Some ramblings while waiting for the New Year.
"But needless to say, Jesus is not saying we EARN salvation, even partially."
"
Does a patient "earn" his healing by taking the medicne prescribed by his Physician?
If the Orthodox believed we could be saved without Grace why would we see salvation as coming through our participation in the Grace Filled Sacraments of the Church?
The word grace is from Latin: \Grace\, n. [F. gr[^a]ce, L. gratia, from gratus beloved, dear, agreeable; perh. akin to Gr. ? to rejoice, ? favor, grace, Skr. hary to desire, and E. yearn. Cf. Grateful, Gratis.] 1. The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.
Since the NT was not written in Latin but Greek it may be beneficial to look at the Greek.
Charis: Gaciousness, of manner or act. Divine influence upon the heart, and it's reflection in life. From Chairo. (from the AMG Greek Hebrew Study Bible)
Chairo: verb; to be cheerful, hail, joy, happy or well off.
(from the AMG Greek Hebrew Study Bible)
Could it be that by participating in God's Grace (the sacraments) we allow his Divine influence in our life with the result being our salvation.
The word Grace does not exist in the original writings of the New Testament. Since it is a based on a Latin word and since the NT was written in Greek it is only an attempt to define a foreign word. It is really a third generation definition.
Although Calvinist stand by the "Jot and Tittle" thing they get very annoyed when you mention James. (Epistle of straw = less inspired?)
James 4:6-10
6 But (11) He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "(12) GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
7 (13) Submit therefore (do something) to God. (14) Resist (do something else) the devil and he will flee from you.
8 (15) Draw near (do something else again) to God and He will draw near to you. (16) Cleanse your hands (ditto), you sinners; and (17) purify your hearts (ditto again), you (18) double-minded.
9 (19) Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. (ditto, ditto, ditto)
10 (20) Humble (ditto) yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
(my comments)
Statement: Saved by works = false
Statement: Saved by God =True
Statement: God saving us through our works = true
Statement 3 can be true and still not be affected by statement 1.
------------------------------------
Saved by Faith = True
Saved by Faith alone = false
Both of these statements can not be True.
------------------------------------
IF:
Saved by Faith alone = True
Not Saved by Faith alone = True
we have a problem
Since only one of the above statements is to be found in scripture a critical thinker must chose that one.
For what ever reason I have always been a big picture person. So here is a summation of Scripture in it's totality. God reaching out to man, man responding and finding Life: contrasted with: God reaching out to man, man ignoring and finding death. That's what it's all about. Will we respond to
God or ignore him.
OK I have gone on to much. The best way to know the Ethos of the Church is to have it's prayers and Hymns within our hearts. So even though the above rationalizations are good they are not anywhere as effective as the divine medicine. God's Grace as dispensed within His Church, through the prayers, hymns, mysteries(sacraments (all of them not just 7)). We can proof text scripture and we can proof text the cannons and the Church Fathers. But in the end it is the "Vision of God" that's brings us into Truth. The illumined heart.
WASP
"White Anglo Saxon Parishioner"
