Faith is a gift from God

Catechism of the Catholic Church states that no one can merit the initial grace of forgiveness and justification at the beginning of our conversion (# 2010) and moved by grace we turn to towards God (#1989).  In other words, faith (in Christ and in God) is a gift.  When we say faith is a gift, it means it is given not because we do something to deserve it.  On this issue Augustine wrote (English Translation from Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers or NPNF Series I Volume 5, available online at www.ccel.org):

But perhaps it may be said: “The apostle distinguishes faith from works; he says, indeed, that grace is not of works, but he does not say that it is not of faith.” This, indeed, is true. But Jesus says that faith itself also is the work of God, and commands us to work it. For the Jews said to Him, “What shall we do that we may work the work of God? Jesus answered, and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” [John 6:28] The apostle, therefore, distinguishes faith from works, just as Judah is distinguished from Israel in the two kingdoms of the Hebrews, although Judah is Israel itself. And he says that a man is justified by faith and not by works, because faith itself is first given, from which may be obtained other things which are specially characterized as works, in which a man may live righteously. For he himself also says, “By grace ye are saved through faith; and this not of yourselves; but it is the gift of God,” [Ephesians 2:8] that is to say, “And in saying ‘through faith,’ even faith itself is not of yourselves, but is God’s gift.” “Not of works,” he says, “lest any man should be lifted up.” For it is often said, “He deserved to believe, because he was a good man even before he believed.” Which may be said of Cornelius [Acts 10] since his alms were accepted and his prayers heard before he had believed on Christ; and yet without some faith he neither gave alms nor prayed. For how did he call on him on whom he had not believed? But if he could have been saved without the faith of Christ the Apostle Peter would not have been sent as an architect to build him up; although, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain who build it.” [Psalms 127:1] And we are told, Faith is of ourselves; other things which pertain to works of righteousness are of the Lord; as if faith did not belong to the building,-as if, I say, the foundation did not belong to the building. But if this primarily and especially belongs to it, he labours in vain who seeks to build up the faith by preaching, unless the Lord in His mercy builds it up from within. Whatever, therefore, of good works Cornelius performed, as well before he believed in Christ as when he believed and after he had believed, are all to be ascribed to God, lest, perchance any man be lifted up.

Augustine, A Treatise on the Predestination of the Saints, Book 1, Chapter 12

Augustine on Assurance of Salvation

Catholics believe in the existence of the Elect whose salvations are assured.  The Elect are those whom God predestines to salvation since the initiative of our salvation belongs to God. However, unless God reveals it to us, we cannot know how many and who they are.  Some Protestants and “Bible only” Christians, on the other hand, believe that once they believe in Christ as Lord and personal Saviour then they belong to the Elect and therefore have assurance of salvation. 

We look at what Augustine wrote on this issue.  The title of chapter 40 of one of his works, A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace, is “No One is Certain and Secure of His Own Predestination and Salvation”, in which he wrote (English Translation from Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers or NPNF Series I Volume 5, available online at www.ccel.org):

But, moreover, that such things as these are so spoken to saints who will persevere, as if it were reckoned uncertain whether they will persevere, is a reason that they ought not otherwise to hear these things, since it is well for them “not to be high-minded, but to fear” [Romans 11:20]. For who of the multitude of believers can presume, so long as he is living in this mortal state, that he is in the number of the predestinated? Because it is necessary that in this condition that should be kept hidden; since here we have to beware so much of pride, that even so great an apostle was buffetted by a messenger of Satan, lest he should be lifted up [2 Corinthians 12:7]. Hence it was said to the apostles, “If ye abide in me [John 15:7]” and this He said who knew for a certainty that they would abide; and through the prophet, “If ye shall be willing, and will hear me,” [Isaiah 1:19] although He knew in whom He would work to will also. And many similar things are said. For on account of the usefulness of this secrecy, lest, perchance, any one should be lifted up, but that all, even although they are running well, should fear, in that it is not known who may attain,-on account of the usefulness of this secrecy, it must be believed that some of the children of perdition, who have not received the gift of perseverance to the end, begin to live in the faith which worketh by love, and live for some time faithfully and righteously, and afterwards fall away, and are not taken away from this life before this happens to them. If this had happened to none of these, men would have that very wholesome fear, by which the sin of presumption is kept down, only so long as until they should attain to the grace of Christ by which to live piously, and afterwards would for time to come be secure that they would never fall away from Him. And such presumption in this condition of trials is not fitting, where there is so great weakness, that security may engender pride. Finally, this also shall be the case; but it shall be at that time, in men also as it already is in the angels, when there cannot be any pride. Therefore the number of the saints, by God’s grace predestinated to God’s kingdom, with the gift of perseverance to the end bestowed on them, shall be guided thither in its completeness, and there shall be at length without end preserved in its fullest completeness, most blessed, the mercy of their Saviour still cleaving to them, whether in their conversion, in their conflict, or in their crown!

