The Reformed Christian Muse

But while I write to you like this about N. N., something else occurs to me about which there is reason enough urging me to write you, both by way of inquiry and also to state my own opinion. As I do this with all freedom, so will it be up to you whenever you have leisure to indicate your own opinion. I do not press for an answer, being well aware that you are overwhelmed by important matters.

Men do not all agree concerning the communion which we have with the body of Christ and the substance of his nature; for what reason, I suppose you will hear. It is so important that he that is Christ’s should understand the mode (ratio) of his union with him.

First, it seems to me that he was pleased (as is said in the Epistle to the Hebrews [2.14] to communicate with us, in flesh and blood, by the benefit of his incarnation. ‘Since the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same’.

But unless some other kind of communion were offered us, this would be very general and feeble; for the whole human race already has communion with Christ in this manner. They are in fact men, as he was man.

So besides that communion this is added, that in due season faith is breathed into the elect whereby they may believe in Christ. Thus are they not only forgiven their sins and reconciled to God (in which the true and solid method of justification consists) but further there is added a renewing power of the spirit, by which our bodies also–flesh, blood and nature–are made capable of immortality, and become daily more and more in Christ’s form (Christiformia) as I may say. Not that they cast aside the substance of their own nature and pass into the very body and flesh of Christ, but that they no less approach him in spiritual gifts and properties than at birth they naturally communicated with him in body, flesh and blood.

Here, then, we have two communions with Christ (duas communiones cum Christo), the one natural, which we draw from our parents at birth, while the other comes to us by the Spirit of Christ. At the very time of regeneration we are by him made new according to the image of his glory.

I believe that between these two communions there is an intermediate one which is fount and origin of all the heavenly and spiritual likeness which we have with Christ. It is that by which, as soon as we believe, we obtain Christ himself our true Head, and are made his members. Whence, from the Head himself as Paul says [Eph. 4.16] his Spirit flows and is derived through the joints and ligaments into ourselves as his true and legitimate members. Wherefore this communion with our Head is prior, in nature at least though perhaps not in time, to that later communion which is introduced through regeneration. And here, it seems to me, natural reason helps us. We are taught that in things engendered the heart itself is formed first in infants. From it by a certain vein a spirit flows from the heart and in some way pierces the prepared matter of the living creature and there shapes the head. Thus by that vein through which spirit proceeds from heart, the head is joined to the heart. Again, by another vein spirit flows from the head and afterwards forms the liver, an organ that communicates with head and heart, by the arteries or veins which knit together. From the liver, moreover, and the other principal members there are other arteries or veins reaching to the other parts of the whole, by which the same engendering spirit passing through, fashions the other members. Thus it happens that they all communicate together, and are joined especially to the heart, that is to the fountain of life-not indeed in place or immediate contact (as they call it) but because from thence they draw the quickening spirit and life, by the wondrous workmanship of the highest artificer.

Peter Martyr Vermigli (A.D. 1499-1562)

Peter Martyr, “Calvin, Strasbourg 8 March 1555,” in The Life, Early Letters & Eucharistic Writings of Peter Martyr, ed., by J.C. McLelland and G.E. Duffield (Sutton Courtney Press, 1989), pp., 345-347.

Stand fast, brethren, in the faith of Jesus Christ, and in His love, in His passion, and in His resurrection. Do ye all come together in common, and individually, through grace, in one faith of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ His only-begotten Son, and “the first-born of every creature,” but of the seed of David according to the flesh, being under the guidance of the Comforter, in obedience to the bishop and the presbytery with an undivided mind, breaking one and the same bread, which is the medicine of immortality, and the antidote which prevents us from dying, but a cleansing remedy driving away evil, [which causes] that we should live in God through Jesus Christ.

Ignatius (A.D. 35-107) Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter 20

We have also as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For “the Word was made flesh.” Being incorporeal, He was in the body; being impassible, He was in a passible body; being immortal, He was in a mortal body; being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts.

