http___bogovidenie.blogspot.com__1.xml
http___thatlutheranguy.blogspot.com_.xml
1.1 2.1 2.2 3.1 4.1 4.2 6.1 7.1 8.1 9.1 10.1 10.2 11.1 12.1 13.1 14.1 15.1 15.2 16.1 17.1 18.1 18.2 19.1 19.2 20.1 21.1 22.1 23.1 24.1 25.1 26.1 26.2 27.1 28.1 28.2 29.1 30.1 30.2 31.1 32.1 33.1 34.1 34.2 35.1 36.1 37.1 37.2 38.1 39.1 40.1 41.1 41.2 42.1 43.1 44.1 45.1 46.1 46.2 47.1 47.2 48.1 50.1 51.1 52.1 53.1 54.1 55.1 56.1 57.1 58.1 58.2 59.1 59.2 60.1 61.1 62.1 62.2 63.1 64.1 64.2 65.1 66.1 67.1 68.1 69.1 70.1 71.1 72.1 73.1 73.2 74.1 75.1 75.2 76.1 77.1 77.2 78.1 79.1 80.1 81.1 81.2 82.1 83.1 83.2 84.1 85.1 86.1 87.1 87.2 88.1 89.1 90.1 91.1 92.1 93.1 94.1 95.1 96.1 96.2 97.1 98.1 98.2 99.1 100.1 101.1 102.1 103.1 104.1 104.2 105.1 105.2 106.1 107.1 107.2 109.1 110.1 111.1 112.1 112.2 113.1 114.1 114.2 115.1 116.1 117.1 117.2 118.1 119.1 120.1 121.1 122.1 123.1 124.1 124.2 125.1 126.1 126.2 127.1 128.1 128.2 129.1 130.1 130.2 131.1 132.1 132.2 132.3 133.1 134.1 135.1 136.1 137.1 138.1 139.1 140.1 140.2 141.1 142.1 142.2 143.1 143.2 144.1 145.1 145.2 146.1 147.1 148.1 149.1 150.1 151.1 151.2 152.1 153.1 154.1 155.1 156.1 157.1 158.1 159.1 159.2 160.1 161.1 161.2 162.1 163.1 163.2 164.1 165.1 166.1 166.2 167.1 168.1 169.1 169.2 170.1 171.1 172.1 173.1 174.1 175.1 176.1 177.1 178.1 179.1 179.2 180.1 181.1 181.2 182.1 183.1 184.1 185.1 186.1 187.1 188.1 190.1 191.1 191.2 192.1 193.1 193.2 194.1 194.2 195.1 195.2 196.1 197.1 198.1 198.2 199.1 200.1 201.1 201.2 202.1 202.2 202.3 203.1 204.1 204.2 205.1 206.1 207.1 208.1 209.1 210.1 210.2 211.1 211.2 212.1 213.1 213.2 213.3 214.1 215.1 216.1 217.1 217.2 218.1 219.1 219.2 220.1 220.2 221.1 221.2 222.1 223.1 224.1 224.2 225.1 226.1 227.1 228.1 228.2 229.1 230.1 231.1 232.1 232.2 233.1 234.1 234.2 235.1 235.2 236.1 237.1 238.1 238.2 238.3 239.1 239.2 240.1 241.1 242.1 243.1 244.1 245.1 246.1 246.2 247.1 247.2 248.1 248.2 249.1 249.2 250.1 251.1 252.1 252.2 253.1 253.2 253.3 254.1 255.1 256.1 256.2 257.1 257.2 258.1 259.1 260.1 261.1 262.1 263.1 263.2 264.1 265.1 265.2 266.1 267.1 268.1 269.1 270.1 271.1 271.2 272.1 273.1 274.1 274.2 275.1 275.2 276.1 277.1 278.1 279.1 279.2 280.1 280.2 281.1 282.1 282.2 283.1 283.2 284.1 285.1 285.2 286.1 287.1 288.1 289.1 290.1 290.2 291.1 291.2 291.3 292.1 293.1 294.1 295.1 296.1 297.1 298.1 298.2 299.1 300.1 300.2 301.1 302.1 302.2 303.1 303.2 304.1 304.2 305.1 306.1 307.1 307.2 308.1 308.2 309.1 310.1 311.1 311.2 312.1 313.1 314.1 315.1 316.1 317.1 317.2 318.1 319.1 319.2 320.1 321.1 322.1 322.2 323.1 324.1 325.1 325.2 326.1 327.1 328.1 329.1 330.1 331.1 331.2 332.1 333.1 333.2 334.1 335.1 335.2 336.1 337.1 338.1 338.2 339.1 339.2 340.1 341.1 342.1 343.1 344.1 345.1 346.1 346.2 347.1 348.1 348.2 349.1 350.1 350.2 351.1 351.2 352.1 353.1 354.1 354.2 355.1 356.1 356.2 357.1 357.2 358.1 358.2 359.1 360.1 361.1 362.1 363.1 363.2 363.3 364.1 365.1 366.1 366.2 367.1 368.1 368.2 369.1 370.1 370.2 371.1 372.1 374.1 375.1 376.1 377.1 377.2 378.1 378.2 379.1 379.2 380.1 380.2 381.1 382.1 383.1 383.2 384.1 385.1 386.1 386.2 387.1 387.2 388.1 388.2 389.1 390.1 390.2 391.1 391.2 392.1 393.1 393.2 394.1 395.1 396.1 396.2 397.1 398.1 398.2 399.1 399.2 400.1 401.1 401.2 402.1 403.1 404.1 404.2 405.1 405.2 406.1 406.2 407.1 408.1 409.1 410.1 410.2 411.1 411.2 412.1 413.1 413.2 414.1 415.1 416.1 416.2 419.1 420.1 421.1 421.2 422.1 422.2 423.1 424.1 424.2 425.1 426.1 426.2 427.1 428.1 429.1 430.1 430.2 431.1 432.1 433.1 434.1 434.2 435.1 436.1 437.1 437.2 438.1 439.1 439.2 440.1 441.1 442.1 443.1 444.1 444.2 445.1 445.2 446.1 446.2 447.1 447.2 448.1 449.1 449.2 450.1 450.2 451.1 452.1 453.1 454.1 454.2 455.1 456.1 457.1 457.2 458.1 461.1 462.1 462.2 463.1 464.1 464.2 465.1 466.1 467.1 468.1 469.1 470.1 470.2 471.1 471.2 472.1 473.1 473.2 474.1 475.1 476.1 476.2 477.1 478.1 479.1 481.1 481.2 482.1 482.2 483.1 484.1 485.1 485.2 486.1 486.2 487.1 488.1 489.1 490.1 490.2 491.1 491.2 492.1 493.1 494.1 495.1 496.1 497.1 497.2 498.1 498.2 499.1 500.1 500.2 500.3 501.1 502.1 503.1 504.1 504.2 505.1 506.1 507.1 508.1 509.1 509.2 510.1 511.1 511.2 512.1 513.1 513.2 514.1 514.2 515.1 516.1 517.1 518.1 518.2 519.1 519.2 520.1 521.1 522.1 523.1 523.2 524.1 525.1 526.1 527.1 527.2 528.1 529.1 529.2 530.1 531.1 533.1 534.1 535.1 535.2 536.1 536.2 537.1 538.1 539.1 540.1 541.1 542.1 542.2 543.1 544.1 544.2 545.1 546.1 547.1 547.2 548.1 549.1 550.1 551.1 552.1 553.1 554.1 555.1 556.1 557.1 557.2 558.1 558.2 559.1 560.1 560.2 561.1 562.1 562.2 563.1 564.1 564.2 565.1 566.1 567.1 567.2 568.1 568.2 569.1 570.1 571.1 572.1 573.1 573.2 574.1 575.1 576.1 576.2 577.1 577.2 578.1 579.1 579.2 580.1 581.1 582.1 582.2 583.1 584.1 584.2 585.1 586.1 586.2 587.1 588.1 589.1 590.1 591.1 592.1 592.2 593.1 593.2 594.1 595.1 596.1 596.2 597.1 598.1 598.2 599.1 600.1 600.2 601.1 601.2 602.1 602.2 603.1 603.2 604.1 605.1 605.2 606.1 607.1 607.2 608.1 609.1 610.1 611.1 612.1 612.2 613.1 613.2 614.1 615.1 616.1 616.2 617.1 618.1 619.1 620.1 621.1 621.2 621.3 622.1 623.1 624.1 624.2 625.1 626.1 627.1 628.1 628.2 629.1 630.1 630.2 631.1 632.1 632.2 633.1 633.2 634.1 634.2 635.1 636.1 636.2 637.1 638.1 639.1 640.1 641.1 642.1 643.1 644.1 645.1 646.1 647.1 648.1 648.2 649.1 650.1 651.1 652.1 653.1 654.1 655.1 655.2 656.1 656.2 657.1 658.1 658.2 659.1 660.1 661.1 661.2 662.1 663.1 663.2 664.1 664.2 665.1 666.1 667.1 668.1 668.2 669.1 670.1 671.1 672.1 672.2 673.1 674.1 675.1 676.1 677.1 678.1 678.2 679.1 680.1 681.1 682.1 683.1 684.1 685.1 686.1 687.1 688.1 689.1 690.1 690.2 691.1 691.2 692.1 693.1 694.1 694.2 695.1 695.2 696.1 697.1 697.2 698.1 699.1 701.1 702.1 703.1 704.1 705.1 706.1 706.2 707.1 709.1 709.2 710.1 710.2 711.1 712.1 712.2 713.1 714.1 715.1 716.1 716.2 717.1 717.2 718.1 719.1 720.1 720.2 721.1 722.1 722.2 723.1 723.2 724.1 725.1 726.1 727.1 727.2 728.1 729.1 729.2 730.1 731.1 732.1 732.2 733.1 734.1 735.1 735.2 736.1 736.2 737.1 738.1 738.2 739.1 739.2 740.1 740.2 741.1 742.1 743.1 745.1 746.1 747.1 748.1 749.1 749.2 750.1 750.2 751.1 752.1 752.2 753.1 754.1 755.1 756.1 757.1 757.2 758.1 758.2 759.1 760.1 760.2 761.1 762.1 763.1 763.2 764.1 765.1 766.1 766.2 767.1 768.1 769.1 770.1 770.2 771.1 772.1 772.2 773.1 774.1 774.2 775.1 776.1 777.1 779.1 780.1 781.1 782.1 782.2 783.1 784.1 784.2 785.1 786.1 786.2 787.1 787.2 788.1 788.2 789.1 790.1 791.1 792.1 792.2 793.1 793.2 794.1 795.1 795.2 796.1 797.1 797.2 798.1 799.1 799.2 800.1 800.2 801.1 801.2 802.1 803.1 804.1 804.2 805.1 805.2 806.1 806.2 806.3 807.1 808.1 808.2 809.1 810.1 811.1 812.1 813.1 813.2 814.1 814.2 815.1 816.1 817.1 819.1 819.2 820.1 821.1 822.1 823.1 823.2 824.1 825.1 825.2 826.1 827.1 827.2 828.1 829.1 830.1 831.1 831.2 832.1 833.1 833.2 834.1 834.2 835.1 836.1 836.2 837.1 838.1 838.2 839.1 840.1 840.2 840.3 841.1 842.1 844.1 845.1 846.1 846.2 847.1 847.2 848.1 848.2 849.1 849.2 850.1 851.1 852.1 853.1 853.2 854.1 855.1 856.1 857.1 858.1 859.1 859.2 860.1 861.1 861.2 862.1 862.2 863.1 864.1 865.1 867.1 868.1 869.1 870.1 871.1 871.2 872.1 873.1 873.2 874.1 876.1 877.1 878.1 879.1 879.2 880.1 881.1 881.2 882.1 883.1 884.1 884.2 885.1 886.1 887.1 887.2 888.1 889.1 890.1 891.1 892.1 893.1 894.1 895.1 895.2 896.1 897.1 897.2 898.1 899.1 900.1 901.1 901.2 902.1 903.1 904.1 904.2 905.1 906.1 906.2 907.1 908.1 910.1 911.1 911.2 912.1 913.1 914.1 915.1 915.2 916.1 917.1 917.2 918.1 918.2 919.1 919.2 920.1 921.1 921.2 922.1 923.1 924.1 925.1 925.2 926.1 927.1 928.1 929.1 929.2 930.1 930.2 931.1 932.1 933.1 934.1 935.1 936.1 937.1 937.2 939.1 939.2 941.1 941.2 942.1 944.1 945.1 947.1 949.1 950.1 952.1 953.1 953.2 954.1 955.1 957.1 958.1 959.1 961.1 963.1 964.1 965.1 967.1 969.1 971.1 973.1 974.1 976.1 978.1 980.1 982.1 984.1 984.2 984.3 985.1 987.1 989.1 991.1 995.1 996.1 998.1 1002.1 1004.1 1008.1 1013.1 1015.1 1017.1 1019.1 1023.1 1027.1 1029.1 1033.1 1036.1 1036.2 1038.1 1040.1 1042.1 1044.1
Православната църква по принцип не използва понятието „помирение“ относно спасителното дело на Иисус Христос. Това понятие обаче се радва на радушен прием в протестантското богословие въз основа на четири текста от посланията на св.ап. Павел: Рим. 5:10, 2 Кор. 5:18-20, Кол. Римокатолическото богословие също използва понятието „помирение“, но го поставя след понятието „изкупление“ (Гал. 3:13; 4;5), като подчертава, че помирението, или изкуплението, е постигнато чрез предложеното от Иисус Христос на Бога „удовлетворение“ (Genugtuung)[1]. Това удовлетворение се различава до известна степен от „изкуплението“, което лежи в основата на протестантското разбиране за помирението. През определен период от миналото православните учебници по богословие, имайки предвид западната практика, също използваха понятието „изкупление“[2]. По подобен начин и терминът „помирение“ се използваше през последните години в православното богословие при контактите с протестантските църкви в и извън Световния съвет на църквите. Това понятие отразява общата за православни и протестанти грижа да подкрепят всяко усилие в името на мира. „Помирение“ беше използвано от руските богослови в диалога им с лутеранските им колеги на третата среща в Арнолдсхайм през март 1967г. като понятие, изразяващо целия смисъл на спасителното Христово дело[3]. Но в общи линии, когато православното богословие използва понятията „изкупление“ и „помирение“, то, за разлика от римокатолиците и протестантите, им придава по-широко значение. Това пролича най-вече след завръщането на православното богословие към собствените му светоотечески основи и по-тясното следване на литургичната традиция на Източната църква. Православната църква винаги е изразявала това по-широко значение чрез понятието „спасение“, което остава предпочитано по много причини. Първо, тази дума се среща най-често в Новия Завет, когато се назовава дейността на Иисус Христос (около четиридесет пъти) или Самият Христос във връзка с извършеното от Него (около двадесет пъти). Второ, също не без връзка с Новия Завет, понятието „спасение“ е най-често използваното от Църквата в нейната традиция и вероучение. То се среща например и в Никео-Константинополския символ на вярата, и в молитвите на вярващите. Накрая, това понятие изразява най-дълбокия, обхватен и многостранен смисъл на делото, извършено от Иисус Христос. В това последно измерение, разбирано като унищожаване на смъртта във всичките и форми и като гаранция за пълноценен и вечен живот, думата „спасение“ поражда у православните вярващи чувството за дълбока благодарност към Христос, Комуто дължат избавлението на своето съществуване и надеждата за вечен живот. Този факт не бива да се подценява. За Православната църква, както и за древната Църква, думата „спасение“ не само изразява дълбокия, пълен и сложен смисъл на Христовото дело по-добре от другите посочени думи, но също така съдържа различните частични значения на спасението, изразявани от тях. Тя включва идеята за „живота“, „вечният живот“ и „Духа“, Който заедно с множеството Свои дарове е даден на вярващите. Тя включва и това, което изразявят фразите „съюз с Христос“, „живот в Христа“ (Иоан 14:20-23; усъвършенстване на човека по образа на Христос (Гал. 4:19), „съставящи едно тяло с Христос“ (Еф. 3:6), „общение с Отца и Сина“ (1 Иоан.1:3; 1 Кор. 1:9), „общуване на Светаго Духа“ (2 Кор.13:13; Фил. 2:1), състояние на „праведност“, „светост“, „божествено синовство“ (Рим. 8:14, 19; 9:26; Гал. 4:6, 7; Евр. 2:10 и т.н.), „участие в божественото естество“ (2 Петр. 1:4), възраждане в Духа и „наследство нетленно, чисто, що не увяхва“ (1 Петр. 1:4). Изворът на нашето спасение в Христос е толкова богат, че не може да бъде изчерпан с някой от горепосочените изрази, нито с всичките, взети заедно. Това е тайна, която никога не може да бъде изцяло разбрана или дефинирана. Свети Григорий Богослов например, след като се спира на спасителното дело на Христос, заявява: “Нека уважим това, което остава в нашето мълчание“, защото „нищо не може да се сравни с чудото на моето спасение“[4]. Изключителната употреба на което и да е понятие, особено ако то става ключово при интерпретирането на всички други понятия, неизбежно ще ни ограничи в разбирането на тази неизразима тайна. Владимир Лоски коментира по следния начин думите на св.Григорий Богослов: “След ограничения хоризонт на една преди всичко легалистична теология ние преоткриваме у светите отци изключително богато разбиране за изкуплението, което включва победата над смъртта, първите плодове на всеобщото възкресение, освобождаването на природата от властта на сатаната, не само оправданието, но и възстановяването на творението в Христос“[5]. Всяко от тези понятия е важно, защото освещава отделен аспект от спасението, извършено от Христос за нас. Следователно в нашето разбиране за спасението трябва да имаме предвид библейския език в неговата пълнота, като в същото време избягваме опитите да обхванем всичко с една-единствена дума. Ако е нужен някакъв по-общ израз, трябва да изберем най-широкообхватната дума, като разширим още повече нейното значение, така че да включва значенията на всички останали. Във всеки случай трябва да обясним всяко понятие в контекста на другите. Специалният смисъл на понятието „помиряване“ е в това, че то акцентира върху характера и на човека, и на Бога като „лица“ в икономията на спасението. Самото понятие „спасение“, предполага избавяне от определени зли сили или ситуации, които са резултат от безличностни стихии или от действията на самия човек. От друга страна, понятието „помиряване“ пояснява, че спасението е плод на възстановяването на нормалната лична връзка между човека и Бога, на възстановяването – посредством действие, извършено в Христос от личностния Бог, – на отношението на мир между Бога като личност и човека като личност. Вероятно по тази причина Лутер предпочита термина „помирение“, въпреки че, както видяхме, православните вярващи също смятат „спасението“ за цялостно освобождаване на личностното съществуване от разрушителните сили и следователно за една дълбока лична ежедневна връзка с Бога. Изборът на думата „помирение“ от страна на Лутер като най-адекватна и прецизна, за да изрази личностното отношение между отделния човек и Бога, е свързан с времето, когато човекът започва да се издига до изключително ясното съзнание за своето собствено назначение като отделна личност. Човекът от това време започва силно да се безпокои дали живее в мир с Бога и дали, като се има предвид нравственото несъвършенство на живота му, може да се смята за праведен пред Него. Ако по-рано човекът се задоволява с идеята за обективно изкупление в един колективен план като всеобщо унищожаване на греха и смъртта в перспективата на всеобщото бъдещо възкресение, то по времето на Лутер той се пробужда за своята индивидуалност и започва да търси преди всичко вътрешния личностен мир с Бога, гаранцията, че Бог се обръща с обич към него като отделна личност, независимо от факта, че не може да преодолее състоянието си на греховност. В една своя статия, озаглавена „Помиряването чрез Христос и мирът на света“, проф. Волф от Гьотинген пише: “Мирът на съвестта, или всъщност чистата съвест пред Бога, е плод на помирението. Така Христос ни дава сигурност пред Бога и мир на съвестта Вероятно по същата причина Лутер свързва тясно двете понятия „помирение“ и „оправдание“. Той е убеден, че те съдържат всичко, което човек наследява в резултат на Христовото дело, чрез което Бог помирява човека със Себе Си. Ренесансовият човек с неговото изострено самосъзнание приема, че причина за отсъствието на вътрешен мир с Бога е собствената му неправедност пред Божието лице. Той разбира, че не може да постигне дълбока лична праведност, и открива утеха и упование в идеята, че Бог може да го смята за праведен благодарение на изкупителната жертва, предложена Му от Христос в името на човека. Така в идеята на „оправдание“ спасението като възстановена лична връзка на човека с Бога отново излиза на преден план. Въпреки че признава акцента, който Лутер поставя върху спасението, извършено от Христос за нас, Православната църква също така вярва, че човекът може да израства непрестанно в новия Христов живот, описан от Свещеното Писание и от светите отци. Църквата вярва също така, че основата за човешкото израстване, основата на новия и истински живот, е отношението на мир между човека и Бога, което сега човекът може осезателно да чувства в резултат на Христовата жертва. Това духовно израстване не става изолирано в аз-а, а във възстановеното отношение на мир с Бога. Защото преживяваното от човека в това отношение не е външен, формален мир, а сила, която израства в него, която го запазва в този мир и която му дава все повече плодове. Тези плодове на свой ред представляват праведност, която нараства, докато стане израз на всички добродетели, взети заедно. Това е праведността за която свидетелстват Старият и Новият Завет. Там Самият Христос е наречен „Праведник“ (1 Петр. 3:18); там четем за действената сила на молитвата на праведния (Иак. 5:16); там също така от праведника се изисква да стане още по-съвършен (Откр. 22:11) и същевременно да не проявява своята праведност пред човеците (с цел да го видят – б.р.) (Мат. 6:1). Изглежда протестантското богословие днес се развива все повече по посоката на тази идея, съдържаща се в самото учение на Лутер, и в този смисъл все повече се приближава до православното учение. Православното богословие, от своя страна, подчертава факта, че новият живот в човека не е плод от усилията на самия човек, а на силите, които той получава от връзката си с Бога. Този акцент е очевиден в следващия цитат от статията на проф. Волф: “Благодарение на Христовия акт на помирение този мир е вече скрита реалност; той се проявява в християнската общност и чрез нея – в света“[7]. След като приемем, че оправданието в Лутеровото учение е органически свързано с мира, можем да кажем, че праведността, която Христос дарява на всеки човек, е точно такава скрита реалност. За да намери израз сред членовете на църковната общност и чрез нея – в света, този мир и произтичащата от него праведност трябва да имат естеството на сила. Макар и идваща от Бога, тази сила се проявява чрез човека и се разпространява като божествено отражение от човека в неговия диалог с Бога. Това отражение може и трябва да бъде задвижено от нас, вярващите, и ние всъщност носим отговорността за проявяването му. Православното учение за спасението в Христос Тук ще се спрем накратко върху новия живот и сила, които Синът Божи, въплътен, разпнат, възкресен и възнесъл Се в царството на Отца Си, ни дава чрез Светия Дух като „спасение“ според православното разбиране на това понятие. Божият Син дава този живот и сила в тяхната есхатологична пълнота на приетата от Него човешка природа. Той ни ги дава постепенно чрез Своята собствена човешка природа и ние ги получаваме като основа за израстване, като дар и обет, предполагащи есхатологично развитие и следователно – надежда. Ако Иисус Христос е „изпълнен с благодат и истина“ и е „съвършен човек“, то ние имаме само първите плодове на Неговото съвършенство (2 Кор. 1:22; Еф. 1:14) и трябва да израснем до съвършенство по Негов пример (Еф. 4:13). Животът и силата, дадени от Христос на Неговата човешка природа, се проявяват в три направления: по отношение на Бога, по отношение на човешката природа като такава и по отношение на ближните. Новият живот и силата, които Божият Син посредством човешката Си природа дава на вярващите в Него, също се проявяват в посочените три направления. И както ги дарява на Своята човешка природа чрез въплъщението, кръстната смърт, възкресението и възнесението, така ги дарява и на вярващите в Него чрез делата, които извършва като човек. Трябва да отбележим, че през последните три – четири века православното богословие също страдаше от определено схоластично влияние върху учението за спасението. То започна да представя спасението като нещо, постигнато почти изключително посредством Христовия кръст, и да тълкува спасението по принцип като доброволна жертва, предложена на Бога от Неговия Син. Но като се започне от руското богословие от края на миналия век, Православието се завърна почти изцяло към свойственото на източните отци по-широко разбиране за спасението. В контекста на служенето, или „дяконията“ на Църквата към света, през последните години православното богословие разви в съвременна форма тези общочовешки и космически измерения на спасението, които също са част от светоотеческото наследство. Сега ще се спрем на новия живот и сила, които Христос ни донесе, и на начините, по които те се проявяват посредством Неговото въплъщение, кръстна смърт, възкресение и възнесение. Чрез Своето въплъщение Синът Божи донася на човека нов живот и сила в отношението му към Бога, към самия себе си и към ближния си. Чрез въплъщението Христос обединява човешката природа с Бога по начин, който е пределно-интимен и същевременно – неразрушим, неотменен и окончателен. Синът Божи става човек, но и като човек е Син на Бога. Неговата вечна и съвършена синовна обич към Отца изпълва и човешката Му природа. Следователно, както се изразява св.Иоан Дамаскин, „въплъщението е модалност на второто личностно съществуване, дадено единствено на Единородния Син по такъв начин, че Неговият личностен индивидуален характер да остане непроменен“[8]. Единствен Синът е в състояние да изпълни приетата от Него човешка природа със синовна обич към Отца и чрез Своята човешка природа да изпълни всеки човек, който се съедини с Него, със същата синовна любов. Човешката воля става воля на Сина Божи, който я насочва към Отца в синовната Си любов. Според св. Максим Изповедник Христос притежава естествена човешка воля, но тъй като едното лице, или ипостаста, която носи тази природа, е самият Логос, то това не може да е гномична воля. Онези, които приписват подобна воля на Христос, смятат че подобно на нас Той притежава воля, която е „невежа, колеблива и в противоречие със самата личност … Не може да се каже, че човешката същност на Господа, която няма обикновена човешка ипостас, а божествена ипостас … има гномична воля“[9], което ще рече воля, която е независима от божествената ипостас и е в състояние да взима решения, противни на Неговата божествена воля. Това предполага цялостно подчинение на Отца от страна на въплътения Христос. Неговата човешка воля е движена от божествената Му ипостас в съгласие с божествената Му воля и следователно – в съгласие с волята на Отца. По този начин Христос и като човек прославя съвършено Отца. Във всички движения на Своята човешка воля, във всички Свои действия – а следователно и във всички Свои мисли – Христос е изцяло покорен на Отца. Това означава пълно освещаване на приетата от Него човешка природа. Цялата светост на Неговата божественост става присъща на човешката Му природа и приема човешка форма. Той е свет в Своите мисли, в движенията на Своята воля, в Своите чувства и съответно – в Своята плът. Така Христос става втори Адам, но по чистотата Си надминава първия Адам дори в състоянието му преди грехопадението. Въпреки че в човешката си природа Христос приема въздействията и обременителните потребности на състоянието, в което Aдам се намира след грехопадението, Той повече не греши. Напротив, Той поставя тези слабости под контрола на духа Си и освобождава природата от бремето, което те налагат, като ни дава власт и ние да направим същото. Той е вторият родоначалник на човешкия род според св.