The Orthodox Study Bible: Very non-exhaustive on salvation

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver.

This text review continues...



Theology of salvation is compared:

1. Protestant

This presentation, in my view, is accurate in regards to a mainly Protestant/Evangelical theology which, based on my educational background and teaching on this website, heavily emphasizes libertarian free will.

(Incompatibilism, see archives, but it is non-determinism, in a sense)

In other words, if you believe in the gospel, you are saved, if you do not, you are damned.

However, the speaker, Steve Robinson documents on You Tube...

A comparison of the mainstream juridical-substitutionary atonement views and an Orthodox view of salvation illustrated with chairs.

It a limited Protestant perspective, in my view.

I view a Protestant/Reformed perspective as a significantly more theological astute and accurate than a merely a Protestant/Evangelical one.

By the planning, creation and initiation of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit...

The atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ is applied to those regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3) (One must be born again John 3), that with limited free will (my PhD take on compatibilism and soft determinism, see archives), embrace the work of Christ and the regeneration, simultaneous to God's salvific work.

This includes legal justification and the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ to those chosen in Jesus Christ (Romans).

This includes sanctification.

Those in Christ are chosen (Ephesians 1, Romans 8-9), regenerated and are saved by grace through faith, not by works, but for works.

Works in Jesus Christ are however a sign of salvation (James).

Romans 4 for a New Testament view in regard to Abraham from the Hebrew Bible.

Romans 4:4-5, 20-22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness

20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness.

John Calvin: Romans 4: 5

Cited

He indeed clearly shews that faith brings us righteousness, not because it is a meritorious act, but because it obtains for us the favor of God.

2. Orthodox

In this video presentation, the love of God was heavily emphasized. I would appreciate a more thorough soteriology (salvation theology). But I understand it was a non-exhaustive presentation, as is my website article.
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The Orthodox Study Bible defines Salvation

Page 807

However, here, is where Orthodoxy differs from Protestantism. As I noted in previous work, the Protestant view is that those in Christ do not cooperate in human salvation. My Reformed theology is that we embrace our salvation in Jesus Christ.

The second video below demonstrates that Pastor John F. MacArthur views Orthodoxy as false.

(MacArthur will view the Roman Catholic Church as false for similar reasons)

(Paraphrased) This would be based on this view described in the Orthodoxy text. He would understand Orthodoxy as holding to works righteousness and not justification by grace through faith alone. In other words, he reasons Orthodoxy assumes that the atoning and resurrection work in Christ is not sufficient for salvation.

Recent convert to Orthodoxy from Evangelical Christianity, Hank Hanegraaff of the Christian Research Institute, reasons (paraphrased) that MacArthur is interpreting Orthodoxy incorrectly and that the idea of cooperation with God in salvation connects to works in salvation concepts from the Book of James and not works righteousness for salvation.

I am learning about Orthodoxy, and so approach this topic cautiously and humbly, but will state that where and if MacArthur is correct, within Orthodoxy, that works righteousness will not save anyone.

As a Protestant within the Reformed tradition, again for clarity, I reason that God alone plans, creates, initiates salvation.

Based on my philosophical, Reformed theology...

Cause is a confusing philosophical term, and is used in different senses:

The chosen in Jesus Christ, as a secondary cause with limited free will, merely embrace salvation which is entirely of the triune God. Crucially, cause here is not defined as planning, creating or initiating salvation. Salvation is not forced or coerced by God, but humanly embraced.

To clarify:

Primary cause: God, as Father, Son, Holy Spirit, plans, creates, initiates the atoning and resurrection work of God the Son, Jesus Christ and regeneration.

Secondary cause: Chosen, regenerated Christians embrace.

A secondary cause as opposed to hard determinism and force and coercion, as human beings do not merely simply become Christians, but with limited free will, embrace salvation. As the soteriology is entirely divine, there is no human works righteousness that adds to or contributes to salvation.

If by works righteousness, concepts within James and Romans 4 (4: 22 Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness) are meant, as in showing salvific faith by works and obedience, I can accept that as embracing salvation, but I would not use the term 'cooperation'.

Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 38: Romans, tr. by John King, [1847-50], at sacred-texts.com