ЧЛЕН II. О БЛАГОДАТИ БОЖИЕЙ, КАК СИЛЕ, КОТОРОЮ ГОСПОДЬ ОСВЯЩАЕТ НАС

§ 183. General concept of the grace of God and its types; the concept of grace sanctifying a sinner and its divisions I. The name of God's grace generally means everything that the Lord gives to his creatures without any merit on their part (Rom. 11:6; 1 Peter 5:10). Therefore, the grace of God is divided into natural and supernatural. Natural gifts include all the gifts of God to natural creatures, such as: life, health, intelligence, freedom, external well-being, etc. To the supernatural - all the gifts imparted by God to creatures in a supernatural way, in addition to the gifts of nature - when, for example, He himself directly enlightens the minds of rational beings with the light of his truth, and reinforces their will with his power and assistance in matters of piety. This last grace, that is, supernatural, is divided into two more types: the grace of God the Creator, which He communicates to His moral creatures who are in a state of innocence: He communicated to man before his fall, and still communicates to the good angels; and on the grace of God the Savior, which He bestowed and will bestow upon fallen man through Jesus and in Jesus Christ (Titus 3:4). However, in the latter respect, the word “grace” has different meanings. Grace, firstly, refers to the very coming to earth of the Son of God, His incarnation and the whole great work of our redemption, accomplished by Him without any merit on our part: we know, says the apostle, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, for because of your poverty this man was rich, so that by his poverty you might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9), and in another place: when grace and love for mankind appeared Our Savior God, not from the works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Tit. 3, 4. 5; demolished 2, 11). Secondly, they are called extraordinary gifts that are given by God to different members of the Church, also without any merit on their part, for the benefit of the Church, for its spread, creation, improvement, such as: the gift of preaching the word of God in different languages, the gift of miracles, prophecies, etc. (1 Cor. 12, 4-11; Matt. 7, 22. 23): one of us, the same St. notes. Apostle, grace was given according to the bestowal of Christ (Eph. 4:7). Finally, grace is called a special power, or a special action of God, imparted to us for the sake of the merits of our Redeemer, and accomplishing our sanctification, that is, on the one hand, cleansing us from sins, renewing and justifying us before God, and on the other hand, confirming and increasing us in virtue for eternal life. In this last sense, grace constitutes the actual subject of dogmatic teaching about it. II. In the stated concept of grace that sanctifies us, there are three particular ones. She - a) is a special power, a special action of God in man, as can be seen from the words of the Lord himself to the Apostle Paul: my grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness, and then from the words of St. Paul: sweetly, I will boast all the more in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me (2 Cor. 12:9), and in other places: he was a servant according to the gift of the grace of God, given to me according to the working of his power (Eph. 3:7); in it I labor and strive according to his work, which works in me with power (Col. 1:29). Or: the divisions of gifts are, and the same is the Spirit: and the divisions of ministries are, and the same is the Lord: and the divisions of actions are, and the same is God, acting all in all (1 Cor. 12:4-6). Give you therefore the Spirit, and make power work in you, whether by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith (Gal. 3:5)? But to him who is able to do all things, according to the abundance of what we ask or understand, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations of ages, amen (Eph. 3:20.21). She - b) is given to us tuna, for the sake of the merits of Jesus Christ, as the same apostle teaches: we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God: we will be justified by tuna by his grace, through the deliverance that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:23.24; 6:16). Not from the works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us by the washing of renewal and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus Christ our Savior poured out on us richly (Titus 3:3). Where sin has multiplied, grace abounds: that as sin reigns in death, so also grace may reign through righteousness into eternal life Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 5:20.21). That having been justified by his grace, we may be heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7). May you (God) accomplish His will in every work, doing in you that which is pleasing in His sight, Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:21). We believe in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 15:11). This sanctifying grace, for greater clarity in the teaching about it, is further divided into more specific types. It is called external because it acts on a person from the outside, through external means, such as: the Word of God, preaching the Gospel, miracles, etc.; and internal, since it acts directly in the person himself, destroying sins in him, enlightening the mind, stimulating and directing his will to good. It is called transitory when it makes private impressions on a person’s soul and assists him in private good deeds; and constant, when it constantly dwells in a person’s soul and makes him righteous and acceptable before God. It is called preceding or preceding, because it precedes every good deed, calls and encourages a person to it; and accompanying or promoting, since it accompanies every good deed. It is called sufficient because it always teaches a person sufficient strength and convenience to act towards his salvation, although it is not accompanied by the action itself on the part of the person; and effective when it is accompanied by the very action of a person and brings saving fruits in it. § 184. Brief overview of false opinions about dogma, the teaching of the Orthodox Church and the composition of this teaching The dogma of grace sanctifying a sinner has been subject to many distortions on the part of unjust thinkers and heretics. I. Some of them erred and are erring, to a greater or lesser extent, regarding the necessity of grace for man. These include: Pelagians, Semi-Pelagians, Socinians and Rationalists. The Pelagians, who appeared at the beginning of the 5th century in the Western Church, taught: “since Adam, through his fall, did not in the least damage his nature, and so on. His descendants are born without any natural corruption and ancestral sin, then they can achieve moral perfection by their own natural forces and do not need God’s supernatural help and power for this” 687. Thus completely rejecting the necessity of Deities. grace for the sanctification of sinner man and his progress in piety, the Pelagians, however, due to the cunning characteristic of heretics, did not want to seem like obvious opponents of church dogma, and softened their thoughts. They admitted grace, talked about it; but by her name they meant: a) the natural powers of man, reason and freedom, granted to him by tuna (gratia naturalis); b) the law given by God through Moses (gratia legis); c) the teaching and example of Jesus Christ (gratia Christi); d) remission of sins and some kind of internal enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, which only contributes to easier fulfillment of the moral law, which, however, according to them, a person can, although not with such convenience, fulfill with his own strength (gratia Spiritus Sancti) 688. The blessed one rebelled against Pelagius and his followers first of all. Augustine, and wrote, in refutation of them, very many works. Other shepherds of the Church also rebelled, and both in the east and in the west, in a very short time there were more than twenty councils unanimously condemning this heresy 689. The defenders of truth unanimously asserted: a) that a person who has fallen and is born with ancestral sin cannot create spiritual good on his own without the help of God’s grace; b) that by it we must understand not only the natural powers of man, the law of Moses, the teaching and example of Jesus Christ - external aids, but the supernatural power of God, internally communicated to the soul of man; c) that this grace does not consist only in the remission of previous sins, but provides real help not to commit new sins; d) not only enlightens the mind and imparts to it the knowledge of what should be done and what to avoid, but also gives strength to fulfill what has been learned and pours love into the heart; e) does not only make it easier for us to fulfill the divine commandments, which we supposedly can fulfill on our own, albeit with inconvenience, but serves as such an aid without which we are generally unable to fulfill the law of God and do good that contributes to our salvation 690. At present, the teaching of the Orthodox Church, directed against the false teaching of the Pelagians, can be seen in the following three rules adopted by it, among the nine local ones, of the Carthaginian Council, which was against Pelagius: “Whoever says that the grace of God, by which they are justified in Jesus Christ our Lord, is valid only for the remission of sins already committed, and does not provide additional help, let them not commit other sins: let such be anathema. For the grace of God not only gives us the knowledge of what is appropriate to do, but also breathes love into us, so that we may be able to do what we know” (right 125). “If anyone says that the same grace of God, even about Jesus Christ our Lord, will help us only so as not to sin, since by it the knowledge of sins is revealed and revealed to us, so that we know what we should seek and what to avoid, but that it does not give us love and strength to do what we have known we must do: let him be anathema. For... both are the gift of God, and knowledge of what is appropriate to do, and love for the good that is appropriate to do” (right. 