The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
Holy
Cited
'Literally, "set apart"or separated unto God; also, blessed, righteousness, sinless.' (800). God is therefore in Jesus Christ, the source of holiness for members of the Christian Church. (800).
This occurs through applied regeneration (John 3, Titus 3).
This is a transformation by the Holy Spirit for those within Jesus Christ, that become holy as is God. (800). I would state that these people are in the process through salvation/sanctification of becoming finitely holy, in contrast to God that is eternally, infinitely, holy.
Grenz, Guretzki, Nordling
This text agrees that to be holy has the general meaning of being 'set apart'. (60).
Back to the Orthodox Study Bible...
Sanctification is also literally "being set apart" by God. (807). Being sanctified is being made holy (807). This is a process of growth, that is not culminated as immediate, as are some other aspects of the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ.
Romans 12: 1 New American Standard Bible
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, [a]acceptable to God, which is your [b]spiritual service of worship.
However:
Within a Reformed perspective and evangelical view, the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ in justification (Romans, Galatians) is applied immediately upon salvation:
2 Corinthians 5:21 New American Standard Bible
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
In contrast, orthodoxy views justification as 'the act whereby God forgives the sins of the believer and begins to transform him or her into a righteous person.' (801). It is noted that justification cannot be earned by works of righteousness (801). This is a gift of God (801). It holds to a form of justification by faith, admitted.
Grenz, Guretzki, Nordling
A Protestant, Reformed, evangelical, perspective, views justification as a legal term meaning the sinner is acquitted (69). This justification makes the now regenerated Christian acceptable to the Holy God.
This is through justification by grace through faith (69). Alone. Justification by grace through faith alone, is a Protestant, Reformed, evangelical doctrine and not held to within Orthodoxy.
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| Page 801. |
Quote:
'Through His mercy we are justified by faith and empowered by God for good works or deeds of righteousness which bring glory to him.'
By their own definition, Orthodoxy here, denies works righteousness for salvation. But by my theological reasoning, by adding the concept of cooperation by His grace, it denies a Protestant/Reformed doctrine of justification by faith, that is, justification by grace through faith alone. My non-exhaustive but correct presentation...
GRENZ, STANLEY J. DAVID GURETZKI and CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
