Colossians 1:22 Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dolphin
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Yes, the distinction can be blurred a bit depending mainly on the understanding of Sola Fide. And while Catholicism teaches that man is made perfect-a new creation- at justification and is now enabled to remain sinless as he lives in the Spirit, the Church also teaches that man will continue to struggle with sin, having concupiscence, which must not be understood as a" sin nature", etc as if man was completely corrupted in some way, but as a struggle between the attractions to self and this world that necessitates autonomy from God vs complete subjugation to God which is realized as we would otherwise come to love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. The struggle that Adam basically initiated. So, as a result of that struggle against sin, man’s will is tested and refined, and his justice increases as he, hopefully, triumphs with the help of grace. In this way man plays his own part in working out his salvation together with He who works in us. Justification and sanctification are, IOW, part and parcel of the same process and not separable at the end of the day.

These kinds of theological distinctions are so important in order to avoid confusion in the faith even as we can always step back and at least say, ‘We’ll, we all believe in Jesus anyway’. A most crucial theological position, of course, but one that is still better fleshed out to the extent that we can, to the extent that God desires for our own good.

The bottom line is that man must remain cognizant of his obligation to be and therefore act authentically righteous, as he was created to be, in order to enter heaven. This is not a truth which can be compromised.
 
Last edited:
fhansen said:
The bottom line is that man must remain cognizant of his obligation to be and therefore act authentically righteous, as he was created to be, in order to enter heaven. This is not a truth which can be compromised.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I think we would also agree that he has to be - forget about acting - completely and totally righteous in order to enter heaven. We also agree that only 1 person who ever walked the earth was completely and totally righteous. We agree that there is more than 1 person in heaven (Saint Augustine patron saint of all Calvinists for example 🙂 )We further agree that neither of us is completely and totally righteous (or even close). And we agree that we are new creations in Christ.

I respect the Catholic theology around imparted righteousness. I respectfully disagree that it makes sense in light of all we agree upon - and particularly in light of the scripture referenced by the OP. Having said that, I could make the argument for imparted righteousness - and have made it to challenge some of my - to put it delicately - less ecumenically minded Protestant friends.

(As an aside - this whole pandemic thing has made the CAF board rather boring from a theological debate standpoint don’t you think? To be honest, I’m really scraping the bottom of the motivational barrel to come up with some of this stuff. Maybe it’s epidemic fatigue? Apologies for not coming up with more fulsome stuff - I’m so lazy - if I were really motivated I’d go digging around in the “Institutes” or something. Oh well.)
 
We have to understand that all humans were created to be completely and totally righteous-God did not create humans to sin. And with Jesus’ coming justice/righteousness is intended to be restored, not ignored. By reconciling man with God, apart from whom man can do nothing but with whom all things are possible. John 15:5 & Matt 19:26

And God will have His way.
Or there’ll be hell to pay.

I made a poem. This thing must be getting to me too. 😯
BTW, you should’ve outgrown the Institutes by now. 😎
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top