126). “If anyone says that the grace of justification was given to us for the sake of this, so that we could more conveniently fulfill what is possible through free will through grace, since even if we did not receive the grace of God, we, although with inconvenience, could nevertheless fulfill the Divine commandments without it: such anathema shall be given. For about the fruits of the commandments the Lord did not say: Without Me you can do nothing inconveniently, but He said: Without Me you cannot do anything (John 15:5)” (right 127). The Semi-Pelagians, who appeared in Gaul around 427, admitted the existence of original sin in people; but, arguing that this sin very little damaged the spiritual powers of a person, they taught that a person himself is capable of rising to some extent in virtue, so that - a) the beginning of faith depends on him, b) only his confirmation and progress in faith and good deeds depends on grace, and - c) his subsequent stay in faith until the end of his life also depends on him, and not on grace 691. Thus, the semi-Pelagians accepted, as it were, half the false teaching of the Pelagians: they disagreed with them in that they recognized the necessity of grace, at least for the confirmation and advancement of a person in faith and for the accomplishment of saving works of faith; but they agreed that they rejected the necessity of grace for the beginning of faith in a person and for his remaining in faith until the end of his life. The accusers of the Semi-Pelagians were: Blessed. Augustine, Prosper, Fulgentius, Celestine, Pope, and several local councils in Gaul that took place in the fifth century 692. The main idea that they revealed against the refuted error was the thought of grace, the so-called prevenient or preceding one, on which the very beginning of our faith depends, and without which a person can neither undertake nor accomplish anything truly good 693 . Nowadays, we can find a separate image of this thought, directed against the Semi-Pelagians, in the message of the Eastern patriarchs on the Orthodox faith, where we read: “(Holy Scripture) teaches that the believer is saved by faith and his works, and at the same time represents God as the only author of our salvation: since, that is, He first gives enlightening grace, which brings to man the knowledge of Divine truth and teaches him to conform to it (if he does not resist) and to do good, pleasing to God, in order to obtain salvation, without destroying the free will of man, but allowing it to obey or disobey its action” (Part 3). And again: “in order for a person, having been reborn, to do spiritual good (for works of faith, being the cause of salvation and accomplished by supernatural grace, are usually called spiritual), for this it is necessary that grace precede and lead, as is said about the predestined, so that he cannot of himself do works worthy of life according to Christ, but can only desire or not desire to act in accordance with grace" (ch. 14). The Socinians and rationalists renewed the ancient error of the Pelagians, and extended it to the very last degree. Rejecting the existence of original sin and any corruption in man, and after that recognizing that man is capable of avoiding evil and doing good by his own natural forces, they reject the need in general for any supernatural aid to man for spiritual life, and do not even accept the Pelagian thought that grace, at least, makes it easier for us to fulfill the moral law, which we can fulfill without its aid not with such convenience. Therefore, the condemnation of the ancient Church pronounced on the Pelagians falls all the more on their newest followers. II. Others have been and continue to be mistaken regarding the universality of grace and its relation to human freedom. The universality of grace is rejected by all so-called predestinatians, i.e. believers that God has predestined (praedestinavit) from time immemorial, according to his unconditional will, some people to eternal salvation and glory, and others to eternal damnation, and therefore communicates his saving grace not to everyone, but only to those predestined to salvation. This