EarlyActs
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The banner line of this category of threads (Theology Questions) is that 'the gospel cannot be handled only in the realm of reason; it is a message that is in one's life (paraphrase).'
If the person who wrote this confused caused and effect, that should be addressed. But if they actually though it was only an effect, 'we need to talk.'
The event known as the Gospel has two results for which it is the cause, but there is no confusing cause and effect. The two results are two parts of salvation that matter in human life (a third part is glorification in the future, and the hope of that does matter in this life but is only tasted).
The two results are sometimes called 'legal' vs 'moral.' That is, a change about one's account with God and a change in one's actions. In full-sized theology terms: justification vs transformation. A couple of classic hymns brought this in, using very few words:
Rock of Ages:
'be for me the cure from sin; save me from its guilt and power.'
Marvelous Grace
'grace that will pardon and cleanse within'
I think it is fair to say that a person has reached an important milestone when they know the important difference between these two things. Guilt and pardon are one thing; power and cleansing are another. They match the two classic categories.
Here is yet another way: justification has to do with past sin as debt. In Christian thinking, you cannot 'pay' for a past sin-debt by new actions; this is only cleared up by Christ. This is the sense of the psalm that says 'against Thee only have I sinned.' However, we can make restitution to anyone we have damaged, and we should, and this has nothing to do with justification.
Sanctification has to do with the current or next temptation. We should be making progress here, not failing the same way all through life.
But when we do, there is justification from such a sin, which is why Rom 8 is after all the discussion of ways Christians may fail. Rom 8 is not for the person who is initially learning about sin-debt.
If the person who wrote this confused caused and effect, that should be addressed. But if they actually though it was only an effect, 'we need to talk.'
The event known as the Gospel has two results for which it is the cause, but there is no confusing cause and effect. The two results are two parts of salvation that matter in human life (a third part is glorification in the future, and the hope of that does matter in this life but is only tasted).
The two results are sometimes called 'legal' vs 'moral.' That is, a change about one's account with God and a change in one's actions. In full-sized theology terms: justification vs transformation. A couple of classic hymns brought this in, using very few words:
Rock of Ages:
'be for me the cure from sin; save me from its guilt and power.'
Marvelous Grace
'grace that will pardon and cleanse within'
I think it is fair to say that a person has reached an important milestone when they know the important difference between these two things. Guilt and pardon are one thing; power and cleansing are another. They match the two classic categories.
Here is yet another way: justification has to do with past sin as debt. In Christian thinking, you cannot 'pay' for a past sin-debt by new actions; this is only cleared up by Christ. This is the sense of the psalm that says 'against Thee only have I sinned.' However, we can make restitution to anyone we have damaged, and we should, and this has nothing to do with justification.
Sanctification has to do with the current or next temptation. We should be making progress here, not failing the same way all through life.
But when we do, there is justification from such a sin, which is why Rom 8 is after all the discussion of ways Christians may fail. Rom 8 is not for the person who is initially learning about sin-debt.
