“A major theme of twentieth-century theology, ever since Barth’s dalectical ‘theology of the Word,’ has been the epistemological relevance of ‘justification by grace.’ That is, the moral tension between works- righteousness and the righteousness of Christ through faith has its equivalent significance for the intellect, and thus for the very method by which faith and theology seek to know the truth. Do we rely on ‘natural’ human understanding and knowledge, or on that which is gifted to us in God’s own self-revelation in Christ?… For Bultmann, we know the Risen Christ not according to the works of the flesh - that is, on the basis of objective historical data about the resurrection, or even his life - but according to the gift of the Spirit, as he encounters us existentially today in the form of proclamation (kerygma)… That is a contrast which Bultmann takes too far, with a dualistic polarization of history and faith, as if the historical reality of the incarnation were quite dispensible, in favor of an ever-contemporary, interiorized encounter with the Christ who is preached. Yet the rationalistic reaction to this, which once again seeks to equate faith with historical knowledge (e.g., Pannenberg), threatens the hiddenness of the gospel, which makes apprehension of the Risen Christ a gift of the Spirit rather than an accomplishment of enlightened reason. Bultmann’s protest, in the name of the sola gratia, against a false objectivizing of the gospel, which in both its Roman Catholic and conservative Prtotestant manifestations has often taken the form of ’salvation through orthodox belief,’ remains wholly valid and evangelical. ‘He [sic] who boasts of orthodoxy thus sins against Justification by Christ alone, for he justifies himself by appeal to his own beliefs, or his own formulation of belief, and thereby does despite to the truth and grace of Christ. Once a Church begins to boast of it ‘orthodoxy’ it begins to fall from grace’ (Torrance).”
Alan E. Lewis, Between Cross and Resurrection: A Theology of Holy Saturday (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2001), p.73, n. 6.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
dh 03.27.09 at 1:19 pm
But we are justified by Grace THROUGH Faith. I have seen historical prrods of the resurrection as evident in the book “Evidence that demands a Verdict” and I understand that it by Faith that one truly believes in in the resurrection aka “You can’t see the wind yet you know its there” parable of Christ. It is a “gift of the Spirit” but Scripture says it is through Faith. It is not enlightened reason but the giving of ones heart, soul and mind over to the Lordship of Christ. Anything less is inconsistent with what Scirpture says. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and Believe with your heart that God has risen from the dead you shall be saved.” I see no way how your view lines up with this passage in Scripture. You seem to think that any response by us to Christ takes away from it all being Christ when that is not the case. The free gift made available to all IS being all Christ because He did everything needed so that by Faith in Him we can enter into the Grace made available to all. Grace is made available to all and is entered into those who by Faith receive the free gift made available to all.
dh 03.27.09 at 1:20 pm
“For as many who RECEIVE to them He gave them power to become the Sons of God.”
Tony Buglass 03.27.09 at 3:24 pm
Eph.2:5 - “it is by grace you have been saved…” amplified a little further as “it is by grace you have been saved through faith” (2:8). The Greek pisteuo means both to believe and to trust. In this context it means we are saved by trusting in Christ for salvation (so Eph.2:8b - “…and this is not of yourselves.”) We are NOT saved by believing true things about God (or, as has been argued elsewhere, the Devil himself would be eligible for salvation because he knows the truth); we are saved by putting our trust in Christ.
Of course, it is simplistic to completely separate “faith as correct beliefs” and “faith as trust” - clearly we do need to believe enough of the correct things about Christ so as to know that it is in him we trust. However, the correct relationship of these things is crucial - if we consider a child or someone of very limited intelligence, they mat be incapable of understanding the categories of the faith, but entirely able to trust. Anselm spoke of “faith seeking understanding” - we begin by putting our trust in Christ, and it is at that point that salvation occurs, and the resulting relationship with God leads us to seek greater understanding.
To argue that we are saved by correct doctrine is to put the cart before the horse, and to risk a slide into pharisaic legalism.
dh 03.27.09 at 3:38 pm
Tony, where did I say in my first reply that disagrees with what you said? I don’t see anything. Why else is the Scripture heart, soul and mind? It IS more than Belief in ones mind. It is with ones heart, soul and mind over to the Lordship of Christ. What you are indirectly referring to with you saying “believing true things about God” are people who believe only with their mind. You also mentioned the devil how he believes and trembles. He only believes with his mind. We must Believe by “Confessing with our mouths and believing with our heart that God has risen from the dead.” and “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind.”
I see nowhere in my previous reply how it could be construed as pharisaic legalism or that correct doctrine alone leads to Salvation. It seems to me what I said seems pretty foundational and I’m rather surprised at your correcting admonishment in light of that.
My response was to them implications of the post that it is Grace alone when it is Grace THROUGH Faith. Faith again is believing and confessing with ones mouth, heart, soul and mind and giving ones life over to the Lordship of Christ. I see nowhere where this is in disagreement with what you said Tony or whith what Scirpture says with regard to Salvation.
Tony Buglass 03.27.09 at 5:06 pm
I didn’t say I was disagreeing with you. I was amplifying what you said, by reference to what the Greek NT actually says.
That’s all. Calm down.
dh 03.27.09 at 6:39 pm
Tony, I hope I never gave you the impression that Salvation is solely “mental accent”. Some people like Kim and others (I didn’t put Richard in this group because I don’t believe he believes this way about me) think that my theology on Salvation is “mental accent” or what ever you call it. When that is clearly not the case. You mentioned this “clearly we do need to believe enough of the correct things about Christ so as to know that it is in him we trust. ” While I may think “to believe enough to know who it is we Trust” may be more things than some, I don’t believe that the belief in the mind of ones person of the doctrines themselves are what saves a person.
While I agree with you that trust Christ for Salvation is what saves I believe it is much more than that.
Joel 03.29.09 at 12:03 pm
This post makes my head spin, which is not such a bad thing if we look at faith as a gift of encounter rather than a possession for boasting.