Posted on 05/12/2015 4:21:27 PM PDT by RnMomof7
Let us begin with a church history exam question. Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621) was a figure not to be taken lightly. He was Pope Clement VIII’s personal theologian and one of the most able figures in the Counter-Reformation movement within sixteenth-century Roman Catholicism. On one occasion, he wrote: “The greatest of all Protestant heresies is _______ .” Complete, explain, and discuss Bellarmine’s statement.
How would you answer? What is the greatest of all Protestant heresies? Perhaps justification by faith? Perhaps Scripture alone, or one of the other Reformation watchwords?
Those answers make logical sense. But none of them completes Bellarmine’s sentence. What he wrote was: “The greatest of all Protestant heresies is assurance.”
A moment’s reflection explains why. If justification is not by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone — if faith needs to be completed by works; if Christ’s work is somehow repeated; if grace is not free and sovereign, then something always needs to be done, to be “added” for final justification to be ours. That is exactly the problem. If final justification is dependent on something we have to complete it is not possible to enjoy assurance of salvation. For then, theologically, final justification is contingent and uncertain, and it is impossible for anyone (apart from special revelation, Rome conceded) to be sure of salvation. But if Christ has done everything, if justification is by grace, without contributory works; it is received by faith’s empty hands — then assurance, even “full assurance” is possible for every believer.
No wonder Bellarmine thought full, free, unfettered grace was dangerous! No wonder the Reformers loved the letter to the Hebrews!
This is why, as the author of Hebrews pauses for breath at the climax of his exposition of Christ’s work (Heb. 10:18), he continues his argument with a Paul-like “therefore” (Heb. 10:19). He then urges us to “draw near … in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:22). We do not need to re-read the whole letter to see the logical power of his “therefore.” Christ is our High Priest; our hearts have been sprinkled clean from an evil conscience just as our bodies have been washed with pure water (v.22).
Christ has once-for-all become the sacrifice for our sins, and has been raised and vindicated in the power of an indestructible life as our representative priest. By faith in Him, we are as righteous before the throne of God as He is righteous. For we are justified in His righteousness, His justification alone is ours! And we can no more lose this justification than He can fall from heaven. Thus our justification does not need to be completed any more than does Christ’s!
With this in view, the author says, “by one offering He has perfected for all time those who come to God by him” (Heb. 10:14). The reason we can stand before God in full assurance is because we now experience our “hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and … bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22).
“Ah,” retorted Cardinal Bellarmine’s Rome, “teach this and those who believe it will live in license and antinomianism.” But listen instead to the logic of Hebrews. Enjoying this assurance leads to four things: First, an unwavering faithfulness to our confession of faith in Jesus Christ alone as our hope (v.23); second, a careful consideration of how we can encourage each other to “love and good works” (v.24); third, an ongoing communion with other Christians in worship and every aspect of our fellowship (v.25a); fourth, a life in which we exhort one another to keep looking to Christ and to be faithful to him, as the time of his return draws ever nearer (25b).
It is the good tree that produces good fruit, not the other way round. We are not saved by works; we are saved for works. In fact we are God’s workmanship at work (Eph. 2:9–10)! Thus, rather than lead to a life of moral and spiritual indifference, the once-for-all work of Jesus Christ and the full-assurance faith it produces, provides believers with the most powerful impetus to live for God’s glory and pleasure. Furthermore, this full assurance is rooted in the fact that God Himself has done all this for us. He has revealed His heart to us in Christ. The Father does not require the death of Christ to persuade Him to love us. Christ died because the Father loves us (John 3:16). He does not lurk behind His Son with sinister intent wishing He could do us ill — were it not for the sacrifice his Son had made! No, a thousand times no! — the Father Himself loves us in the love of the Son and the love of the Spirit.
Those who enjoy such assurance do not go to the saints or to Mary. Those who look only to Jesus need look nowhere else. In Him we enjoy full assurance of salvation. The greatest of all heresies? If heresy, let me enjoy this most blessed of “heresies”! For it is God’s own truth and grace!
If it were not for Luther"attacking the Catholic church" you might not be a "protestant "
What some view as "attacking the Catholic church" is actually consistent with reformation principles.. that is pointing out heretical doctrine using the word of God as the foundation for truth.
There is a world of difference between challenging doctrinal or traditional teaching of Rome and "attacking " the church ...
How loving is it to see people drowning in a sea and not throw out life rafts? Is "love" or fear of a "common enemy" more important than truth?
In the case of kayaker, he simply makes no argument to rebut. My mother always used to say, "if you act like a fool, people will treat you like a fool."
Sadly, kayaker seemingly received no such advice.
Matthew 15:8. Putting the word “God” on a bill is not the same thing as honoring God.
You must be bucking for the next pope opening by practicing your pontificating on FR.
It really depends on why you do the good works. If you are doing the works to try to merit heaven, then you are placing yourself under the law; denying Jesus' merit and replacing it with your own. Your own merit, under the law, is insufficient.
Galatians 5: 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
I know there are better verses, but the idea is the same. We are righteous because of our belief. If we attempt to be righteous because of our works, we are placing our justification under the law, and we will fail.
Could doing good works, for the wrong reason, jeopardize our salvation? Possibly.
Mark, chapter 3, he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation
Saying that Jesus' merit is insufficient for our salvation and requires our work is blasphemous. Our works are a fruit of our salvation and is a visual testimony to our salvation. The idea that our works earn us salvation is a dangerous belief.
So much of that is doctrinal ... first they have Mortal sin and venal sin ... Big sin and small sin.. if you can go your life (after baptism) without committing a mortal sin.. you are good to go (to purgatory) ...
Now "Mortal sins"..Like intentionally skipping mass to go to a game ...easily cared for with confession and 3 Hail Mary's and 3 Our fathers..
I had a family member that was an ACTIVE RC... She was one of the nicest, most hospitable loving people I have ever known..
But you could not spend 20 minutes in her presence where she did not blaspheme God.... ...I do not even think she was aware of it..
She also had a real "social drinking" issue that ended up being the cause of her death .
Her funeral mass was concelebrated by a bevy of priests .... But it was the message that made me want to cry.. In it the family friend priest told the full church that she was now a saint in heaven and they could pray to her
She, like Mother Teresa.. was judged by men to be a"saint" using mens and Rome's standards , not Gods
See the problem here is the proof text is out of context.. but Rome never worries about that
This letter was written to BELIEVERS ...the saved, ..(always called the beloved in the NT church) He had founded that church , and while in prison he heard of problems there.. He was addressing the issues..NOT TELLING THEM HOW TO BE SAVED..
Now knowing that ...lets look at the ENTIRE passage
Phil 2: 12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
You, and everyone else.
If you believe that these are topics worthy of discussion, why don't you start the threads?
The fact that Rn's threads frequently generate several hundred responses suggests that she introduces interesting topics whether you appreciate them or not.
Well said.
Sadly, kayaker seemingly received no such advice.
Funny; after reviewing the thread, i find nothing ill-advised or foolish that WV said...
Hoss
The goats were appealing to Christ on the merits of their works... didn't matter. That's sadly the position Rome is in: it teaches faith AND works. Giving someone something to eat or drink means nothing unless it's motivated by the salvation we're given though faith... works AS A RESULT of faith.
You're right: no one can hide behind a church; yet, sadly, that is what Roman Catholics are being taught -- and why it's so very, very wrong.
Hoss
And it was the goats who were appealing to Christ referencing their works
You’re right: no one can hide behind a church; yet, sadly, that is what Roman Catholics are being taught — and why it’s so very, very wrong>>>>>>
True, we are not saved by religion we are saved by grace alone, there is no way any one can do enough work to be saved.
On the other hand people who can deliberately by pass some one who is hungry and not give them something to eat are the goats, that is what Jesus is plainly saying.
Neither one of us picked the world’s best screen moniker, did we?
Glad you remember!
I wonder what I was replying to.
Got the answer?
Probably not.
Something like Michaelangelo's David would be though; or the Pieta.
Ya start with a chunk of stone and chip away everything that is not your intended image.
I'm sure these other statues are made in a mold of some type; for large quantities.
Well; to balance the record; many Prots in these threads have said essentially the same about Catholics: Just go to the priest and say a few Hail Marys and yer good to go again.
Heck; I, myself, have told them a million times not to exaggerate; but does it do any good?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.