The “Active Obedience of Christ”: An Intrusion into Baptist Life?

I'm not sure what DBTS is reacting to in these recent defenses of the imputation of the active obedience of Christ, but this article and the podcast with Dr. Snoeberger seem pretty light on actual arguments in favor of this doctrine. Is it really controversial to say that many Baptists have historically affirmed this teaching?

The Faith Pulpit article by Myron Houghton that is linked in the opening paragraph doesn't make the argument which this author insinuates, namely, that this active obedience doctrine is derived from TGC or T4G, or that it is of recent vintage. Houghton argues that the doctrine is not taught in Scripture, a much more meaningful argument, imo.

@pvawter, I agree that it was strange to see a 2024 article responding to a 2012 article. Is this issue still a live issue?

That said, the original 2012 article does say...

Many Bible-believing Baptists today are influenced by groups which identify themselves as centered on the gospel but in reality are teaching a Reformed view that the imputed righteousness of Christ is the result of His active obedience to the law.

and

Two well-known organizations today hold the view that the active obedience of Christ was part of His substitutionary atonement [T4G / TGC].

The article contrasts Bible-believing Baptists and Reformed theology.

I was a member of a GARBC church for 8 years. By and large, the GARBC has its head screwed on straight and does good work. But occasionally I would have to roll my eyes at some leaders' apparent historical amnesia with respect to Reformed Baptist theology, as if the London Baptist Confessions never happened. Less informed people in the pews were left thinking that you were Baptist or Reformed.

@pvawter, you ask,

Is it really controversial to say that many Baptists have historically affirmed this teaching?

It shouldn't be, but I did have a retired minister furious with me once for reminding a Sunday school class that many conservative, Bible-believing Baptists have been amillennialists. There are pockets within the GARBC where this isn't acknowledged much.

To the substance of the active obedience of Christ: I was left scratching my head at the Houghton article: how was he affirming the imputed righteousness of Christ without some concept of active obedience...until I found the answer in his point 6, that it is the inherent righteousness of Christ-as-God, and not the obedient righteousness of Christ-as-man. OK....hmmm....

You're right that the Houghton article says that Baptists are influenced by these groups. I guess I read the DBTS article as suggesting that Houghton believed the doctrine to be of recent vintage among Baptists.

As far as the DBTS view, I don't find it compelling. I just read McCune's treatment of the doctrine in his systematic, and his attempt to defend it w/o appealing to the Reformed covenant of works is weak, imo. Same with Bauder's brief statement. I tend to agree with Houghton.