19 May 2009
Patristic Quote of the Day
And the blessed Paul also shows that the service that is by the law is powerless to justification, thus saying; "For that no man is justified by the law before God is evident." The will therefore of God, that will which we pray may be done upon earth, is not that we should conform to the law, and live according to the grossness of its letter, but that we should endeavour to live by the gospel. And this is effected by a faith correct and free from error, and by a holy life, possessed of the sweet savour of every virtue, and proved by the testimony of good and noble conduct in every thing that is excellent.-- St. Cyril of Alexandria, *Homily on Luke 7*
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5 comments:
Pr Weedon,
How does this jive with Luther's explanation to the 3rd petition?
Especially Cyril's suggestion that living by the Gospel is effected by a holy life of virtue and proven by the testimony of good and noble conduct.
Doesn't the Gospel itself effect the life, without any assistance from us? Or am I missing the point?
Nick,
To put it in the categories we're more familiar with, I think St. Cyril is rejoicing that it is by faith we live in communion with Christ and that this communion brings about in us the good works and virtues of which he speaks, and in the bringing about of them we certainly cooperate with the Holy Spirit according the new powers which the Holy Spirit has granted to us, as we state in the Formula of Concord.
As a vicar, I'm feeling the urgency of pulling this all together. Please forgive my ignorance; thank you for your patience.
Cyril here identifies our holy living with God's will. So we are actually participating in the essential nature of God's will by virtuous living? If so, is this participation only the Holy Spirit working through us, or does the presence and power of the Holy Spirit change us so that we ourselves are the participants?
Maybe I'm getting a bit close to deification here?
God's will is that we participate in the divine nature through faith in His precious promises (2 Pet 1). This Spirit-wrought and Spirit-maintained faith connection with the Blessed Trinity does indeed change us. The way that the Formula speaks of this is that it effects the beginning of the healing of our human nature. Beginning - for it is not completed in this age. Yet a true healing is begun as we learn to live from the new powers that the Holy Spirit has imparted to us and so cooperate with God in willing the death of the old man and his ways and willing to find our life itself in union with God through Christ.
Thank you.
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