Кирил Александрийски. Той е един нов източник, Който остава неизменно нов и чрез Който всеки син на първия Адам може да се обновява непрестанно, да се ражда от Духа на втория Адам, да остава завинаги свързан с Него и да се завръща към единството с Него след всеки грях като към извор на обновление. „Макар че човекът се отвърна от Бога и Го огорчи със своето непокорство и безброй грехове, Христос още веднъж го постави пред лицето на Отца в Себе си както първия (човек)“[10]. В Христос човекът стои отново пред погледа на Отца. „В Адам източникът на човешкия род е умрял; но онези, които са се родили от него – тоест ние самите, – разцъфтяхме отново в Христос и съществуваме, и сме спасени, ако Го имаме като наш живот и втори източник“[11]. Той, както казва св. Григорий Палама, е „новият Адам, Който повече не остарява. Той е изворът, от Който светът се обновява непрестанно“[12]. Поради синовната любов на Христос към Отца и поради Неговата съвършена светост, Отец гледа човешкото лице на Христос със същата любов, с която гледа Своя Единороден По този начин, когато Неговият Син става човек, Бог обновява човешкия род; Той го помирява истински и радикално със Себе Си и го оправдава по най-автентичния начин. Родена от божествената ипостас на Сина, човешката природа става наистина света и праведна в самата си основа. Нейният мир с Бога се дължи на синовната любов, която Христос като човек изпитва към Своя Отец. Това означава, че човешката природа е преродена по нейно собствено желание. Праведността и мирът не са и наложени насила, нито пък остават външни спрямо нея; напротив, те са вътрешно приети, така както сухата почва поглъща влагата на дъжда, макар че той неизменно винаги идва отгоре. Христос „преражда човешката природа в съгласие със Себе Си“, пише св. Максим Изповедник[14]. Ставайки човек, Той съхранява свободната човешка воля, като я избавя от страстите и помирява с природата. Тъкмо чрез това съгласуване на волята с природата се извършва помиряването на човека с Бога. „Когато по този начин предразположението на волята се съединява с логоса на природата, се осъществява помиряването на Бога с природата“[15]. Но това е можело да бъде осъществено по отношение на хората едва след като е било реализирано в Христос, у Когото човешката воля е воля на божествената ипостас. Само защото божествената ипостас е приела човешка природа, тя е успяла да съгласува човешката воля с човешката природа и в същото време да постави волята в съгласие с Бога, Който желае единствено това, което е в съгласие с човешката природа[16]. Чрез въплъщението Синът Божи възстановява у човеците „величието на Божия образ“, защото притежава разум, който не е подвластен на онези нисши склонности и инстинкти, противящи се на Бога[17]. „Словото Божие, казва св. Атанасий, дойде в Своя собствен образ, защото само То, Образът на Отца, можеше да възвиси човека, създаден по Образа“[18]. Истинският мир и праведността, които Христос чрез Своето въплъщение като човек споделя с Бога, също стават за вярващите в Него истински мир и праведност благодарение на съединението им с Христос. Защото отношението между Бог Отец и човека Иисус включва, отначало потенциално, а по-късно и реално, всички вярващи в Христос. Светостта на Христос като човек е достъпна за всички и е действено насочена към всички. Ако е вярно по принцип, че светецът е човек за хората, човек, комуто е чуждо всякакво себелюбие, още по-вярно е това за Христос. Неговата човешка природа, която не е родена от човешка, а от божествена ипостас, не може да бъде затворена в себе си, в някакъв свой индивидуализъм, но благодарение на божествената ипостас, която е Бог на всички, свързва всички със Своята светост и съвършена доброта. „И за тях Аз посветявам Себе Си, та и те да бъдат осветени чрез истината“ (Иоан 17:19). В своето съединение с Христос, Чиято човешка воля е непорочна воля на божествената ипостас, останалите хора също могат да станат светци. Човешката воля в Адам е прекъснала връзката на единство между хората чрез случайния си и егоистичен избор. В Христос човешката воля е изоставила този избор и е встъпила в хармония не само с Божията воля, но и с човешката природа, с онова, което поражда живота на всички хора. Затова онези, които са се съединили с Христос, не действат повече в посока на разединяване на човечеството, а утвърждават братството между всички хора[19]. Чрез Своите човешка и божествена воли, и двете водени от любов, Христос оказа и днес дори още по-силно оказва обединително влияние върху човечеството. „Словото не беше ограничено от своето тяло“, казва св. Атанасий. „Присъствайки във всяка част от нея (вселената) и все пак извън цялото, Словото се открива и чрез действията на Своето тяло, и чрез дейността Си в света“[20]. Изтокът подчертава важността на Боговъплъщението за обединяването на човечеството, от една страна, заради изповядваното единство на божествената ипостас, в която е приета човешката Христова природа, и от друга – в съгласие с учението за нетварните енергии. Божествената ипостас активно прониква човешката природа на Христос, защото последната не е обгърната от човешка ипостас и в този смисъл не е подчинена на ограниченията на тварната природа. Човешката природа на Словото, в-ипостазирана в Него и проникната от Неговите енергии, е квасът, който действа тайно в тялото на човечеството. Това е сърцевината на учението за обожението на човека, учение, което е толкова важно за източните отци[21]. „Именно в светлината на тази мисъл на св. Кирил разбираме какво има предвид Леонтий Иерусалимски, когато говори за общата ипостас на Христос като за ипостас, която не е изолирана и индивидуализирана сред всички други ипостаси, образуващи човешката природа, а е ипостасният архетип на цялото човечество. В Христос цялото човечество, а не само индивидът, възстановява съюза си с Бога. Това е възможно само ако човешката природа на Христос не е природата на обикновения човек, а на една ипостас, която е независима от ограниченията на тварната природа“[22]. Може да се каже, че Христос е централната ипостас, която свързва всички човешки ипостаси помежду им, защото първо ги свързва със Себе Си. Въплъщението е един удивителен кеносис на Сина Божи, чрез който Той става ипостас както на онези склонности, които поробват човешката природа, така и на ограниченията, които я потискат, за да освободи човешката природа от първите и да разчупи вторите. Но въплъщението е също така кеносис на човешката природа в Христос. Тази човешка природа съществува не автономно в своя собствена ипостас, а в божествената ипостас. Това е кеносис, който е изцяло посветен на Бога. Себеотрицанието е същностен знак на любовта, без който тя не може да се прояви. Защото обичащият забравя себе си и се отдава на другия в пълно себеотказване; и все пак тъкмо чрез тази любов той разкрива себе си в своята собствена пълнота. „И както човекът съществува само в степента, в която се отказва от себе си, така и въплъщението на Бога се проявява като върховният и единствен по рода си пример за екзистенциално осъществяване на човешката реалност“[23]. От този върховен център на божествената любов, който също така издига човешката любов до най-висша степен и се открива на всички хора, като заема своето място сред тях, любовта сияе сред нас и ни поема в своето вътрешно движение. Значението на Боговъплъщението за разбирането на нашето спасение в Христос е очевидно от казаното дотук, но съществуват и други измерения на въплъщението. Ако сме видели само кръста на Христос, но не и Неговия земен живот в плът, ние няма да познаваме Христовото учение и примера на Неговия живот. Те не само ни разкриват смисъла на кръста, но ни учат и ни дават сили да живеем в покорство към Бога, в чистота и в действена любов, служейки на нашите ближни. Свети Атанасий подчертава: „Човеците се отвърнали от съзерцаването на Бога в небесата и започнали да Го търсят в противоположната посока, долу сред тварните и сетивни неща. Затова Спасителят на всички нас, Словото Божие, в Своята голяма любов прие тяло …”[24]. Виждайки човеците да се лутат в заблуда, Бог не иска да загуби онези, които някога са участвали в Неговия образ, а иска този образ да бъде обновен в тях и чрез него всички хора да могат отново да Го познават. „Следователно Словото Божие дойде в Своя собствен образ, защото само То, Образът на Отца, можеше да възвиси човека, създаден по Образа“[25]. Чрез Своя живот на земята в човешко тяло Синът Божи прави очевидно принципното значение на земния живот за постигане на спасение. Той ни показва как още на земята трябва да се стремим към абсолютно помирение с Бога и с нашия ближен, помирение, изпълнено с любов. Фактът, че Бог е отворен, лично и ипостасно, към тварното земно съществуване и приема да го изживее заради нас, доказва, че това съществуване е важно дори и за Него[26]. Свети Атанасий казва, че в началото човекът е сътворен по повеля на Божията воля. „Но след като човекът бе изведен в битие и нещата, които съществуваха, а не несъществуващите, имаха нужда да бъдат изцелени, беше напълно естествено Лечителят и Спасителят да слезе сред онези, които вече съществуваха, за да излекува съществуващото зло. Затова Той стана човек и използва тялото като Свой човешки инструмент … и чрез него се разкри на всички“[27]. Той не желае да ни издигне до вечния живот, без да вземе предвид нашия земен живот. Този живот трябва също да бъде осветен като предусловие за вечен живот. Тръгвайки от внушението на св. апостол Павел, че ние трябва да израснем в любовта, за да проумеем „що е ширина и дължина, дълбочина и височина“ и да узнаем „Христовата любов, която превъзхожда всяко знание“ (Еф. Атанасий казва: „Самооткровението на Словото е във всяко измерение – горе, в творението; долу, във въплъщението; под земята, в ада; и широко, по целия свят. Всички неща са изпълнени с познанието за Бога. Той не се жертва за всички веднага след като идва на земята, защото ако беше предал тялото Си на смъртта и веднага след това възкръснал, нямаше да бъде възприет сетивно от нас. Вместо това Той остана в Своето тяло и ни позволи да Го видим в Него, извършвайки действия и давайки знаци, които показваха, че Той е не само човек, но и Бог Слово“. „ … Словото претърпя да се появи в тяло, за да може като човек да бъде възприето сетивно и да убеди хората чрез Своите човешки действия, че е не само човек, но и Бог …”[28]. Синът Божи не презира земния живот като лишен от значение и смисъл; напротив, Той го приема като Свой, за да постави в самия този живот началото на изцелението и освещаването на човека. От трите начина, по които се проявяват новият живот и силата на Христос, човешката природа бива възобновена най-вече чрез смъртта Му на кръста. Христовият кръст представлява нов етап в делото на нашето спасение, което нямаше да бъде постигнато без него. В Своята смърт Христос Се отдава на Отца не само чрез образцовия Си живот, но и чрез самото отказване от живота. Като човек Той отдава на Отца всичко и не оставя нищо за Себе Си. В Неговата смърт любящият кеносис достига връхната си точка. Свети Кирил Александрийски развива идеята на св. апостол Павел, че човекът може да застане пред Отца само като безгрешна жертва, но ние самите не сме в състояние да предложим на Отца тази жертва. Следователно Христос като човек предлага безгрешната жертва на Отца, като се стреми не да Му даде някакво юридическо възмездие, а чрез единството Си с Него да ни даде силата сами да се превърнем в безгрешни жертви, за да можем също да влезем с Него в царството Божие. Така имаме достъп до Отца чрез Христовия кръст. „Защото чрез Него и едните и другите имаме достъп при Отца, в единия Дух“ (Еф. 2:18; 3:12). Само ако Христос е в нас като безгрешна жертва или ако сме в Него, Който единствен е чиста жертва, ние можем да имаме достъп до Отца. И заедно с този достъп, според св. апостол Павел, ние можем да се радваме на помирение, или на мир помежду ни и с Бога. Защото чрез кръста на Христос, най-висшият жертвоприносител на самия Себе Си като човек, враждата, която се е настанила в нас, е убита (Еф. 2:16). Но в същото време, в Неговото тяло, разпнато на кръста и по този начин поставено в състояние на абсолютно себеотричане, на любящ кеносис пред Бога заради нас, ние, Неговите най-любими създания, се помиряваме между си и с Бога. Забележителен е начинът, по който св .апостол Павел свързва помирението и мира между човеците и Бога с достъпа до Отца. За него това помирение означава, че отчуждените и враждуващите помежду си трябва да се превърнат в нови човеци. Възможността да се реализира това е дадена от Христовия кръст, от Неговата чиста жертва, от пълното Му себеотрицание. Тази чиста жертва, подобно на предложено на Отца всесъжение с приятно благоухание, не е нищо друго, освен Неговото пълно отдаване на Отца. Свети Кирил казва, че където съществува грехът, там не може да има чиста жертва. Жертвата е отхвърляне на цялата себичност като същностна форма на греха. Тя е пълно отдаване на Отца и единствен Христос е в състояние да предложи такава жертва. Той прави това, за да създаде в Себе Си като човек условието за пълно отдаване на Отца и така, подобно на магнит, да ни привлече към същото, да отпечата Своя образ в нас, собствения Си образ в тази жертва „Наистина, грехът внася в нас тъга с лош мирис … Но в Христос този живот на тъга и лош дъх се превръща в радост. Вярата му придава приятно ухание. Чрез Христос ние се отдаваме на Бога. Защото Той е Този, Който пречиства грешниците и духовно очиства нечистите … Чрез Христос ние отдаваме себе си, чрез Него ние, които сме нечисти, дръзваме да се приближим. Но ние се приближаваме чрез вярата и се отдаваме на Отца с приятно ухание само когато престанем да съществуваме единствено за себе си, когато имаме в себе си Христос като приятното благоухание на Духа“[29]. Това приятно ухание е Христовата този смисъл ние също умираме при кръщението по подобие на смъртта на Христос. Ние се срастваме с подобието на смъртта Му и биваме погребани с Него чрез кръщението в смъртта (Рим. 6:3-5). Така ставаме праведни в Христос пред Отца. Това не е праведността на тщеславието, а на нашето отдаване на Бога. Защото истинското съединяване в любовта, или в диалога на любовта, се появява само при пълно отдаване. Ние се помиряваме с Бога само в това отдаване в Христа, само в това жертвено състояние получаваме светост от Бога, светост, която е свързана с преодоляването на егоизма като корен на греха. Тъкмо в тази светост се изразява нашата праведност пред Отца, праведността, която сме спечелили чрез Христос. Ние получаваме тази светост, или праведност, от Отца, защото когато влезем чрез Христос в царството на Отца като чиста жертва, ние сме издигнати до състояние, в което е възможно пълното общуване с Бога. Помирени с Бога само в това състояние на пълно отдаване на Христос, ние можем да кажем, че помирението изисква жертва, жертването на нашето собствено съществуване, на онова съществуване, към което искаме да се придържаме и което искаме да запазим като добро единствено за нас – когато сме в състояние на грях и себичност. Сега основата на нашата собствена жертва и изворът на нейната сила, изворът на нашата любов към Отца, в Когото е нашият истински живот, е Христовата жертва, Неговото безгрешно себеотдаване на Отца. Това себеотдаване е извършено от любов към Отца, от любов към нас и от любовта към Отца, която Той изпитва от наше име като човек. Общувайки в смъртта на Христос, „ние общуваме в една смърт, която носи живот“[31]. Очевидно е, че това разбиране за жертвата следва аскетичната визия на св. апостол Павел и на отците, според която след грехопадението на Адам плътта става център на греха чрез страстите, които се проявяват в нея. Тази плът трябва да умре, за да може и грехът да умре с нея. Но също така е ясно, че Христовата плът не е център на такива страсти и следователно не е център и на греха. Той умъртвява дори безгрешните страсти, които е приел заедно с тялото[32]. Въпреки това Той разпва плътта на кръста, за да може Неговото разпнато тяло да стане източник на умъртвяване на нашите собствени тела. Както казва Николай Кавасила: „Тази смърт, доколкото е смърт, сложи край на живота на злото. Доколкото е наказание, тя премахна вината за греха, който всеки от нас носи заради лошите си Това е състоянието на праведност, което Христос завоюва за нас на кръста като помиряване на двете части в човека – духа и плътта – чрез помиряване с Отца и прекратяване на всяка вражда (Еф. 2:16-18). Този възглед за разпъването на кръста означава, че Христовото тяло съдържа потенциално всички тела и че всички хора трябва да бъдат издигнати до жертвеното състояние на Христос. „А Христос умря за всички, та живите да живеят не вече за себе си, а за Оногова, Който умря за тях и възкръсна … И тъй, който е в Христа, той е нова този смисъл въпреки че Христос умира веднъж на земята,Той е винаги готов за пълно себеотдаване на Отца, за да издигне всички хора до тази жертва. „Христос запазва в Своето тяло свидетелството за Своята жертва и носи върху Своето тяло белезите от раните, които получава при разпъването на кръста. По този начин Той иска да покаже, че когато дойде отново в ослепително сияние, ще остане за своите слуги същият Господ, разпнат и прободен, и тези рани ще бъдат Неговата царска украса“[34]. Понеже смъртта влезе в света чрез греха, а Христос не извършва грях, Той претърпява смърт заради нашите грехове. И чрез Неговата смърт грехът и себичността са унищожени в самата си основа, заедно с плода, който те носят, смъртта. Всички хора могат да избегнат това, ако на свой ред се сраснат със смъртта и жертвата на Христос. Предлагайки Своята човешка природа в жертва на Отца, Синът я издига до състояние на абсолютно съвършенство, за да могат от това състояние на съвършена реализация всички хора да черпят своето съвършенство заедно със свободата от властта на греха и вечната смърт. Ние виждаме следователно, че това разбиране за жертвата като чисто отдаване на Отца предполага въплъщението на Сина Божи, защото единствено в божествената ипостас човечеството може да се предложи като съвършена жертва на Отца. Ако св. Кирил Александрийски акцентира върху насочените към Бога жертва и смърт на Христос – както правят Анселм и Лутер след него, – то св. Атанасий, св. Максим Изповедник и другите отци подчертават насоченото към човека измерение, Неговата власт да лекува и дава сили на човешката природа, да преодолява смъртта и греха. У тези автори откриваме нещо като антропоцентризъм на благодатта. Бог в голямата Си любов към нас ни най-малко не мисли за Себе Си, а за нас. Между тези две обяснения за смъртта на Господа, едното теоцентрично, а другото антропоцентрично, можем да поставим обяснението на св. Григорий Богослов, което служи за мост помежду им. Отхвърляйки идеята за откупване, било от дявола или от Бога, той казва: „Не е ли ясно, че Отец получава жертвата не защото се нуждае от нея, а защото според Неговият план е необходимо човекът да бъде осветен чрез човешката природа на Христос и Той да ни призове при Себе Си чрез Своя Син Посредник, Който изпълнява всичко за прослава на Отца?“[35]. Според Атанасий, св. Максим и другите отци, Безсмъртният приема смъртта в Своето тяло, за да я преодолее. Христовата смърт е момент от победната борба на човешката природа, подсилена от божествената ипостас, в битката и с най-могъщия и враг. Тя е върховно укрепване на човешката природа и на духа в нея. „Така се случи, че две противоположни чудеса се осъществиха едновременно: смъртта на всички беше изстрадана в тялото на Господа и въпреки това, понеже Словото беше в нея, чрез същото това събитие смъртта и тлението бяха напълно преодолени“[36]. Христовият кръст е откровение на Божията власт и Неговата любов към човека, подвластен на смъртта заради греха, както и проява на разрушаването на смъртта. Повечето източни отци подчертават това разбиране на Христовата смърт, за да я свържат непосредствено с възкресението и с въплъщението Му. На практика те никога не говорят за смъртта на Христос, без да я свържат с възкресението и без да представят тази победа като акт на въплътеното Слово. Христос приема смъртта, за да я унищожи при Своето възкресение, но това се случва само защото Той е Словото Божие. Отците не представят Христовата смърт като спасително събитие, независимо от възкресението и въплъщението. Така, ако въплъщението е плод на Божията любов към човечеството, с което Той се съединява напълно и неразделно, и ако в страданието тази любов отива още по-далечe, тогава нейната цел и резултат проличават във възкресението, което довежда до съвършенство Божия съюз с нас за вечни времена. Христос не се въплъщава и не умира само заради външно помиряване с нас и за да ни направи праведни в Божиите очи. Целта на въплъщението е нашето избавяне от вечната смърт, нашето пълно и вечно съединяване с Него в онова състояние на мир, което е резултат именно на най-цялостното единение на любов между Него и нас, състояние, в което ние изживяваме цялата Негова праведност и светост в единството си с Него. Ако Отец обича лицата на всички хора, когато се взре в лика на Своя въплътен Син, тогава в лика на разпнатия и възкръснал Христос ликът на човечеството изглежда на Отца още по-достоен за любов, защото чрез кръста то става едно с Бога в акт на върховна любов към Него. Ние самите участваме в това цялостно отдаване, защото във възкресеното естество проникването на човечеството от Духа Божи е завършено и гарантирано во веки веков. Цялата икономия, която Отец разгръща за нас чрез Своя Син, има за цел това есхатологично усъвършенстване на съюза между Бога и цялото човечество. Своето възкресение Христос издига цялата Си човешка природа – душа и тяло – до състояние на праведност, на съединяване с Отца, на съвършена и вечна светост. Това е състоянието на цялостно отдаване на Отца. Във възнесението Божията праведност, самата слава на Отца, се предава на човека. Тази слава е разкрита съвършено чрез въплътения Христос в момента, когато като човек Той предлага съвършена възхвала на Отца. Всички, които вярват в Него, ще имат дял в тези мир, праведност, светост и слава, и чрез Духа на Христос ще участват в плодовете на тези дарове дори и в земния живот. Защото от възкръсналия и възнесъл се Христос Светият Дух заблестява незабавно и изобилно, както топлината се излъчва от едно изпълнено със страст тяло. Във възкресението и възнесението на Христос Неговата човешка природа е изцяло изпълнена и проникната от Светия Дух, Който свободно сияе от нея. Неговото тяло повече не е пречка, която да Го разделя от онези, които вярват в Него. Напротив, то е получило силата да носи по най-съвършения начин Бога, с Който е съединено. На кръста Христос взема всички ни в Своята прегръдка, защото Неговата любов се излива върху нас, издигайки ни до Неговото състояние на себеотдаване на Бога и на човека, състояние, в което Той жертва Себе Си заради Бога и заради човека. в Своята любов Той ни дава също така способността да преодолеем себе си с всичките ни себични наклонности. Чрез възкресението Христос съчетава в Себе Си жертвата и възкресението, пълното откровение на божествения живот в Своята човешка природа. И на вярващите в Него Той дава същата тази обединена природа. Свети апостол Павел казва: „Винаги носим в тялото си мъртвостта на Господа Иисуса, та и животът Иисусов да се открие в тялото ни. Защото ние, живите, непрестанно се предаваме на смърт заради Иисуса, та и животът Иисусов да се открие в смъртната ни плът“ (2 Кор. И св. Атанасий казва на свой ред: „Христос, за Когото всички тези свидетелстват, Сам дава победа на всеки, правейки смъртта напълно безсилна за онези, които вярват в Него и носят знака на кръста“[37]. Чрез Христос ние получаваме способността да умрем за себичните страсти и за самите себе си; но също така и да заживеем нов живот, триумфиращ в нас, роден в нашия дух, но проявен и в тялото ни. Това е способност, която не идва от нас самите, но има своя обективен източник извън нас. От възкръсналия Христос Неговият Дух сияе с най-голяма сила, давайки ни предчувствие за подобието на Неговата смърт и възкресение, и отвеждайки ни в същото време към съвършеното подобие с Него. Чрез Своите въплъщение, смърт и възкресение Словото Божие се възнася постепенно до състояние, в което Светият Дух все повече сияе от Него. Чрез същия този Дух Свети Словото съединява със Себе Си всички съществували създания, след като те са били отделени от Него и разпръснати надалеч (Еф. 1:10; Кол. 1:16). Спасението в последния му етап, според св. ап. Павел, е ново съединение на всички с Христос. Както грехът се изразява в себичността, която разделя хората от Бога и един от друг, така и спасението се изразява в надхвърлянето на себичността, във взаимната любов на всички хора и в съединяването с Бога. Между възкресението на Христос и нашето възкресение се простира интервал, в който Христос действа, за да съедини всички ни изцяло със Себе Си, и в който ние се стремим към същото, стимулирани и подкрепяни от Неговата дейност. Тази дейност на Христос е насочена към всички хора и се проявява у всички хора по начини, които са осезаеми и видими до една или друга степен. Тя се бори със себичността, характерна за всички хора, но не ги избавя от нея без тяхното съгласие. Тя всъщност се стреми да спечели съгласието и съдействието на човека за осъществяване на тази цел, за съединяване с Христа. Христос поставя в Себе Си основата и осигурява възможността за това ново съединяване на цялото човечество в Себе Си чрез Своите въплъщение, страдание, възкресение и възнесение, и чрез изпращането на Светия Дух, Който действа тайно в света и открито в Църквата. Оттогава нататък Христовият Дух действа в нас непрекъснато като обединяващата Христова сила. От Своя страна Словото, чрез Което и в Което са създадени всички неща в началото, дава нова ориентация и интеграция на цялото творение, като го приема в Себе Си – същото това творение, което някога загърби първоначалното си назначение, дадено му от Бога. Христос преодолява враждите, които се появяват между създанията, когато елементите, предназначени за създаване на единно творение за пръв път се разграничават и разделят. Така силата, която произтича от единството, осъществено в Христос, упражнява своето обединително влияние над цялото творение. Чрез непорочното Си раждане Христос преодолява противопоставеността на половете. В Христос „няма мъжки пол, ни женски“ (Гал. 3:28). Чрез Своята смърт и възкресение Той преодолява разделението между Рая и вселената, появило се след грехопадението. Той открива за човечеството забранения вход в Рая и дори Сам идва на земята след Своето възкресение, за да покаже, че в Него Раят и вселената са едно. Чрез Своето възнесение Той обединява небето и земята, възвисявайки човешкото тяло, което е приел, едно тяло от същата природа и субстанция като нашите. Издигнал тялото и душата над ангелския сонм, Той възстановява единството на видимия и духовния свят, и осъществява хармонията на цялото творение[38]. Следователно чрез Своите въплъщение, страдание, възкресение и възнесение, и чрез мисията и действието на Неговия Свети Дух Той съединява всички неща. Чрез Неговото въплъщение формата на съединяването става, така да се каже, онтологична. Чрез Своята смърт Той пречиства целия космос и по специфичен начин пречиства всички човеци като разумни активни същества в космоса, правейки ги също способни да действат обединително. Чрез възкресението Той изпълва всички неща с абсолютния смисъл на целия този стремеж към единство, прониквайки ги със светлина. Но най-важното единство, към което се стреми Христос и което е Неговият съществен принос за осъществяване на съединяването на цялото човечество, е единството между самите нас. Това е целта, с която сме създадени в началото. За да осъществи единството на всички хора, Христос най-напред съединява всички тварни неща на най-дълбокото ниво на тяхното съществуване и чрез това единение постига единението на всички хора. Свети Атанасий казва: „Господ дойде, за да победи дявола, да пречисти въздуха и да направи ‘път’ за нас към небето, както казва апостолът ‘чрез завесата, сиреч плътта Си’ (Евр. 10:20) … и така Той откри отново пътя към небето, повтаряйки: ‘Подигнете, порти, горнището си, подигнете се, вечни порти, и ще влезе Царят на славата’“ (Пс.23:7). И не Самото Слово се нуждае от отваряне на портите, защото То е Господ на всичко, нито пък създаденото от Него е затворено за своя Творец. Не, ние сме нуждаещите се, които Той възроди в Своето собствено тяло – тялото, което Той първо отдаде на смъртта заради всички нас и после чрез него прокара път към небето“[39]. Тук виждаме още веднъж колко непосредствено св. Атанасий свързва смъртта на Христос с Неговото възкресение. Христовото тяло трябва да умре, за да възкръсне отново и за да може чрез Неговото възкръснало и преобразено тяло всеки от нас в собственото си тяло да достигне небето и да се преобрази. Свети