REFORMED, this for your understanding, the Catholic will reject it.
.
mikeledes:
But my question remains unanswered. If our union to Christ is permanent and our past, present, and future sins are forgiven the moment we are justified, how does divine chastening prevent a condemnation that can never occur by virtue of that once in a lifetime moment (justification) and the fundamental change in human nature caused by regeneration?
This question is obviously regarded by its author as a
"gotcha" question.
But what it illustrates, IMO, is that although Catholics give the nod to God’s grace, they truly don’t understand God’s grace—it’s free, and cannot be earned. Nevertheless, their catechism teaches that it can be “earned” through keeping the sacraments, and through performing good works.
This is known as
synergism. The synergist believes that his salvation, though begun by God, is ultimately contingent upon the synergist himself adhering to the system of rules put before him (as the OT Jews believed, and which belief the early church erroneously brought into its liturgy), and by his performing well within that system of rules; IOW, he entrusts himself to the “authority” of that system.
Opposed to synergism is
monergism. The monergist knows that his salvation is contingent upon grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of God alone; therefore, he entrusts himself to God’s grace alone. The monergist knows God, and he is convinced that God is able to guard what has been entrusted to Him unto glorification.
This passage in 1 Cor 11 bears out that the monergist’s trust in God is well-founded, and admirable.**1 Corinthians 11:30-32
30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.**What can be seen in this passage, that the synergist cannot comprehend, is that the regenerate can, and sometimes do, sin very grievously against God, but his sin
does not result in a loss of his salvation. (Reformed theology indeed posits that the elect can, and that some do sin grieviously against God).
God’s grace is not to be taken as a license to sin; nevertheless, the truth revealed in this passage is comforting to God’s people.
We (you and I) see in this passage a clear demonstration of God’s grace in salvation, and a clear demonstration that God is faithful to His, even when they are unfaithful.
The actions resulting in the discipline of some in Corinth had to do with their treatment of the “body” of Christ—that is, the members of the Corinthian Church—in that some members of the church, had not been rightly discerning that body in their feast and observance of the Lord’s Supper.
Therefore, according to Paul, God disciplined them by causing some to be physically weak, and by causing others to be physically sick (more than likely even to long lingering illness), and by causing some to physically die.
The reason for this discipline, according to Paul, was so that those who had been disciplined in that manner would not be condemned along with the world.
What a great testament to the faithfulness of God in keeping His promise to those He wills to save.
A safeguard God built-in to the new covenant was that He would put “the fear Himself” into the heart of those He chose to save (Jer 32:40). I submit He did that through the “law” written in their hearts, and
through discipline (Heb 12:4ff; cf 1:Cor 11:30ff).
Certainly when it was revealed to those at Corinth that the physical weakness and frailty of some, and the physical sicknesses of others, many of which were probably lingering and painful, and even God’s taking the lives of some, caused them to fear God, and turn away from their behavior.
Thus God demonstrates His faithfulness and grace to those with eyes to see it.
Hope that helps you Reformed. :tiphat:
