8. Eternal salvation.

8. Eternal salvation.

(De beatitudine aeterna)

The fact of eternal salvation. That there is an eternal salvation, which consists in the beholding of God, and in which man is saved according to soul and body, is known only from God's revelation in the Word of God, namely from the Gospel of Christ. Just as natural theology knows nothing of the incarnation of the Son of God, it also knows nothing of an eternal salvation that the incarnate Son of God acquired for men through his satisfactio vicaria, and which is granted to

1871) Quenstedt I, 828.<w:t xml:space="preserve"> 1872) II, 21 ff., 54, 612; III, 139 ff.

1873) II, 38 ff.

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those who believe in Christ. The Christian doctrine of eternal salvation must not be confused with the pagan doctrine of the immortality of the soul.1874) Paul says of all heathens, even of the scientifically educated, who, like Plato and others, have made considerations about the immortality of the soul, 1875) that they had no hope (ελπίδα μη εχοντες, Eph. 2:12). That the hope of eternal salvation is only present in connection with faith in the gospel of Christ is already expressed in John 3:16: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

The essence of eternal salvation (forma beatitudinis aeternae). Eternal salvation consists in seeing God, that is, man is saved by seeing God. While believers in this life know God only through His Word, that is, in the image (cognitio Dei abstractiva), God reveals Himself to the saved without image and cover, face to face, directly (cognitio Dei intuitiva). That this beholding of God is the cause of salvation, because by it man is completely irradiated by the glory of God according to soul and body, the Scripture expressly teaches 1 John 3:2: "We are now" (νῦν,, in this life) "God's children, and it has not yet appeared" (έφανερώϑη, become manifest) "what we shall be. But we know when it shall appear, that we shall be like him (δμοιοι); for we shall see him as he is." 1 Cor. 13:8-12 compares the knowledge of God that Christians have in this life through God's Word with the knowledge of God that Christians have in that life through seeing God, and declares the latter perfect in comparison with the former, v. 12: "We see now through a mirror in the dark Word (δΐ έσόπρον εν αίνίγματι), but then face to face.

1874) The evidence for the immortality of the soul has been cultivated with special interest by the rationalists. Cf. Bretschneider, Handbuch der Dogmatik 4, II, 357 ff. Characterization of these proofs in Hase, Hutt. rediv., § 139 [sic: § 129]: "With the possible contradiction that can be opposed to each of these proofs, the belief in an eternal life is to be founded from Christ and not from philosophical demonstrations or doubtful histories. Therefore, you will also find a stronger faith in eternal life in the poor farmer's hut than in the lecture halls of great philosophers."

1875) Cf. on the belief in the immortality of the soul among the heathens, especially among Greeks and Romans, the first book in Cicero's Tuscul. Disputt.

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Now I know in part" (εκ μέρους, fragmentary), " but then shall I know even as also I am known." Rightly do the ancient theologians speak of the visio Dei beatifica in the exposition of the salvation. It is also rightly added that by the visio beatifica all apostasy from God is excluded. Apart from the fact that there are no more tempting powers in heaven — for these are thrown into the lake of fire forever, Revelation 20:10 —, the saved will enjoy God so perfectly by seeing God face to face that eo ipso every desire for another good is absolutely excluded.1876) With regard to the manner of seeing God, the question has been raised whether it will be done with the bodily eyes (visio corporalis) or merely with the spirit (visio mentalis). The scriptural expressions "face to face" and: "They (αυτοί) will see God" etc. state the visio corporalis, that is, seeing with the bodily eyes. The possibility should not grieve a Christian seriously.1877) — Besides God, the saved will also recognize each other, even those who did not know each other in this life. This is already pointed out in Matt. 17:3-4.1878) Whether the saved will also recognize the damned in hell can be left to itself.1879) If this happens, it can be assumed that the salvation of the blessed will not be clouded, because their will is in perfect agreement with the will of God.1880)

1876) This is the confirmatio voluntatis in bono. Baier II, § 7-9. [Ed. — 2:186-188] Gerhard, L. de vita aet., § 75: Quia beati Deum, summum bonum, intuitive et perfecte cognoscent, ideo etiam summo illo bono perfecte agnito per sanctum voluntatis motum inseparabiliter adhaerebunt ac proinde, ut ex mente omnis caligo ignorantiae, ita ex voluntate omnis ad malum proclivitas erit expulsa. … Quemadmodum angeli, quia semper vident faciem Patris, qui in coelis est, Matt. 18:10, sunt in bono confirmati et a peccati periculo liberati, sic beati perfecte sancti et in bono confirmati erunt per et propter beatificam Dei visionem. [Google]

1877) Detailed treatment also of the dogma-historical side of this question in Gerhard, L. de vita aet., § 143. 144.