false teaching arose as early as the second century between the Gnostics 694 ; intensified in the fifth century in Africa and Gaul, and was denounced by Prosper, Hilary, Augustine and Pope Celestine 695; was preached in the Middle Ages under the name of the teachings of Augustinus 696; finally, it reached its final development in modern times among the Calvinists, who even introduced it into their confessions 697, and the Jansenites 698. The same Calvinists and Jansenites teach falsely about the relation of grace to human freedom. Claiming that, according to the unconditional predestination of God, grace is communicated to those predestined for salvation, and so on. communicated in order to certainly sanctify them and lead to salvation, these sectarians naturally already admit the idea that grace has irresistible power and reality in the predetermined, so that they inevitably fulfill moral laws 699. True, wanting to preserve the concept of human freedom, the Jansenites note that irresistible grace does not force him to do good, but attracts him through the overwhelming pleasure (delectatio victrix), poured by it in the human soul, before which all earthly attractions and attachments are powerless 700; but in this way human freedom is not protected or saved in any way. Against both of the stated Calvinistic errors, the Orthodox Church expressed its voice at the Jerusalem Council in 1672 in a confession that later became known among us under the name of the message of the Eastern patriarchs on the Orthodox faith. It says here: “We believe that the all-good God predestined to glory those whom He chose from eternity: and whom He rejected, He condemned, not because He wanted to justify some in this way, and leave others and condemn without reason: for this is not characteristic of God, the common and impartial Father of all, who wants all mankind to be saved and to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 1, 4); but since He foresaw that some would use their free will well, and others poorly, therefore He predestined some to glory, and condemned others. We reason about the use of freedom in the following way: since the goodness of God has bestowed Divine and enlightening grace, which we also call anticipatory, which, like the light that enlightens those who walk in darkness, guides everyone: then those who wish to freely submit to it (for it prospers those who seek it, and not those who resist it), and to fulfill its commands, which are necessary for salvation, therefore receive a special grace, which, promoting, strengthening and constantly perfecting them in the love of God, that is, in those good deeds that God requires of us (and which prevenient grace also required), justifies them, and makes them predestined: those, on the contrary, who do not want to obey and follow grace, and therefore do not keep the commandments of God, but, following the suggestions of Satan, abuse their freedom given to them by God so that they arbitrarily do good, they are given over to eternal condemnation. But what the blasphemous heretics say, that God predetermines or condemns, without regard in the least to the deeds of those predetermined or condemned, we consider this to be madness and impiety” (Part 3). III. Still others, finally, err in reasoning about the consequences produced by grace in man, that is, in reasoning about the very sanctification of man by it. These errors belong to Protestants and concern, firstly, the essence of sanctification accomplished by grace in man, and secondly, the conditions of sanctification on the part of man. About the essence of sanctification (sanctificatio) or justification (justificatio), understood in a broad sense, Protestants argue that it consists - a) not in the fact that the grace of God acts internally in a person, and indeed, on the one hand, cleanses him from all sins, and on the other, makes him renewed, righteous, holy; b) but in the fact that, by the good pleasure of God, sins are forgiven only externally and are not imputed to a person, although in fact they remain in him, and only externally is the righteousness of Christ imputed to him. This is the teaching of both the Lutherans 701 and the Reformed 702 . The teaching of the Orthodox Church is of a completely different kind. Speaking about the fruits of the sacrament of baptism, in which our justification and sanctification are actually accomplished by grace, the Church preaches: “First, this sacrament destroys all sins: in infants the firstborn, and in adults both the original and voluntary. Secondly, it recreates a person and returns to him the righteousness that he had in a state of innocence and sinlessness” (Orthodox Confession, part 1, answer to question 103). And in another place: “one cannot say that baptism does not remove all previous