A reminder of the bottom line
Beggars All reminds us, amid all the pope-o-mania, just what Benedict XVI believes and confesses regarding what Martin Luther called "the article by which the Church stands or falls."
Here follow the definitions of The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent regarding justification by grace alone, through faith alone, for Christ's sake alone:
Lutherans of good will can only pray for the day when these words are repealed, and the Roman Catholic church no longer anathamatizes the Gospel. But until that day, let there be no doubt that as much as we may admire Pope Benedict's positions on abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, relativism, and the other great issues of the day in the Kingdom of the Left Hand, in the Kingdom of the Right Hand he and the church he heads stand in radical opposition to Jesus Christ and the salvation He died to bestow upon the world.
Here follow the definitions of The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent regarding justification by grace alone, through faith alone, for Christ's sake alone:
Canon IX “If anyone says that the ungodly is justified by faith alone in such a way that he understands that nothing else is required which cooperates toward obtaining the grace of justification and that it is in no way necessary for him to be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.”
Canon XI “If anyone says that a man is justified either solely by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness or solely by the remission of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and charity which is poured out into their hearts by the Holy Spirit and stays with them, or also that the grace by which we are justified is only the favor of God; let him be anathema.”
Canon XII “If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else than trust in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ’s sake, or that it is this trust alone by which we are justified, let him be anathema.”
Canon XIII “If anyone says that the received righteousness is not preserved and also not increased before God through good works but that the works are only the fruit and signs of the justification obtained, not also a cause of its increase; let him be anathema."
Lutherans of good will can only pray for the day when these words are repealed, and the Roman Catholic church no longer anathamatizes the Gospel. But until that day, let there be no doubt that as much as we may admire Pope Benedict's positions on abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, relativism, and the other great issues of the day in the Kingdom of the Left Hand, in the Kingdom of the Right Hand he and the church he heads stand in radical opposition to Jesus Christ and the salvation He died to bestow upon the world.
Comments