Ignatius (A.D. 35-107) Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter 7

To someone such as myself, who was raised in a heretical religious teaching, quotes such as these are significant. I was raised to believe what historically would be called “Monarchism” (for more info on Monarchism, go here). I was raised to believe that Jesus Christ was just a man, a perfect man, but still just a man. I was told that the early Church believed the same thing and that the “true” Christian doctrine of Christ had been corrupted at Nicea. So when I read such clear teaching such as this from Ignatius, I am reminded of just how gracious God has been to me and my family by delivering us from such darkness.

Blessings in Christ,
Terry W. West

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.

Q26:  What do you believe when you say: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?
A26:  That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of nothing made heaven and earth with all that in them is,[1] who likewise upholds and governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence,[2] is for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father,[3] in whom I so trust as to have no doubt that He will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul;[4] and further, that whatever evil He sends upon me in this troubled life, He will turn to my good;[5] for He is able to do it, being Almighty God,[6] and willing also, being a faithful Father.[7]

1.  Gen. 1:31; Psa. 33:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 11:3
2.  Psa. 104:2-5; 115:3; Matt. 10:30; Heb. 1:3; Acts 17:24-25
3.  John 1:12; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5-7; Eph. 1:5; 3:14-16; Matt. 6:8
4.  Psa. 55:22; 90:1-2; Matt. 6:25-26; Luke 12:22-24
5.  Rom. 8:28; Acts 17:27-28
6.  Rom. 10:12
7.  Matt. 7:9-11; Num. 23:19

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” “Was,” mark you, “with God.” “Was”—see, we have “was” four times over. Where did the blasphemer find it written that He “was not.” Again, John, in another passage—in his Epistle—speaketh of “That which was in the beginning.” The extension of the “was” is infinite. Conceive any length of time you will, yet still the Son “was.^“

St. Ambrose Bishop of Milan (A.D. 337-397)

Q24:  How are these articles divided?
A24:  Into three parts: the first is of God the Father and our creation; the second, of God the Son and our redemption; the third, of God the Holy Ghost and our sanctification.[1]

1.  I Peter 1:2; I John 5:7

Q25:  Since there is but one Divine Being,[1] why do you speak of three persons: Father, Son and Holy Ghost?
A25:  Because God has so revealed Himself in His Word,[2] that these three distinct Persons are the one, true, eternal God.

1.  Deut. 6:4
2.  Isa. 61:1; Psa. 110:1; Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; I John 5:7; II Cor. 13:14

“By this Trinity, supremely and equally and immutably good, were all things created. But they were not created supremely, equally, nor immutably good. Still, each single created thing is good, and taken as a whole they are very good, because together they constitute a universe of admirable beauty.”

Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354-430)  Enchridion Chapter 3, Paragraph 10

Genesis 1:26-27, 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all F2 the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The doctrine of the Trinity is the single most important doctrine in Christianity. Without the doctrine of the Trinity there is no Christianity. The tri-personal relationship within the triune God of scripture provides the foundation for the ideas of love, mercy, grace, justice, and any others within the framework of personal relationships. Without the triune God as the ultimate example, these ideas become distorted or mere human conventions.

Let us take the institution of marriage as an example and contrast it with another “monotheistic” religion.

In Islam, the Koran teaches that Allah is one person, a monad, with no equal with whom to fellowship. In light of this let me ask the following questions. 1. Can such a being know love? 2. Is there someone who Allah can value supremely? 3. Is there someone who can return such affection equally to Allah to his own satisfaction? The answer to these questions is, no. Therefore, is it a surprise then, that in an Islamic worldview marriage is not seen as a union of equals founded upon a mutual love?

By contrast, the bible teaches us, in Hebrews 1:3, that the Son is the exact representation of the person of the Father, that he posesses the same nature as the Father, exampled by the Son upholding all things by the word of his power, (or in other words, the Son is all-powerful just as the Father is all-powerful). The bible also teaches us that the Son is the chief object of the Fathers love, which logically follows since the Son reflects back to the Father the same glory, the Son being the brightness of the Father’s glory. So we see that the Father and the Son fellowship as equals, with the person of the Holy Spirit proceeding forth as the expression of that love to God’s creation and in the hearts of his people. So, we find that in the Trinity we have the ultimate example of the love upon which marriage is founded, in a Christian world view, as a union of equals sharing a mutual love.

Blessings in Christ,

Terry W. West