Historical Theology
Religion has been for a very long time in a very difficult situation to discern what is good and what is bad, in real sence there is no bad or good thing, to me it depends with how one understands his real self and his relationship with our heavenly father who is absolute and unchanging. Some philosophers and great sages have tried to explain this.
CALVIN ON PREDESTINATION
Theology controversy over predestination has caused great confusion in the religious lives of many People. Let us begin by examining the sources of this controversy. In the bible, we find several passages which are often interpreted to mean that everything in an Individual’s life is to come to pass exactly as predestined by God.
The purpose of life is not preached equally to all, again to whom it is preached the understanding is different. This diversity displays the unsearchable depth of the divine judgment, and is without doubt Subordinate to God's purpose of eternal choice. But if God offers previledge of salvation to others and denies others then questions immediately arise, then topics will emerge on Gods choice to Predestine. It is through Gods grace that some people get favored in predestination we cant go against this because even Paul says in (Rom 11:16) that we must work for it but also we must have the grace of God because work is not work when it is not done. The writer is very plain on the point of absolute predestination."We have come into the way of faith," says Augustine: "let us constantly adhere to it.
For our Lord Jesus Christ did not speak invidiously to his great and most select disciples when he said, and John 16:12 explain that Jesus did not teach all the things he wanted to because of the levels of peoples understanding. But if the last day shall finds us making progress, we shall there learn what here we could not," (August. Hom. in Joann).
God being omniscient, foreknows who has the qualifications necessary to become a central figure in the providence of restoration, and the writer says, the writer explains that he admits that not many people believes in predestination which is actually true but those who are against predestination are against God.
The author ends by omitting many of the fictions which foolish men have devised to overthrow predestination. Gods grace and divine power is absolute and predestined therefore there is no need of going against it.
Martin Luther Concerning Christianity Liberty.
He started by criticizing the division of spiritual and temporal states. The author states that there is no difference in spirit with that of the roman office. He says that only through baptism we become consecrated as priests.
The author explains that there is no one in charge to govern the spirit world.
Beginning Of Teasing.
Luther explains to us the with an example by which a dog is teased but no given the real meat. This is exactly what he saw happening whe the pope was fighting and going against the will of protestants. Luther was writing this papers under very great difficulties, his writings were not being considered with the authorities at that time and they did not want to disclose the awareness thst Luther was giving to the people.
Luther continued his argument by accusing the Catholic Church of idolatry. They had exalted the Lord's Supper to such a point that they believed the bread and wine, though keeping their form, smell, and taste, actually lost their substance and tangibly became the blood and body of Christ. This was known as transubstantiation. Luther then used a little humor referring to his earlier days as a priest when he had difficulty making the common crossings with his fingers as he administered the Lord's Supper. He called this tradition an "apish toy", which was only one of many that the Catholic Church had adopted by adding to the Scriptures.
The author explains how papal rule does not get bothered with the church or with the existence of a better living of the people instead they are just concentrated with there own movement as the society.
To conclude, I believe Luther has done a fine job showing what councils are for and a mediocre job at showing what the Church is. But, I consider this work by Luther, his defining moment. When a person tries to figure out what the end of Luther's Reformation would be, the outcome of his theses; here we see it. A practical, simplified Christianity that is neither pretentious nor too idealistic. It is a type of Christianity, that abides with the "ancient faith" and is yet able to exist in the 16th century, the 21st century and beyond. It is the historic Christian faith that has always been the Christian faith and will always be the Christian faith; despite heresies as small as
Arianism or as large as Papalism.
John Wesley Sermon Forty Christian Perfection.
Upright and faithful Christians ever think they are not faithful, nor believe as they ought; and therefore they constantly strive, wrestle, and are diligent to keep and to increase faith, as good workmen always see that something is wanting in their workmanship. But the botchers think that nothing is wanting in what they do, but that everything is well and complete. Like as the Jews conceive they have the ten commandments at their fingers' end, whereas, in truth, they neither learn nor regard them.
Maybe what we call predestination and hold on with our different views is something misunderstood or sometimes governed by man himself.. We willingly allow, and continually declare, there is no such perfection in this life, as implies either a dispensation from doing good, and attending all the ordinances of God, or a freedom from ignorance, mistake, temptation, and a thousand infirmities necessarily connected with flesh and blood.
We not only allow, but earnestly contend, that there is no perfection in this life, which implies any dispensation from attending all the ordinances of God, or from doing good unto all men. While we have time, though 'especially unto the household of faith.' We believe, that not only the babes in Christ, who have newly found redemption in his blood, but those also who are 'grown up into perfect men,' are indispensably obliged, as often as they have opportunity, 'to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him,' and to 'search the Scriptures;' by fasting, as well as temperance, to 'keep their bodies under, and bring them into subjection;' and, above all, to pour out their souls in prayer, both secretly, and in the great congregation.
We cannot find any ground in Scripture to suppose, that any inhabitant of a house of clay is wholly exempt either from bodily infirmities, or from ignorance of many things; or to imagine any is incapable of mistake, or falling into divers temptations.
Indeed, by viewing it in every point of light, and comparing it again and again with the word of Our first conception of it was, It is to have "the mind which was in Christ," and to "walk as He walked;" to have all the mind that was in Him, and always to walk as he walked: In other words, to be inwardly and outwardly devoted to God; all devoted in heart and life. And we have the same conception of it now, without either addition or diminution.
Luther’s Table Talks On God’s Word.
Believe and faith of Christianity has to many appeared an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, speak, think, or hear about it sufficiently He explains about the importance of each and everything we go through the bible and it’s importance., which are neither strongly penetrating nor armor of proof. As, when I have that text before me of St Paul: "All the creatures of God are good, if they be received with thanksgiving," this text shows, that what God has made is good. Now eating, drinking, marrying, etc., are of God's making, therefore they are good. Yet the glosses of the primitive fathers are against this text: for Bernard, Basil, Jerome, and others, have written to far other purpose. But I prefer the text to them all, though, in popedom, the glosses were deemed of higher value than the bright and clear text.
We must know how to teach God's Word aright, discerningly, for there are divers sorts of hearers; some are struck with fear in the conscience, and awed by their sins, and, in apprehension of God's anger, are penitent; these must be comforted with the consolations of the gospel. Others are hardened, obstinate, stiff-necked, rebel-hearted; these must be affrighted by the law, by examples of God's wrath: as the fires of Elijah, the deluge, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the downfall of Jerusalem. These hard heads need sound knocks He plainly says that those who are not godly papists the authority of the church far above God's Word; a blasphemy abominable and not to be endured; wherewith, void of all shame and piety, they spit in God's face. Truly, God's patience is exceeding great, in that they be not destroyed; but so it always has been.
He explains how people go to hear the word of God in churches not because of there own but because it is atradition they are following in there family or because they have been forced to do so by some authorities, they still take the messages of God as a joke. Luther concludes by saying that it takes a period of time for somebody to attain divinity, as in the example of saint Paul he had something pulling him back but that was there as a stage to attain divinity.
REFERENCES:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library at Calvary College May 27,1999.
Historical theology : An introduction to the history of Christian thought.(Blackwell Publisher,1998)
Barenboim, Peter. "Biblical Roots of Separation of Powers", Moscow : Letny Sad, 2005,
Biran, Avraham. "'David' Found at Dan." Biblical Archaeology Review 20:2 (1994): 26–39.
The Holy Bible.
