Saturday, January 23, 2010

Trent on Justification - Canon 25

Canon 25 on Justification condemns the error of those who insist that every work performed by the just is necessarily sinful in some way.

If any one saith, that, in every good work, the just sins venially at least, or—which is more intolerable still—mortally, and consequently deserves eternal punishments; and that for this cause only he is not damned, that God does not impute those works unto damnation; let him be anathema.

It is just not the case that it’s impossible for a Christian to avoid sin at any time. Men can and do perform good deeds, particularly when they are assisted by the grace of God (as Christians certainly are).

This canon says nothing contrary to justification by grace alone.

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