In the eleventh century St. Anselm, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury wrote “Cur Deus Homo,” which translated is “Why God Became Man.” In this work, he directly took on the idea that there was no true justice in the idea that God had to pay Satan a ransom to redeem His creation. His focus … Continue reading The Atonement as Satisfaction
The Atonement as Christus Victor
Another dominant view of the atonement from the early Church is Christus Victor. This view focuses on the victory Christ won on the cross over the powers that hold mankind in bondage – sin, death, and Satan. Adam and Eve by their disobedience placed humanity under this bondage. Unlike the ransom view of atonement which … Continue reading The Atonement as Christus Victor
The Atonement as Ransom
In my last post I referred to a common saying that “Jesus paid a debt he did not owe, because I owed a debt I could not pay.” Sacred Scripture does support the idea that Christ is paying a “debt” with his sacrifice as we read in Colossians 2:13-14 - “And you, who were dead … Continue reading The Atonement as Ransom
An Overview of the Atonement/God’s Active or Permitted Will?
Scripture tells us three times in the Garden of Gethsemane Christ prayed to the Father to allow the cup of his passion to pass from him; that he would not have to drink it. And all three times he also prayed that not his will, but the Father’s will be done. It becomes a model … Continue reading An Overview of the Atonement/God’s Active or Permitted Will?
Mortal and Venial Sins Part 3
A couple of posts back I quoted a view that the concept of a difference between mortal and venial sins isn’t Biblical. We’ll now turn to the most explicit passage of Scripture that specifically says, yes it is. We already reviewed this passage in the context of whether a person can lose their salvation where … Continue reading Mortal and Venial Sins Part 3
Mortal and Venial Sins Part 2
To resolve the question as to whether some sins are greater than others, we simply have to look to the words of Christ. When standing before Pilate to be condemned to death, Pilate asks Jesus, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to … Continue reading Mortal and Venial Sins Part 2
Mortal and Venial Sins Part 1
Closely related to our understanding that a person who was once a member of the body of Christ can be severed and “lose” their salvation is an understanding of whether certain sins will result in this separation. For all of those Christian groups who do not profess a doctrine of Once-Saved, Always Saved or in … Continue reading Mortal and Venial Sins Part 1
Presumption versus Despair
The Catholic teaching about “presumption” is one that some Christian groups can find offensive. It can be seen as an affront to how they view Christ’s finished work on the cross. We will explore that concept more as we delve deeper into our understanding of salvation and how it may differ from some. But for … Continue reading Presumption versus Despair
Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 6
In his writings in Sacred Scripture, St. Paul affirms many of the things we’ve already seen regarding our salvation –faithfulness to Christ is not optional, we must remain in him, and we must persevere to the end. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, St. Paul writes “Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached … Continue reading Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 6
Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 5
The Bible includes many passages that indicate an individual can lose their salvation. We’ve looked at what Christ has to say. Before we move on to St. Paul, I’d like to look at some of the other New Testament passages that speak to this topic. In the book of Acts we read “When they had … Continue reading Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 5
Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 4
Over the next several posts we’ll look at the places in Scripture that indicate you can at one time be a member of the body of Christ and then lose that position, your salvation. We’ll start by looking at some things Jesus himself says. In Luke 8:4-15 Jesus tells the parable of the sower, and … Continue reading Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 4
Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 3
There are other places in Sacred Scripture that those who believe in a doctrine of Eternal Security will point to in support of their understanding. One is John 5:24 where Jesus says “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not … Continue reading Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 3
Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 2
When a Catholic engages in conversation with another Christian who believes in the doctrine of Eternal Security, one of the more common questions we may be asked is, “Do you know you are saved? The Bible says you can know that you have eternal life. Do you know you have eternal life?” The underlying premise … Continue reading Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 2
Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 1
The “P” in Calvin’s TULIP acronym stands for the “Perseverance of the Saints.” In Calvin’s view since God is sovereign and His will cannot be frustrated, those who are predestined to salvation will receive the grace to persist in faith to the end. Calvin is the first to promote this doctrine and it is a … Continue reading Once-Saved, Always-Saved Part 1
Irresistible Grace
The “I” in Calvin’s TULIP acronym stands for “Irresistible Grace.” Since Calvin believed the elect chosen by God for salvation did not possess the free will needed to respond, the grace that God gives to those elect is “irresistible,” which also means they do not possess the free will to resist. The saving grace of … Continue reading Irresistible Grace
Limited Atonement
The “L” in Calvin’s TULIP acronym stands for “Limited Atonement.” This believe asserts that only the sins of the “elect” were atoned for by the death of Christ. The reasoning used is that the blood of Christ was sufficient to pay for the sins of every single human being IF it had been God’s intention … Continue reading Limited Atonement
Unconditional Election
The “U” in Calvin’s TULIP acronym stands for “Unconditional Election.” This belief asserts that God has chosen from eternity those whom He will save and it has absolutely nothing to do with personal virtue, merit, or even personal faith but simply based on His desire and mercy. Those he chooses will be given the gift … Continue reading Unconditional Election
“Judge Not”
I often read comments that people make on various posts, news articles, etc. It can provide an interesting insight into the way people think. It can also often be disheartening, for many times a lack of charity is in full display. In my last post I wrote about the Catholic understanding that while we may … Continue reading “Judge Not”
Original Sin
Christian views on what original sin actually is and its impact can vary. The Catechism has a very good presentation of the Catholic view and is well worth the read (paragraphs 396-421). Here is a summary: We cannot understand evil and misery in the world apart from our connection to Adam’s sin. This sin has … Continue reading Original Sin
Total Depravity Part 2
Calvinists can point to many verses in Scripture that would support their view that humanity is totally depraved. Here’s a sampling: Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt; who can understand it? Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, … Continue reading Total Depravity Part 2
Total Depravity Part 1
The five points of Calvinism are generally known by the acronym TULIP, which stands for T – Total Depravity, U – Unconditional Election, L – Limited Atonement, I – Irresistible Grace, and P – Perseverance of the Saints. Total depravity means that as a consequence of the fall of man and original sin, every person … Continue reading Total Depravity Part 1
John Calvin and Free Will
I do not profess to be an expert on Calvinist theology nor have I read all that Calvin ever wrote. But even a small dive into his beliefs will quickly run into the topic of free will. Calvin did not profess that we had no free will regarding anything. He didn’t believe that God directed … Continue reading John Calvin and Free Will
The Five Points of Calvinism
Over the next many posts I will be writing about the theology of John Calvin and how as Catholics we would view and differ from his beliefs. There will be many “sub-topics” that relate to this discussion – topics like original sin and our human condition, our role in judging others (or not!), whether God … Continue reading The Five Points of Calvinism
The Resurrection Part 2
In my last post I quoted the Episcopal bishop who said that “we don’t know what happened to Jesus after his death,” referring to an understanding that the physical resurrection of Christ is not necessary for the Christian faith. That is a befuddling statement for any Christian to make. Scripture tells us exactly what happened … Continue reading The Resurrection Part 2
The Resurrection Part 1
In 1 Corinthians 15:12-14 St. Paul writes “Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in … Continue reading The Resurrection Part 1