Атанасий казва по този повод: „Нещо повече, както Спасителят дойде да доведе докрай смъртта на цялото човечество, а не Своята собствена, така Той не отхвърли Своето тяло чрез индивидуалния акт на смърт – защото за Него, Който е живот, това просто не е валидно, – но Той прие смъртта от ръцете на хората, за да я унищожи напълно в Своето собствено тяло“[40]. След като веднъж сме влезли в съюз с Бога чрез разпнатото и възкръснало тяло на Господа, ние, творението на Неговите ръце, също сме съединени помежду си. Собствените ни logoi и тези на нашето съществуване са съединени с божествения Логос, Словото, в Което откриваме своите вечни архетипи и за Което нашите природи жадуват като за безпределен извор на живот – таен източник на търсеното от нас познание за същността на всички неща. Когато нашите воли се върнат към хармонията със собственото си битие и към своите вътрешни разумни цели и структури (logoi), когато отхвърлят случайните увлечения на своята ирационална и противоприродна себичност, тогава те са призвани към съединяване с човешката воля на Христос и чрез нея – с Неговата божествена воля, която е единна с човешката Му воля. Привличащата сила на Христос е Неговата любов. Тази любов се проявява в акта на въплъщението и в процеса на Неговия земен живот. Тя се разкрива още по-силно в Неговата жертва и най-явно в Неговото възкръснало и възнесено тяло, от което любовта сияе като Светия Дух. Всички тези форми на битие, концентрирани във възкръсналия Христос, ни привличат към възкресението като към върховно единство с Него и помежду ни, използвайки в същото време както нашите естествени влечения, така и нашата жертва, подхранвана от Неговата. Макар че Христос се възнася, Той остава в общение с нас и с най-дълбоките нива на света чрез силата на привличането, проявена чрез Неговата любов. „И ето, аз съм с вас през всички дни до свършека на света“ (Мат. 28:20). Тези думи на Господа са отправени към онези, които са изпратени да призоват света към Него, показвайки, че чрез тях Самият Той ще въздигне всички хора до Себе Си. Общопризната истина е, че любовта привлича и свързва. Тя е обединителна сила, възникнала от божествения разум и от божествената воля, от които произлизат всеки друг разум и воля, и в които и чрез които всички неща могат да постигнат всеобща хармония. Божественият разум е основата за хармонията между човешките разум и воля, които са толкова тясно свързани помежду си. Това единение се осъществява чрез любовта, точно както единението на Бога с всички човеци и на човеците помежду им е реализирано чрез любовта. Пределното единение на всички в Бога, целта, към която Христос води човеците според св. апостол Павел (Еф. 1:10, Кол. 1:16-20), е синоним на царството Божие, царството на Любовта. Това е целта на цялото спасително дело на Христос, дело, което е немислимо извън тази есхатологична цел и извън нашия стремеж към нея. Дългът на християнина днес в светлината на православната сотириология Христос не ни донесе спасение, за да продължаваме да живеем отчуждени, а за да се стремим към по-голямо и все по-дълбоко единение, чиято кулминация е царството Божие. Това се проявява във факта, че не можем да постигнем спасение, ако останем отчуждени, грижейки се единствено за себе си. Несъмнено всеки човек трябва лично да приеме спасението и да го направи свое. Но той не може да направи това, нито може да постоянства и да върви напред по пътя на спасението, ако не получи помощ от другите и не им помогне на свой ред, тоест ако не приеме спасението като общо дело. Да бъдеш спасен означава да преодолееш отчуждеността си и да се съединиш с Христос и с останалите хора. „Нека сами себе си, един другиго и целия си живот на Христа Бога да отдадем“, пеят вярващите по време на православната литургия. Спасението е общение в Христос и следователно задължението на християните да се стремят да запазят и развият своето църковно единство чрез любовта е очевидно, „защото любовта Христова ни обхваща“ (2 Кор. Но както Христос е осъществил делото на спасението и непрестанно предлага неговите плодове, за да отведе всички хора заедно в царството Божие, така и християните като Христови служители са длъжни да се стремят към единството на всички хора в това царство на съвършената любов и имат определени задължения към онези, които не са християни. Тук ще направим опит да разгледаме тези задължения или по-точно мотивите, които лежат в основата им. Христос принася Своята жертва и възкръсва от мъртвите извън Иерусалим. След възкресението Си Той също се появява предимно извън Иерусалим. Смисълът на това се открива в просвещаването на онези народи, които не са свързани с Бога на Закона. В Послание до евреите четем: „И тъй, нека излизаме при Него отвън стана, носейки поруганието Му; защото тук нямаме постоянен град, но бъдещия Ясно е, че става дума за постоянната необходимост да излизаме от света, да се издигаме над него, за да може и той на свой ред да надхвърли себе си. Затварянето в някоя ситуация, която ограниченията на съществуването са направили статична, означава затваряне в света. Но християните не бива да се затварят дори и в собствените си църкви като във вечни градове, защото тогава загърбват движението и смисъла на съществуването си като път към небето. Християните и християнските църкви трябва винаги да работят сред онези човеци, които остават в света, за да трансцендират света като статичен порядък, да го издигнат до по-висше състояние. Христос стана човек в света; поучаваше и служеше в света. Той предложи Себе Си за жертва в света и беше погребан; възкръсна от мъртвите в света; изпрати Своите ученици в света, научавайки ги на чужди езици с помощта на Светия Дух, и продължава да действа в света, въпреки че това става чрез Неговите ученици, тоест чрез Църквата. Според нашето учение Христос е в света, но също и на небето, изпращайки Своите ученици в света с обещанието, направено при Неговото възнесение, че ще бъде с тях. И отново в края на Своето земно служене Той казва: „Не се моля да ги вземеш от света“ (Иоан 17:15). Христос е в света, но също и на небето. Ние се въздигаме до небесния Христос чрез земния в свят, който повече и от Църквата се стреми постоянно да надхвърли настоящото си състояние, който винаги копнее за нещо по-добро, винаги смята, че статуквото не трябва да е окончателно. Днес може би повече от всякога Христос привлича света към Себе Си в състояние на непрестанна промяна. Той се разкрива на света при всяка нова стъпка в нова перспектива, въпреки че може да остане непознат за света. Ние, християните, трябва да се движим напред по този път заедно със света и да посочим на света Личността, която го привлича. Трябва да помогнем на света да разбере какво означава истинският прогрес. Това е специфичното задължение на християните днес, във време, когато прогресът е толкова бърз и когато за всички става все по-очевидно, че светът не е „вечен град“ и постоянната цел на хората е да усъвършенстват отношенията помежду си. Ако „любовта Божия се изля в нашите сърца“ (Рим. 5:5) и като следствие от това ние можем и трябва да виждаме образите на нашите ближни в човешкия образ на Христос, точно както съзерцавайки Своя въплътен Син Отец вижда, обича и приема всички нас като Свои чеда, тогава е очевидно, че в образа на всеки човек трябва да виждаме и обичаме някакъв аспект от образа на Самия Христос. Или по-точно казано, всеки образ е потенциално образ на Христос. Това, че човек може да стане истински образ на Христос, се дължи на факта, че Христос е отпечатал Своя образ в него и той го проявява. Но ние също имаме за задача да се превърнем от човешки образ в потенция в реален образ на Христос. Ако човешката природа в Христос не принадлежи на една индивидуална човешка ипостас, а на Сина Божи, тогава тя принадлежи на всички хора много по-реално, отколкото човешката природа на отделния човек. Тя принадлежи на всички и е в тяхно име. Предназначена е за всеки от нас, предопределена е да стане притежание на всеки човек и да го изгради вътрешно, както самата тя е изградена вътрешно в Христос от божествената ипостас. Като човешката природа на Бога тя е предопределена да се отрази във всички човеци и така всички ние сме призвани на свой ред да бъдем отразени в човешката природа на Христос и да вземем образа си от Него. Свети Симеон Нови Богослов казва, че човекът, който не се грижи за нуждите на ближния си, „презира Оня, Който казва: ‘доколкото сте сторили това на едного от тия Мои най-малки братя, Мене сте го сторили’ (Мат. 25:40)… Защото Той е решил да приеме образа на всеки бедняк. Съединил се е с всеки човек и затова никой от вярващите в Него не бива да презира своя брат, а трябва да се отнася към брата или ближния си така, сякаш той е неговият Бог, и трябва да смята себе си за точно толкова незначителен пред своя брат, колкото и пред своя Творец. Нека приема и уважава брата си така, сякаш той е Бог, и нека се лиши от своите притежания в полза на брата си, така както Христос проля Своята кръв за нашето спасение“[41]. Следователно ние трябва да проявим своето единство с Христос, Който ни изпълва със Собствената си готовност за саможертва, и като Него да се жертваме за останалите хора. В същото време трябва да се отнасяме към всички други хора така, както бихме се отнасяли към Самия Христос, и да търсим единение с тях, както търсим с Христос посредством служението, което им предлагаме. Всичко, сторено от Христос – Неговото въплъщение, Неговото учение, Неговият живот на послушание към Отца и на любящо служене на човеците в изпитанията на земния им живот, Неговата жертва за света, – всичко това подчертава, както вече видяхме, важността на човешкия живот на земята. Няма път към есхатологичното съвършенство, който да не минава през земния живот и борбите, свързани с него. Всеки отделен аспект от вечното щастие е обещан от Господа като резултат от определен начин на живот и действие в този живот, като плод от конкретни семена, засети и отгледани в нивите на този свят. „Блажени миротворците, защото те ще се нарекат синове Божии“ (Мат. 5:9). Работи „докле е ден“, казва Господ (Иоан 9:4), и дори св. Антоний моли да му бъде продължен живота, за да може да се покае[42]. Ние служим на Христос, когато помагаме на нуждаещите се в този свят; Христос се е отъждествил с тях. Светите отци наричат този свят пазар, на който купуваме царството Божие. Този, който не участва в пазара, търгувайки с другите хора, който не произвежда нищо с труда си, който не развива дарбата си, ще напусне този свят с празна душа. Ние купуваме небесното царство от нашите ближни, както с отплатата, получена за нашия труд, така и със способностите, които нашата вяра в Христос ни дава. „Животът и смъртта идват при нас от нашия ближен, защото ако спечелим нашите братя, печелим Бога и обратното, ако погубим брата си, съгрешаваме срещу Христос“[43]. Но ние не купуваме царството единствено от другите вярващи. Пазарът е всеобщ и ние трябва да търгуваме с всеки човек; всеки човек участва и има своя дял в него. Ние можем дори да се сдобием с царството небесно по-лесно чрез други хора, отколкото чрез вярващите като нас, защото тогава нашето служение и великодушие изисква по-голямо усилие и безпристрастност. Но все пак, ако бъдем точни, не хората ни дават царството небесно в замяна. Христос ни го дава чрез тях и то не непосредствено в този живот, а в бъдещия. Нека не очакваме жътва, сякаш нашият урожай е видим. Само когато не очакваме незабавна отплата, а вярваме, че ще я получим на небето, ние наистина засяваме с вяра за отплата свише. За ония, които очакват незабавна отплата, които искат да получат нещо веднага в замяна на това, което дават, които не вярват, че от момента, в който са дали нещо, вече са получили царството небесно в замяна – макар че то ще остане невидимо до идния живот, – Спасителят казва: „И ако обичате ония, които вас обичат, каква вам награда? Защото и грешниците обичат ония, които тях обичат. И ако правите добро на ония, които и вам правят добро, каква вам награда? Защото и грешниците правят същото“ Такива хора се въртят в порочен кръг; те не допринасят нищо за духовния прогрес в отношенията между хората, нито за духовния прогрес на света. По-горе цитирахме св. Симеон Нови Богослов, който уподобява отказа от богатствата и властта в полза на нуждаещите се на Христовата саможертва за нас. Тук ще си позволим да отидем още по-далече и да кажем, че всяка жертва, която човек прави за друг в този свят, идва от готовността и способността на Христос за саможертва, от Неговия любящ кеносис. Нещо повече, всяка молба отправена от един човек към друг на тази земя, е изречена или негласна молба на Самия Христос. Всяка жертва, всеки акт на служене или любов към другите, е отговор, внушен от Христовата жертва, на молба, която също идва чрез нас от Самия Христос. Призоваването и отговорът на взаимното служение между хората е пътят, по който любовта на Христос ни свързва и ни помага да вървим напред в любов. съответно, всички наши молби и отговори на служение идват заедно в Христос и стават Негови, прибавяйки нови измерения на Неговата жертва и на Неговия зов за помощ. В Него отекват всички наши викове за помощ и всички наши отговори. Човеците са същества, които зоват и които отговарят, и поради това са свързани помежду си. Човекът е вътрешно задължен да отговори, но той прави това само защото е бил помолен, защото към него е отправен зов. Безусловната и обвързваща сила на този зов има своя пределен източник в Бога и от самата му природа произтича безусловната задължителност и възможност да му се отговори. Така Бог е заел Своето място сред хората и в хората чрез силата на този абсолютен зов и на неговия съвършен отговор в Христос. В жертвата Си Христос даде и непрекъснато дава най-добрия отговор на зова на Отца и на човешкия зов за помощ. Той също така дава и на нас възможността да отговорим. Отъждествявайки се с нуждаещите се от помощ, Той отправя към нас зов, който ни задължава да обичаме и да служим безусловно на всички хора. Ако християнинът трябва да вижда Христос във всеки човек и да чува призива на Христос за помощ във всеки човешки зов, той не може да приеме спокойно факта, че неговият брат се намира по-ниско от него. Още повече, че природата на любовта не може да понася неравенството, защото то създава дистанция. Обичащият не се смята за по-висш от този, когото обича. Напротив, любовта ни кара да се стремим към постигане на равенство и справедливост между хората. Свети Симеон Нови Богослов казва по-нататък в приведения горе пасаж: „Човекът, който се отнася към ближния си като към себе си, не е доволен, ако притежава повече от него. Ако притежава повече и не раздава щедро, така че сам да стане бедняк и да се оприличи на своите ближни, той не е изпълнил заповедта на Господа“. Дори ако служи и дава толкова, колкото може на своите ближни, „но презира или пренебрегва макар и един от тях, това ще бъде все едно да пренебрегне Божествения Христос в Неговите жажда и глад“[44]. Явно е, че не бива да тълкуваме този пасаж като апел за всеобщо равенство в бедността. Свети Симеон по-скоро утвърждава необходимостта всеки човек да се стреми да стане равен с другите, така че всички да са в състояние да служат и да разберат, че се нуждаят от другите. В това равенство на нуждата хората не трябва да чувстват някаква дистанция, която да ги разделя един от друг. Всички трябва да стигнат до съзнанието, че са бедни в себе си, което ще рече, че всеки човек се нуждае от помощта на другите, за да живее и расте в тяхното единство с Бога. Следователно помирението не се изразява във формален мир, в обикновено съжителство и отсъствие на агресивност, които да прикриват дълбоки несъгласия. Трайното помирение е неделимо от онази любов, което се стреми да осигури равенство и справедливост между хората и народите, да стимулира постоянен обмен, одухотворен от любовта. То е резултат от дълбокото разбиране на значението на помирението с Бога, Който се съединява с човека и в Христос го прави участник във всички блага. Чрез такова помирение Бог ни осиновява и благодатно ни обожава. Християните не могат да допринесат съществено за това дълбоко помирение между хората и народите, ако са заети единствено със служене на отделните хора и така пренебрегват развиването на справедливи и равностойни отношения на по-широко социално и международно равнище. Християните в миналото често са ограничавали своето служене на нуждаещи се хора, защото социалните структури са проявявали тенденция към статичност. Днес обаче социалните структури са по-гъвкави поради мощното влияние на хората, осъзнали своята собствена солидарност като жертви на несправедливостта и дълбоко вярващи, че могат да създадат по-задоволителни форми на социален живот. Затова християните трябва да дадат своя принос в полза на непрекъснатото адаптиране на тези структури към съвременните потребности за справедливост, равенство и братство в човешките взаимоотношения. Днес е по-очевидно, че светът се стреми към по-справедливи и човечни отношения, и ние като християни вярваме, че можем да видим в този стремеж Христовото действие, което води света към царството небесно, независимо от факта, че пределната форма на тази цел не може да бъде постигната в този свят поради тленността на материята и всички свързани с това злини. Всяко помирение, което не се основава в дълбочина на всеобща справедливост и равенство между хората, винаги ще е застрашено от крах, а отсъствието на траен мир ще застрашава живота на всяко човешко същество. Следователно християните трябва да работят за такъв постоянен мир, за да бъде осигурен на всеки човек шансът да се подготви за своето собствено възкресение. Погледната в тази светлина, войната носи толкова много рискове за убитите, колкото и за тези, които убиват. Привидно същият риск понякога съществува и при една ранна естествена смърт, но ние можем да сме сигурни, че това става по Божия воля (или по Божие допущение – б.р.) и че Бог има Своите основания. Следователно християнинът е длъжен да се бори за справедливост, защото несправедливостта може да изглежда като оправдание на вечната смърт, докато нейното премахване лишава вечната смърт от всякакво подобно оправдание. Човек, който се бори за премахване на несправедливостта, следва пътя на Христос, Който пръв използва справедливостта като средство за лишаване на смъртта от оправдание. Нещо повече, Христос ни дава властта да правим същото, защото нашата собствена борба за справедливост зависи от Неговата власт[45]. Справедливостта, равенството и трайният мир не могат да бъдат постигнати, ако не се интересуваме от материалния свят. Материалният свят, подобно на самото човечество, е призван за преображение чрез силата на любовта, която ни подтиква да върнем на материалния свят неговата първоначална роля при проявяването на нашата взаимна любов, а не, както е сега, той да служи за разделения и противоборства. Трябва да покажем все по-ясно на практика значението на материалните предмети като дарове, като средства за взаимния обмен между хората. Вселената принадлежи на Христос; тя е тайнствено прикрепена към Неговото разпнато и възкръснало тяло. Но тя принадлежи и на хората, християни и нехристияни, които страдат и се стремят към спасение. Николай Кавасила казва: „Кръвта, течаща от Неговите рани, изгаси светлината на слънцето и накара земята да трепери. Тя направи въздуха свещен и пречисти целия космос от петното на греха“[46]. Само ако хората са единни, те могат да преобразят света и да отговорят на призива да се отнасят към света като към дар, като средство за взаимен обмен. Когато споделяме материалните блага на света, трябва да съзнаваме, че се движим в сферата на Христос и че посредством ползването на тези материални блага като дарове в полза един на друг ние израстваме в единството си с Христос и с нашия ближен. Трябва също така да знаем, че когато материалният свят става средство, чрез което общуваме в любов, тогава ние общуваме в Христос. Така вселената е призвана да се превърне в есхатологичен рай чрез действието на братската любов. Наш дълг е да освободим планетата от суетата, с която я използваме безогледно и себично като грешници, и да прозрем, че и тя ще сподели „славното освобождение на синовете Божии“ (Рим. 8:21), славата, която е неделима част от нашето единство като братя. Из „Изтокът и Западът за личността и обществото”. С леки съкращения и редакции Ludwig Ott. Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, St. Theologia Dogmatica si Simbolica, II, Bucurest 1958, 616-657. Настоящето изследване представлява развитие на темата. Versöhnung, das deutsch-russische Gespräch über das christliche Verständnis der Versöhnung, Wittenburg 1967. Слово 45, 22 PG 36, 653 В и Слово 45, 29 PG 36, 664 A. Vladimir Lossky, “Rédemption et déification” в: À l ’image et à la ressemblance de Dieu, Paris 1967, p. 100. Versöhnung, p. 135 цитира Лутер WA 26,37: “Der Friede des Gewissens ist so die erste Frucht der Versöhnung, und zwar das gute Gewissen von Gott. Darauf kommt es an, dass Christus ‘uns gagen Gott sicher und unser Gewissen zufrieden macht’”. Versöhnung, p. 131: “Dieser Friede kraft der Versöhnungstat Christi schon im Verborgenen Wirklichkeit ist und sich in der Gemeinde Christi und durch sie für die Welt aus wirkt”. Contra Jacobitas 52, PG 94,1464. Disputatio cum Pyrrho, PG 91, 308C-310A. Bж. също Jean Meyendorff, Christ in Eastem Christian Thought, Washington/Cleveland 1969, pp. 113-114. De adoratione in Spiritu et Veritate 9, PG 68, 620D. De adoratione in Spiritu et Veritate 10, PG 68, 704C. Homilia 16 de Dispensatione Incarnatius, PG 151, 193A. Николай Кавасила говори за Отца, Който открива образа на Сина в нашите лица и ни признава за членове на Единородния. Expositio in Orationis Dominicae, PG 91, 877D. Ibid., PG 90, 901 C. Opuscula Theologica et Polemica, PG 91, 77A-80A. Expositio in Orationis Dominicae, PG 90, 889B. De Incarnatione 13, PG 24, 120B. ET: A Religious of C.S.M.V., St. Athanasius, On The Incarnation, London 1953, p. 41. Максим Изповедник, Opuscula Theologica et Polemica, PG 91, 77A-80A. Атанасий Велики, De Incarnatione 17, PG 25, 125A-B. Meyendorff, op. cit. p. 64, 97-98. Karl Rahner, “Considérations générales sur la christologie”: Problèmes actuels de christologie, H.Bouëssé (éd.), Bruges 1965, p. 21. De Incarnatione 15, PG 25, 121C-D. Meyendorff, op. cit., pp. 163-166. Атанасий Велики, De Incarnatione 44, PG 25, 173B-C. Кирил Александрийски, De adoratione in Spiritu et Veritate 15, PG 68, De Vita in Christo 2, PG 150, 541B. Максим Изповедник, Ad Thalassium 21, PG 90, 312B-316D. De Vita in Christo 2, PG 150, 537B. De Viata in Hristos, Sibiu 1946, p. 138. Атанасий Велики, De Incarnatione 20, PG 25, 132B. Meyendorff, op. cit., pp. 105-106. De Incarnatione 25, PG 25, 140B-C. Симеон Нови Богослов, Capita Practica et Theologica 113-114, PG 120, 664C- Патерикон, вж. Apophthegmata Patrum, Sisoes 14, PG 65, 396B-C. Apophthegmata Patrum, Anthony, PG 65, 77B. Capita Practica et Theologica 116, PG 120, 665A-B. Взех тази идея от Sermo in Sanctum Pascha, PG 28, 1077A-C. De Vita in Christo 4, PG 150, 592A.
1.1 2.1 3.1 4.1 5.1 6.1 7.1 8.1 9.1 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 11.1 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 12.10 12.11 13.1 14.1 14.2 15.1 16.1 16.2 17.1 18.1 18.2 19.1 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 21.1 22.1 22.2 22.3 23.1 24.1 24.2 25.1 25.2 26.1 26.2 27.1 28.1 30.1 31.1 31.2 31.3 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 32.6 33.1 33.2 34.1 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 36.1 36.2 37.1 38.1 39.1 40.1 41.1 41.2 42.1 42.2 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 43.5 43.6 44.1 44.2 45.1 45.2 45.3 46.1 47.1 47.2 48.1 48.2 48.3 48.4 48.5 49.1 50.1 51.1 52.1 53.1 54.1 55.1 55.2 55.3 55.4 56.1 56.2 57.1 58.1 59.1 60.1 60.2 61.1 62.1 63.1 64.1 64.2 64.3 64.4 65.1 65.2 66.1 66.2 67.1 68.1 69.1 69.2 69.3 69.4 69.5 69.6 69.7 69.8 69.9 69.10 69.11 69.12 69.13 69.14 70.1 70.2 71.1 72.1 72.2 73.1 74.1 75.1 76.1 77.1 77.2 78.1 79.1 79.2 79.3 79.4 79.5 79.6 79.7 79.8 79.9 79.10 79.11 79.12 79.13 80.1 80.2 80.3 80.4 80.5 80.6 80.7 80.8 80.9 80.10 80.11 80.12 80.13 80.14 80.15 80.16 81.1 82.1 83.1 84.1 85.1 85.2 86.1 88.1 88.2 89.1 91.1 92.1 92.2 92.3 92.4 92.5 92.6 92.7 92.8 92.9 93.1 93.2 94.1 94.2 94.3 94.4 95.1 95.2 95.3 95.4 95.5 95.6 95.7 96.1 96.2 96.3 96.4 96.5 96.6 96.7 97.1 97.2 97.3 97.4 97.5 97.6 97.7 97.8 98.1 98.2 98.3 98.4 99.1 99.2 99.3 99.4 99.5 99.6 99.7 99.8 100.1 100.2 100.3 100.4 100.5 100.6 100.7 100.8 100.9 100.10 100.11 100.12 100.13 100.14 101.1 102.1 102.2 102.3 103.1 103.2 103.3 103.4 103.5 103.6 103.7 103.8 104.1 104.2 104.3 104.4 104.5 104.6 104.7 104.8 105.1 105.2 105.3 105.4 105.5 106.1 106.2 106.3 106.4 107.1 107.2 107.3 107.4 107.5 107.6 107.7 107.8 108.1 108.2 108.3 108.4 108.5 108.6 108.7 108.8 108.9 109.1 109.2 109.3 109.4 109.5 109.6 109.7 109.8 109.9 109.10 109.11 109.12 109.13 110.1 110.2 110.3 110.4 111.1 111.2 111.3 111.4 111.5 111.6 111.7 111.8 111.9 111.10 112.1 112.2 112.3 112.4 112.5 113.1 113.2 113.3 113.4 113.5 113.6 113.7 113.8 114.1 114.2 114.3 114.4 114.5 114.6 114.7 114.8 114.9 114.10 114.11 114.12 114.13 115.1 115.2 115.3 115.4 115.5 116.1 117.1 117.2 117.3 117.4 118.1 118.2 119.1 119.2 119.3 119.4 119.5 119.6 119.7 119.8 119.9 120.1 121.1 121.2 122.1 123.1 124.1 125.1 125.2 125.3 125.4 125.5 125.6 125.7 125.8 125.9 125.10 125.11 125.12 125.13 125.14 125.15 125.16 125.17 125.18 125.19 125.20 125.21 125.22 125.23 125.24 125.25 125.26 125.27 125.28 125.29 125.30 125.31 125.32 125.33 125.34 125.35 125.36 125.37 125.38 125.39 126.1 126.2 126.3 126.4 126.5 126.6 126.7 126.8 126.9 126.10 126.11 126.12 127.1 127.2 127.3 127.4 127.5 127.6 127.7 127.8 127.9 127.10 127.11 127.12 127.13 127.14 127.15 128.1 128.2 128.3 128.4 128.5 128.6 128.7 128.8 129.1 129.2 129.3 129.4 129.5 129.6 129.7 129.8 129.9 129.10 129.11 129.12 129.13 129.14 129.15 129.16 129.17 129.18 129.19 129.20 129.21 130.1 130.2 130.3 130.4 130.5 130.6 130.7 130.8 130.9 130.10 130.11 130.12 131.1 131.2 131.3 131.4 131.5 131.6 131.7 131.8 131.9 131.10 131.11 131.12 131.13 131.14 131.15 131.16 131.17 131.18 131.19 131.20 131.21 131.22 131.23 131.24 131.25 131.26 132.1 132.2 132.3 132.4 132.5 132.6 132.7 132.8 133.1 133.2 133.3 133.4 133.5 133.6 133.7 133.8 133.9 133.10 133.11 134.1 134.2 134.3 134.4 134.5 134.6 134.7 134.8 134.9 134.10 134.11 134.12 134.13 134.14 134.15 134.16 134.17 134.18 134.19 134.20 135.1 135.2 135.3 135.4 135.5 135.6 135.7 135.8 135.9 135.10 135.11 135.12 135.13 135.14 135.15 135.16 135.17 135.18 135.19 135.20 135.21 135.22 135.23 135.24 136.1 136.2 136.3 136.4 136.5 136.6 136.7 136.8 136.9 137.1 137.2 137.3 137.4 137.5 137.6 138.1 139.1 140.1 140.2 140.3 140.4 140.5 140.6 140.7 140.8 140.9 140.10 141.1 141.2 141.3 141.4 141.5 141.6 141.7 141.8 141.9 141.10 142.1 142.2 142.3 142.4 142.5 142.6 142.7 142.8 142.9 142.10 142.11 142.12 142.13 143.1 143.2 143.3 144.1 144.2 144.3 144.4 145.1 145.2 145.3 145.4 145.5 145.6 145.7 145.8 145.9 145.10 145.11 145.12 145.13 145.14 145.15 145.16 145.17 145.18 145.19 145.20 146.1 147.1 147.2 147.3 147.4 147.5 147.6 148.1 148.2 149.1 149.2 149.3 149.4 149.5 149.6 150.1 150.2 150.3 150.4 150.5 150.6 150.7 150.8 151.1 151.2 151.3 152.1 152.2 152.3 152.4 152.5 152.6 153.1 153.2 153.3 153.4 154.1 154.2 154.3 154.4 154.5 154.6 154.7 155.1 155.2 155.3 155.4 155.5 156.1 156.2 156.3 156.4 156.5 156.6 156.7 157.1 157.2 157.3 157.4 157.5 157.6 157.7 157.8 157.9 158.1 158.2 158.3 158.4 158.5 158.6 158.7 158.8 158.9 158.10 159.1 159.2 159.3 159.4 159.5 159.6 159.7 159.8 160.1 160.2 160.3 160.4 160.5 160.6 160.7 160.8 160.9 160.10 160.11 161.1 161.2 161.3 161.4 161.5 161.6 162.1 162.2 162.3 163.1 163.2 163.3 163.4 163.5 164.1 164.2 164.3 164.4 165.1 165.2 165.3 165.4 165.5 166.1 167.1 168.1 168.2 168.3 168.4 168.5 168.6 168.7 168.8 168.9 169.1 169.2 169.3 169.4 169.5 169.6 169.7 169.8 169.9 169.10 169.11 169.12 169.13 169.14 169.15 169.16 169.17 169.18 169.19 169.20 169.21 170.1 170.2 170.3 170.4 171.1 171.2 172.1 172.2 173.1 174.1 174.2 174.3 175.1 175.2 175.3 175.4 175.5 175.6 175.7 175.8 175.9 175.10 175.11 176.1 176.2 177.1 178.1 178.2 178.3 178.4 178.5 178.6 179.1 179.2 179.3 180.1 181.1 181.2 181.3 181.4 181.5 181.6 181.7 182.1 182.2 182.3 182.4 182.5 182.6 182.7 182.8 182.9 183.1 183.2 183.3 183.4 183.5 183.6 183.7 183.8 183.9 183.10 183.11 183.12 183.13 183.14 183.15 183.16 183.17 184.1 184.2 184.3 184.4 184.5 184.6 184.7 184.8 184.9 184.10 185.1 185.2 185.3 185.4 185.5 185.6 185.7 185.8 185.9 185.10 185.11 185.12 185.13 185.14 185.15 185.16 185.17 185.18 185.19 185.20 186.1 186.2 186.3 186.4 186.5 187.1 187.2 187.3 187.4 187.5 187.6 187.7 187.8 188.1 188.2 188.3 188.4 189.1 189.2 189.3 189.4 189.5 189.6 189.7 190.1 190.2 191.1 191.2 191.3 191.4 192.1 192.2 192.3 192.4 192.5 192.6 192.7 192.8 192.9 192.10 192.11 192.12 192.13 192.14 192.15 192.16 193.1 193.2 194.1 194.2 195.1 195.2 196.1 196.2 197.1 198.1 199.1 199.2 200.1 201.1 201.2 201.3 201.4 201.5 202.1 202.2 203.1 204.1 204.2 204.3 205.1 206.1 206.2 207.1