sins, but that although they remain, they no longer have power. To teach in this way is extreme wickedness; it is a refutation of the faith, and not a confession of it. On the contrary, every sin that exists or existed before baptism is destroyed and is considered as if it did not exist, or never existed. For all the images under which baptism is presented show its cleansing power, and the sayings of the saints. The Scriptures regarding baptism make it clear that through it complete cleansing is achieved, as can be seen from the very names of baptism. If it is the baptism of the Spirit and fire; it is clear that it brings complete cleansing, for the Spirit cleanses completely. If it is light, then all darkness is driven away by it. If it is rebirth, then everything old passes away: and this old thing is nothing more than sins. If the baptized person puts off the old man, then he also puts off sin. If he puts on Christ, then in fact he becomes sinless through baptism” (Epistle of the Eastern Patriarch on the Right Faith, Part 16). Regarding the conditions of justification or sanctification on the part of man, Protestants teach: as soon as a sinner, having come to the consciousness of his sinfulness and complete powerlessness to fulfill the moral law of the Gospel, and frightened by the gravity of his guilt, firmly believes that he is reconciled with God through Jesus Christ, immediately, according to his faith, which alone justifies, the merits of Christ are imputed to him, and he is declared righteous and innocent, although in fact doesn't actually become that way. From that time on, God performs all good deeds in man, as evidence of his faith, but without the participation of man himself, for whom this participation, due to his complete powerlessness, is impossible 703. Contrary to this false teaching, the Orthodox Church confesses: “We believe that a person is justified not simply by faith alone, but by faith promoted by love, that is, through faith and works. We recognize as completely impious the idea that faith, replacing works, acquires justification in Christ: for faith in this sense could befit everyone, and there would not be a single one who is not saved, which is obviously false. On the contrary, we believe that it is not the ghost of faith alone, but the faith that is in us through works that justifies us in Christ. We honor works not only as evidence confirming our calling, but also as fruits that make our faith active, and can, according to the divine promise, deliver to everyone a well-deserved reward, good or bad, depending on what he has done with his body” (Episode of the Eastern Patr. on the Right Faith, part 13; demolished, part 9). IV. According to the three types of errors regarding grace that we have shown, against which the teaching of the Orthodox Church is so clearly directed, we will present this teaching in three separate sections, and specifically we will say: I) against the Pelagians, Semi-Pelagians and their other like-minded people - about the necessity of grace for the sanctification of man; II) against Calvinists and Jansenites - about the universality of grace and its relation to human freedom; III) against Protestants in general - about the essence and conditions of the very sanctification of man by the grace of God. Vid. apod Augustin. de gratia Christi c. III, no. 5; XXVI, no. 27; XXIX, no. 30. Augustin. de gest. Pelagii c. X, n. 22; XVII, no. 41; XXXV, n. 61. 65; de Spiritu et litt. XIX, n. 32; de grat. Christi II, n, 2; XXXVIII, no. 42; XL, n. 44; contr. duas epist. Pelag. IV, 5, n. 11. The acts of these councils are placed - in Collect. concil. t. I, ed. Harduin. Augustin. de grat. Christi c. XIV; contr. duas epist. Pelag. III, 4; IV, 9; contr. Julian. op. imperf. II, 168; Concil. Milev. II (an. 416), can. III. V.VI. VII. VIII. Vid. apud Natal. Alexandr. Histor, eccles. saecul. V, diss. IV. Augustin. de praedestin. Sanct.; de dono perseverantiae; Prosper, contr. Collat.; Fulgent, de ineam, et grat.; Coelestin. Epist. ad episcopos Galliarum. Fulgent. verit. praedest. et grat. II, 17; cfr. Gregor. Magn. in Ezech. homil. IX, n. 2. Iren. adv. haer. 1, 8, n. 2; Clem. Strom. II, 3; V, 1; Epiphan. haer. XXXII, 8. Sirmond. Hist. Praedest. With. I. II. III. Gottchalk. Confessio prolixior (in Mauguin. Vindic. praedestin. et gratiae t. I, p. 9). Calvin. Instit. III, 21, n. 5; 22, no. 11; 23, no. 4; Confess. Helvet. c. X; Confess. Gall. c. XII; Confess. Belgic. c. XVI. Jansenius de gratia Salvatoris, lib. VIII, c. 3. Jansen. de grat. Salv. VIII, c. 6. Conf. Augustin. IV. VI, X; Apol. III, no. 186; Solid. Declar. art. ΙΠ de justitia fidei n. 6 et sq. Conf. Helvet. I, c. XV; Conf. Belgium, art. XXII. XXIII. Apolog. III, no. 171; Solid. Declar. III de just. fidei n. 15. 22. 55 et caet. You might be interested in: