Posted on 05/13/2015 7:34:37 AM PDT by Gamecock
64. But does not this doctrine make men careless and profane?
No, for it is impossible that those who are implanted into Christ by true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness (Heidelberg Catechism 64)
Moralism and rationalism are twins. In Christian theology, where you see the one the other is nearby. In this context moralism refers to the doctrine that we are accepted with God (justification) and/or delivered from the wrath to come (salvation) through inherent, personal, intrinsic sanctification (holiness) and righteousness. Rationalism, in this sense, is the notion that in order for something to be true it must be comprehensively understood. In order for a rationalist to believe something it must make complete sense to him. Mystery must be removed. It does not take long to see how rationalism and moralism are related. How should a rationalist go about setting up a scheme to get people (Christians) to be good? He should set up a system whereby either their justification or their salvation is contingent upon their sanctification. This is, after all, how one gets results in the world, in ordinary experience.
Usually, if a boss wants greater efficiency and productivity from her employees, she sets up a system of incentives for her employees. If the boss is of the ordinary, uncreative sort, those incentives are likely to be negative. Fail to meet this goal and x (e.g., loss of pay, demotion etc) shall happen. A more creative boss might set up a series of positive incentives: meet this target and you shall receive y reward (e.g., extra paid vacation, flexible scheduling, company car etc). Whatever the nature of the incentive, the very structure is a covenant of works.
Life beyond the covenant of works is a covenant of works. I started working when I was 10. I delivered newspapers but I quit that in favor of basketball. When I was 14 I took a job a couple of days a week washing dishes in a local restaurant after school until 11:00 PM or midnight. One Saturday morning, after a late shift I overslept. When I woke up I called the restaurant to see if I still had a job. Nope. When I was 16 I took a job making deliveries for a local florist. My first day on my own I didn’t return until 7:00 PM and I didn’t get all the flowers delivered. Another pink slip. A job is a covenant of works. That’s why they call it going to work and not going to grace. It’s about performance, about meeting the terms of the covenant. The terms of every job are: “do this and live.” School is a covenant of works. Term papers must meet certain standards. Mid-terms and exams must be sufficiently correct in order to pass. Civil life is a covenant of works. Break the speed limit and you risk being pulled over and ticketed. Run a red light, cause an accident, and you’re responsible. Break a law, pay the fine. Break enough laws and you will do time. This is why the Apostle Paul says that the magistrate does not bear the sword in vain (Rom 13:4). The sword is not a symbol of grace but of works righteousness.
Some (but not all) of the fathers and virtually all of the medieval theologians concluded that the nature of God and things is such that he can and may only say of one “just” (righteous) if one is really, truly, inherently sanctified and righteous. So the medieval church set up an increasingly elaborate system to make it possible for sinners to become saints by the infusion of medicinal grace through the sacraments. Between the 9th and 13th centuries she elaborated upon the two divinely instituted sacraments to create five new sacraments. Seven is, after all, the perfect number. She made our voluntary cooperation with grace of the essence of the process of progressive sanctification/justification (they were said to be the same process). She made the final outcome of justification/sanctification/salvation contingent (dependent) upon our performance, our cooperation with grace. In effect, the medieval church said: God has done his part. Jesus qualified himself to be the Savior. He died to facilitate your salvation/justification/sanctification. In baptism we were said to receive initial justification. We were given a clean slate. From confirmation on it was up to us to do our part, to cooperate sufficiently with grace in order to present ourselves to God. In her own way, the medieval church turned the covenant of grace into a covenant of works. She made the gospel mystery of sanctification by grace, in light of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, into a quite reasonable process of sanctification/salvation by grace and cooperation with grace.
