Re: [asa] Anabaptist (alleged) error

On Sat, 8 Nov 2008 20:53:58 -0500 <gmurphy10@neo.rr.com> writes:
> [in small part]
>
> Your final statements seriously misrepresent my view of the
> sacraments. I never said that they work inexorably to produce
> faith, any more than I would say that about the preached word. Why
> some people don't come to faith when God "desires that all men be
> saved & come to the knowledge of the truth" is a tough question but
> not one that particularly strikes the idea that the sacraments are
> means of grace.
>
> Shalom,
> George
>
You are lumping preaching and sacrament as producing faith. But I was
trying to note a difference. Preaching involves the Word passing through
the understanding of the preacher. This means that it may be distorted by
said individual's misunderstanding. Additionally, it involves intake
through the understanding of the listener. The work of the Spirit is also
involved in the production of faith rather than mere understanding. In
contrast, as I understand the Lutheran teaching, the sacraments involve
the deity's action through the elements, and so do not depend on human
understanding. On the other hand, if faith is necessary to the
appropriation of the Eucharist's benefits, we're close to the Reformed
view. But this cannot hold for the infant's appropriation of the gift of
the Spirit in Baptism. I simply do not see how the Lutheran view of the
sacraments is consistent.
Dave (ASA)
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Received on Sun Nov 9 17:38:55 2008