sotzo
Puritan Board Sophomore
Hi All:
Been reading through Augustine and having one of those moments of difficulty (existentially as well as exegetically).
It could be agreed that there is nothing more important than how one is made right with God. Augustine believed baptism as essential to salvation. The Reformers believed that baptism was not essential, but that the imputation of Christ's righteousness through faith was the vital key. The Roman Catholic church teaches infused righteousness is the answer and that we must persevere through our own effort.
I know the above may be subject to some tweaking as far as the specifics, but therein lies my question. When it comes to salvation, where eternal life and death is at stake, why would God leave such a doctrine open to interpretation? It is clear that the interpretation problems on justification happened off the bat as Galatians and even the first council at Jerusalem (perhaps to a lesser extent than Galatians) attests.
Is the confusion a result of sinful man's turning of even a life-saving doctrine into confusion? But if that is the case, then how can we of the Reformed persuasion - sinful as well, know that we have not been the ones contorting the truth and have it wrong?
Thanks for any help here,
Joel
Been reading through Augustine and having one of those moments of difficulty (existentially as well as exegetically).
It could be agreed that there is nothing more important than how one is made right with God. Augustine believed baptism as essential to salvation. The Reformers believed that baptism was not essential, but that the imputation of Christ's righteousness through faith was the vital key. The Roman Catholic church teaches infused righteousness is the answer and that we must persevere through our own effort.
I know the above may be subject to some tweaking as far as the specifics, but therein lies my question. When it comes to salvation, where eternal life and death is at stake, why would God leave such a doctrine open to interpretation? It is clear that the interpretation problems on justification happened off the bat as Galatians and even the first council at Jerusalem (perhaps to a lesser extent than Galatians) attests.
Is the confusion a result of sinful man's turning of even a life-saving doctrine into confusion? But if that is the case, then how can we of the Reformed persuasion - sinful as well, know that we have not been the ones contorting the truth and have it wrong?
Thanks for any help here,
Joel