The common evangelical doctrine of 'once saved, always saved' is based on Calvin's doctrines of the total depravity of man after the Fall, which Calvin holds destroys man's freedom and will, and of double predestination, the predetermination of those who will be saved and those who will not by God in His eternal decree before the creation and fall of man. Calvin held that all men are either saved or damned, elect or reprobated, before they are born - by the sovereign decision of God without any regard for human freedom or free-will, or for human faith in, correspondence and cooperation with, or response to the divine initiative. The Prayer Book and Articles of Religion, which embody the ancient Catholic faith of the whole Church, reject the Calvinist doctrines of the Fall of Man and double predestination, and with them, the view of 'once saved, always saved.' We believe man is saved solely by the grace of God which is freely received and lived in human freedom. Man must consent to his own salvation and sanctification, for God will not force us to be saved. 'Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling.' And salvation is itself of process of God's grace, which begins in the free and undeserved gift of justification given in Baptism and moves to sanctification by the Holy Ghost in the Sacraments and the Christian life, in which we participate by our active response to God's grace.We must, by faith, hope and love, choose to remain in the state of salvation that leads to eternal life - the process of salvation requires our willing cooperation with and obedience to the Faith and to the grace freely given us: 'I heartily thank our heavenly Father, that he hath called me to this state of salvation, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. And I pray unto God to give me his grace, that I may continue in the same unto my life's end' (Office of Instruction, BCP 284). We may choose to reject our salvation if we reject God's holy will and commandments.
1 comment:
Fr. Chad,
I read your blog often and appreciate much of what you post here. I have never responded on any blogs (though I read several of them). But I was working on my sermon for this week and happened to read Calvin on the Epistle lesson (I Cor 9:24-27). He made the following quote: 24. "Know ye not, that they who run in a race." He has laid down the
doctrine, and now, with the view of impressing it upon the minds of the Corinthians, he adds an exhortation. He states briefly, that what they had hitherto attained was nothing, unless they steadfastly persevered, inasmuch as it is not enough to have once entered on the Lord’s way, if they do not strive until they reach the goal, agreeably to that declaration of Christ — He that shall endure unto the end, etc. (Matthew 10:22.)
Please do not get me wrong--I am not a promoter of everything that Calvin said--I certainly have numerous issues with him. But I think that what is often branded as "Calvinism" is not always congruent with what Calvin himself said.
Anyway, I just thought that I would point out that he seems to imply that perseverance is not without effort on the part of those who enter the race. Keep up the good work!
Grace & Peace,
Charlie+
Holy Trinity (REC) Fairfax
Post a Comment