1878) At the transfiguration of Christ, the disciples recognize Moses and Elijah, whom they had not seen in this life.

1879) The conversation between Abraham and the rich man, Luke 16:23 ff, belongs to the secondary circumstances that are not to be interpreted. Cf. Luther XI, 1204 ff.

1880) So Gerhard, L. de vita aet., § 148: Voluntas beatorum divinae voluntati perfecte erit conformis.

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More detailed description of eternal salvation. The scripture describes the salvation negatively and positively: negatively as a complete freedom from every evil,1881) positively as a being filled with unspeakable joy.1882) That the heavenly being is described as being hidden here on earth with Christ in God already indicates that the salvation of heaven is beyond all comprehension in this life. In order to bring the glory of the inheritance at least somewhat close to us, various images taken from the relationships of this life are used in Scripture, e.g. the image of a wedding,1883) of a banquet,1884) of sitting on thrones.1885) That these are only images by which the spiritual joy of salvation in heaven is described in direct contrast to earthly glory is expressly stated in Scripture.1885) That the body of the Christian, that shared in the tribulation and labors on earth, will also share in the salvation in heaven is already evident from the concept of the nature of man, the resurrection, and from the descriptions of the nature of the resurrected body. The body will be a spiritual body, σώμα πνευματικόν (1 Cor. 15:44), similar to the transfigured body of Christ, σύμμορφον τφ σώματι τής δόξης αντον (Phil. 3:21); he will shine like the sun, οἱ δίκαιοι έκλάμψουσιν ώς ό ήλιος (Matt. 13:43). Complete immortality, strength and beauty will adorn him because sin, the only cause of decay, weakness and unattractiveness,

1881) 2 Tim. 4:18; Rev. 7:16. 17; 21:4.

1882) 1 Pet. 1:8; Ps. 16:11, cf. Joh. 17:24.

1883) Matt. 25:10: "Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding", εις τους γάμονς. Rev. 19:9 in more detail the marriage of the Lamb: "Blessed find they that are called unto the supper of the Lamb, είς τό δεΐπνον τοϋ γάμον τον άρνίον."

1884) Matt. 8:11: "Many will come from the morning and from the evening and sit with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven", άναχλιϑήοονται. Luke 13:29 etc.

1885) Luke 22:30: "You shall eat and drink over my table in my kingdom, and sit on chairs (επί ϑρόνων) and judge the twelve generations of Israel."

1886) Luke 22:24-30 in contrast to earthly reign; Matt. 22:30 in contrast to earthly marriage: "In the resurrection they will neither be free nor let themselves be free"; Matt. 8:12 in contrast to the weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell.

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is completely dismissed.1887) The language in heaven will be the heavenly language that the apostle Paul once heard in paradise, but cannot be spoken on earth.1888)

Degrees of salvation are not to be assumed, because all the blessed are completely saved, that is, each of the blessed will have full sufficiency for his person in the sight of God. However, the Scriptures give us reason to teach degrees of glory (δόξα, gloria) according to the diversity of work and faithfulness here on earth. This has been summarized in the Latin verse: "Omnibus una salus sanctis, sed gloria dispar" and rightly referred to scriptural passages like 2 Cor. 9:6 f. and Dan. 12:3.1889) Luther says about the equality of salvation and the degrees of glory:1890) "It is true that nevertheless also in that life there will be a difference, according to which they have worked and lived here. As that St. Paul was an apostle, Samuel or Isaiah a prophet and the like; the one will have higher clarity than the other, as the one has done or suffered more in his ministry. … So every one shall have distinction and honor according to his office, and yet in all shall be one God and Lord, and one joy and salvation. According to the person no one shall be more nor have more than the other, St. Peter not more than you and I. But nevertheless there must be a difference of works. For God has not done through St. Paul what he did through Isaiah, and so on. Therefore shall every man bring his works,

1887) 1 Cor. 15:42. 43: Σπείρεται εν φϑορά, εγείρεται εν αφϑαρσία σπείρεται εν ατιμία, εγείρεται εν δόξ η σπείρετ αι εν άαϋενεία, εγείρεται εν δυνάμει.

