Your words: "What makes us slaves to righteousness instead of sin is not any decision on our part, but a work of Jesus Christ...Crucifixion is not something a person does to themselves. It is, by definition, an act performed upon a person when they are forcibly nailed to a cross. There is no greater expression of passivity, and it is the metaphor Paul chooses to describe our contribution to our own salvation."
These are a great comfort and need to be often repeated. Too many people are suffering in Christian sects who preach a works righteousness Christianity that saves none because the focus is always on "meat pies" instead of manna from Heaven. To be free is to be dying daily in baptism and God raising us from ourselves into Christ Jesus.
We all have a will, but one that is not free, it's based in our nature. The natural man left to himself can only sin. For that, he can take full responsibility. In sin, he is not a passive instrument; he does what he wants to do, which he does all the time.
The nice actions he may perform from time to time always have within them seeds of selfish, prideful impurities that reveal the deeper motives of the heart. In that, they are "in name only" good.
Luther took a high view of sin from biblical authors. Many today see it as, "well I only meant", or "it didn't hurt anyone", or some such other mitigating excuse.
The truly good act is done only "in Christ", and this is "a stumbling block" for many.
This was really good, Amy! You’ve managed to make this ever-bristling topic readable. Bravo!
Like Erasmus, I have also valued brevity in my assessment.
Your words: "What makes us slaves to righteousness instead of sin is not any decision on our part, but a work of Jesus Christ...Crucifixion is not something a person does to themselves. It is, by definition, an act performed upon a person when they are forcibly nailed to a cross. There is no greater expression of passivity, and it is the metaphor Paul chooses to describe our contribution to our own salvation."
These are a great comfort and need to be often repeated. Too many people are suffering in Christian sects who preach a works righteousness Christianity that saves none because the focus is always on "meat pies" instead of manna from Heaven. To be free is to be dying daily in baptism and God raising us from ourselves into Christ Jesus.
Glad it was encouraging!
We all have a will, but one that is not free, it's based in our nature. The natural man left to himself can only sin. For that, he can take full responsibility. In sin, he is not a passive instrument; he does what he wants to do, which he does all the time.
The nice actions he may perform from time to time always have within them seeds of selfish, prideful impurities that reveal the deeper motives of the heart. In that, they are "in name only" good.
Luther took a high view of sin from biblical authors. Many today see it as, "well I only meant", or "it didn't hurt anyone", or some such other mitigating excuse.
The truly good act is done only "in Christ", and this is "a stumbling block" for many.