“While Rome teaches that Christ’s satisfaction makes our
merits possible, Calvin insists that it totally excludes them.
The Reformers disagreed with Rome not merely about the
sufficiency of grace (sola gratia), but also over the nature of grace itself.
In Roman Catholic theology, grace is viewed as a substance infused into the
soul to heal it. By cooperating with this transforming grace, one can attain
final salvation. The sacraments function much like an intravenous tube
injecting this grace into a somewhat weakened soul. The more that one
cooperates with this grace, the more grace one receives.
The Reformers saw a completely different definition of grace
in Scripture. On a covenantal map, grace is not an impersonal substance but a
gift that is given by one party to another.
First and foremost, the gift is Christ himself, in whom all
of the Father’s treasures are hidden. Grace is the favor and gift of the
Father, in the Son, communicated by the Spirit through the gospel.
First of all God’s favor toward those who deserve his wrath, it is also God’s gift of justification
and the indwelling Spirit who brings renewal and guarantees our resurrection
unto immortal life.
In Calvin’s understanding, grace is given not as an aid to
our spiritual ascent, so that we may attain to union with God; it is God’s free
gift of union with Christ by his Spirit.”[1]
[emphasis mine]
No comments:
Post a Comment