrection for our justification (Romans 3:25), and eternal intercession (Hebrews 7:25) with perfect faith are all integral to this meritorious cause. Paul’s declaration, “I live by the faith of the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20 KJV), emphasizes Christ’s perfect faith as the bedrock of our salvation.
It’s crucial to understand that our faith itself is not what saves us; rather, it is the object of our faith – Jesus Christ and His finished work.
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The Efficient Cause: What empowers belief in the first place? Given that not everyone believes, and humanity is born “dead” in sin (Ephesians 2:1), what facilitates this transformative faith (2 Thessalonians 3:2)? The answer is the Holy Spirit. He “quickens” or gives life. Jesus himself stated, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). It is the Holy Spirit who enables individuals to place their reliance solely on Christ.
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The Instrumental Cause: This is the conscious act of shifting our trust from our own efforts and good works to the finished work of Jesus Christ. The gospel must be believed. All that Jesus accomplished through His life and death remains ineffective until we believe. John 3:16 underscores this: whoever “believes” in the Son has eternal life.
The phrase “faith to faith” in Romans 1:17 (“In the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith”) encapsulates this dynamic. It refers to both the faith of Christ in accomplishing the meritorious cause and our faith in receiving it. Christ’s faith in providing the basis for our righteousness must be ratified by our own faith for salvation to be realized. It’s the synergy of Jesus’ faith and our faith that grants us imputed righteousness.
Imputed righteousness, therefore, is the key that unlocks Heaven’s gates, not our own flawed righteousness. The hymn “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” poignantly expresses this truth:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
— Edward Mote (1797–1874)
Our faith, the instrumental cause, is a conscious decision. However, imputed righteousness is not a feeling; it’s a divine act. It’s what God does when we believe that our sole hope of entering Heaven rests on Jesus’s sacrifice.
We may not feel righteous, and others might not perceive us as such. The very notion of God seeing us as righteous simply because we believe the gospel can feel paradoxical, even inducing a sense of unworthiness. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones famously remarked, a Christian is someone “surprised” to find themselves a Christian!
Imputed righteousness transcends feelings; it’s God’s perspective, a legal and forensic declaration from Heaven. It reflects how a holy God regards us. When we place our trust in His Word, He views us as completely righteous because His Son’s righteousness has been credited to our account. Abraham, despite his past as a sun worshipper and lack of inherent merit, was declared righteous by God when he believed the promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars, even at an advanced age. This underscores Paul’s central point in the first part of Romans 4: righteousness is imputed by faith, not earned by works.
This profound teaching can be challenging to grasp and even harder to believe initially. Martin Luther himself wrestled with it for years (1513–1515) before experiencing his “tower experience,” a breakthrough that revolutionized his understanding of faith. He realized that fide sola, “faith alone,” and Paul’s emphasis on “faith without works” in Romans 1:17, were the keys to true freedom. This revelation ignited a fire in him, transforming his life and reshaping the world.
For in it [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to [Gr. eis] faith, as it is written, “the righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).
The liberating power of the gospel that emboldened Luther is available to all. For those encountering this truth for the first time, it can be a world-altering revelation.
The author’s extensive preaching experience, particularly within charismatic circles, revealed a surprising lack of understanding and embrace of this core gospel message. Despite being in environments often associated with spiritual fervor, many seemed to lack a firm grasp of imputed righteousness. This observation, while perhaps generalized, highlights a critical need for renewed emphasis on the foundational truths of the gospel, even within vibrant Christian communities. The author clarifies that theological precision isn’t a prerequisite for salvation, but a reliance on good works for acceptance before God is a fundamental misunderstanding of grace.
The author’s astonishment and excitement about John Paul Jackson’s vision stemmed from its source. It wasn’t a revelation from a Reformed theologian, a tradition less commonly associated with visions. It originated from John Paul Jackson, a figure widely loved and respected within charismatic and Pentecostal movements. This unexpected source amplified the significance of the vision, suggesting a powerful message intended for a broad spectrum of believers, particularly within these circles. John Paul Jackson’s vision, therefore, serves as a potent call to rediscover and embrace the “unseen truth” of Romans 4, a truth that promises not only personal salvation but also a transformative move of God marked by both gospel restoration and miraculous power.
