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!
Sounds suspiciously like one of those troublemaker Catholics who doesn't respect his Mother enough :)
Keep striving, you'll eventually get there.
I believe that is what cult members do as a matter of course. Look at cults like the JWs, Mormons, INCs and others. Those are classic examples of twisting sciptures. I can't even tell you why I did it when I was a catholic, but I think most do it. Praise Jesus for Luther. 😂😇 Actually, I do not know a whole lot about Luther. I just have to laugh, because it looks to me like Luther makes heads explode. Many might say they do not have a Luther fixation. Maybe some do and some don't, but whether you believe that or not, is your decision. 🙀🙊
BTW folks, I badmouth the RCC as much as anyone, but I just saw Sean Hannity talk about some chump, producer or director REALLY, REALLY bad mouth Catholics. It was amazing how quickly I was all over that dip stick. Those of us other religious people, can bad mouth the RCC, but that chump is not authorized to do so.
If the eternal life giving eucharist doesn’t wear off, then why the repetition?
Because we enjoy each other’s company.
You know, your mage-graphics are doing a great disservice to those who use iPhones, iPads, or who have dinosaur-like dial up connections.....
They don’t even fit on my regular computer screen and you know what, I’m not going to even bother to scroll side to side to try to read it.
It’s just plain out obnoxious.
If you want someone to read what you post, post it so it fits on the screen itself. Otherwise you’re just wasting bandwidth because I’m not even going to consider it and I’ll bet I’m not the only one.
Other than to use it to justify someones inane decision to leave the true church of Christ, what would you do with it??
Moslems sleep real well at night too, they think that they are doing the right thing (and will cut your head off if you disagree) being in error does not discriminate much as to what the error is.
And yet you did not refute her statement.
The Catholic church DOES damn non-Catholics to hell.
Not a good answer to the question.
If the eucharist gives life, like y’all Catholics claim, then why the need to *recharge* every week, or go to hell?
Doesn’t it last?
Is our sin stronger than the forgiveness and grace and mercy of God?
MEGA graphics.
***sigh***
No such thing....like saying I am an ex male.
I'll second that motion. Sometimes I'm on my PC, but very often I'm on my droid. Unreadable posts don't get read much. But at least it's not cereal boxes. :)
No challenge at all...that is in no way an infallible teaching of the Catholic church...it was a person who expressed that opinion...I don't agree and my opinion is every bit as important as his....not very.
No challenge at all...that is in no way an infallible teaching of the Catholic church...it was a person who expressed that opinion...I don't agree and my opinion is every bit as important as his....not very.
Really, so Lumen Gentium 16 and the CCC were only written by a person, or it does not in fact say Roman Catholics worship the the same 'merciful God' as Muslims, and or only infallible teachings are what RCs are to obey?
You need to get to church more...The Catholic church not only does not condemn non-Catholic Christians to hell, it allows that ANYONE can get to Heaven....Jesus' mission to redeem mankind would be an entire waste of His time if only Catholics would be saved. He did, however, establish a path to Heaven which He expects us to follow...that would be Catholicism......however, there are millions of buddhists, Hindus, who have never heard of Jesus...surely you don't think that Catholics condemn them to Hell
on the other hand, those who know of Jesus, and know of the Catholic church which He founded, will probably have some questions to answer as to why they thought that they could define Christianity better that He could.....
I am secure in my faith. My faith is in Jesus, not some manmade institution run by poseurs. I get my inspiration from God's Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised would lead me into all truth. YMMV!
If there is something of substance to post about the theme of the thread, feel free.
If not, don't post to me. I see nothing in those posts except an attempt to coop the conversation... and divert from God's Truths found in Scripture.
Romans 8: 8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[his Spirit who lives in you.
No such thing....like saying I am an ex male.
Ex male huh? Chelsea Manning and Mr, or is now Ms Jenner, might disagree with you. 😂 Let me say it again. I. Am. An. Ex. catholic. Was that clear enough for you? Get used to it. I am not involved in a cult anymore. You may think it is all nonsense. Think whatever you like. That's on you. I was thinking of putting in a good word for you with St Peter, at the pearly gates. Maybe I will, maybe I won't, but it is possible you might need it. Now, pardon me, while I go watch John Candy and Gene Levy.
Relativity is not the same as persistance. You still have Yazidis and Samaritans and Unitarians. However, the most powerful heresy was that of ARianism — continued in the Jehovah’s Witnesses
two places — one, what the JW rolls state and corroborated with what people say on census and Pew
Two reasons — 1 from the NT where Christ repeated the act and commanded us to do this in memory of Him. Secondly, this is linked as spiritual manna — to feed our spirit.
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