Saturday, August 13, 2016 SOME SOURCES ON THE PRESERVATION/PERSEVERENCE OF THE SAINTS SOME SOURCES ON THE PRESERVATION/PERSEVERENCE OF THE SAINTS Regarding Preservation/Perseverance: What it is and what it isn’t What Scripture teaches on the final perseverance may be summarized in these two statements: He that perseveres in faith does so only through God’s gracious preservation; the believer’s perseverance is a work of divine grace and omnipotence. He that falls from faith does so through his own fault; the cause of apostasy is in every case rejection of God’s Word and resistance to the operation of the Holy Spirit in the Word. This doctrine the Christian Church must maintain and defend on two fronts: against Calvinism and against synergism.[1] Christ – the cause of our preservation David Hollazius said, “Christ rose again in order to manifest the victory which he had obtained over death and the devil, Acts 2:24; and to offer and apply to all men the fruits of his passion and death.” These fruits are: “The confirmation of our faith concerning Christ’s full satisfaction, 1 Cor. 15:17; the application of the benefits obtained by the death of Christ, our justification, Rom. 4:25; the sealing of our hope concerning our preservation for salvation, 1 Pet. 1:3; our being raised again to life eternal, John 11:25; 14:19; 2 Cor. 4:14, and our renewal, Rom. Humans are only instruments 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. - 1 Corinthians 3:5–10 [3] Preservation is something Christ prays for The Spirit dwelling in all baptized believers in Christ also intercedes for them when they do not know how or what to pray (Rom 8:26–27). Paul, after the manner of Jesus, repeatedly interceded for the unsaved Jews of his day (Rom 9:1–5; 10:1) and constantly offered prayers for the preservation of the saints in faith and in good works (e.g., 1 Thess 1:2; 2:13; 2 Tim 1:3).[4] Preservation of the Saints as an act of God’s Love Love’s second characteristic is to be kind (1 Cor 13:4). Again it is God who sets the example by showing unfailing kindness in the creation, preservation, and redemption of his people.b His kindness to them should bear fruit in their lives (Gal 5:22; Col 3:12).[5] Preservation is God’s Will for the believer His purpose ordained how He would bring me thereto and preserve me therein. Also, that He wished to secure my salvation so well and certainly that since, through the weakness and wickedness of our flesh, it could easily be lost from our hands, or through craft and might of the devil and the world be torn or removed therefrom, in His eternal purpose, which cannot fail or be overthrown, He ordained it, and placed it for preservation in the almighty hand of our Saviour Jesus Christ, from which no one can pluck us (John 10:28).”[6] The Fallen Angels contrasted with the Saints of God As a result, Jesus—who is God63—has “kept [them] for the judgment of the great day with eternal fetters under hellish darkness” (eἰς kpίσιv ueYάλnς ἡuέpaς δeσuoῖς ἀϊδίoις ὑπὸ Zόφov tetήpnkev). Jude employs the verb “keep” (tnpέw) in this verse and throughout the book in a masterfully impactful way (Jude 1, 6 [twice], 13, 21). He repeats it within this verse. First, the angels did not “keep” their own preeminent status, and so their actions have turned back upon themselves. The punishment matches their crime: now Jesus has “kept” them for judgment. The perfect tense of tetήpnkev, “he has kept,” underlines the certainty of this past event whose effect continues in the present time. This hellish keeping is the drastic antithesis of the gracious preservation of the “beloved in God the Father,” who are “kept [tetnpnuέvoις] for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1), and who, on the basis of the Father’s love and Christ’s keeping, are encouraged to “keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 21).[7] God’s ability to preserve us as an extension of His omnipotence Although Jude’s reference to God’s ability pertains to his omnipotence, it is his power pressed into service of his mercy.17 Therefore, Jude 24 continues with two descriptions of his ability to save for eternity. First, he is able φuλάEaι ὑuᾶς ἀπtaίσtouς, “to preserve you as unstumbling.” Jude has already declared that the beloved are “kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1), that is, they are being kept in grace by God for the day when Christ returns for them.18[8] Preservation from the evil path 2:12–15 Prov 2:12 begins the first of three sections in the chapter describing the redemptive purpose of wisdom: preservation from this evil path. The evil path is populated by those who have rejected wisdom and adopted the dark ways of sin (2:13–15), in contrast to 2:3–5, where the son is urged to seek wisdom and its enlightenment with understanding and knowledge.[9] [1] Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, electronic ed., vol. 3 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953), 89. [2] Heinrich Schmid, The Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Verified from the Original Sources, trans. Charles A. Hay and Henry E. Jacobs, Second English Edition, Revised according to the Sixth German Edition (Philadelphia, PA: Lutheran Publication Society, 1889), 407. [3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Co 3:5–10. [4] R. Reed Lessing, Amos, Concordia Commentary (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009), 450. [5] Gregory J. Lockwood, 1 Corinthians, Concordia Commentary (Saint Louis: Concordia Pub. [6] E. T. Horn and A. G. Voigt, Annotations on the Epistles of Paul to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, ed. Henry Eyster Jacobs, vol. IX, The Lutheran Commentary (New York: The Christian Literature Co., 1896), 15. 63 The implied subject of tetήpnkev, “he has kept,” is the same as the stated subject of the verbs “saved” and “destroyed” in Jude 5, namely, “Jesus.” See the third textual note on Jude 6. The high Christology of Jude 5 supports the affirmation that Jesus is God. See the commentary on Jude 5, which cites Peter’s reference to “our God and Savior Jesus Christ” in 2 Pet 1:1 and Peter’s doxology in 2 Pet 3:18b, which is addressed to “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 3:18a). Some interpreters consider the “angel” in Rev 20:1–3 who holds the key to the abyss and who binds the devil with a great chain to be an example of angelomorphic Christology, that is, to represent Christ, since Christ holds the keys to death and hell (Rev 1:18). If so, then the binding and chaining of Satan in Rev 20:1–3 is a parallel to the binding and fettering of the fallen angels here in Jude 6, and in both passages it is Christ who does the binding (cf. Mt 12:29). [7] Curtis P. Giese, 2 Peter and Jude, ed. Dean O. Wenthe and Curtis P. Giese, Concordia Commentary (Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2012), 267–268. 17 Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude, 650. 18 The Greek verbs translated as “keep” (Jude 1) and “preserve” (Jude 24) are different verbs with slightly different meanings, yet they overlap. Both verbs are in contexts that teach the doctrine of God’s preservation of his beloved in Christ. Jude 1 employs tnpέw, which indicates preservation in watchful care. Jude 24 includes φuλάσσw, which more intensely indicates an act of guarding and preserving. See BDAG, s.vv. tnpέw and φuλάσσw; Hillyer, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude, 267. [8] Curtis P. Giese, 2 Peter and Jude, ed. Dean O. Wenthe and Curtis P. Giese, Concordia Commentary (Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2012), 360. [9] Andrew E. Steinmann, Proverbs, Concordia Commentary (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009), 95. Tuesday, July 28, 2015 Why The LCMS Should Withdraw From The BSA Earlier today, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod made this announcement: I read it over and found that as it stands, it is unworkable for my parish and I imagine many others. In the announcement from today, one paragraph read: At my own parish, the number of boys who are actual LCMS members, much less members of my congregation is rather few. Most are members of other churches and not a few are members of none at all, giving lip service to belief in God in order to go camping and to belong. I have talked to long-time members and it wasn't always this way. In the beginning, it was for members of the congregation only. Then it was opened up to members of other LCMS parishes which did not have a Scouting program. As time went on, someone decided it was a good 'outreach' magnate and it was opened up to all comers. As time went on, while a handful of parents and children of our parish are very devoted to it, the vast majority are non-members and have no interest in joining our Church but thank us for providing a wonderful building for them to use. Since we are a large Church-School congregation, we have a gymnasium and 2 lunchrooms for the boys to use. Since our own members make up such a small number of the group at present, I sincerely doubt we can guarantee we will even have members willing (numerically) to run as leaders chosen by our congregation. As it is, this has already presented us with conflict as not all the parents who help share our values and our Pastor and Board of Elders have little control over the behavior of a volunteer who is a non-member. As I see it, if my congregation were to face a court challenge from a gay couple seeking a wedding, we would not have a leg to stand on as we presently are chartered with a LGBT-friendly organization - The BSA. Fortunately, we aren't there yet, but congregations of other denominations (non-LCMS) are already performing them nearby. At least one lesbian wedding has taken place in my congregation's town and a few members of our congregation may have attended. I think the LCMS has one of three choices: First, it must pull out of the BSA completely to avoid possible, legal turmoil, then consider whether to align with Trail Life, Lutheran Pioneers or create a whole new LCMS-based boys youth program. At present, LCMS congregations are free to join the Trail Life organization with a caveat in regards to it's non-Lutheran theological basis. I sincerely hope Rev. President Harrison and the LCMS legal team bite the bullet and break ties with the Scouts. That said, let's try not to punish the boys and their parents. Let's make sure they have an alternative available. I don't hold the boys or (most of) their parents at fault. The nation's values appear to have changed almost overnight and we, all of us - were not sufficiently vigil. Take Care & God Bless, Jim Tuesday, July 14, 2015 Ancestral Sin or Original Sin? Greetings, I have recently come across my 2nd part Eastern Orthodox / part something else person on social media. The 1st was very boutique and cafeteria in his theology. He was part Restorationist, part Baptist, part Hebrew Roots and part Eastern Orthodox. Now I have met a part Arminian and part Eastern Orthodox. The one thing they both have in common is they both condemn Augustine as a heretic (free clue - history is not on your side here), both are 'free-will' advocates - but this most recent one denies original sin in favor of 'ancestral sin.' He says he makes his arguments on Patristic grounds. Really? 1 hit in the Catholic University of America Fathers of the Church. The second quote shown above should be quoted (for those who cannot read the screen caps): Lastly 362 results in 183 articles in 46 resources in the Catholic University of America's Fathers of the Church set. It's original sin by a landslide with 735 results versus 2 results for ancestral sin. But that doesn't matter because ancestral sin seems to mean the same thing as original sin. And yes, there are Eastern Orthodox who not only believe in original sin, but think they agree with Augustine: So the ancestral sin -vs- original sin dichotomy is bogus. I have recently come across my 2nd part Eastern Orthodox / part something else person on social media. The 1st was very boutique and cafeteria in his theology. He was part Restorationist, part Baptist, part Hebrew Roots and part Eastern Orthodox. Now I have met a part Arminian and part Eastern Orthodox. The one thing they both have in common is they both condemn Augustine as a heretic (free clue - history is not on your side here), both are 'free-will' advocates - but this most recent one denies original sin in favor of 'ancestral sin.' He says he makes his arguments on Patristic grounds. Really? Because I'm not finding much about it in the Fathers. Not in Schaff-Roberts. 1 hit in the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. The second quote shown above should be quoted (for those who cannot read the screen caps): (9) Hear, also, what may move you more and trouble you, and, would that it might, change you for the better. Who does not know that the Gallic bishop Hilary is to be revered as the keenest defender of the Catholic Church against the heretics? Note what he says when dealing with the flesh of Christ. ‘Therefore, when He was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3), He did not have the sin though He had the flesh. But, since all flesh comes from sin—namely, descended from the ancestral sin of Adam—He was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, not that the sin existed in Him, but the likeness of sinful flesh.’ Again he says in his exposition of Psalm 118, when he comes to the words: ‘Let my soul live and praise thee’( Ps. 118:175): ‘He does not think he lives in this life, for he had said: “Behold I have been conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother bear me.( Ps. 50:7)" He knows that he was born of sinful origin and under the law of sin.’ Do you understand what you hear? Do you ask what you should say? If you have any sense of shame, do you dare accuse on this matter of original sin a man so gloriously outstanding among Catholic bishops and so conspicuous in fame and honor? - Augustine of Hippo, Against Julian, ed. Hermigild Dressler, trans. Matthew A. Schumacher, vol. 35, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 1957), 9–10. Is my interlocutor presenting me with a false definition and a false choice? Seems in the one place it shows up in the Fathers (Augustine no less - ah the irony!), the two terms seem interchangeable. Now, as for original sin: Is my interlocutor presenting me with a false definition and a false choice? Seems in the one place it shows up in the Fathers (Augustine no less - ah the irony!), the two terms seem interchangeable. Now, as for original sin: 319 results in 203 articles in 24 resources in Schaff-Roberts. 54 results in 43 articles in 21 resources in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. Lastly 362 results in 183 articles in 46 resources in the Catholic University of America's Fathers of the Church set. It's original sin by a landslide with 735 results versus 2 results for ancestral sin. But that doesn't matter because ancestral sin seems to mean the same thing as original sin. And yes, there are Eastern Orthodox who not only believe in original sin, but think they agree with Augustine: The consideration of cleansing brings us to two related teachings—original sin and atonement. The Orthodox, with their Protestant and Catholic brothers and sisters, affirm that this world is fallen, and because of this we are born into an environment where it is easier for us to do evil rather than good. Though our solidarity with the rest of humanity, we are entangled in a web of deceit, of hatred and of sin. And through our personal contribution, this state of fallenness continues. Original sin points to our solidarity with the rest of humanity and does not, in a strict sense, imply guilt. Rather, it points to our involvement. The Incarnation, Jesus, is God’s supreme answer to the question of personal and original sin. Because through Christ, we are restored to communion with God. The Incarnation and death of Christ are not viewed by Orthodoxy as solely a settling of accounts nor a ransoming (although there are some aspects of this in Christ’s work). The essence of the Incarnation is love. Christ’s work is not just a reversal of sin and death, but also an inauguration of an essentially new stage in the history of man. We now, at last, see clearly what humanity is to become. - Alexander Melnyk, “What Is Eastern Orthodoxy Anyway?,” Christian History Magazine-Issue 18: How Christianity Came to Russia (Worcester, PA: Christian History Institute, 1988). Not only as a matter of experience, is no man sinless, but no man can, by any possibility, be free from sin (Ps. cxviii., He, 16). Because of the sin of one sentence is passed upon all (Ps. lix. 4 ); the sentence of slavery which is so deep a degradation that the victim of sin forfeits even the name of man (Ib. cxlii. 6, cxviii., Iod, 2). But Hilary not only states the doctrine; he approaches very nearly, on rare occasions, to the term ‘original sin.’ It follows that nothing less than a regeneration, the free gift of God, will avail (Matt. x. 24) and the grace by which the Christian must be maintained is also His spontaneous and unconditional gift. Faith, knowledge, Christian life, all have their origin and their maintenance from Him (Ps. cxviii). Such is a brief statement of Hilary’s position as a forerunner of St. Augustine. - E. W. Watson, “St. Hilary of Poitiers: Introduction,” in St. Hilary of Poitiers, John of Damascus, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, vol. 9a, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, Second Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1899), lxxxvi–lxxxvii. So the ancestral sin -vs- original sin dichotomy is bogus. Monday, July 6, 2015 Justification & Sanctification - The Difference Greetings, I recently met someone over the internet who did not have a clear idea about the difference between justification & sanctification. I asked if they knew the difference and in reply - I'd say their answer was they punted and either missed or fell short of the goal posts. As the confusion and/or mixing of justification & sanctification is an old Roman Catholic error that is re-occurring in certain sections of Protestant Christendom, I thought I'd share some sources that define the two terms and distinguish the two. I recently met someone over the internet who did not have a clear idea about the difference between justification & sanctification. I asked if they knew the difference and in reply - I'd say their answer was they punted and either missed or fell short of the goal posts. As the confusion and/or mixing of justification & sanctification is an old Roman Catholic error that is re-occurring in certain sections of Protestant Christendom, I thought I'd share some sources that define the two terms and distinguish the two. Justification by Faith. Faith necessarily demands an object to which it clings, a foundation on which it rests. The very moment faith springs up in the heart, it clings to the very promise that created it, and apprehends what this promise offers. As the Gospel offers grace and forgiveness, the believer by and through faith immediately appropriates these blessings and makes them his own. What God has offered in His promise He confirms in the believer. Because by faith the believer has and holds the righteousness Christ earned for him, God declares him just. It is thus that faith justifies the sinner before God. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the Law” (Rom. By the labor of his hands a poor helpless cripple will never become rich; but if a kind friend were to give him thousands of dollars, he would become rich through this gift. Likewise we, who cannot keep the Law as God demands, cannot be justified under the Law; but as God freely gives us the righteousness of Christ through faith, we are accounted just and righteous before Him because of this gift of God. Justification in detail.—(a) All men are sinners.—“There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. For this reason they all are guilty before God and worthy of death (Rom. (b) Christ fully atoned for all sins.—Moved by His love and compassion, God sent His Son to be the Savior of the world (John 3:16), who by His vicarious life and death rendered full satisfaction for all men (1 John 2:2). The purpose of His work of redemption was to reconcile the world unto God (2 Cor. 5:19), and by His resurrection He proved that He had accomplished it. “Who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification” (Rom. (c) God has forgiven all sins.—Because of the redemption through Christ God no longer imputes sins to men (2 Cor. 5:19); He does not charge their transgressions against them, but credits them with the merits of Christ. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. For the sake of Christ’s complete satisfaction God “justifies the ungodly” (Rom. 4:5), i.e., they who by nature and by their own works were altogether ungodly, were because of the work of Christ declared and pronounced just and righteous. Therefore, “by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Rom. “Justification properly consists in the non-imputation of sins, or their forgiveness, to the sinner, which is the negative side; and the imputation of Christ’s perfect righteousness, as though it were his own, which is the positive side” (Dr. C. H. Little in Lutheran Confessional Theology, p. 149). The fruit of Christ’s redemption is not that He merely opened for man the way to reconciliation with God, and that God is now ready and willing to forgive sins, pending certain conditions man must first fulfill. The fruit of Christ’s redemption is that Christ actually did effect a reconciliation, that God does no longer impute sins, but has in His heart forgiven all sins to all men. On the part of God reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins is not a mere possibility, but an accomplished fact, an objective reality, which is not affected by the personal attitude of man (Rom. By His vicarious active and passive obedience Christ paid for the sins of all men, and God, accepting this payment, has in His heart forgiven all sins of all men. There is not a soul in all the world which God has not already absolved from all sin. This is called objective or universal justification. “Objective justification may be defined as God’s declaration of amnesty to the world of sinners on the basis of the vicarious obedience of Christ, by which He secured a perfect righteousness for all mankind, which God accepted as a reconciliation of the world to Himself, imputing to mankind the merits of the Redeemer” (Dr. C. H. Little in Disputed Doctrines, p. 60). (d) The Gospel reveals and offers to men the forgiveness of sins.