Let us begin with a church history exam question. Cardinal Robert
Bellarmine (1542–1621) was a figure not to be taken lightly. He was Pope
Clement VIII’s personal theologian and one of
the most able figures in the Counter-Reformation movement within
sixteenth-century Roman Catholicism. On one occasion, he wrote: “The
greatest of all Protestant heresies is _______ .” Complete, explain,
and discuss Bellarmine’s statement.
How would you answer? What is the greatest of all Protestant
heresies? Perhaps justification by faith? Perhaps Scripture alone, or
one of the other Reformation watchwords?
Those answers make logical sense. But none of them completes
Bellarmine’s sentence. What he wrote was: “The greatest of all
Protestant heresies is assurance.”
A moment’s reflection explains why. If justification is not by faith
alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone — if faith needs to be completed
by works; if Christ’s work is somehow repeated; if grace is not free and
sovereign, then something always needs to be done, to be “added” for
final justification to be ours. That is exactly the problem. If final
justification is dependent on something we have to complete it is not
possible to enjoy assurance of salvation. For then, theologically, final
justification is contingent and uncertain, and it is impossible for
anyone (apart from special revelation, Rome conceded) to be sure of
salvation. But if Christ has done everything, if justification is by
grace, without contributory works; it is received by faith’s empty hands
— then assurance, even “full assurance” is possible for every believer.
No wonder Bellarmine thought full, free, unfettered grace was dangerous!
Ligonier
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