DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Saturday,
December 23, 2006
Nativity Fast
The Venerable Nahum of Ochrid
Kellia:
Numbers 20:22-29
Epistle: Galatians
3:8-12
Gospel: St. Luke 13:18-29
Faith and Works: Galatians 3:8-12, especially vs. 9: “So then those who
are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Christians in
the West, influenced by Scholasticism, the Protestant Reformation, and the
ensuing Counter-Reformation, divided sharply in their understanding of faith
and works in salvation, even turning them into opposites. The battle cry of Protestants became
“sola fidei” by faith alone. Roman
Catholic teachers upheld the Church’s traditional high regard for good works
but over-emphasized them, minimizing faith.
Then, in the West, texts from the Epistles to
the Galatians and the Romans became sources for reinforcing the position of
“faith alone” held by the Reformers, and the Roman Catholic Church fought back,
quoting the Lord Jesus and the Epistle of James. The Orthodox Church, being separated from this controversy
by geography, culture, and its theological mindset in a synergy of faith and
works, continues to repudiate any opposition of faith and works.
In today’s reading from Galatians, the Apostle
clearly differentiates “those who
are of faith” (vs. 9) from those who “are of the works of the law” (vs.
10). The passages provide a
starting point for examining the Orthodox understanding of the mutuality of faith
and works.
First, two givens: Orthodoxy understands that
in the economy of God both law and faith are essential. Further, an Orthodox reading of today’s
passage assumes that the opposition which St. Paul describes involved issues
that were contested and then settled during the Apostolic age.
Both St. Paul and his opponents accepted
Christ as Messiah and Lord.
However, those who were “of the works of the law” opposed St. Paul’s
reception of Gentile converts, being convinced that it was necessary to ‘complete’
converts by requiring them to adopt the full panoply of rituals demanded by the
Mosaic tradition: circumcision, keeping of the dietary laws, and the regular
Jewish observance of special seasons and days of fasting and celebration.
St. Paul vehemently repudiated these demands
for cultic conformity to Mosaic practice. In this rejection, he represented the
common position of all the Apostles (see Acts 15). The Apostles’ orientation to salvation, based on the work of
the Holy Spirit, rejected conformity to the majority of the visible rituals of
Judaism, in favor of living the Way of the Lord Jesus.
Hence, in Galatians 3:8-12, the Apostle holds
up Abraham as a model for salvation through the preaching of the Gospel. He asserts that all the Faithful are
saved by living the Truth to which God calls them. As he asserts: Abraham, centuries before the Mosaic Law and
before he received circumcision as a sign of God’s covenant with him and his
descendants, already had the Gospel concerning the conversion of the Gentiles
revealed to him (vs. 8).
Observe how St. Paul calls the ancient
Patriarch, “believing Abraham” (vs. 9), concluding that now it was unnecessary
to maintain practices developed centuries later. God blessed Abraham for believing
Him long before his descendant, Christ Jesus, won the salvation of all by His
death and Resurrection. When
non-Jews - the Gentiles - believe in Christ Jesus, they become “those who are
of faith” (vs. 9) and are Divinely blessed with Abraham. They are saved without the necessity to
keep the many practices of the Mosaic tradition - just as Abraham was saved.
What about all the high ethical requirements
of the Law? In St. Paul’s view,
these existed before they were codified under Moses. Men knew such requirements in their hearts (Rom.
2:14,15). Furthermore, the Lord
Jesus Himself expects all who believe in Him not to break “one of the least of
these commandments” (Mt. 5:19), but, through faith in Himself, to do these
works by faith. Those who have
faith in Christ fulfill the commandments in joyful thanksgiving.
O Lord
Jesus, true fulfillment of the Law, fill our hearts with joy and gladness
always.
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