5.  Concerning Salvation Articles 9-18

9. About Original or Birth-sin

Original: Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek, phronema sarkos, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess, that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.

Simple English: Original Sin is not about following the example of Adam, (as the Pelagians wrongly say). It is the fault and corruption of the nature of everyone which is produced in the nature of the descendants of Adam. As a result humans have gone very far from original righteousness, and by their own nature are inclined to evil, so that the flesh always desires what is contrary to the spirit. Therefore in every person born into this world, this original sin deserves God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature remains even in those who are regenerated, so that the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek, phronema sarkos, which some translate as the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for those who believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle admits that desire and lust has in itself the nature of sin.

The Anglican doctrine is different to the teaching of Pelagius, who said that the human will was able to do what God required, and that sin was only the wrong deeds which people did.  The Reformers, followed Augustine and said that Adam’s sin affected the nature of humans. Human nature has become corrupt. It is essentially biased towards sin. Because of this it deserves God’s judgment. This corruption of human nature also means that humans have a tendency to do wrong in practice. That is, the wrong deeds spring from the sinful nature.

The Anglican doctrine is also different to the Council of Trent, which adopted a form of Pelagianism.  It said that original righteousness was not part of the nature of the first humans, but something added by God. This was lost when Adam sinned, but no corruption of his nature occurred. Trent said that baptism removed all sin. The Article admits that even for baptized believers who have been born again, the sinful nature is still at work.

10. About Free Will

Original: The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith, and calling upon God: Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a ,good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

Simple English: The condition of humanity after the fall of Adam is such that we cannot turn and prepare ourselves, by our own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God. This means that we have no power to do good works which are pleasing and acceptable to God, unless the grace of God in Christ goes before us so that we may have a good will, and unless it works with us when we have that good will.

The Article does not actually speak about free will. It describes an implication of Article 9. The Roman Catholic doctrine of original sin stated that when Adam sinned he lost a gift of righteousness, but his nature was not affected. This meant that humans still had the ability to choose to do what God required and so to gain God’s grace to help them.  The Article affirms that humans have a will but states that this will does not have the power to do what God requires. Only the grace of God which comes through Christ can give us a will which obeys God. The Article reflects the ideas of Phil 2.13.

11. About the justification of Humans

Original: We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification.

Simple English: We are accounted righteous before God, only because of the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not because of our own works or because of what we deserve. So the doctrine, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and full of comfort, as is expressed more fully in the Homily of Justification.

The Reformed doctrine of justification describes how God declares us to be righteous. The Council of Trent described justification not just as the forgiveness of sins but as the renewal and sanctification of the inner person by receiving God’s grace and gifts. That is, justification meant becoming holy in practice. (This teaching confuses justification  - God’s declaration that we are righteous, and sanctification -  the process of becoming holy in practice).

The Anglican Article rejects the teaching of Trent. It says that justification means to be accounted as righteous by God. The basis for it is the work of the Lord Jesus, especially his death. It is not based on how good we are, or on what we do. The way we receive justification is by faith in the work of Christ.

This doctrine is a wholesome doctrine, that is it brings spiritual health. It assures us that we have peace with God, and saves us from doing good works for our own benefit. It is full of comfort because it forms the basis for holy living. It encourages us to be holy for the sake of being like God, not in order to win his approval.

12. About Good Works

Original: Albeit that Good Works, which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after Justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgement; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith; insomuch that by them a lively, Faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit.

Simple English: Good works which are the fruit of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins or endure the severity of God's judgment. But they are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ. They spring out of a true and lively faith. In fact by them a lively faith may be known as clearly as a tree is identified by the fruit.

This Article explains more about justification and good works.  Good works are a result, or a fruit, of faith. They do not result in justification, rather they follow on from justification. They cannot be used to cancel our sin. Good works are the proof that we have the kind of faith that results in justification. That is, it is faith which results in both justification and good works. (See also Eph 2.10). Because we have been accounted as righteous by God, we are now free to do good works for his sake and not for our own sake.

13. About Works before Justification

Original: Works done before the grace of Christ, and the Inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the School-authors say) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.

Simple English: Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasing to God because they do not spring from faith in Jesus Christ. Neither do they make people fit to receive grace, or (as the School-authors say)  to deserve God’s grace because they show that we are ready to do what he requires.  Rather, because they are not done as God has willed and commanded them to be done, we do not doubt that they have the nature of sin.

The Article refers to works which were done by us before we received the grace of Christ. This means works which were done before we were justified. The Article says that these works are not pleasing to God and that they have the nature of sin. The reason for this is that they do not spring from faith in Christ. Another way to say this is that they are not done in the way God said they should be done. The way that God wants our works to be done is by faith.

The “School authors” is a reference to the scholasticism of the middle ages which built on the work of people like Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus.  Part of this teaching was that when humans exercise their will and do what is good, they show that they are willing and ready to receive grace from God so that, with the help of that grace, they can do the works that will result in justification. They deserve God’s help because they are doing what is good, according to the scholastics.

14. About Works of Supererogation

Original: Voluntary Works besides, over and above, God's Commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety: for by them men do declare, that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake, than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that arc commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

Simple English: Voluntary Works cannot be taught without arrogance and impiety. Voluntary Works are those which are done as well as, and over and above God's commandments. They are called Works of Supererogation. When people teach this they declare that they not only give to God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than their duty requires. But Christ says plainly, When you have done all that you are commanded to do, say, We are unprofitable servants.

