The Orthodox Study Bible: The Jeff
Edited for an academia.edu entry on January 29, 2023
The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
Thank you to The Jeff for the comments in the last entry, comments section:
Cited
What's the difference between Orthodox, Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox?
My guess is that the first is biblical, and the other two are not, as I understand the latter two to not believe in salvation by faith in Christ Jesus alone.
Sola scriptura: “Scripture alone”
Sola fide: “faith alone”
Sola gratia: “grace alone”
Solo Christo: “Christ alone”
Soli Deo gloria: “to the glory of God alone”
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Review of Orthodoxy
My replies based on my research within The Orthodox Study Bible. Again from my theological perspectives within the Reformed tradition.
Edited
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 from the Orthodox Study Bible, 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 (John 3, Titus 1 Peter 1, my add) 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.
On page 346 at Romans 5, the Orthodoxy article states:
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.
Edited
A former pastor of mine, that is Reformed and Presbyterian, visited me at my work at the time. He opined that an Eastern Orthodox priest he knows, denies justification by faith, 'alone' within his teaching. My former pastor agreed with me that Orthodoxy does exhibit fine scholarship. He reasoned that Orthodoxy views that justification equates to one realizing the he/she is a son/daughter of God.
This is not a typical, at least, Protestant or Reformed view, but can be equated with being born again (John 3) and being regenerated (Titus 3), without an emphasis on legal justification.
According this Orthodox Study Bible:
Ephesians 2:8-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The Orthodox Study Bible (440)
(Again paraphrased within the British academic system)
Notes: Ephesians 2: 8-10
By the unity of grace, faith, and works persons are brought into the Kingdom of God. (440-442). These are not equal, for grace is uncreated and infinite. (442). Human faith is limited and can grow... (442). Good works flow out of a true, authentic, faith. Works do not earn a person this great treasure (442).
I read this as stating that good works cannot earn a person justification and that good works cannot earn a person salvation. Salvation is a gift and those who receive it shall do good in Jesus Christ and the triune God. (442).
Direct quote:
'We are not saved by good works, but for good works.' (442).
Romans 1: 17 is interpreted in notes as presenting the righteousness of God as a right relationship with God. (338).
This bible text then states that Christ's righteousness is given to us and by our own cooperation with God, we continue to be righteous, in it. (338-339). This participation takes place via human faith.
A Protestant view will emphasize that salvation and justification is only a work of God.
In other words, a Protestant and especially a Reformed view would not state that those in Christ, cooperate in justification and righteousness.
An Orthodox concern may be justification and salvation must have human cooperation, otherwise risking a forcing or coercion of salvation.
A Protestant and especially Reformed concern with the concept of cooperation, may be that it might be works righteousness.
My Reformed theology views the human embracing of salvation, including justification and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, in a sense as philosophically and theologically, a human secondary cause; but very importantly, only the primary cause, the triune God, creates the means of salvation through the atonement and resurrection.
In this way, those in Christ, being regenerated by God alone, only accept salvation as a divine gift and this also avoids the problem of divine force or coercion. It is also not a (fallen) human work of salvation. Even Christ's righteousness, as God-man, for salvation, is divine righteousness from God: Romans 1-6, Ephesians 2: 8. It is incarnated divine righteousness in a perfect person.
A human secondary cause, is embracing and not creating salvation. In a similar way that God can be a primary cause by willing directly or allowing, a human being, can be a secondary cause by embracing what God has caused.
Edited
By their own definition...
Orthodoxy here, denies works righteousness for salvation.
But my theological reasoning, in regards to justification by faith, by adding the concept of cooperation by His grace, it denies justification by grace through faith alone.
A significantly free response within moral responsibility in faith is not forced or coerced, but it is also not done in libertarian free will. Those whom God chooses, will freely believe (Ephesians 1-2, Romans 8-9), they will not reject salvation as God has regenerated and simultaneously converted the person (s) that believes by grace through faith.
Orthodoxy versus Reformed
Edited
The Orthodox Study Bible text states that Christ's righteousness is given to us and by our own cooperation with God, we continue to be righteous, in it. (338-339). This participation takes place via human faith.
A Protestant and especially Reformed concern with the concept of cooperation, is the danger (s) of works righteousness. I realize, having worked through a significant amount of the Study Bible, with a prayerfully open-mind, that official Orthodox doctrine does not hold to works righteousness toward obtaining salvation.
My Reformed theology views the human embracing of salvation, including justification and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, in a sense as philosophically and theologically, a human secondary cause; but very importantly, only the primary cause, the triune God creates the means and application of salvation through the atonement and resurrection.
I might coin the secondary cause here as a 'passive cause'.
Collins is rather helpful here:
secondary cause in British English
philosophy
a cause which is not the primary or ultimate cause
the distinction between the universal and primary cause and the particular and secondary cause
Not the ultimate cause, exactly.
In this way, those in Christ, being regenerated by God alone, only accept salvation as a divine gift and this also avoids the problem of divine force or coercion. People are not saved or damned through hard determinism (objections from philosophical theology, philosophy of religion), with no secondary agency involved. It is also not a (fallen) human work of salvation. Human righteousness (the human nature) is universally fallen and tainted in sin. Christ's righteousness as both God and man, is still divine righteousness and a gift of God (Ephesians 2: 8). It is a divine righteousness which is incarnated into a perfect human being. It is not universal, human righteousness as we know it in this present realm.
It might be more clear to state that a human being has secondary agency in embracing salvation. The secondary cause in secondary agencies, merely embraces the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, including justification and sanctification.
Philippians 2:12-13 New American Standard Bible
12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to [a]desire and to work for His good pleasure. Footnotes Philippians 2:13 Or be willing
As secondary causes, as secondary agents, we embrace and work through, by grace through faith, the salvific work that only God has completed and applied through Christ.
From my MPhil
John Calvin (1543) stated concerning free will: If freedom is opposed to coercion, I both acknowledge and consistently maintain that choice is free and I hold anyone who thinks otherwise to be a heretic. If, I say, it were called free in this sense of not being coerced nor forcibly moved by an external impulse, but moving of its own accord, I have no objection. Calvin (1543)(1996: 68).
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To be clear, human secondary cause, is embracing and not creating salvation through any work of (fallen) human righteousness. There is the imputed, divine, righteousness of Jesus Christ, the perfect God-man (Romans, Galatians, as examples).
God alone, through the atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, and regeneration and application to believers, is the primary and first cause of salvation. God alone provides and applies salvation.
Human secondary cause, within salvation, embraces the salvific work of God. This theology both avoids works righteousness (bible and theology) and hard determinism (philosophical theology, philosophy of religion).
But by my theological reasoning, although Orthodoxy does hold to a form of justification by faith (348, 801), by adding the concept of cooperation by his grace, it denies justification by grace through faith alone. This doctrine especially key from Romans, Galatians, Ephesians and Hebrews.
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'.
It could be stated that God the Son has infinite, divine righteousness (spirit of God). Without a mixing of natures, divine and human nature remain distinct, God the Son, and now God incarnate, has finite, perfect human righteousness in his human brain. But, as infinite nature surpasses the finite human, this makes the righteousness divine, biblically speaking. The source is divine (Romans, especially).
Romans 1:16-17 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed [a]from faith to faith; as it is written: “[b]But the righteous one will live by faith.”
STRONGS NT 1343: δικαιοσύνη
Righteousness, the condition acceptable to God
δικαιοσύνη
N-NFS= Noun, nominative, feminine, singular. From δίκαιος meaning righteous
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2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter
