Book Notice: Mark A. Garcia, Life in Christ (Continued)

(The book notice published at http://christocentry.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-notice-mark-garcia-life-in-christ.html is continued here with a few theological comments on Mr. Garcia's conclusions)

The book's thesis suggests that Calvin's view of union with Christ for justification and sanctification, mediated by the Holy Spirit, is explanatory of his doctrine of the sacramental "presence."  Mr Garcia discerns a thread of consistency between these subjects, based on Calvin's view of the function of the Holy Spirit, who brings things widely separated into intimate communion with one another.  It's my opinion, as expressed in the previous post, that this is a link worth intellectual pursuit, not only for the sake of Calvin Studies, but for the sake of a truer understanding of our own history.  If we don't understand ourselves, how can we continue the Reformation?

One might also express certain theological caveats about the theological balance, however.  In his discussion of the relationship between justification and sanctification, Mr. Garcia tends to somewhat glorify Calvin as supposedly holding a mediating position between Lutheranism and Romanism when it comes to the place of good works in the fruition of our salvation. For Calvin, justification and sanctification are parallel gifts that come at the same time -- when faith comes.  The process of sanctification begins immediately, and is intimately tied to justification, but also distinct.  This tends to not make sanctification an afterthought to justification.  Sanctification as a real process in our lives is part of our salvation, but it is a gift ordained by God through the power of the Spirit, and not a process by which we earn anything.  According to Mr Garcia, this is distinct from the Lutheran view which tends to make sanctification a product of justification, and therefore, potentially unnecessary, or an afterthought to real salvation, rather than part of it.

From my own reading of the Institutes, and some relevant portions of Calvin's commentaries, I would strongly suggest that Calvin sees himself as more of a "Lutheran" than that.  Therefore, I suggest that the distinction that Mr. Garcia draws between Calvin's views on the relationship between justification and sanctification, and the views of Melanchthon on this subject, are overdrawn.   

For my own part, I would mark out the danger of making justification and sanctification absolutely parallel.  This is a danger which has been realized in the subsequent history of the Reformed movement.  It is this:  If justification and sanctification are an absolutely parallel double-gift of the Holy Spirit, then who's to say which evidence is the best source of assurance of salvation:  faith, or good behavior?

There have been segments of the Reformed movement which have emphasized the truth that sanctification does necessarily ensue -- and it does -- but attention is focused on this area more than on assurance through faith.  The consequence is lowered assurance among the faithful, because they still see too much evidence of sin within themselves.

Calvin, however, is quite vehemently different.  Quoting from the vicinity of where I happened to open the Institutes (Book 3, Chap XIII, Sect 4):

"... God's promises are not established unless they are grasped with the full assurance of conscience.  Wherever there is doubt or uncertainty, it pronounces them void. ... Therefore, righteousness must either depart from us or works must not be brought into account, but faith alone must have place, whose nature it is to prick up the ears and close the eyes -- that is, to be intent upon the promise alone and to turn thought away from all worth or merit of man."

Or, from Sect 5:

"Therefore, those who prate that we are justified by faith because, being reborn, we are righteous by living spiritually have never tasted the sweetness of grace, so as to consider that God will be favorable to them.  Hence it also follows that they no more know the right way to pray than do the Turks [Islamics] and other profane nations [outside Christendom]."

Or, speaking of our bold access to Christ through faith:

"This surely does not take place through the gift of regeneration [sanctification], which, as it is always imperfect in this flesh, so contains within itself manifold grounds for doubt.  Therefore, we must come to this remedy:  that believers should be convinced that their only ground of hope for the inheritance of a Heavenly Kingdom lies in the fact that, being engrafted in the body of Christ, they are freely accounted righteous.  For, as regards justification, faith is something merely passive, bringing nothing of ours to the recovering of God's favor but receiving from Christ that which we lack."

After all, it's James, the teacher of justification by works, who teaches:

James 2:22-23   Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.

James quotes Genesis 15:3 -- the same verse Paul quotes in Romans 4, to show that Abraham was entirely justified without works, when he believed the Messianic promise.  James adds that this promise -- which Paul guarantees us resulted in Abraham's justification before he did anything -- reached fulfillment in his justification by works, as his faith worked through love (Gal 5:6).  In other words, it was faith in the promise resulting in justification by faith only, which eventuated in the behavior that resulted in his justification by works.  Put simply, sanctification is produced by justification.

So, even James teaches the Lutheran position on this! 

Amazing.