—This fact that in Christ the world is reconciled to God, and that the sins of all men are atoned for and forgiven is not known to man by nature, nor can he discover it by his own cogitation. This is a matter we can learn only by divine revelation (1 Cor. And God did make this fact known to us in the Gospel, “for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith” (Rom. This is not the personal righteousness of God, nor the righteousness He demands of us in the Law, but the righteousness Christ earned for us, which is to be accepted by faith (Rom. The Gospel, therefore, does not reveal to us a possible reconciliation, a conditional forgiveness of sins; in the Gospel the reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins are proclaimed as accomplished facts. For this reason Christ says that “remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations” (Luke 24:47), and the apostle Paul writes “that through this man” (Christ) “is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 13:38). Real and genuine Gospel preaching, therefore, does not consist in merely giving all manner of interesting information about the forgiveness of sins, but in proclaiming to sinners the fact of the forgiveness, the fact that the world is reconciled unto God (2 Cor. And because the Gospel is God’s own proclamation of grace to a sin-cursed world, it actually promises, offers, and brings grace and forgiveness to all that hear it. (e) The promise of forgiveness must be accepted by faith.—This declaration on the part of God calls for acceptance on the part of man. But it is impossible to accept it by means of works; it can be accepted only by faith, for this righteousness is revealed “from faith to faith” (Rom. Whoever does not accept it in this manner will not be benefited by it, for we read: “The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebr. But faith, which is so necessary for the acceptance of this Gospel promise, is wrought in the heart of man by this very promise, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. (f) Faith justifies the sinner.—Faith clings to the promise, and thereby man appropriates to himself personally what the promise offers to all men in general. Illustration: On January 1st, 1863, Lincoln declared a general emancipation of all the slaves; the individual slave heard and believed this proclamation and applied it to himself, and thus he became personally free. Thus the reconciliation of the whole world by Christ and the forgiveness of all sins of all men is an accomplished fact, which, in itself, is not affected by the attitude of men (Rom. This fact is proclaimed in the Gospel to every slave of sin; and the very moment that he applies this fact to himself, believing that for Christ’s sake also his sins are forgiven, he has the forgiveness of all his sins, is free from the guilt and punishment of sin, and is personally justified before God. That is what Paul teaches (Rom. 4:5): “To him that worketh not,” does not seek to become righteous before God by his own works, “but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly,” trusts in God, who for Christ’s sake declares all the ungodly just, “his faith is counted for righteousness,” he by such faith becomes personally righteous, because the righteousness of Christ, which his faith apprehends, is by God imputed to him personally. Thus by faith one puts himself into personal possession of that justification, which the Gospel offers to all men in general. This is called personal or subjective justification. If we tell a heathen man that for Christ’s sake God has forgiven all his sins, we are simply stating a fact, which the unbelief of man cannot make ineffectual, “without effect” (Rom. This fact must be accepted in true faith, which presupposes a penitent heart, and consists in confidence and trust in this forgiveness. The function of faith in this matter is merely instrumental; it does not achieve forgiveness of sins; it does not earn it; it does not make us worthy of it; nor does it move God to forgive us our sins. It is not a condition we must fulfil before forgiveness is available for us. On the part of God the forgiving takes place before we ever came to faith, yea, before we were bern, because with God the forgiveness rests on the atonement of our sins through Christ. The forgiveness of sins and the righteousness of Christ are ready for all men, and are being freely offered to them in the Gospel. All things in the kingdom of heaven are now ready (Matt. But if they are to benefit us, we must accept them; a promised gift can be accepted in no other way than by faith. The moment, therefore, our faith trusts in the promise of God, we apply and appropriate to ourselves what the promise offers, and God confirms the gift upon us personally. Thus it is that man is justified by faith (Rom. The moment I accept the riches offered to me I become rich. The believer does not have to wait for the forgiveness of his sins; it is ready for him, and he has it the moment he takes it, and he keeps it as long as he holds it. He loses it as soon as the faith, by which he held it, ceases. Thus the function of faith in justification is that it takes and holds with a trusting heart what God offers in the Gospel. Justification is that forensic act of God, by which He, on the basis of the perfect vicarious atonement wrought by Christ, declared the whole world to be justified in His sight (objective justification), and transmits and imputes the effect of this declaration to all whom He brings to faith by the work of the Holy Ghost through the means of grace (subjective justification). Thus it appears that universal justification does not benefit anyone unless it is followed by personal justification, and that personal justification is possible only because of the preceding universal justification. In other words, the fact that God has forgiven all sins to all men does not help anyone unless he accepts it by faith; on the other hand, he cannot appropriate forgiveness to himself if the sins are not yet forgiven. Illustration: Bread will not nourish us, unless we eat it; but we cannot eat it unless it is there. (g) Justification a judicial act of God.—Justification is not a moral transformation, effected within the sinner by virtue of some infused grace; but it is a judicial act of God, taking place outside of the sinner, by which God in mercy for Christ’s sake absolves him from all sins, pronounces and declares him righteous, who has no righteousness of his own, but who trusts in the righteousness of his Savior (Rom. God justifies the sinner by imputing to him the righteousness of Christ. “The word ‘justify’ means in this article, to absolve, that is, to declare free from sin” (F.C., Epit., Art. III, 7, Triglot, p. 793). “To justify signifies, according to forensic usage, to acquit a guilty one and declare him righteous, but on account of the righteousness of another, namely, of Christ, which righteousness is communicated to us by faith” (Apol., Art. III, 184, Triglot, p. 205). That the word “justify” means to declare just, we see from Matt. 12:37 and from Prov. (h) Justification is perfect.—Justification is not partial nor progressive, but complete and perfect. The moment there is faith in the heart, by which we lay hold of God’s promise of grace, at that moment there is full forgiveness of all our sins. Forgiveness of sins and the grace of God are not a quantity, of which parts and portions are meted out to us as we have need of them day by day, as it is the case with our daily bread; but grace and forgiveness are facts, proclaimed in the Gospel. Whoever trusts in this fact has the forgiveness for all his sins. God, therefore, does not justify man partially, forgiving him some of his sins while retaining others, but He forgives all sins and justifies man completely. “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities” (Ps. 103:3); “Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back” (Is. 38:17); “Having forgiven you all trespasses” (Col. 2:13). As Christ has atoned for all sins (1 John 2:2), and as God has in His heart forgiven all sins to all men, and offers this forgiveness in the Gospel to all men (2 Cor. 20), it follows that everyone who by faith accepts this forgiveness has the forgiveness for all sins and is completely justified before God. For this reason faith does not look forward to forgiveness of sins, as a thing to be hoped for, a thing that we might obtain in the future when we meet our God; it does not say: “I am sure that God will forgive me my sins,” but it says: “From the promise of God in the Gospel I know that He has forgiven all my sins.” Forgiveness of sins and justification are not future blessings we are still waiting for, but they are a present possession, which we have and hold in their completeness as long as we continue in the faith.—There are degrees of faith, weak and strong, but there are no degrees of justification; for the weak in faith cling to the same promise, and obtain the same forgiveness as the strong in faith. The difference is not in what they hold, but in the weakness or the firmness of the hold they have on it. Why does faith save us?—(a) There can be no faith in the forgiveness of sins if there is not first sorrow and contrition over sins in the heart. Whoever does not repent of his sins will not care to have forgiveness of sins. But sorrow over sin, however deep and sincere, does not give to faith its saving power. God does not forgive sin because a person is sorry lot what he has done; (example: Judas). (b) Good works and a holy life necessarily proceed from faith, for faith without works is dead (James 2:17). “Faith worketh by love” (Gal. However, faith does not save us because it produces good works; the fruits of faith do not give to faith its justifying power. Man is justified without the works of the Law (Rom. “Contrition that precedes, and good works that follow, do not belong to the article of justification” (F.C., Epit., Art. III, 8, Triglot, p. 795). (Read also F.C., Th. D., Art. (c) Faith itself may be regarded as a work of man, inasmuch as he does the believing. And it is also a good work, well pleasing to God (John 6:28. But it is not a meritorious work. Faith does not justify and save us because of its intrinsic worth and ethical value. Regarded as an act of man, faith is also a work of the Law. Faith is absolutely necessary as a means of salvation, but faith is not the Savior. “Faith justifies, not for this cause and reason that it is so good a work and so fair a virtue, but because it lays hold of and accepts the merits of Christ in the promise of the holy Gospel” (F.C., Th. D., Art. III, 13, Triglot, p. 919). (d) Not the act of eating, but the food we eat nourishes us. Thus, not the act of believing, but what we believe saves us. However, as one must eat food that really nourishes, so one must believe what really saves. A false doctrine, no matter how sincerely believed, cannot save. The doctrines of the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed are divine truths, but they are not saving truths; one may believe them with all sincerity of heart and still be lost. The saving truth, and, therefore, the chief doctrine of the Bible, is briefly expressed in the words of Paul: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2 Cor. 5:19); and “in Christ we have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7); and in the words of Christ: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16); in other words, God by grace for Christ’s sake forgave us our sins. He who truly believes these words has forgiveness, is justified before God, and will be saved. As it is the gold which I hold in my hand that makes me rich, so it is the merits of Christ which I hold by faith that saves my soul. The saving power, therefore, lies not in the hand of faith, but in the merits of Christ, which I hold by faith. Faith is only the means, the instrument, by which I apprehend the saving merits of my Savior. At the same time, faith is the only means by which I can come into possession of these merits, because they are offered to me in an unconditional promise, which can be apprehended in no other way than by faith. “In order, therefore, that troubled hearts may have a firm, sure consolation, also, that due honor be given to the merits of Christ and the grace of God, the Scriptures teach that the righteousness of faith before God consists alone in the gracious reconciliation or forgiveness of sins, which is presented to us out of pure grace, for the sake of the only merit of the Mediator, Christ, and is received through faith alone in the promise of the Gospel. In like manner, too, in justification before God faith relies neither upon contrition nor upon love or other virtues, but upon Christ alone, and in Him upon His complete obedience by which He fulfilled the Law for us, which obedience is imputed to believers for righteousness. Moreover, neither contrition nor love or any other virtue, but faith alone is the sole means and instrument by which and through which we can receive and accept the grace of God, the merits of Christ, and the forgiveness of sins, which are offered us in the promise of the Gospel” (F.C., Th. D., Art. The results of justification.—(a) The state of grace.—The moment a person is justified by faith, he is delivered from the state of wrath, and enters the state of grace. In this blessed state he has peace with God (Rom. 5:1); he has a good conscience toward God (Hebr. 9:14; 10:22); he has the assurance of God’s protection and guidance (Hebr. 8:28); he is delivered from all fear (Ps. 2:15); he glories in tribulation (Rom. 5:3); he triumphs in death (1 Pet. 15:55–57); he has become a child of God (Gal. 3:26) and an heir of heaven (Gal. 4:7).—In this state of grace we continue as long as we remain in the faith; however, the moment faith is lost, justification and forgiveness and all the blessings resulting therefrom are likewise lost. (b) Membership in the invisible Church, the kingdom of grace, and title to the kingdom of glory.—Having by faith obtained the forgiveness of sins, we are translated into the kingdom of the Son of God, and are made partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light (Col. 1:12–14). Because we are born again of God, we are children of His household and family (Eph. Justified by faith, we join the communion of saints, the royal priesthood, etc. (1 Pet. 2:9), and have claim and title to the kingdom of glory. While in this world, Christians may seem to be of low degree, they should always be fully conscious of the high position to which they are exalted through faith in Christ. (c) The indwelling of the Holy Ghost and of the entire Trinity.—In conversion we received the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38; 10:44; Tit. Hence, Paul writes: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. Speaking of the Father and of Himself, Jesus said: “And We will come unto him” (the believer) “and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23). This mystical and inexplicable union and indwelling of God pertains not only to the soul, and does not consist merely in the agreement of the will of man with the will of God, nor in the mere onion of both in mutual love, nor in a mere influence of the Holy Ghost on man, but it pertains also to the body. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 6:19).—This union must be distinguished from the indwelling mentioned in Acts 17:28, which is common to all created things, while this indwelling is peculiar to the believers only. This indwelling of God in His believers is mystical and inexplicable, yet it is real and actual. What does this indwelling of the Holy Ghost mean to us? Christ purchased and won all men, even those who are finally lost (1 Cor. 2:1); therefore all are, in a sense, His purchased possession. But personally we become His own the moment we believe in Him, for then the Holy Ghost enters our hearts and takes actual possession of us. Illustration: The home a person buys is his own, but he takes actual possession of it when he moves in. So all men are Christ’s own by the redemption, but in conversion the Holy Ghost takes actual possession of the believer by dwelling in his heart. By faith we lay hold of Christ; by sealing us with the Holy Ghost God lays hold of us. “In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory” (Eph. From this text we learn that the Holy Ghost is the earnest of our inheritance, a pledge on the part of God to us, that He will fulfil His promise and redeem us from this vale of tears and take us to Himself in heaven. In the meantime, the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit, assuring us that we are the children of God and the heirs of God (Rom. He also supports our prayers and makes intercession for us (Rom. He furthermore leads and rules us, that in our lives we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit (Rom. So the indwelling of the Holy Ghost in our hearts means much to us, and therefore we should heed the warning: “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. (d) Initial restoration of the image of God.—The image of God, consisting in a blissful knowledge of God and in righteousness and true holiness of life, was lost when man fell into sin. But a beginning of its restoration is made, when man is justified by faith in Christ. For the new knowledge, which the believer gained from the Gospel, fills his heart with joy and happiness, and this, in turn, moves him to forsake the ways of sin and to walk in the paths of righteousness. Because of the old Adam, this restoration of the image of God will never be perfect in this life. For this reason Paul admonishes us: “Put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him” (Col. 3:10), and: “Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. More about Justification The effect of faith is justification; [1] by which is to be understood that act of God by which he removes the sentence of condemnation, to which man is exposed in consequence of his sins, releases him from his guilt, and ascribes to him the merit of Christ. (574): “Justification denotes that act by which the sinner, who is responsible for guilt and liable to punishment (reus culpæ et pænæ), but who believes in Christ, is pronounced just by God the judge.” [2] This act occurs at the instant in which the merit of Christ is appropriated by faith, [3] and can properly be designated a forensic or judicial act, since God in it, as if in a civil court, pronounces a judgment upon man, which assigns to him an entirely different position, and entirely different rights. [4] By justification we are, therefore, by no means to understand a moral condition existing in man, or a moral change which he has experienced, but only a judgment pronounced upon man, by which his relation to God is reversed, [5] and indeed in such a manner, that a man can now consider himself one whose sins are blotted out, who is no longer responsible for them before God; who, on the other hand, appears before God as accepted and righteous, in whom God finds nothing more to punish, at whom he has no longer any occasion to be displeased. Through this act of justification emanating from God we receive, 1. Remission of Sins (Rom. The Imputation of the righteousness of Christ [6] (Rom. 4:5); for God, from the moment in which faith is exercised, regards all that Christ has accomplished, as if it had been done by man, and attributes the merit of Christ to him, as if it were his own. [7] From this can be seen what we are to designate as the ground of our justification, and what is the means by which it is attained. The ground lies alone in the merit of Christ, for by this our sins are blotted out, and God is enabled to receive us again into favor. [8] The means, however, through which we attain justification is faith. [9] In no wise, therefore, is any merit or worthiness on our part demanded as the condition for the impartation of justification, as if upon that our justification should depend. It is not denied, indeed, that a moral change takes place in man, with the entrance of faith, and therefore also with that of justification; yet this is to be regarded as only an attendant of justification and contemporaneous with it, but in no wise as the condition upon which we attain justification; [10] and this the less, as it is only the grace of God which displays itself in justification, that furnishes the ground and possibility of such a change. [11] The moral worthiness of man cannot be made account of in the inquiry concerning the reasons of his being received into the favor of God, [12] and it is highly important to assert this firmly, as we would deprive ourselves of the firm footing on which our justification rests, if we regarded it as in any degree dependent upon anything done by us. [13] Justification is, accordingly, to be regarded throughout as a free gift of grace on the part of God, which is offered to us gratuitously and without requiring any addition to it on our part, and which can be received and accepted only by faith, as it is expressed in the declaration that we are justified, gratuitously, by faith alone, [14] and for Christ’s sake. This doctrine, according to which, in the act of justification, all man’s works are excluded and the whole is considered as effected by God’s grace, constitutes the central point of the knowledge which we owe to the Reformation; [16] in it there is offered man a sure and firm foundation upon which he may build his hopes of salvation, and a sure way is pointed out to him of obtaining it. (IV, 286): “The immediate effect of faith is the remission of sins, adoption, justification, union with Christ, access to God, and peace of conscience. Among these effects of faith justification is the principal, to which all the rest can be referred.” (III, 526): “Justification is the external, judicial, gracious act of the most Holy Trinity, by which a sinful man, whose sins are forgiven, on account of the merit of Christ apprehended by faith, is accounted just, to the praise of God’s glorious grace and justice and to the salvation of the justified.” (574): “For with and through faith man is at once justified; so that the act by which faith is conferred upon man, and the act by which man is justified, are simultaneous; although faith is by nature first in order and justification subsequent to it.” (574): “Justification has a forensic sense, and denotes that act by which God, the judge, pronounces righteous the sinner responsible for guilt and liable to punishment, but who believes in Jesus.” Chmn. Th., II, 250): “Paul everywhere describes justification as a judicial process, because the conscience of the sinner accused by the divine law before the tribunal of God, convicted and lying under the sentence of eternal condemnation, but fleeing to the throne of grace, is restored, acquitted, delivered from the sentence of condemnation, is received into eternal life, on account of the obedience and intercession of the Son of God, the Mediator, which is apprehended and applied by faith.” According to this, justification signifies to pronounce righteous. Form. Conc. Dec., III, 17): “The word justification signifies in this matter to pronounce righteous, to absolve from sins and the eternal punishment of sins on account of Christ’s righteousness, which is imputed to faith by God.” (575): “Although the Latin word justificare is compounded of the adjective justus and the verb facere, it does not denote in general usage and especially in the Scriptures, when sinful man is said to be justified before God, the infusion of an habitual righteousness, but according to the import of the Hebrew word הִצְדִּיק (2 Sam. 25:1), and the word διkaιoῦv in the Septuagint, and Paul (Rom. 3 and 4), the Latin justificare, is also transferred from an outward to a spiritual court, at which men are placed as before a divine tribunal, and are acquitted after the case has been heard and sentence has been pronounced.” According to the Catholic doctrine “justify” is equivalent in import to making righteous; making a righteous person out of a wicked one. In opposition to this, Ap. Conf. (III, 131): “Justification signifies not to make a wicked person righteous, but in a forensic sense to pronounce righteous.” Quen. (III, 515): “These words διkaιoῦv and הִצְדִּיק, nowhere and never in the whole Scriptures, even when not used in reference to the justification of the sinner before God, signify justification by the infusion of new qualities, but whenever they are used of God justifying the wicked before his tribunal they have a forensic signification.” Grh. (VII, 4 seq,) gives in what follows the Scripture proof in detail: “The forensic signification (of the word διkaιoῦv) is proved, (1) because it denotes a judicial act, not only without reference to the doctrine of gratuitous justification before God (Is. 15:4; Ps. 82:3; Is. 43:9), but also in the very article of justification (Ps. 143:2; Job 9:2, 3; Luke 18:14); (2) because it is opposed to condemnation (Deut. 5:16; 8:33, 34); (3) because its correlatives are judicial. For a judgment is mentioned, Ps. 143:2; a judge, John 5:27; a tribunal, Rom. 14:10; a criminal, Rom. 3:19; a plaintiff, John 5:45; a witness, Rom. 2:15; an indictment, Col. 2:14; an obligation, Matt. 18:24; an advocate, 1 John 2:1; an acquittal, Ps. 32:1. The law accuses the sinner before the judgment-seat of God, that he may be subject to the judgment of God. Rom. Conscience concurs with this accusation of the law, Rom. Since, in consequence of sin, the whole nature of man and all his works are miserably contaminated, he discovers nothing to oppose to the judgment of God; the law therefore hurls the thunder of its curse and condemnation upon man convicted of sin, but the Gospel presents Christ the Mediator, who by his most perfect obedience has atoned for our sins; to him the sinner, terrified and condemned by the law, flees by true faith, opposes this righteousness of Christ to the sentence of God and The condemnation of the law, and in view of, and by the imputation of this, he is justified, that is, freed from the sentence of condemnation and pronounced righteous; (4) because the equivalent phrases are judicial. To be justified is to be not called into judgment, Ps. 143:2; to be not condemned, John 3:18; not to come into condemnation, John 5:24; not to be judged, John 3:18. The publican went down to his house justified, that is, acquitted of his sins, Luke 18:14. Paul explains justification by ‘imputing for righteousness,’ Rom. 4:3, 5; by ‘covering iniquities,’ by ‘not imputing sin,’ 5:7; by ‘remitting sins,’ Rom. 3:25; by ‘forgiving trespasses,’ Col. 2:13. Here belong the phrases ‘to be reconciled to God,’ Rom. 5:10; ‘to be made righteous,’ 5:19; ‘to partake of the blessing,’ Eph. 1:3; ‘to receive remission of sins,’ Acts 10:43; ‘to be saved,’ Acts 4:12. Comp. the parable, Matt. (577): “Justification does not mean a real and internal change of man.” Holl. (928): “Justification is a judicial, and that, too, a gracious act, by which God, reconciled by the satisfaction of Christ, acquits the sinner who believes in Christ of the offenses with which he is charged, and accounts and pronounces him righteous. Since this action takes place apart from man, in God, it cannot intrinsically change man. For, as a debtor for whom another pays his debt, so that he is considered released from the debt, undergoes not an intrinsic but an extrinsic change in regard to his condition, so the sinner who is reputed and pronounced free from his sins, on account of the satisfaction of Christ applied by true faith, is changed, not intrinsically, but extrinsically, with respect to his better condition. The point from which this external change takes places (terminus a quo) is the state of being responsible for guilt and liable to punishment; because thereby the sinner remains in a state of sin and wrath (Rom. The point to which it conducts (terminus ad quem) is the state of grace and righteousness; because God, remitting the offenses of the sinner who believes in Christ, receives him into favor, and imputes to him the righteousness of Christ (Rom. To the last, Br. (579) remarks in addition: “Some refer to this place the privileges of the sons of God, and the inheritance of eternal life, which is conferred or adjudged to us in God’s account. Some add the dignity of the reward of righteousness which we obtain in this act of justification. But others, and probably the majority, distinguish the act by which the sonship, or the inheritance, or the privilege of reward is conferred on the faithful, from justification, and consider them as its consequences.