Quote:
Originally Posted by sotzo  The difference between the Lutheran and Reformed Christian is a good example of what I meant in a previous post in this thread when I said "as Reformed believers, we want to say that Christ alone saves and we believe that those trusting in something else cannot be saved". WCF XIV states "The principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification and eternal life by virtue of the covenant of grace." If this is true, then the Lutheran trusting in baptismal regeneration cannot be saved. This seems to be too drastic a position to take, yet the WCF seems to be saying that.
This goes back to my OP, because clearly on the one hand the WCF is narrowly defining saving faith, yet it does not leave much room for my own wavering to trust Christ alone (ie, "I believe, help my unbelief!" nor does it leave much room for those whose confessions of faith include clear statements of the vital role of the sacraments in bringing salvation to the Christian (as Spiced Parrot articulated and as the RC church articulates).
Perhaps the answer is in the next line of the WCF in the same chapter, to wit:
"This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong..."
Would that statement be the qualifier that allows us as Reformed believers to disagree with other believers on issues such as baptismal regeneration, yet firmly believe they are saved? Perhaps I am not interpreting that part of the WCF correctly. |
Well, to be fair, I would not say that the Lutherans are trusting in their baptism for salvation. They are trusting in Christ. I simply believe that kind of language gives a false sense of what
lays hold of Christ. The act of baptism, by its administration alone, does not unite to Christ. It does, however, serve as a certain and sure declaration of a Promise: as surely as this water is washes your flesh so will your sins be washed away if you believe upon Christ. Thus, truly, we
can look to our baptism for strength but not because it alone unites to Christ but because, in it, a promise was made by God through His minister that God saves those who trust in Him.
Now, after what I wrote and what you read from the Confession I am baffled that you would say that the WCF "...does not leave much room for my own wavering to trust Christ alone..." when you follow with the clause that "..."This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong...." That is exactly what we've been saying is that your faith does not have to be perfect or strong in order to lay hold of Christ for salvation. The clause is not intended to be inclusive of other expressions of what faith signifies but is meant to answer your own concerns about how your faith seems to wax and wane.
A faith that lays truly lays hold of Christ, weak or strong, is a saving faith.