1888) 2 Cor. 12:4: "He [Paul] was raptured (ήρπάγη) into paradise and heardάρρητα ρήματα, α ονκ εξόν άνΰ-ρώπφ [namely, here on earth] λαλήσατ."

1889) 2 Cor. 9:6: Ό απείρων φειδομένως (scanty), φειδομένως καί ϑερίσει, καί ὁ απείρων επ' ενλογίαις (Meyer: "with blessings, that is according to the context: abundant"), εν ενλογίαις καί ϑερίσει. Meyer on this passage remains somewhat unclear, but refers to Calov, who says in reference to the promise and retribution mentioned here, Non ad ipsam vitam aeternam, sed ad praemia in vita aeterna, non ad essentialem benedictionem et gloriam, sed ad gloriae gradus referenda. [Google] Dan. 12:3, among those raised to glory, those are especially mentioned who have led many to the knowledge of salvation and to righteousness. Cf. Keil on this passage On the point of comparison 1 Cor. 15:35 ff. see L. u. W. 1884, p. 408 ff.

1890) St. L. VIII, 1223 f.

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that he may shine, and glorify God, that they may say: St. Peter has done more than I or anyone else has done. This man or woman has lived and done so much. Summa, all shall be equal before God in faith and grace and heavenly being, but distinguished in works and their glory." That degrees of δόξα will not cause envy in heaven, but only praise to God, goes without saying, since there is no more sin in heaven.

The location of the heaven of the saved is just as impossible to determine as that of hell. As the ποῦ damnatorum is where God shows Himself in His eternal punitive justice, so the ποῦ beatorum is where God gives Himself to be seen in revealed glory, πρόσωπον προς πρόσωπον. The angels, while ministering on earth, are at the same time in heaven, because in so doing they always behold (διά παντός) the face of God.1891)

As subjects of eternal salvation, that is, as those who participate in eternal salvation, Scripture names only those men who believe in Christ in this life. The description of God's love in Christ, which extends to the whole world ("God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son"), is followed by the sentence: “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. That faith is to be thought of here, which arises in this life, is expressed in v. 18: "He that believeth not is already judged." Beyond that, there is

1891) Matt. 18:10. Also Luke 1:19: "I am Gabriel, ο παρεστηκώς ενώπιον τον ϑεοΰ." Cf. the quotation from Hutter, Note 1863. Strong answers (Syst. Theol., p. 1032) to the question, "Is heaven a place?": "We answer that this is probable, for the reason that the presence of Christ's human body is essential to heaven, and that this body must be confined to place. … As the new bodies of the saints are confined to place, so, it would seem, must be the body of their Lord." Thus Reformed Christology plays into eternal life. But Strong has not considered that in his assumption a difficulty arises to which, for example, Gerhard, L. de vita aet, § 170, draws attention to: Beati, qui in una coeli extremitate mansionem suam habent, ad alios in altera extremitate habitantes raro ac tarde commeabunt propter maximam utriusque distantiam, ac si Christus in una coeli extremitate versetur, reliquis beatis in altera parte opposita degentibus suavissimo ipsius conspectu et colloquio carendum erit, et quae sunt huius generi alia, quae ex puerili illa de coelo beatorum cogitatione colligi possunt. [Google]

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no revelation in the Scriptures, and a Christian teacher should not dare to raise hopes of conversion after this life, or even to grant salvation to heathens on the basis of an iustitia naturalis et civilis.1892) The necessitas fidei in hac vita ad salutem in futura vita consequendam [Google] also underlies Christ's command to his church to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name among all peoples, εις πάντα τά εϋνη (Luke 24:47), so as to "open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the image of Satan unto God, to receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance with them which are sanctified, through faith that is in me, πίστει τῇ εις εμέ.1893) That faith matters in this life is further based on 1. the exhortation addressed to all ministers of the Word to perform their office diligently and faithfully, lest through indolence and unfaithfulness they become guilty of the eternal ruin of souls;1894) 2. the exhortation, applicable to all Christians, to take care of the sinning brethren, who stand in danger of losing their souls, with instruction, exhortation and punishment;1895) 3. the exhortation, also applicable to all Christians, to lead a blameless life before the world, so that they do not become guilty of the eternal ruin of the world by giving offense.1896)