This Article is about the idea that a person can do more than God requires them to do.  The history of the idea starts from the time of the Decian persecution in the 3rd century.  Some of the Confessors claimed the right to be able to restore the Lapsed to the church.  The basis of this was the faithfulness of the Confessors during the persecution. Around the same time the idea developed that there were some works which were not required but which were still good to do. These could be added to a person’s store of merit. Later it was thought that some Christians, when they had paid all the penalties for all their sins in purgatory, still had merits left over. This store of unused merit was the basis for  Indulgences which the Pope gave (or sold) to people so that they could spend less time in purgatory.

The Article rejects all these ideas because they are contrary to scripture and not in accordance with the doctrine of justification by faith.

15. About Christ alone without Sin

Original: Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world, and sin, as Saint ,John saith, was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized, and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Simple English: Christ had our true nature and was made like us in all things, except for sin. He had no sin either in his flesh or in his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who, by the sacrifice of himself made once, would take away the sins of the world. Sin, as Saint John says, was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized, and born again in Christ, still offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

This Articles affirms that Christ was truly human (see Article 2), but that he had no sin. One of the purposes of the Article is to make clear that there is no human who is without sin, neither Mary nor a believer who has the Holy Spirit.
The Article also describes the atonement. Our sins are forgiven because of the sacrifice of Christ himself (see also Articles 2, 28, 31).

16. About Sin after Baptism

Original: Not every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

Simple English: Not every deadly sin willingly committed after baptism is sin against the Holy Spirit, and unpardonable. Therefore the gift of repentance is not to be denied to those who fall into sin after baptism. After we have received the Holy Spirit we may depart from the grace given to us, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may arise again, and change our lives. And therefore those who say that they cannot sin any more as long as they live are to be condemned, as well as those who deny forgiveness to those who truly repent.

At the time of the Reformation there were two mistaken views about sin after baptism. One view said that Christians cannot sin again once they have received the Holy Spirit and been baptized. Others said that sin after baptism could not be forgiven.

In the early church those who thought that sins after baptism could not be forgiven tended to delay baptism until the end of a person’s life. The Article rejects both these ideas.

The idea of a deadly sin means a serious sin which is committed willfully. The Article does not define what the sin against the Holy Spirit is, but it does say that Christians who sin after baptism must not be denied forgiveness when they repent.

17. About Predestination and Election

Original: Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind. and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: then be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

As the godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's Predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the Word of God.

Simple English: Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, so that (before the foundations of the world were laid) he has firmly decreed, by his secret counsel which is hidden from us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he has chosen in Christ out of humanity and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. So these, who are given such an excellent benefit by God, are called according to God's purpose by his Spirit who works at the right time; they through grace obey the calling; they are justified freely; then they are made children of God by adoption; they are made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; they faithfully do good works; and at last, by God's mercy, they reach everlasting happiness.

The godly consideration of predestination, and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly people, and those who feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ.  These are the people who put to death the works of the flesh and the parts of their body that serve sin.  The consideration of predestination lifts up their minds to high and heavenly things because it greatly establishes and confirms their faith in eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, and also passionately stirs up their love towards God. But it is very dangerous if curious and sinful people, who do not have the Spirit of Christ, always have before their eyes the decision of God's predestination, because the Devil pushes them either into desperation, or into unclean living, which is no less dangerous than desperation.

Furthermore, we must receive God's promises as they are generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture, and in what we do, we are to follow that will of God which has been expressly declared to us in the Word of God.

Two terms are used in the title of the Article. Predestination in the New Testament refers specifically to the decision God has made beforehand that those he saves will become his children and be conformed to the image of his Son (Rom 8.29; Eph 1.5). Election refers to God’s choice of those he is saving. It is normally connected with Christ, “chosen in Christ” (Eph 1.4). In the Article predestination refers generally to God’s purpose to give his people the blessings of salvation.
The Article refers to predestination to life, and therefore it rejects a doctrine of a double predestination (ie a predestination to condemnation as well).

The Article makes clear that God’s purpose to save people was decided before the creation of the world, and has nothing to do with what people deserve, but rather is connected with God’s mercy which he brings to us in Christ.

The process is described in 7 steps:

• called according to God's purpose by his Spirit
• through grace they obey the calling;
• justified freely;
• made children of God by adoption;
• made like the image of his Son Jesus Christ;
• they faithfully do good works;
• reach everlasting happiness.

This process describes both the work of God and the work of humans.

According to the Article the doctrine of predestination and election is a great encouragement to Christians because it assures them that their salvation is a result of the mercy of God and that it results from his eternal purpose. It also assures them of the great blessings of salvation.

The Article also affirms that in stating this doctrine we should follow what scripture says and not develop other theories about God’s will which are not made clear in scripture.  The Christian doctrine tells us about God’s salvation, it is not connected with philosophies of determinism or fate.

This doctrine is part of a larger debate about the ability of humans to help in their own salvation. It occurred  previously in the debate between Pelagius and Augustine, and at the time of the Reformation between Arminius and Calvin.

18. About obtaining eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ.

Original: They also are to be had accursed that presume to say, That every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the light of Nature. For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

Simple English: They are to be regarded as cursed who presume to say, that everyone will be saved by the religion or sect which they profess, as long as they are careful to shape their life according to that religion and the light of nature. For Holy Scripture declares to us only the Name of Jesus Christ, by which people must be saved.

This is the only Article which includes an anathema. It is possible that it refers to Christians who  believe that people can be saved not only by the name of Jesus, but by other means as well.  The Article emphasises that only through Christ can we be saved.