… The Scriptures also frequently distinguish between these two things, viz., freedom from the condemnation of sin, with power to become the sons of God, and the heavenly inheritance, of which the latter implies the former, and is furnished to the justified by a subsequent and new gift, viz., that when the judgment is finished, that sonship or adoption will take place referred to in Rom. (III, 524): “Our justification before God consists in the remission and non-imputation of sins and the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.” The Form. Conc. sometimes presents both these expressions conjointly, and sometimes it describes the sentence of justification as having reference only to the remission of sins. It says (Epit., III, 4): “We believe that our righteousness before God consists in this, that the Lord forgives us our sins through mere grace.… For he gives and imputes to us the righteousness of the obedience of Christ; on account of this righteousness we are received into favor by God, and are accounted just.” And it says (Sol. Dec., III, 9): “Concerning the righteousness of faith, we confess that the sinner is justified before God, i.e., is absolved from all his sins and from the sentence of most righteous condemnation, and adopted into the number of the children of God and regarded as a heir of eternal life.” The same course is adopted by other Dogmaticians. No difference is thereby intended in the matter itself. Br. mentions, as the form of justification, only the forgiveness of sins, because he presupposes the imputation of the righteousness of Christ as that upon which the forgiveness is based. He says (588): “It is certain, when we call the form of justification the forgiveness or non-imputation of sins, the imputation of the righteousness of Christ is not excluded, … nor the imputation of this faith itself for righteousness. That is, we mean to say, that the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, and of faith itself, is only logically prior to that forensic act of justification by which men are absolved from the guilt of sins; for to the question, Why does God justify man? the a priori explanation is given, Because God imputes to man the righteousness or merit of Christ apprehended by faith, or so judges it to belong to man that he is on this account absolved from the guilt of his sins.” Other Dogmaticians express themselves differently in regard to the relation existing between the forgiveness of sins and the imputation of the righteousness of Christ. Quen. (ib.): “These parts (so to speak) are not different or distinct essentially (tῷ ἐ͂ιvaι), but merely logically (tῷ λόYῳ); for the imputation of Christ’s righteousness is essentially nothing else than the remission of sins, and the remission of sins is nothing else than the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, so that either word separately taken expresses the whole nature of justification. Whence the apostle Paul, Rom. 4, interchanges the forgiveness of sins and the imputation of righteousness in his description of justification, which he sometimes defines as the forgiveness of sins, and sometimes as the imputation of righteousness. For, as it can properly be said that at one and the same time, and by one and the same action, the expulsion of darkness from the atmosphere is the introduction of light, so one and the same wicked man, at one and the same time, and by the very same act of justification, is both freed from guilt and pronounced righteous.” Holl. (915): “Remission of sins and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness are inseparable and closely united acts; but distinct, indeed, in form, as the first is privative, and the other positive, the one results immediately from the passive obedience of Christ, the other from his active obedience. We do not deny, meanwhile, that the one may properly be inferred from the other, for there is no sinner, whose sins are pardoned, but has the righteousness of Christ imputed, and the reverse.” In earlier times, indeed, the definition of renovation or regeneration was also included in that of justification. Thus Mel. says (Loc. Com. Th., II, 207, seq.): “The first (degree) of evangelical liberty is that the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, justification, or the imputation of righteousness and acceptance to eternal life, and the inheritance of eternal life, are bestowed upon us freely on account of the Son of God.… The second degree is the gift of the Holy Spirit, who enkindles new light in the mind and new emotions in the will and heart, governs us, and begins in us eternal life.” And the Ap. Conf., II, 72: “Because to be justified signifies that the wicked are made righteous through regeneration, it signifies also that they are pronounced or reputed as righteous. For the Scripture uses both these methods of speaking.” Ib., III, 40: “Although it is generally admitted that justification signifies not only the beginning of renovation, but the reconciliation by which we are afterwards accepted.” When, afterwards, these phrases were taken separately, and in the definition of justification only the forgiveness of sin and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness were included, no change of doctrine was thereby introduced. Mel. and the Ap. meant thereby only to say that as faith, by which one apprehends the merit of Christ, is wrought by the Holy Spirit, regeneration in its beginnings is at the same time implied in it. II, 45: “This special faith, by which any one believes that his sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, and that God is reconciled and rendered propitious for Christ’s sake, attains the forgiveness of sins and justifies us. And because in penitence, i.e., in our spiritual distress, he comforts us and encourages our hearts, regenerates us and bestows the Holy Spirit, so that then we can obey the divine law.” To this statement the later theologians also adhered. See Note 10. They were influenced, however, by the controversies that afterwards arose with the Roman Catholics, and also with some Lutheran theologians (A. Osiander), already in the definition of justification, to guard against the appearance of admitting that the renovation thus introduced in its beginnings along with the forgiveness of sins, was in any sense a condition of the bestowal of the forgiveness of sins. And with this the Apol. entirely accords. (III, 525): “The form of imputation consists in the gracious reckoning of God, by which the penitent sinner, on account of the most perfect obedience of another, i.e., of Christ, apprehended by faith, according to Gospel mercy, is pronounced righteous before the divine tribunal, ‘just as if this obedience had been rendered by the man himself.’ ” Ap. Conf. (III, 184): “To be justified here signifies, according to forensic usage, to absolve a guilty man and pronounce him just, but on account of the righteousness of another, viz., of Christ, which righteousness of another is communicated to us by faith.… Because the righteousness of Christ is given to us through faith, so faith is righteousness in us imputatively, i.e., it is that by which we are caused to be accepted of God in consequence of the imputation and ordination of God.” The expression: the righteousness of Christ, is explained as follows in the Form. Conc. Dec., III, 14): “The righteousness (of Christ), which is imputed before God out of pure grace to faith, or to believers, is the obedience, passion, and resurrection of Christ, by which he satisfied the law for our sake and atoned for our sins.” Synonymous with the expression: “the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us,” is that other: “the merit or obedience of Christ is imputed to us.” And also this one: “faith is imputed to us for righteousness,” Rom. 4:5, which is thus explained: “only in so far as it apprehends and applies to itself the righteousness of Christ.” The righteousness of faith, then, “is nothing else than the forgiveness of sins, the gratuitous acceptance of the sinner solely on account of the obedience and most perfect merit of Christ alone.” Chmn. Th., 274) vindicates the doctrine of imputation, against the Papists, as follows: “There is an imputation which is based upon and has reference to a foundation in the person working, to whom the imputation is made, and this is done not as a matter of grace, but as a matter of debt. But there is another imputation, which neither has nor refers to a foundation, in view of or by reason of which the imputation is made, but is based upon the grace and mercy of God, who justifies the wicked. And in this, that he says by this imputation the wicked man is justified, he shows that the foundation is altogether different in the believer to whom this imputation is gratuitous; to whom, namely, not righteousness but guilt would be imputed, if God wished to enter into judgment. Paul, therefore, distinctly and clearly shows that he wishes this word, imputation, in the doctrine of justification, to be understood not in the former, but in the latter sense. And the same thing he also shows more fully and proves from David, who describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness without works. Therefore the foundation of this imputation, concerning which Paul speaks, is not in him to whom the imputation is made, for he says, ‘without works.’ And in Eph. 2:8 he more expressly says: ‘not of yourselves.’ But he adds that sins in this imputation are forgiven, that iniquities are covered, that crimes are not imputed. There is, therefore, in those who believe, to whom this gratuitous imputation is made, an altogether different foundation, if God should wish to enter into judgment with them. The imputation of righteousness consists, therefore, in the grace and mercy of God, which, for the sake of Christ, cover up the inherent foundation, viz., sin, so that it may not be imputed, and impute to the believer, through grace, the foundation which is not in him, just as if the righteousness were inherent in that perfection which he owes. These three things, therefore, we now infer from the true premises which belong to the word imputation in this article: 1. There is no basis in believers, in view, and by reason of which, righteousness is imputed for happiness, not even in Abraham, although adorned by the Holy Spirit with distinguished gifts of renewal. A very different basis is discovered, if God wish to enter into judgment, viz., sin, which is to be covered up, so as not to be imputed. But that imputation is a referring act (relatio) of the divine mind and will, which, through gratuitous mercy for Christ’s sake, does not impute their sins to believers, but imputes to them righteousness, i.e., they are regarded before God, in his judgment, as if they possessed perfect inherent righteousness, and thus salvation and eternal life are bestowed upon them as if they were righteous. But what the fourth point is, that also belongs to imputation, and wherefore it is added can be understood from what follows. When a judge, by his own referring act (relatio), imputes the sentence of righteousness to a guilty person without any foundation, this is an abomination (Prov. Some may reply, God is a perfectly free agent, and as such can justify whom he will and as he will. But God has revealed his will in the law, and this cannot be broken.… Therefore, in accordance with that revealed will, God does not wish to justify any one without righteousness, i.e., unless according to the law satisfaction has been made for sin, and the law has been fulfilled by a perfect obedience. And Paul says, when faith is imputed for righteousness, the law is not made void, but established, i.e., to use the scholastic terminology, the act of the divine mind imputes to the believer the sentence of righteousness for eternal life, not without a basis. But that basis is not in believers. But God has offered to us his Son as Mediator, made under the law, to which he rendered satisfaction both by bearing our sins and by perfect obedience.… Thus we will obtain a perfect referring act whose foundation is in obedience and redemption, in Christ Jesus our Lord. The referring act (relatio) is the grace and mercy of God; the object of it is the believer, to whom, on Christ’s account, sins are not imputed, but who is through Christ accounted righteous before God unto eternal life, the righteousness of Christ being imputed to him.” “This exposition explains the whole doctrine and refutes many cavils.… The Jesuits say, a referring act (relatio) without a foundation is an empty phantasm and an illusion, as if Crassus, burdened with debt, were saluted as rich. Such, they say, is imputative righteousness, which has no foundation inherent in ourselves. But these cavils are abundantly refuted by what we have already said. For we do not teach that God, through any levity, imputes righteousness to believers without any foundation; but we affirm, from the Word of God, that there needs to be ever so firm a foundation of gratuitous imputation, that the righteousness inherent even in Abraham and David could not be the foundation of that referring act (relatio) and imputation, but there was need that the Son of God should become incarnate.… The righteousness of faith is, therefore, not of the least but of the greatest reality, for Christ is our righteousness; nor is it an empty phantasm, for it is the result of the divine thought and judgment.” In regard to the meaning of the word justification, Holl. further remarks (914): “Imputation, in the doctrine of justification, is not taken in a physical sense, so as to signify to insert, to implant, but in a moral, judicial, and declarative sense, so as to signify to adjudicate, to attribute, to ascribe, to transfer, confer, devolve upon another the effect of a voluntary act by one’s own estimate and decision.” The reality of imputation Br. shows as follows (581): “It is called imputation, not as an empty or imaginary transfer of the merit of one to another, destitute alike of a basis and fruit; but because it is an act of the intellect and will of him who exercises the judgment, by which he adjudges that the merit of one, which is offered for another, and is apprehended by the faith of him for whose benefit it has been offered, can be legitimately accepted as if it were his own merit, and is willing to receive it in such manner as if he had of himself offered it, whatever it is. Paul himself uses this argument in Rom. Quen. (III, 525): “This imputation is most real, whether respect is had to the righteousness which is imputed, or to the act of imputation. The righteousness of Christ, or his obedience, active and passive, which is imputed to us, is most true and real, for it corresponds entirely to the mind and will of God expressed in the law. The act of imputation, also, or the imputation itself, is real, because its measure is the infallible intellect of God. Whence God cannot repute or consider him just to whom true righteousness has not been appropriated; nor can there proceed from the divine will, the rule of all excellence, approbation of an imaginary or fictitious estimation or righteousness. They, therefore, to whom the righteousness of Christ is imputed, are truly righteous, though not inherently, or by inherence, but imputatively, and by an extrinsic designation at least they are such, for even from that which is external a true designation may be derived. It is, therefore, an idle question, whether, on account of that imputation, we are really righteous, or are merely considered righteous. For the judgment of God is according to truth. Wherefore, he is truly just who, in the judgment of God, is regarded as just.” [8] The Dogmaticians distinguish (Quen., III, 517): “The impulsive internal cause of our justification, which is the purely gratuitous grace of God (Rom. 3:4–6),” and the “impulsive, external, and meritorious cause, which is Christ the Mediator, by virtue of his active and passive obedience (Rom. “The impulsive external cause does not annul the gratuitous favor of God, in the matter of justification, nor is it excluded from it; since, rather, the fact is due to divine grace, that God sent his Son to make satisfaction for us, so that we could be justified, and that he accepts this merit belonging to another as if it were our own.” Whence it appears in what sense it is said that the ground of justification is exterior to man. Mel. Th., I, 179): “If they duly consider these (alarms, that accompany true penitence), they would know that thoroughly terrified minds seek consolation outside of themselves, and this consolation is the confidence with which the will acquiesces in the promise of mercy, granted for the sake of the Mediator.” Quen. (III, 525): “This imputation has a most firm foundation, not in man, who is justified, but without him, namely, in God himself, who imputes, and in Christ the Mediator, who earned the imputation by rendering satisfaction.” The contrary doctrine is that of the Roman Catholic Church, which, by justification, understands, “to make a righteous out of an unrighteous person.” According to this doctrine the ground of our salvation does not lie in the appropriation of the merit of Christ, but in our moral transformation. It is then said: “That, on account of which man is justified and constituted an heir of eternal life, is an infused habit of righteousness and love, or newness of life, or righteousness inherent in us, by which we observe the law.” When The Romanists use the phrase, “the righteousness of Christ,” they employ it in a sense entirely different from that in which it is employed in the Lutheran Church; for, while in the latter the righteousness of Christ is understood to mean that righteousness which Christ, by obedience towards the Father, has secured for us, the Romanists understand by the phrase the moral perfection of Christ himself, the righteousness inherent in him. This, however, is carefully distinguished, by the Lutheran Dogmaticians, as the essential, from the other, the habitual and meritorious righteousness. Even the Lutheran divine, Andrew Osiander, understood by the righteousness of Christ his essential righteousness, and thus confounded justification and sanctification, like the Romanists. He says in his Conf. et Disp., A. D. 1549: “That the fulfilment of the law, effected by Christ, and obedience and remission of sins, prepare for righteousness, but the righteousness by which we are accounted righteous before God, is the divine nature of Christ entering into us by faith, and abiding in us, or the essential and eternal righteousness of God, which, dwelling in us, enables us to act righteously.” Hence the decision of the Form. Conc. Dec., III, 55): “As in our churches it is considered beyond controversy by the divines of the Augsburg Confession, that all our righteousness is to be sought outside of ourselves and apart from the merits and works, virtues and dignity of men, and that it exists alone in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is carefully to be considered in what way, in the matter of justification, Christ is said to be our righteousness. For our righteousness does not consist in his divine nature (Osiander), nor in his human nature (Stancarus), but in his entire person, for he, as God and man, in his entire and most perfect obedience, is our righteousness.” (903): “The receptive means, or that on the part of the sinner which receives Christ’s merit, and the grace of God founded upon it, is faith.” Faith is thus, indeed, considered a cause, but an impulsive cause subordinate, or an instrumental cause, organic, and receptive; only in the sense, however, that by faith the merit of Christ, justifying grace, etc., must be received, and by no means in the other, that in faith there is an effective cause of justification. This is contained already in the general statement of the Apol. (II, 53, German): “Wherefore, whenever we speak of the faith that justifies, or of justifying faith, these three things always concur. First, the divine promise; second, that this offers grace gratuitously, without merit; third, that the blood and merit of Christ constitute the treasure through which sin is paid for. The promise is received through faith; the fact, moreover, that it offers grace without merit utterly excludes all our worthiness and merit, and exalts the great grace and mercy; and the merit of Christ is the treasure, for that must indeed be a treasure and noble security through which the sins of all the world are paid for.” More specifically, Form. Conc. Dec., III, 13): “Faith does not justify because it is so good a work, so illustrious a virtue, but because it apprehends and embraces the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospel.” Holl. (903): “Faith justifies not by itself, by its own dignity, or value, by moving God to justify the believer, but because, as an instrument or receptive means, it lays hold of the merit of Christ, in view of which and without the least detriment to his justice, God, of his mere grace, is moved to pardon and consider righteous the penitent sinner believing in Christ. For the energy or internal power of justifying faith is the receiving of Christ, of the grace of God based upon Christ, pardoning sin, offered in the Gospel promise, together with the remission of sins dependent on this, John 1:12; Rom. Faith receives the effects of Christ’s satisfaction, the remission of sins. From these sacred oracles we gather that faith is the receptive means by which the satisfaction of Christ, and the grace of God obtained by it, are received.” Quen. (III, 518) distinguishes, therefore, “between the causality of faith, which consists in apprehending and receiving, which is nothing else than an organic and instrumental one, and the ground of that causality, or justifying power, which pertains to faith not in itself and in its own nature, or in so far as it is an act of apprehension. It might appropriate its own merits, or imaginary merits, or human righteousness, and yet it would not in this way justify. It does not pertain to it from the generous estimation of God or his discharge of debt, as if God considered faith of so much value as to impart to it the dignity and power of justifying, but solely on account of the justifying object apprehended, or on account of the object, viz., so far as it apprehends the merit of Christ. Paul expressly mentions this, Rom. 3:25, to wit, that the entire justifying power of faith depends on the object apprehended. As, for example, when the hand of a hungry person takes the offered bread, that taking, as such, does not satisfy the man, for he might receive clay, or a stone, or other things, which could not satisfy him; but the entire satisfaction depends on the object apprehended and eaten, namely, the bread. So the man hungering for righteousness, Matt. 5:6, apprehends indeed by faith, or with the beggar’s hand, the bread that comes from heaven. John 6:50, 51; but the apprehending, as such, does not drive away spiritual hunger; but the entire effect of the apprehension depends upon the object apprehended by faith, that is, the redemption and the blood of Jesus Christ.” Conc. Dec., III, 32): “It is properly said that believers, who are justified by faith in Christ, in this life at first obtain indeed an imputed righteousness of faith, but then also they have an incipient righteousness of new obedience or of good works. But these two things are not to be confounded or intermingled in the doctrine of justification by faith in the sight of God.” Chmn. Trid., I, 233): “It is certain that the blessing bestowed through the Son of God is twofold, namely, forgiveness of sins and renovation in which the Holy Spirit enkindles new virtues in believers. For Christ by his passion merited for us not only the remission of sins, but, in addition, this also, that, on account of his merit, the Holy Spirit is given to us that we may be renewed in the spirit of our mind. These benefits of the Son of God we say are so united, that when we are reconciled, at the same time the spirit of renovation is also given us. But we do not on this account confound them, but distinguish them, so as to give to each its place, order, and character, as we have learned from the Scriptures, that reconciliation or remission of sins goes before, and that the beginning of love or of new obedience follows. But especially that faith concludes that it has a reconciled God and the forgiveness of sins, not on account of the subsequent and commenced renovation, but on account of the Son of God the Mediator.” Conc. Dec., III, 27): “It is necessary that a person should be righteous before he can perform good works.” Conf. (II, 36): “It is very foolishly asserted by adversaries, that men, deserving of eternal wrath, merit the pardon of sin by an act of love which they put forth, since it is impossible to love God unless beforehand the pardon of sins has been apprehended by faith. For the heart truly perceiving God to be angry, cannot love him unless he is shown to be appeased; human nature cannot raise itself to the love of an angry, condemning and punishing God, while he terrifies and seems to cast us into eternal death. It is easy for the indolent to fancy these dreams of love, that one guilty of mortal sin can love God above all things, because they do not perceive what the anger or judgment of God is; but, in the agony and stings of conscience, the conscience itself perceives the vanity of these philosophical speculations.” Trid., I, 234): “This is the principal question, this the point, this the matter to be decided; what that is, on account of which God receives the sinner into favor; what can and ought to be opposed to the judgment of God, that we may not be condemned according to the rigid sentence of the law; what faith ought to seize and present, on what to depend, when it desires to treat with God that it may be pardoned; what should intervene for which God may become appeased and propitious to the sinner who has merited wrath and eternal damnation; what conscience should determine that to be, on account of which adoption is granted us, which affords a sure ground of confidence that we shall be received to eternal life; whether it be the satisfaction, obedience, and merit of the Son of God, the Mediator, or the renovation commenced in us, love, and the other virtues.” (I, 192): “As it is of much importance that this exclusive particle (gratis) should be properly understood, I will explain the four reasons on account of which it is necessary to retain and defend it: (1) That due honor be ascribed to Christ; (2) that conscience may retain a sure and firm consolation (if this exclusive particle be ignored, doubt is strengthened, to wit, if you suppose that there is no pardon unless you have a contrition or a love sufficiently worthy, doubt will adhere, which produces at one time contempt of God, at another hatred and despair); (3) that true prayer may be offered; (4) that the difference between the Law and the Gospel may be seen.” Conc. Dec., III, 36): “Paul means this when he urges with so much diligence and zeal in the matter of justification by faith, the exclusive particles by which works are excluded from it, such as these, ‘without works,’ ‘without the law,’ ‘without merit,’ ‘by grace alone,’ ‘gratis,’ ‘not of works.’ But all these exclusives are embraced in these words, when we teach, ‘we are justified before God, and saved, by faith alone.’ For in this way our works are excluded, not indeed in the sense that true faith can exist without contrition, or as if good works did not necessarily follow true faith (as its most certain fruits); or, as if believers in Christ ought not to perform them; but works are excluded from the doctrine of justification before God, lest they may be introduced and mixed in the matter of the justification of the sinner before God, as if necessary and absolutely pertaining to it. This is the true meaning of the exclusive particles in the doctrine of justification, which must be firmly and sedulously retained and urged in its discussion.” Chmn. Th., II, 283): “Should the inquiry be made why we contend so strenuously for the particle ‘alone,’ and are not rather contented with those exclusive particles which are contained in the Scriptures (the terms ‘by grace, freely, without works, imputation’), the reasons are weighty and true. For as the Church, in all its periods, has used freely some modes of speaking that things might be most plainly propounded, explained, defended, and retained against the various artifices of enemies; so, in the article of justification, we give a prominent place to the exclusive particles of Paul. If it be asked for what purpose and on what account we have adopted and desire to retain the particle ‘alone’ we answer, the reasons are true and weighty. This particle ‘alone’ embraces at once, and that very significantly, all the exclusive particles which the Scriptures use.” In order to specify very particularly the sense in which the phrase “we are justified by faith alone” is used, and to guard against misunderstandings, the Dogmaticians append a number of explanations, from which we select the following. Quen. (III, 552 seq.): “(1) We do not here speak of the energy (ἐvepYeίa) of faith, or of the operation of justifying faith, which manifests itself in various acts of virtues, as love, hope, etc.; but of the operation which is peculiar to it, native and singular, and is entirely incommunicable to all other moral excellencies, namely, the apprehension and application of the merit of Christ. (2) The exclusive particle ‘alone’ does not exclude different kinds of causes, but subordinates them. For it is not opposed (a) to the grace of God, the principal efficient cause of justification; (b) not to the merit of Christ; (c) nor to the Word and Sacraments, which are the instrumental causes of our justification, on the part of God offering and granting, but to our works, for it is they that are excluded by this proposition, so that the proposition, faith alone justifies, is equivalent to this, faith without works justifies. (3) Distinguish between the exclusion of works with respect to their actual presence, and with respect to the communication of efficiency. Works are excluded not from being present, but from the communication of efficiency; not that they are not present to faith and the justified, but that they have no energy or causation in connection with faith in the justification of man. (4) Distinguish between faith considered in respect to justification itself, and then it is only the instrument apprehending the merit of Christ, and it alone justifies; and considered in the person justified, or after justification, and thus it is never alone, but always attended with other graces; indeed, it is the root and beginning of them all. (5) Distinguish between faith alone and a solitary faith. Faith alone justifies; that is, it is the only organ by which we lay hold of the righteousness of Christ and apply it to ourselves, but it never exists alone, or is solitary; that is, detached and separated from the other virtues, because true faith is always living, not dead; therefore it has good works present with itself as its proper effect.” [15] The most correct and common expression is, “we are justified by faith; that is, through faith.” Synonymous in import are the expressions, “we are justified by grace, by the merit, by the obedience of Christ.” (Comp. Form. Conc., Sol. Dec., III, 9 and 12.) If the expression be used, “faith alone justifies,” to avoid all misunderstanding, this is explained as follows. Musæus (in Holl.): “When it is said concerning faith, in the nominative case, that it justifies, the language seems to be figurative. The meaning is not that faith absolves a man from sins and accounts him righteous; but faith is said to justify, because God, in view of it, regards us righteous, or because faith (not by its own, but by the worth of Christ’s merit) moves God to justify us.” Holl. “Osiander justly remarks: ‘If we wish to speak accurately and according to Scripture, it must be said that God alone justifies (for it is an act of God alone); but by faith man is justified.’ For faith of itself does not justify, because it is merely apprehensive. The mode of speaking, because it has become so common to say, faith alone justifies, can be retained, if the phrase be properly explained in accordance with Scripture usage.” Conc. Dec., III, 6): “This article in regard to the righteousness of faith is the chief one in the entire Christian doctrine, without which distressed consciences can have no true and firm consolation, or rightly appreciate the riches of Christ’s grace. This is also confirmed by the testimony of Luther, when he says, if this one article remains uncorrupted the Christian Church will remain uncorrupted, in harmony and without party divisions; but if it is corrupted, it is impossible successfully to oppose a single error or a fanatical spirit.” Chmn. Th., II, 216): “This one point mainly distinguishes the Church from all nations and superstitions, as Augustine says: ‘The Church distinguishes the just from the unjust, not by the law of works but by the law of faith.’ Yea, this article is, as it were, the citadel and chief bulwark of the entire Christian doctrine and religion, which being either obscured, or adulterated, or subverted, it is impossible to retain the purity of the doctrine in other points. But, this doctrine remaining untouched, all idolatries, superstitions, and perversions in all the other doctrines destroy themselves.” [17] The later theologians add further: “The effects and properties of justification.” As effects, Quen. (III, 526) enumerates: “(1) our mystical union with God, John 15:4–6, 14, 23; Gal. 3:17; (2) adoption as sons of God, John 1:12; Rom. 8:14; (3) peace of conscience, Rom. 5:1; (4) certain hearing of prayer, Rom. 8:32; James 1:5–7; (5) sanctification, Rom. 6:12; (6) eternal salvation, Rom. As properties: “(1) Immediate efficacy, for it is not gradual and successive, as renovation, but in a moment, an instant, simultaneously and at once. (2) Perfection, because all sins are perfectly pardoned, so that there is need of no satisfaction of our own, 1 John 1:7; Rom. (3) Identity in the mode of justification, in respect to all that are to be saved. A common salvation of all presupposes a common faith and a common and the same mode of justification. (4) Assurance in us, not conjectural, but infallible and divine. Rom. (5) Growth, not as to the act which is instantaneous, but in regard to faith and the consciousness of justification. 2 Cor. 4:14, 15; (6) Constant continuance. For as the forgiveness of sins, so also our justification is renewed daily, and not only in the first beginning, but faith daily is imputed to the believer for righteousness, and thus our justification is continuous, Rev. 22:11; (7) Amissibility, Ez. 18:24; Heb. 6:5, 6; John 15:2; (8) Recoverableness, John 6:37; Rom. The prodigal son is an example, Luke 15.”[2] Sanctification Through Faith The word “sanctification” is sometimes used in a wider sense, as in 2 Thess. 2:13: “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” The term here comprehends the entire work of the Holy Ghost, by which He leads the sinner unto eternal life. However, it is also used in a narrower sense, as in 1 Thess. 4:3: “This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication” etc. Here the term evidently refers only to that part or phase of the Spirit’s work, by which He incites and directs believers to lead a godly life. As pointed out above, we properly distinguish between the justifying and the sanctifying power of faith. It is the latter of which we speak now. Sanctification in detail.—(a) Renewal of the heart.—Sanctification of life begins in the heart. By nature man is carnally minded, and an enemy of God (Rom. But by faith he appreciates and accepts the blessings of God’s grace. Thus there is created in his heart a gratitude and a love of God. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). His attitude toward God is changed. This change of heart from enmity to love brings about also a change of mind with respect to the things of life. The believer’s view of life and his estimate of earthly things is changed (Phil. 8), and his affection is set on things above (Col. 3:2). Because the believer loves God, his mind is no longer set on the works of the flesh, which God abhors, but on the things of the Spirit, which are pleasing to God (Rom. What he loved before, he now hates; what he hated before, he now loves. Because of the mercies he received from his God, he will not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of his mind to prove what is the good and acceptable will of God (Rom. Thus the moral attitude of man is radically changed; morally he has become a new creature (2 Cor. This inward change and renewal is the essence of sanctification. As all sins proceed from the heart (Matt. 15:19), so does the reformation of life make its beginning there. Compulsory laws and rules may somewhat change the outward conduct of man, but it is the sanctifying power of faith in Christ that truly reforms the evildoer, and renews the image of God in his life (Eph. (b) Struggle against sin.—Such change of heart will inevitably induce the believer to struggle against the wicked promptings of his flesh, in which dwelleth no good thing (Rom. He will not willingly yield to, and obey, the lusts thereof (Rom. 6:12); but he will endeavor to subdue and suppress them. “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. He will change his former manner of life, the “vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers,” by putting off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts (Eph. By daily contrition and repentance the old Adam in the believers is to be drowned, and evil desires are to be resisted and suppressed. But the believer will resist also temptations that approach him from without. His faith enables him to overcome the allurements of the world (1 John 5:4. 4:2), and to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. While before there was in him no power to resist, but rather a strong inclination to yield to every evil temptation (Gen. 8:21), there is in him now a new power, a new will, that struggles against Satan, the world, and the flesh. (c) Good works.—This change of heart manifests itself also in a positive way. The believer will bring forth fruit meet for repentance (Matt. 3:8); his faith works by love (Gal. 5:6); he will be zealous of good works (Tit. He is like “a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season” (Ps. His faith is a light that continually sends forth rays of good works (Matt. 5:16); it is a vital energy, always active in doing what is pleasing to God. Luther writes in the Preface to St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans: “Thus faith is a divine work in us, that changes and regenerates us of God, and puts to death the old Adam, makes us entirely different men in heart, spirit, mind, and all powers, and brings with it the Holy Ghost. Oh, it is a living, busy, active, powerful thing that we have in faith, so that it is impossible for it not to do good without ceasing. Nor does it ask whether good works are to be done; but before the question is asked, it has wrought them, and is always engaged in doing them” (F.C., Th. D., Art. IV, 10, Triglot, p. 941). True faith always sanctifies.—As a light sends forth rays from the moment it begins to burn until it is extinguished, so the sanctification of life begins the very moment faith is kindled in the heart, and it continues as long as the light of faith burns. There can be no true faith in the heart without having some effect on the life of a person, for faith always works by love (Gal. Where there is faith in the heart, there is sanctification in the life. The lives Christians lead before men are the outward evidence of their faith in God. “Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone … Shew me thy faith without thy works” (which is impossible), “and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:17. When faith dies, sanctification of life ceases; even though the outward form of godliness may continue, its strength and essence are gone (2 Tim. Sanctification varies.—The sanctifying power of faith (not its justifying power) varies according to the strength or the weakness of faith. The weak faith succumbs to temptation more easily than the strong faith, is less productive of good works, and gives way to fear and doubt in face of danger (Matt. The fluctuations of faith are reflected in the life of a person. For this reason the holiness of life is not the same in all believers; not even in the same person does it continue on the same level. Not all Christians are equally zealous and fruitful of good works. As faith weakens, love waxes cold, and good works decrease in number and quality. To achieve a greater sanctification of life, there must be a stronger faith and a deeper appreciation of the goodness or God. Hence, it must be our constant effort to continue and to grow in the faith, so that we may grow also in holiness of life; “to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. Growing in faith, we shall abound also in charity toward each other (2 Thess. Sanctification is never perfect.—Let no one imagine that it is possible for him to become perfect in his life. Paul confesses: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus” (Phil. Christ apprehended Paul that he should become perfect, and Paul strives to attain this end; but he admits that he has not yet succeeded. Isaiah admits that even “our right-eousnesses are as filthy rags” (Is. “For our best works, even after the grace of the Gospel has been received, are still weak and not at all pure” (Apol., Art. III, 42, Triglot, p. 169).—The reason why no believer can become perfect in his life is that besides the new man, which is faith in its sanctifying function, he still has the old Adam, the flesh, original sin, which is by no means eradicated from his nature, but clings to him unto death (Rom. 7:14–24), which continually lusts against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17), and contaminates even the good works that proceed from faith. But while a Christian must admit imperfection in his best endeavors, he will, nevertheless, “follow after,” earnestly strive for perfection, “to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. Hence, sanctification is progressive, but never perfect in this life. Sanctification of life not optional.—(a) “This is the will of God, even your sanctification” (1 Thess. We sometimes forget this, and are concerned only about our final salvation in heaven; we are anxious to live with Christ in the kingdom of glory, but are not always so eager to live under Him in His kingdom of grace. (b) However, Christ redeemed us that also in this life we should live under Him in righteousness and true holiness (2 Cor. (c) Also for this purpose the Holy Ghost has converted us. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. Therefore we should follow holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebr. 12:14), abound in every good work (2 Cor. 9:8), and not be weary in well doing (Gal. Sanctification of life has no saving power.—While the new life we lead is, indeed, a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God” (Rom. 12:1), it is by no means a sacrifice by which we atone for past transgressions, and on account of which God declares us just. It is rather a sacrifice of thanksgiving for the mercies received, and it is not offered in expectation of a reward. A life lived and a work done in expectation of reward cease to be fruits of faith and love. God, indeed, promises to reward faithful service (Matt. 6:9); still, such service must not be rendered because, and in expectation, of such reward, but because, and in recognition, of the numerous blessings we have gratuitously received from His hands. A holy life can never proceed from a mercenary motive, but from love. Sanctification of life, therefore, can never be the cause of our justification before God, but it is the result and consequence thereof. For this reason sanctification of life can never be properly taught independent of, and separated from, justification. Our Lutheran Confessions reject as false “that man, after he has been born again, can perfectly observe and completely fulfill God’s Law, and that this fulfilling is our righteousness before God, by which we merit eternal life” (F.C., Epit., Art. II, 12, Triglot, p. 789). The causes of sanctification.—(a) The principal efficient cause of our sanctification is the Triune God. “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly” (1 Thess. “It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. More especially this work is ascribed to the Holy Ghost, who prompts and induces us to mortify the flesh (Rom. 14), renews us (Tit. 3:5), and brings forth good fruits (Gal. To do this, the Holy Ghost employs means. Since it is faith that worketh by love, it is necessary that this faith be continually stimulated and strengthened, which is done by means of the Gospel. But while the Holy Ghost uses the Gospel to energize our faith, and to make us able and willing to serve God in our lives, He uses the Law to direct us as to what God would have us do (Rom. “For the Law says indeed that it is God’s will and command that we should walk in a new life, but it does not give us the power and ability to begin and do it; but the Holy Ghost, who is given and received, not through the Law, but through the preaching of the Gospel, Gal. 3:14, renews the heart. Thereafter the Holy Ghost employs the Law so as to teach the regenerate from it, and to point out and show them in the Ten Commandments what is the good and acceptable will of God, Rom. 12:2, in what works God hath before ordained that they should walk, Eph. D., Art. (b) The secondary cooperating cause is man. While in his conversion man is purely passive (he does not convert himself, but is converted), he concurs in the work of his sanctification, cooperating with the Holy Ghost by virtue of the spiritual powers bestowed upon him. In leading holy lives and in doing good works Christians are not automata, but they are consciously active. It is man that suppresses evil desires, resists temptation, wills and does what is pleasing to God; but behind all this is the energizing, prompting, directing power of the Holy Ghost (Phil. “As soon as the Holy Ghost through the Word and Sacraments has begun in us His work of regeneration and renewal, it is certain that through the power of the Holy Ghost we can and should cooperate, although in great weakness. But this does not occur from our carnal natural powers, but from the new powers and gifts which the Holy Ghost has begun in us in our conversion, as Paul expressly and earnestly exhorts that we as workers together with Him receive not the grace of God in vain, 2 Cor. But this is to be understood in no other way than that the converted man does good to such an extent and so long as God by His Spirit rules, guides, and leads him, and as soon as God withdraws His gracious hand from him, he could not for a moment persevere in obedience to God. But if this were understood thus that the converted man cooperates with the Holy Ghost in the manner as when two horses together draw a wagon, this could in no way be conceded without prejudice to the divine truth” (F.C., Th. D., Art. sanctification Sanctification, sometimes called renovation, is technically employed to express the continuation of the divine work begun in regeneration, whereby the power of the new life is steadily increased and depravity and sin are more and more overcome in both heart and life (1 Thess. Some distinctions are to be noted: (1) It is distinguished from justification, (a) in that justification is objective, an act of God without us, pardoning and counting us righteous, while sanctification is a work wrought within us. The first absolves from the guilt of sin; this cleanses from sin itself. (b) Justification is complete at once, while sanctification is a progressive work, and never reaches a point in this life beyond which there is no room or demand for improvement (Rom. (2) It is to be distinguished from regeneration, in that while regeneration conveys the power and reality of the new life, this is a progressive increase of actual holiness day by day, to its completion in the “eternal life.” (3) It differs from both justification and regeneration, in that while these are wholly and purely God’s work, sanctification involves man’s own concurrence and co-operation. It includes, as plainly meant, a real synergism—that the true believer must “work out” into manifest fruitage of holy living and righteous, loving