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!
All that and you could just have read Acts chapter fifteen and been born again with no ‘things’ to weight you down. Oh well, some are so ‘learned’ they never come to a knowledge of Saving Grace.
I have to agree with you.
Very few manly men these days.
And it’s more than a pity.
BTW, in case you didn’t get the memo yet, Elsie is a he.
I just told the small ones, lying, fighting with my brothers and sisters, disobeying my parents.
I really couldn’t think of much else, although I can now when I think back, but thank God that HE has dealt with them.
By the time I was in the mortal sin stage, I had already ceased attending church.
How petty....
I can STILL recite those statements.
It goes to show the power of the indoctrination that Catholics undergo.
Now, however, I memorize Scripture instead of canned prayers.
Could you provide the post numbers where “Prots” BRAG, yes BRAG, about “being stupid for Jesus”?
It would be really nice for once to see that happen.
You know, a Catholic providing some actual support for claims made against or about non-Catholics.
Well sweetie, they are on other threads, I am sure you remember sop many of your own comments condemning my degrees. If you are going to be honest that is.
As for other documentation you were pinged to a thread from a certain nurse. I clearly show how the information on that thread was completely false.
Oh yes multiple memos
I’m stuck in the age of Bordens
Well...all Catholics believe that....and they follow the path to salvation that Jesus laid out for then.....they are to oive lives that indicate thqt they are not about to refuse His wonderful gift....they accept the Sacraments which He institute to assist them on their journey...the Eucharist, penance, Baptism, matrimony or Holy orders, Confirmation and Extreme Unction at death are all helping hands which Christ gave us.....when are we saved???..certainly not at the moment that we declare it....we would be free (free will) to reject Him at any time....so my answer would be that if we declared what you said, and lived a life which indicated that we were sincere in that declaration, and did nothing to reject the gift, we would be saved at death...
I went through every letter in the alphabet, and that is the best I could come up with 😂 Besides, what else would they dance to? 😅😎
I hate no one...I hate the error that has drawn peopple away from the true church of Christ...the REVOLUTION (reformation comes from within), has caused the loss of untold millions of souls....
Protestants don't even believe in Purgatory.....my statement was that souls in purgatory are already saved....but they are not yet in Heaven....
With all those brilliant people saying those things....who are you to deny them???
Whose sins that you forgive will be forgiven, whose sins that you retain will be retained......sounds like blasphemy to me.....NOT
Didn't get real high marks in Catechism class did you??
No...you can still gain indulgences...keep trying!!
What a brilliant stetement, you have raised the discussion to new protestant heights....amazing.
Very descriptive....means to lack significance...meaningless drivel.
Elsie is a boy type person....but in San Francisco it is still alright to call him deqar and honey....
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