1892) So the old and new Unitarians (Günther, Symbolik 4, p. 115), Zwingli in his Expositio Fidei (Niemeyer, p. 61), also newer theologians like Hofmann, who (Schriftbew.2 I, 568 f.) on the basis of God's self-attestation in the conscience ascribes to the heathen "a behavior against God", "which he will repay on the day of that judgment.... with the reward of eternal life". Cf. on the other hand Apol. 91, 22 ss, Luther against Zwingli's transfer of Hercules, Theseus, Socrates, etc., to heaven, St. L. XX, 1766 f. The difficulties which arise here for human consideration have been pointed out in II, 35 f.. Cf. the remarks on 1 Pet. 3:18 ff. II, 374 ff.

1893) Acts 26:18. Meyer on this passage correctly remarks that πίστει τῇ είς εμέ belongs to λαβεΐν and is placed with great emphasis at the end.

1894) Ezek. 3:18.19: "The wicked will die because of his sin, but his blood I will require at your hand. But where thou warnest the wicked, and he turneth not from his ungodly ways, he shall die for his sin, but thou hast saved thy soul." New Testament passages: 2 Tim. 4:1. 2; 2:23-26; 1 Tim. 4:15. 16.

1895) Matt. 18:15-17.

1896) Matt. 18:7: "Woe to the world of offence! There must be offence: but woe to that man by whom offence cometh!"

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The purpose of the scriptural doctrine of eternal salvation. As the doctrine of eternal damnation has the purpose of warning against unbelief and carnal security, and thus of saving from eternal damnation, so the scriptural doctrine of eternal salvation has the purpose of provoking to faith in the gospel and of maintaining in that faith, and thus of serving the attainment of salvation. A Christian life is not even conceivable without constant orientation by the certain hope of eternal life.1897) We must not forget that Christians here on earth, just like Christ Himself, are not valued and treated according to their high status.1898) So that they do not grow weary in this misjudgment and the tribulation associated with it, they keep their eyes fixed on eternal salvation in heaven, in accordance with Christ's instruction.1899) In particular, the teachers of the doctrine in church and school here on earth do not enjoy the recognition they deserve. The gospel of the crucified Christ has never been popular with the world,1900) and it will remain so until the Last Day.1901) But in all this, even they do not grow weary, but carry off a shining victory,1902) if they keep their eye on the heavenly inheritance (παραϑήχή) according to the example of the apostle:1903) "I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I believe, and am sure that he is able to keep my inheritance for me until that day." Luther: "We have the promise and hope of the kingdom of heaven, and the recompense and retribution of this misery of ours will be so great that we will also reproach ourselves greatly that for the sake of such contempt and ingratitude of the world we will ever

1897) Cf. Luther's sermon on Tit. 2:13 St. L. IX, 930 ff. This important truth has already been treated in the doctrine of the Christian life under the section: "The Christian life a life in the expectation of the Last Day", p.103 ff.

1898) 1 Joh. 3:2: τέκνα ϑεον εσμεν.

1899) Matt. 5:12: "Be joyful and confident, it shall be your reward in heaven", ὁ μισϑδς νμών πολύς έν τοΐς ονρανοΐς.

1900) 1 Cor. 1:23: Ίονδαίοις μεν σκάνδαλον, Έλλησι δε μωρία.

1901) 2 Tim. 4:1-8. Description of the time until the appearance of Christ for judgment. V. 4: "There will be a time when they will not suffer (άνέχεσϑαι) sound doctrine."

1902) Rom. 8:37: νπερνικώμεν.

1903) 2 Tim. 1:12.

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have dropped a tear or a sigh. Why, we will say, have we not suffered something more severe? I never would have believed that there could be such surpassing glory in eternal life; else I should not have so dreaded to suffer even much worse things."1904) From this practical point of view, the Christian dogmatist, like the whole Christian doctrine, has to teach eschatology in particular.

1904) St. L. II, 1237; Erl. Exeg. Opp. Lat. 9, 235.