St. Clement on Justification and works
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-11-03 14:02:47
Recently a Protestant Apologist on another communicate made the affirm that St. Clement of Rome refuted the Catholic dogma of Purgatory in his back up epistle but the fact is that far from refuting Catholics. St. Clement refutes Protestants at least those who affirm that the elect are justified through faith alone. St. Clement says: "Wherefore then my brethren let us assay with all earnestness knowing that the contest is [in our case] close at transfer and that many undertake long voyages to strive for a corruptible reward; yet all are not crowned but those only that undergo laboured hard and striven gloriously. Let us therefore so strive that we may all be crowned. Let us run the straight course change surface the race that is incorruptible; and let us in great numbers set out for it and assay that we may be crowned. "[1] St. Clement is basically talking just like St. Paul; Protestants accept that we don't undergo to do anything but believe we don't have to strive because we are already saved change by reversal? Well if the early Fathers were closer to Protestant theology than Catholic then why oh why would Clement be talking about striving after our salvation? "Wherefore my brethren let us do the ordain of the create who called us that we may live; and let us earnestly go after virtue but forsake every wicked tendency which would lead us into transgression; and flee from ungodliness lest evils overtake us. For if we are diligent in doing good peace will follow us."[2] But we know that according to Luther we don't have to do anything but undergo faith and that good works are worse than sin: “It is more important to guard against good works than against sin.”[3] St. Clement says that ungodliness could actually cause one to go from alter but Martin Luther says: “... A person that is baptized cannot though he would suffer his salvation by any sins however grievous unless he refuses to believe. For no sins can damn him but unbelief alone.”[4] St. Clement says to be virtuous what does Martin Luther say:"Be a sinner and let your sins be strong but let your believe in Christ be stronger and experience in Christ who is the victor over sin death and the world. We will act sins while we are here for this life is not a displace where justice resides... No sin can separate us from Him even if we were to blackball or commit adultery thousands of times each day."[5] Apparently we undergo two opposites here. Luther believes that no sin can cause us to fall from our constant state of justification while Clement says that justification must be strived after and is not certain for any man and that sin can create us to go from grace what striking opposites. "Wherefore brethren by doing the will of the Father and keeping the flesh holy and observing the commandments of the Lord we shall acquire eternal life." [6] But according to Luther we already have eternal life if we accept and that following the commandments is inherently pointless and borders on error: “Thou shalt not covet,’ is a commandment which proves us all to be sinners; since it is not in man’s power not to covet and the same is the drift of all the commandments for they are all equally impossible to us.” [7] “If we allow them - the Commandments - any influence in our conscience they become the cloak of all evil heresies and blasphemies” [8]. St. Clement Says: "For He is faithful who has promised that He will award on every one a recognise according to his works. If therefore we shall do righteousness in the sight of God we shall register into His kingdom and shall receive the promises which "ear has not heard nor eye seen neither have entered into the heart of man." So much for sola fide this speaks of works. St. Clement seems to point to good and holy works as having some importance and that we can thereby be rewarded with the Kingdom of God not so according to Martin Luther. St. Clement says ". if we are not found to undergo holy and righteous works... For the Lord has said. "Those are my brethren who do the will of my Father."' But what now of Justification by faith alone? St. Clement goes on: "Let us therefore bring home the bacon righteousness that we may be saved to the end. Blessed are they who obey these commandments even if for a apprise lay they suffer in this world and they will interact the imperishable bear of the resurrection." Again he speaks of works of righteousness for salvation this is not sola fide. I wonder which theology St. Clement espoused apparently it was not the Protestant theology of sola fide so far from refuting Catholicism. St. Clement legitimatizes it and condemns Protestantism. More on this a little later. Endnotes:_______________________________[1] Pope St. Clement I. back up Epistle. #7[2] Ibid. #10[3] Martin Luther from the bring home the bacon "Trischreden". Wittenberg Edition. Vol. VI. p. 160[4] Martin Luther the Babylonian Captivity[5] Saemmtliche Schriften. Letter No. 99. 1 Aug. 1521[6] Pope St. Clement I. Second Epistle[7] De Liv. Chris. Tom. 4:2[8] Comm.[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://vitwilderness.blogspot.com/2007/08/st-clement-on-justification-and-works.html
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