Justified
Puritan Board Sophomore
What exactly does Beza mean here:
"Q99 Therefore, in the receiving of the first grace, men are merely sufferers of, not co-workers with the grace of God
A99 Yes, if you are only looking at it from the point of view of the order of causes, and the first initiation of grace, whereby the Lord reshapes us anew, it is necessary to admit that it comes wholly from God, who loved us first while we were still his enemies, and truly, we are only receivers of it. But if you consider the exact instance of time in which God works in us, at the same time and in the same moment it is given to us that we can want to receive it, and we want to receive it, otherwise grace would be in vain.
Therefore, he who fights the synergism of this type as if it were repugnant to the grace of God, they show their own inexperience in many ways, since this synergism is itself a gift of the grace of God, in such a way co-operating with it, so that in the order of causes it is the latter, as if it follows the effect that effects the cause; thus, all things accepted are wholly brought by the one grace of God..."
Do you think that he is saying that, when we believe, we do so willingly, insofar as this itself is a gift from God? I think that is what he is trying to say.
Another interesting Q&A that I have a question about:
"Q133 Therefore, explain fully this sanctification of ours in Christ
A133... Furthermore it [sanctification] happens in two ways. First, as I have said, we are reckoned righteous by the imputed righteousness of Christ fully before God, not in ourselves, but in Him to whom we are united through faith. So also I say that our persons, by the imputation of His perfect holiness and integrity, are reckoned holy and whole and thus acceptable to the Father, not in ourselves, but in Christ. Finally, the force and energy of this most pure holiness which is in the flesh of Christ, I say it flows also into us by the working of the Holy Spirit in us , so that we become holy in ourselves, that is, segregated from the defilements of this world, and we serve God in spirit and body..."
In the first instance is Beza talking about positional sanctification? If so, does imputation play a role in it? (He isn't talking about justification here, because he has already dealt with that question at this point.)
"Q99 Therefore, in the receiving of the first grace, men are merely sufferers of, not co-workers with the grace of God
A99 Yes, if you are only looking at it from the point of view of the order of causes, and the first initiation of grace, whereby the Lord reshapes us anew, it is necessary to admit that it comes wholly from God, who loved us first while we were still his enemies, and truly, we are only receivers of it. But if you consider the exact instance of time in which God works in us, at the same time and in the same moment it is given to us that we can want to receive it, and we want to receive it, otherwise grace would be in vain.
Therefore, he who fights the synergism of this type as if it were repugnant to the grace of God, they show their own inexperience in many ways, since this synergism is itself a gift of the grace of God, in such a way co-operating with it, so that in the order of causes it is the latter, as if it follows the effect that effects the cause; thus, all things accepted are wholly brought by the one grace of God..."
Do you think that he is saying that, when we believe, we do so willingly, insofar as this itself is a gift from God? I think that is what he is trying to say.
Another interesting Q&A that I have a question about:
"Q133 Therefore, explain fully this sanctification of ours in Christ
A133... Furthermore it [sanctification] happens in two ways. First, as I have said, we are reckoned righteous by the imputed righteousness of Christ fully before God, not in ourselves, but in Him to whom we are united through faith. So also I say that our persons, by the imputation of His perfect holiness and integrity, are reckoned holy and whole and thus acceptable to the Father, not in ourselves, but in Christ. Finally, the force and energy of this most pure holiness which is in the flesh of Christ, I say it flows also into us by the working of the Holy Spirit in us , so that we become holy in ourselves, that is, segregated from the defilements of this world, and we serve God in spirit and body..."
In the first instance is Beza talking about positional sanctification? If so, does imputation play a role in it? (He isn't talking about justification here, because he has already dealt with that question at this point.)