Theology of Andrew: Saved by Christ

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Saved by Christ

"She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." - The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Chapter 1, Verse 21

I was reading an old post on a Reformed blog (not deadtheologians) about Francis Beckwith a revert to Roman Catholicism and how the author was saying he could never be a Christian nor could anyone within the "Whore of Babylon". Now not only do I think that's ridiculous (though predictable - I really should stop reading those types of blogs), but if the Pope came up to me and said "Guttentalk, say there isn't a saved soul in the British Episcopal Methodist ecclesial community" I'd have ot say "Benny I have to disagree with you", there are saved souls in every church which preaches about Christ. In fact, anywhere the word of God is read (the bible), I believe that the Word of God (Jesus) is calling people to salvation.

This verse struck me again because it is fundamental to everything I believe. JESUS will save his people from their sins. Him. Not denominations. Not Martin Luther. Not the Pope. Not the Westminster Confession of Faith. Christ.

One of the things I personally love about the Roman Catholic Church is it's Christo-centrism. I believe that in the midst of every doctrine is the person, work, and teaching of Jesus Christ. While Protestants claim they champion this, and many do, I find them more concerned with extreme expressions of catholic doctrines (like justification by faith, focussing only on Romans, etc), than with simply bringing people into a communion of faith - the Anglicans do an amazing job at this as well.

Because in the end:

"Salvation is of the Lord" Jonah 2.9

1 comment:

mattldnApril 1, 2009 at 8:47 AM
I agree, Luther, Protestantism, Calvin, Benny, RCC, etc. do not save. It truly is all of the Lord, and as a protestant, it is of faith not doctrine. I believe doctrine is very important, and to a degree fundamental, but we (IMO) are saved by faith in the risen Lord not our doctrine therein.

Good post bro!
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Quotes For Thought

"If baptism is the beginning of my life, and the day of regeneration is the first of days, it is obvious that the words spoken when I received the grace of adoption are more honorable than any spoken since....Through this confession I was made a child of God, I, who was His enemy for so long because of my sins. May I pass from this life to the Lord with this confession on my lips." - St. Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit, par. 26.

"To know Jesus and Jesus crucified is the sum total of my philosophy." - St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"Oh the extraordinary goodness of God toward man? The just of the Old Testament thank God in the weariness of long years; but that which they obtained, by means of a long and heroic service pleasing to God, Jesus gives to you in the brief time span of an hour. Indeed, if you believe that Jesus Christ is the lord, and that God had raised him from the dead, you will be saved and you will be introduced into heaven by the same one who introduced the good thief." - St. Cyril of Jerusalem

"He made us to believe in Christ, who made for us a Christ on whom we believe. He makes in men the beginning and the completion of the faith in Jesus who made the man Jesus the beginner and finisher of faith" - St. Augustine

"Nor must we trust in holiness of origin, in forefathers, or in
the gifts of God which we enjoy. We must look to the Word alone and judge thereby. Those alone who truly embrace the Word will be as immovable forever as Mount Zion. They may be few in number and thoroughly despised by the world, as were Noah and his children. But God, through these few, preserved to man the truth of that promised mastery when he had not even room to set his foot upon the earth." - Bl. Martin Luther "Commentary on Genesis"