Augustine, A Treatise on Rebuke and Grace, Chapter 40

John of Damascus and Canon of New Testament

John of Damascus (c. 650/675 to 749 AD) was Byzantine monk and theologian.  He was born in Damascus and lived under Muslim ruler.  He was known as supporter of veneration of images, which in his time was forbidden under the edict of Byzantine emperor Leo III the Isaurian (reigned 717 to 741 AD).  In one of his works, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, he gave us list of Old and New Testament books.

His New Testament list has four Gospels with the order Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, followed by Acts of the Apostles.  Next come seven Catholic epistles with the order James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 to 3 John and Jude followed by fourteen letters/epistles by Paul (he considered Paul as the writer of Hebrews), Revelation and ends with Canon (or Constitution) of the Holy Apostles (which he claimed was written by Clement).  Canon of the Holy Apostles was likely written at the end of fourth century (refer to my earlier post) and it does claim itself to be part of New Testament together with twenty seven books of our present New Testament as well as 1 and 2 Clement.

The New Testament contains four gospels, that according to Matthew, that according to Mark, that according to Luke, that according to John: the Acts of the Holy Apostles by Luke the Evangelist: seven catholic epistles, viz. one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude: fourteen letters of the Apostle Paul: the Revelation of John the Evangelist: the Canons of the holy apostles, by Clement.

John of Damascus. Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Book 4, Chapter 17

(English translation from Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series II, Volume 9, available online at www.ccel.org)

On the Holy Trinity

Catholics celebrate this Sunday as Trinity Sunday.  It seems appropriate to read what Augustine wrote about the Holy Trinity.  Below is short extract from one his works, On the Holy Trinity (English translation from Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 3, available online at www.ccel.org):

All those Catholic expounders of the divine Scriptures, both Old and New, whom I have been able to read, who have written before me concerning the Trinity, Who is God, have purposed to teach, according to the Scriptures, this doctrine, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit intimate a divine unity of one and the same substance in an indivisible equality; and therefore that they are not three Gods, but one God: although the Father hath begotten the Son, and so He who is the Father is not the Son; and the Son is begotten by the Father, and so He who is the Son is not the Father; and the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son, but only the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, Himself also co-equal with the Father and the Son, and pertaining to the unity of the Trinity. Yet not that this Trinity was born of the Virgin Mary, and crucified under Pontius Pilate, and buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven, but only the Son. Nor, again, that this Trinity descended in the form of a dove upon Jesus when He was baptized [Matthew 3:16]; nor that, on the day of Pentecost, after the ascension of the Lord, when “there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,” [Acts 2:2, 4] the same Trinity “sat upon each of them with cloven tongues like as of fire,” but only the Holy Spirit. Nor yet that this Trinity said from heaven, “Thou art my Son,” [Mark 1:11] whether when He was baptized by John, or when the three disciples were with Him in the mount [Matthew 17:5], or when the voice sounded, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again [John 12:28];” but that it was a word of the Father only, spoken to the Son; although the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as they are indivisible, so work indivisibly.” This is also my faith, since it is the Catholic faith.

Some persons, however, find a difficulty in this faith; when they hear that the Father is God, and the Son God, and the Holy Spirit God, and yet that this Trinity is not three Gods, but one God; and they ask how they are to understand this: especially when it is said that the Trinity works indivisibly in everything that God works, and yet that a certain voice of the Father spoke, which is not the voice of the Son; and that none except the Son was born in the flesh, and suffered, and rose again, and ascended into heaven; and that none except the Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove. They wish to understand how the Trinity uttered that voice which was only of the Father; and how the same Trinity created that flesh in which the Son only was born of the Virgin; and how the very same Trinity itself wrought that form of a dove, in which the Holy Spirit only appeared. Yet, otherwise, the Trinity does not work indivisibly, but the Father does some things, the Son other things, and the Holy Spirit yet others: or else, if they do some things together, some severally, then the Trinity is not indivisible. It is a difficulty, too, to them, in what manner the Holy Spirit is in the Trinity, whom neither the Father nor the Son, nor both, have begotten, although He is the Spirit both of the Father and of the Son. Since, then, men weary us with asking such questions, let us unfold to them, as we are able, whatever wisdom God’s gift has bestowed upon our weakness on this subject; neither “let us go on our way with consuming envy.” [Wisdom 6:23] Should we say that we are not accustomed to think about such things, it would not be true; yet if we acknowledge that such subjects commonly dwell in our thoughts, carried away as we are by the love of investigating the truth, then they require of us, by the law of charity, to make known to them what we have herein been able to find out. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect” (for, if the Apostle Paul, how much more must I, who lie far beneath his feet, count myself not to have apprehended!); but, according to my measure, “if I forget those things that are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before, and press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling,” [Philippians 3:12-14] I am requested to disclose so much of the road as I have already passed, and the point to which I have reached, whence the course yet remains to bring me to the end. And those make the request, whom a generous charity compels me to serve. Needs must too, and God will grant that, in supplying them with matter to read, I shall profit myself also; and that, in seeking to reply to their inquiries, I shall myself likewise find that for which I was inquiring. Accordingly I have undertaken the task, by the bidding and help of the Lord my God, not so much of discoursing with authority respecting things I know already, as of learning those things by piously discoursing of them.

Augustine, On the Holy Trinity, Book 1 Chapters 4 and 5