character, the possibilities which grace has put into the whole redemptive provision (Phil. The new life, divinely inaugurated, must be actually and actively lived, into personal victory over evil and into goodness, if salvation is to be consummated. The justified and regenerate man becomes a “co-laborer with God” (1 Cor. 2:7), a secondary cause subordinated and enabled by God, so that he may not only renew himself daily by the power received from above, but instrumentally co-operate in the progress of the Redeemer’s kingdom. Though important to make and maintain these distinctions for the sake of theological exactness in definition, according to real peculiarities and relations, it is equally so to note and remember that they cohere in a unity that is inseparable. They cannot be separated in normal Christian experience, so that we may have one without the others. The theological tendency to trace out differences and distinctions in the parts which constitute the process of actualizing personal salvation is in danger of obscuring their essential unity or organic integration. What to some may seem pedantic distinctions must necessarily be made and maintained, but the certainty of the distinctions must be attended with even greater emphasis upon their indispensable co-action in the life of Christian experience. Regeneration must appear in that experience, if one is really “justified” through the faith whose very principle is spiritually vitalizing—the reception of Christ into his heart and life. It is not “justifying faith” if it be “dead” or non-vitalizing. So sanctification must follow regeneration—the advance of the given life, in more or less distinct measure, being the indispensable condition and indeed the very reality of the saving force and movement. It is the law of “life” to advance in the direction of its own governing principle. The normal Christian life must therefore progress—exhibit its adaptation to consummate in recovered holiness. The reality of justification marks not only the beginning of grace, but also the principle of the further grace of the new life—actually giving that life in initial movement which sanctification is to carry forward to completion. But never, to the end of his earthly life, is man’s “justification” other than at first, i. e., forgiveness and acceptance on account of Christ’s propitiation and imputed righteousness. For he is never “justified” on the ground of his own sinlessness. And the “regenerate state” into which he comes through justification and the Spirit’s quickening, as it is only a progressive reaching of the new life, must be carried forward by sanctification, in which God, through the believer’s own co-operation, consummates the complete salvation from sin and restored holiness. Sanctification is, in truth, only the co-operative stage of the regenerating movement on to its completion. Both justification and regeneration continue and move forward through sanctification to the final salvation. The distinctive forms of work, therefore, which enter successively into the movement of personal salvation, present a unity upon which the success of the whole saving effort depends. Only in the real progression of Christ “for” us in justification into Christ “in” us of regeneration and advancing sanctification, is Christ made in final realization the power of “an eternal life.” Only thus is the principle or law of holiness, righteousness, and love restored to the life of the human soul, expressed as the writing of the law in the heart of man. Antinomianism, which resolves the process of salvation into repeal or lowering of the standard of moral law or ethical excellence, has no place in the theology of the Scriptures or in the Christian life. “The law is holy, just, and good.” Redemption is the divine movement for overthrow of moral evil, Love’s triumph for the supremacy of ethical law (Matt 5:17–48; Rom. Its efficient cause. (a) Its total aim is effectuated in the saving work of the Trinity (1 Thess. (b) The work of Christ enters as a power and provision for its accomplishment (1 Cor. (c) Especially the Holy Spirit as applying the redemption provided in God’s grace and truth (John 14:16–17; Rom. Its instrumental cause. It is not effected directly, but through appointed means, the word and sacraments (John 17:17; Eph. Though progressive, it is never perfect in this life (Phil. It nevertheless forms the completing process in the spiritual recovery of the soul, and in its consummation makes the ransomed “meet for the inheritance of the saints in light” (Eph. The Mystical Union As involved in God’s gaining entrance thus, through His truth and Holy Spirit, into the human mind, effecting spiritual renewal and purification, there is formed a peculiar, vital relation that has been not inaptly designated the Mystical Union. This is not to be confounded with what is historically known as “Mysticism,” which in its different types is allied with pantheism or breaks with the evangelical teaching of redemption.1 But the Mystical Union takes account of the evangelical reality which Mysticism failed to apprehend, and in whose place it wove its transcendent and pantheistic dreams and pieties. We must clearly discriminate this deep and essential reality from the theological musings of historical mysticism. The chief Scriptures asserting it are the following: John 14:23; 15:1–7; 1 Cor. The natural and necessary interpretation of these Scriptures, in the light of the divine working through the word and Spirit in the mind and heart of believers, justifies us in affirming of this union: (1) It is not simply the common immanent presence of God, by virtue of which He is in everything, according to the truth: “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This divine immanence in all nature, whatever it may be, is not itself the redemptory benediction promised in the gospel as the saving indwelling and working. (2) It is not a mere figure of speech, a word of ideal stimulation, but most true and real. (3) It is not a making into one substance or essence the essences of God and of the believer, or a realization of any pantheistic idcalism. It stands apart from all the forms of varied monistic unifications of God and man in the theosophic philosophies of our day. (4) But it is the special presence, or indwelling, which God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, gives to the believer, by which He really abides in him, accomplishing within him the work of grace, comfort, joy, and purification. It is St. Paul’s experienced reality: “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20); and the fulfillment of the promise: “If a man love Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). Sartorius well expresses it: “God dwells, Christ dwells, in man, and man in Him by love, not as though any mingling or identification of the Divine and human natures took place, for this would not be love, whose essence consists always in the union of the distinct; they remain diverse and essentially different as the created and the uncreated, and yet are made like and united in the fervor of love and its return. It is not from afar, but as indwelliug (immanent) that the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son bears witness to our spirit that we are the children of God.”1 Viewing thus the gospel of salvation in its whole aim and mode, in its redemptory provision and applicatory process, it is luminously clear in divine adaptations, both as an impressive and touching appeal of self-sacrificing Love, and as an exact correspondence to the constitutional faculties of the human race, for the recovery of free personalities from the error and bondage of sin into which they had lapsed. Its appeal and means, if rightly traced, are found to reveal the perfect philosophy of Absolute Wisdom and Goodness, forming a distinct and impressive seal of its divinity.[4] The Relation of Justification to Sanctification The teaching of Scripture and of Scriptural theology on the relation between justification or faith and sanctification and good works may be epitomized in these two statements: 1. There is an inseparable connection (nexus indivulsus) between justification and sanctification; where there is justification, there is in every case also sanctification. But in this nexus indivulsus the cart must not be placed before the horse, that is, sanctification must not be placed before justification, but must be left in its proper place as the consequence and effect of justification. Thus the Formula of Concord: “This should not be understood as though justification and renewal were sundered from one another in such a manner that a genuine faith sometimes could exist and continue for a time together with a wicked intention, but hereby only the order (of cause and effects, of antecedents and consequents) is indicated, how one precedes or succeeds the other. For what Luther has correctly said remains true nevertheless: Faith and good works well agree and fit together (are inseparably connected); but it is faith alone, without works, which lays hold of the blessing; and yet it is never and at no time alone.” (Trigl. In view of the great importance of these two points and the strong opposition which is raised against them today, the matter will have to be presented in greater detail. The two points were at issue, too, in the controversies of the Lutheran Church of the sixteenth century against Antinomianism and Majorism. On the one hand, the nexus indivulsus between faith and good works had to be maintained, and, on the other hand, the inversion of the proper order of faith and good works had to be rejected. As to the nexus indivulsus, Scripture teaches that wherever the Holy Ghost works faith in the Gospel in a man, He immediately works also sanctification and good works in that same man through that faith.8 Though justification precedes sanctification ordine causarum et effectuum, they both take place at the same time.9 It is therefore correct to say that where there is no sanctification, there is also no faith. There are all sorts of men who have no use for this nexus indivulsus. There are the theologians of the “critical school” who shake their heads when they see how the Apostle Paul intimately connects the inner moral transformation, the iustitia inhaerens, with the actus forensis of justification, the iustitia imputata. They say that such a connection is inconceivable. They insist that the Apostle inadvertently mixed up “two streams of thought,” the Jewish and the Hellenistic, which are really incompatible. (See Vol. There are also modern “positive” theologians who declare that the iustitia fidei imputata could never produce sanctification; in order to produce sanctification, justifying faith itself must be taken not merely as instrumental, but as an “ethical act” or as the “germ” of sanctification. Furthermore, it must be admitted that even the Christians who in theory maintain the inseparable connection between justification and sanctification are ever in danger, because of their flesh, of forgetting this connection in practice. But Scripture strongly emphasizes the fact that sanctification is indissolubly connected with justification. We may not be able to explain fully the “psychological connection” between these two occurrences, but the fact that they are closely connected is clearly stated in Scripture. In Rom. 3:21 to the end of chapter five the Apostle sets forth that justification is an actus forensis, nothing but the judicial verdict of innocence,10 so much so that he places the faith which justifies in opposition to every moral quality in man (Rom. In Rom. 6:1 Paul at once brings up the question whether in view of such a justification a life in sin is possible; and he answers that they who are justified can self-evidently no longer live in sin, since they have died to sin. In 6:2–11 he presents this state of affairs as an established, indisputable fact and closes with this summary in v. 11: “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” The thought that justified men could still serve sin and not live unto God would be as absurd as if we assumed that men who have departed this life and are in their graves are still participating in earthly activities. The Apostle certainly teaches that there is an indissoluble connection between sanctification, or the iustitia inhaerens, and justification, the mere imputation of righteousness.11 And then there is a “psychological connection” between justification and sanctification. Why should Pfleiderer, Holtzmann, and others declare this matter to be inconceivable? They will admit that the intercourse of men is regulated by the law of psychology that love begets love. Now, God loves man with a wondrously great love. “God so (oὕtwς) loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son” (John 3:16). “Herein (ἐv toύtῳ) is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). “God commendeth [σuvίσtnσι, proves] His love towards us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. Convince a man of this wondrously great love of God for him, and he cannot help loving God in return and avoiding sin for the sake of his love to God. And God knows how to convince and assure man of His great love. He does not appeal to the natural powers of man, for the natural man will not believe in this love, but regards it as foolishness (1 Cor. Nor does He try to demonstrate His love by the persuasive words of man’s wisdom (1 Cor. But He simply presents this great love as a fact, and by this preaching of the Gospel the Holy Ghost creates faith in the love of God. Rom. 10:17: “Faith cometh by hearing.” And when this faith in the Gospel, faith in the love of God in Christ, has been kindled in man’s heart, he will, as a matter of course, love God and hate sin. Thus there is a “psychological connection” between justification and sanctification. They no longer form “two heterogeneous strata of dogmatic construction.” In Paul’s own case everything was psychologically correct as to the indissoluble connection between justification and sanctification. “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. Nor did the Christians find that they were supposed to act “unpsychologically” when they declared with John: “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19) and with Paul: “He died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. It is the experience of all Christians that the more certain they are of God’s grace and of their heavenly inheritance, the more ready are they to serve God and to set their affection on things above. “I will run the way of Thy Commandments when Thou shalt enlarge my heart” (Ps. Also love of the neighbor flows psychologically from faith in the love of God. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11), and: “Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath given Himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. Thus the love of God and of the neighbor, in other words, the fulfillment of the Law (Matt. 15:8–10), is connected by a nexus indivulsus with justifying faith in a spiritual and yet most natural manner. Justification and sanctification are certainly not two heterogeneous “streams of thought” which run side by side without blending, but they clearly and certainly are “psychologically connected.” The moderns are right from their standpoint in ruling out faith as the cause of sanctification. The faith which they have in mind is wholly or in part the product of man, the result of man’s self-decision or the product of scientific demonstration. Such a faith is an impotent thing. Like all the works of man’s hands, it must fail. In the words of Luther: “As it [fides acquisita] is a human fiction and a dream, causing no real change of the heart, so it also accomplishes nothing and is followed by no improvement” (St. L. XIV:99). But the faith which is kindled by the Holy Ghost without any human co-operation, which amidst the terrors of conscience “assents to the promise of God, in which, for Christ’s sake, the remission of sins and justification are freely offered” (Trigl. 135, Apol., IV, 48), is virile and dynamic. This faith produces sanctification and good works. The Apology presents this psychologically: “This special faith, by which an individual believes that for Christ’s sake his sins are remitted him, and that for Christ’s sake God is reconciled and propitious, obtains remission of sins and justifies us. And because in repentance, i.e., in terrors, it comforts and encourages hearts, it regenerates us and brings the Holy Ghost, that then we may be able to fulfill God’s Law, namely, to love God, truly to fear God, truly to be confident that God hears prayer and to obey God in all afflictions; it mortifies concupiscence, etc.” (Trigl. Luther describes the power of the divinely wrought faith thus: “Faith is a divine work in us that changes us and regenerates us of God (John 1:13) and puts to death the old Adam and makes us entirely different men in heart, spirit, mind, and all powers and brings with it the Holy Ghost. Oh, it is a living, busy, active, powerful thing that we have in faith so that it is impossible for it not to do good without ceasing. Nor does it ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has wrought them and is always engaged in doing them.… Faith is a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain that a man would die a thousand times for it. And this trust and knowledge of divine grace renders joyful, fearless, and cheerful towards God and all creatures, which [joy or cheerfulness] the Holy Ghost works through faith. And on account of this, man becomes ready and cheerful, without coercion, to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, and to suffer everything for love and praise to God, who has conferred this grace on him, so that it is impossible to separate works from faith, yea, just as impossible as it is for heat and light to be separated from fire.” (St. L. XIV:99 f. Trigl. Decl., IV, 10 ff.) When Scripture states that faith works sanctification (Gal. 5:6: “Faith which worketh by love”) and, in other passages, that the Holy Ghost works sanctification (Rom. 8:9), it presents the truth that the Holy Ghost, as the efficient cause of sanctification, works through faith as His instrumentum. Through faith in the grace of God, in the remission of sins for Christ’s sake, He inscribes the love of God and all Christian virtues, i.e., the entire Law of God, into the heart (Gal. Viewed also from this angle, the inseparable connection between justification and sanctification is clearly seen. Again, Scripture states that faith is wrought by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 2:4–5) and, in other passages, that only by faith we can receive the Holy Ghost. Gal. 3:2, 5: “Received ye the Holy Ghost by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith?” In the first instance the Holy Ghost is represented as approaching man from without with the Word of the Gospel and creating faith through the Word. In the latter instance He is represented as having already made His abode in man’s heart. That is to say, when the Holy Ghost has created faith in the heart He does not cease working, but through faith He continues His work in the heart; from within He sustains man’s faith in justification and by sustaining his faith promotes sanctification as the fruit of faith. In these various ways Scripture teaches the nexus indivulsus between justification and sanctification, between faith and good works. Now as to the second point. Justification and sanctification cannot be separated; however, last things must not be put first. Sanctification must not be placed before justification. Sanctification is the consequens, never the antecedens, of justification. The natural man protests against this divine order. According to his conception of religion, works must be placed before justification—the cart must be placed before the horse. That is the belief of all pagans (Acts 17:22–23; 1 Cor. Trigl. 177, Apol., III, 85) and of apostate Jewry (Rom. Trigl. That is the teaching of the Papacy; while it has put on Christian trappings, it anathematizes all who will not hitch the cart before the horse.12 And that is the teaching of all those Protestants who in various ways and under various names let good works, “ethical” actions, correct conduct, etc., precede conversion and justification or make good works either expressly the causa, or at least the conditio sine qua non of obtaining eternal salvation (Arminians, synergists, Majorists, modern radical and positive theologians). This general perversion of the divine order is due to the “opinio legis, which inheres by nature in men’s mind” (Trigl. Only when men are instructed by the Holy Ghost through the Word will they get the right view of religion and place sanetification after justification. Because the flesh still clings to them, even Christians are always prone to assign to works a place before justification (see Luther, St. L. IV:2077 f.). And even theologians who theoretically define the relation of faith and works correctly are tempted to lose sight of this relation in practice. When they observe how the doctrine of grace is misused to neglect the doing of good works, they at times succumb to the temptation to forget the “mercies of God” (Rom. 12:1) as the sole fountainhead of good works and to approve, at least tacito consensu, such works as are not the fruits of justification.13 (See further the section on “The Good Works of the Heathen.”) It is fatal folly and blindness to pervert, either openly or secretly, the proper order of justification and sanctification (Gal. Scripture tells us that in every case where good works are placed ahead of justification two things ensue. In the first place, men do not thereby gain justification, but call down upon themselves the curse (Gal. And, in the second place, the very opposite of sanctification and good works results, namely, sin is increased. Rom. 7:5: “The motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” Either sanctification and good works follow justification, or there will be no sanctification and good works at all. Scripture sets forth this truth from several viewpoints. One who does not believe in justification by faith without the works of the Law is still under the Law; the Law, however, does not dethrone sin, but arouses it (Rom. Luther VIII:1455). The Law does not work sanctification, but—the flesh is at fault—hypocrisy (Jer. 31:32; Luke 18:11–12) or despair (Acts 16:27). Again: He who does not believe in the Gospel, in other words, he who trusts in his works for justification, is not ruled by the Holy Ghost, but by the devil. And such a one does not perform the holy will of God, but he thinks, wills, and does what Satan works in him (Eph. Therefore the practical need of the individual Christian, who is concerned about his Christian faith and Christian life, and the practical need of the Church, inasmuch as it is concerned about faith and sanctification, demand that, on the one hand, the nexus indivulsus between justification and sanctification and, on the other hand, the ordo antecedentium et consequentium be clearly understood and scrupulously maintained. The following discussion also is intended to serve that purpose.[5] [1] Edward Wilhelm August Koehler, A Summary of Christian Doctrine: A Popular Presentation of the Teachings of the Bible, electronic ed. (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1999), 145–155. Grh. Gerhard. [2] Heinrich Schmid, The Doctrinal Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Verified from the Original Sources, trans. Charles A. Hay and Henry E. Jacobs, Second English Edition, Revised according to the Sixth German Edition (Philadelphia, PA: Lutheran Publication Society, 1889), 430–447. [3] Edward Wilhelm August Koehler, A Summary of Christian Doctrine: A Popular Presentation of the Teachings of the Bible, electronic ed. (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1999), 155–161. 1 See Dr. Shedd’s “History of Christian Doctrine,” Vol. 1 “Doctrine of Divine Love,” p. 250. [4] Milton Valentine, Christian Theology & 2, vol. 2 (Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1906), 272–277. 8 That was done, too, in the case of the malefactor on the cross (Luke 23:40–41). 9 Formula of Concord: Faith which lays hold of the blessing without works “is never and at no time alone” (931, Sol. Decl., III, 41). Carpzov, quoted in Baier-Walther, III, 301: “In the same instant and moment in which faith is kindled in us and in which faith, grasping the offered justification, justifies us, we are also renewed in mind and body.” Quenstedt: “Regeneration” (in the sense of the generation of faith), “justification, the union with Christ and renovation all take place at the same time; their union is closer than that of a mathematical point; they cannot be separated and divorced. Nevertheless, according to our mode of conceiving (notionally), regeneration and justification precede the unio mystica.” 10 Holtzmann maintains correctly that Rom. 5:12–21 treats solely of justification, and not yet of sanctification (II, 153). 11 Holtzmann: “When the believer passes from the sphere of the Law intothe sphere of grace, the dominion of sin has come definitely to an end” (II, 166). 12 Trid., Sess. VI, can. 24: “If anyone saith that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof, let him be anathema.” 13 I have in mind here, e.g., the custom of raising funds for the church by sales, socials, etc., on the plea that unless this method is followed, the necessary “good works” will not be done. [5] Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, electronic ed., vol. 3 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1953), 7–13. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)