There we see the twins are work: rationalism and moralism. For all the talk about grace and for all the delivery systems of grace (count ’em 7!) our cooperation was still so of the essence of the process that without it we are doomed. This is the same incentive process one finds at work. “We’ve given you all the resources you need but your department just hasn’t produced. I’m sorry but have to let you go.” The traffic cop points to the road markings, speed limit signs, and the traffic controls. They were all there and functioning but you did not do your part. Help is not a covenant of grace. Help is still a covenant of works. The medieval church, like the modern traffic court, ultimately relied on incentives and scolding to get us to be good.
There is a place for warnings in the administration of the covenant of grace but we should be careful as we think and talk about warnings not to turn the covenant of grace into a covenant of works.
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... vs Sanctification By Millenia In The Great Purgatory-Brand Spiritual Washing Machine?
Thank you for posting this. A scolded man without Christ can clean up his act before men, but he’s nothing more than a whitewashed sepulchre. Any good thing in or about me is of grace. He is my sanctification.
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30
a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; (Matthew 12:12)
A lot of reeds are bruised and wicks almost put out by scolding.
For the natural man ( the unsaved, unregenerated by the holy spirit ) can not receive nor understand the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him, for those things are spiritually discerned.
The cross of Jesus Christ is foolishness unto those who are parishing. ( that’s a heavy theological statement in of
it’s self speaking of election and predestination. )
Just as this author said of twin statements of moralism and rationalism, so to you can’t separate in theology of : GRACE AND TRUTH came by Jesus Christ.
Where you have truth ? Grace is right beside it in the person of Jesus Christ, where you have Grace ? So to you have truth right beside it.
Those whom reject the Gospel of Grace and those who are the non-elect, this is for them.
2 Thessalonians 2 verse 9, 10
9. Even him , who is coming after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness of them that parish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
For since they ( deniers, unbelievers, works based salvationeers ) did not receive the “ love of the truth “ that they will parash .
Those who reject God’s Grace Salvation offer is called unrighteousness, God’s very own righteousness, but instead trusted in their own works and self righteousness, therefore God will send them strong delusions so that they will believe a lie.
And the Calvinists never relied on incentives and scolding to get people to convert?"
1. Scolding: And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night?
2. Incentives: And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition?
Sounds a lot like scolding and incentives to me. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the author of this post seems to think that there is.
“The true knowledge of the distinction between the Law and the Gospel is not only a glorious light, affording the correct understanding of the entire Holy Scriptures, but without this knowledge Scripture is and remains a sealed book.” -C.F.W. Walther
Those who feel that they some how can earn their salvation by works and keeping the law in the “ appearance “ of being “ moral “ before man is the great disconnect.
They may appear before man as moral but before a holy and just God they are still dead in their sins and rotten to the core.
The worst of the worse of licisiviness are those white washed seplucures who “ apprear “ moral and righteous on the out side; never missed a Sunday at church, never cuss, swear, drink, smoke , run with prositudes, cheat on their taxes, lie, steal, unbelief before God ?
Are the worse that do those things who appear holy on Sunday before men, but run with the devil rest of the week.
I don’t care how moral, righteous , holy someone appears, it’s just a mask, a facsad, a show, and as far as God is concerned without the blood of Christ and regeneration of the holy spirit they are still dead in their sins worthy of hell and damnation.
That is the fate of ALL men before God regardless of whether they are Calvinist or not.
But once saved ? Of death where is thy sting ?
And the Calvinists never relied on incentives and scolding to get people to convert?" Edwinland
to be good
to convert
You have your categories twisted into a knot.
"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but on the inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Mat 23:25
Amen !
Nothing but the blood of Jesus and God’s grace undeserved.
Yes indeed, Jesus Christ wasn’t speaking to the prostitudes, sinners, publicans, he was talking to the law keepers, works keepers.
Incorrect; I chose my words quite carefully. The author the article criticized the Catholic Church for the means of scolding and incentives in addition to the ends of 'being good'. My point that well-known Protestants also use scolding and incentives stands.
In addition we could have a debate over whether the ultimate aim of the Catholic life of faith is indeed "to be good" instead of "becoming Christ himself" but since we have that argument in virtually every other thread I decided to make a different point this time.
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