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Today’s anathema from The Council Of Trent, Canon 9 on Justification
April 23, 2010 by Jeff Peterson
There are many in our day who say that the Roman Catholic person is a brother with one who professes salvation through faith alone. Rome, in its own documents, denies this, using the word “anathema” toward those who disagree with certain doctrinal issues.
Anathema is a strong word, having to do with condemnation/damnation. 
The Apostle Paul uses it in Galatians 1, for example, in his rebuke of those who preach “another Gospel” (The ESV, KJV and NASB [and the New American Bible - the 'Catholic' translation] translate it as “accursed,” while the NIV uses “eternally condemned” in that passage). Vine’s gives this definition:
The Apostle Paul uses it in Galatians 1, for example, in his rebuke of those who preach “another Gospel” (The ESV, KJV and NASB [and the New American Bible - the 'Catholic' translation] translate it as “accursed,” while the NIV uses “eternally condemned” in that passage). Vine’s gives this definition:[ A-3,Noun,G33, anathema ]
transliterated from the Greek, is frequently used in the Sept., where it translates the Heb. cherem, “a thing devoted to God,” whether (a) for His service, as the sacrifices, Lev 27:28 (cp. anathema, a votive offering, gift), or (b) for its destruction, as an idol, Deut 7:26, or a city, Josh 6:17. Later it acquired the more general meaning of “the disfavor of Jehovah,” e.g., Zech 14:11. This is the meaning in the NT. It is used of (a) the sentence pronounced, Acts 23:14 (lit., “cursed themselves with a curse;” See anathematizo below); (b) of the object on which the “curse” is laid, “accursed;” in the following, the RV keeps to the word “anathema,” Rom 9:3; 1Cor 12:3; 1Cor 16:22; Gal 1:8-Gal 1:9, all of which the AV renders by “accursed” except 1Cor 16:22, where it has “Anathema.” In Gal 1:8-Gal 1:9, the Apostle declares in the strongest manner that the Gospel he preached was the one and only way of salvation, and that to preach another was to nullify the Death of Christ.
Thus we can see that to have “anathema” pronounced is quite a strong sentence. The Council of Trent, Roman Catholicism’s response to the doctrines of the Reformation, pronounces many anathemas upon those who deny its teaching and we will be presenting these in the days to come. Rome proclaims the anathema, which is part of the process of excommunication – which, per Rome, necessarily results in damnation since one (according to Rome) cannot be saved outside fellowship with the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic Encyclopedia describes exactly what happens:
Anathema remains a major excommunication which is to be promulgated with great solemnity. A formula for this ceremony was drawn up by Pope Zachary (741-52) in the chapter Debent duodecim sacerdotes, Cause xi, quest. iii. The Roman Pontifical reproduces it in the chapter Ordo excommunicandi et absolvendi, distinguishing three sorts of excommunication: minor excommunication, formerly incurred by a person holding communication with anyone under the ban of excommunication; major excommunication, pronounced by the Pope in reading a sentence; and anathema, or the penalty incurred by crimes of the gravest order, and solemnly promulgated by the Pope.In passing this sentence, the pontiff is vested in amice, stole, and a violet cope, wearing his mitre, and assisted by twelve priests clad in their surplices and holding lighted candles. He takes his seat in front of the altar or in some other suitable place, amid pronounces the formula of anathema which ends with these words: “Wherefore in the name of God the All-powerful, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of the Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and of all the saints, in virtue of the power which has been given us of binding and loosing in Heaven and on earth, we deprive N– himself and all his accomplices and all his abettors of the Communion of the Body and Blood of Our Lord, we separate him from the society of all Christians, we exclude him from the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church in Heaven and on earth, we declare him excommunicated and anathematized and we judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate, so long as he will not burst the fetters of the demon, do penance and satisfy the Church; we deliver him to Satan to mortify his body, that his soul may be saved on the day of judgment.” Whereupon all the assistants respond: “Fiat, fiat, fiat.” The pontiff and the twelve priests then cast to the ground the lighted candles they have been carrying, and notice is sent in writing to the priests and neighbouring bishops of the name of the one who has been excommunicated and the cause of his excommunication, in order that they may have no communication with him. Although he is delivered to Satan and his angels, he can still, and is even bound to repent. The Pontifical gives the form for absolving him and reconciling him with the Church. The promulgation of the anathema with such solemnity is well calculated to strike terror to the criminal and bring him to a state of repentance, especially if the Church adds to it the ceremony of the Maranatha.
The Council of Trent, Canon 9 on Justification, reads:
“If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema.”
There’s a problem: the Bible. It says:
Rom. 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Rom 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-Rom 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom 3:24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Rom 3:25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Rom 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Rom 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. Rom 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gal 2:15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; Gal 2:16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Gal 3:11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Eph. 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast.
Titus 3:4-7 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
Praise God. I’ll trust the Bible.
- “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin,” ().
- “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” ().
- “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” ().
- “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness,” ().
- “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” ().
- “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God,” ().
- “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost,” ().
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Blessings to you.
jon
Hah.
Oh, and they tried to tell me that the Gospel was not anathematized at Trent. But when you push them you find out that they mean their false gospel and not the Gospel taught in Scripture. Truly deceptive.
And on justification by faith they can quote portions of the canons from Trent that affirm things we can agree with and ignore the canons that condemn justification by faith alone or grace alone, etc. Again, they are deceivers.
I think it is time to pull out all the stops and evangelize the Catholics. Former Evangelicals are working to proselytize Protestants for Rome so Catholics are open season:)
In Christ,
Charlie
The Reformers did recognize that there was a preparatory work of grace leading up to justification, but which was instrumentally procured by God-given faith, not moral merit, as God justifies the UnGodly by faith.
J.I. Packer states that
“God converts no adult without preparing him; but “God breaketh not all men’s hearts alike” (Baxter). Some conversions, as Goodwin said, are sudden; the preparation is done in a moment. Some are long-drawn-out affairs; years may pass before the seeker finds Christ and peace, as in Bunyan’s case. Sometimes great sinners experience “great meltings” (Giles Firmin) at the outset of the work of grace, while upright persons spend long periods in agonies of guilt and terror. No rule can be given as to how long, or how intensely, God will flay each sinner with the lash of conviction. Thus the work of effectual calling proceeds as fast, or as slow, as God wills; and the minister’s part is that of the midwife, whose task it is to see what is happening and give appropriate help at each stage, but who cannot foretell, let alone fix, how rapid the process of birth will be.”
But behind Rome’s words and definitions in which explain “merit” is a whole system that fosters confidence in ones works and the power of the church for eternal life, rather than convicting men that they are damned because of their works, and destitute of any merit whereby they may earn eternal life, and thus cast all their faith upon the mercy of God in Christ, trusting the risen Lord Jesus to save them by His sinless shed blood, to the glory of God. And with a faith that will be manifested by characteristic obedience towards its Object.
But when you autocratically define that you are infallible, when legislating according to your infallibly defined formula (which renders your declaration of infallibility to be infallible), then who can reprove you?
Will you speak more to this section of canon 9:
“…and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will…”
Do calvinists deny this specific sentence too? You dont need to WANT to be justified….to be justified?
Most people (I would assume) that experience justifictaion WANT it!
Actually, it would not be just Calvinists who deny that statement. Classical Arminians would as well, since Arminius affirmed Total Depravity (but also affirmed that a form of prevenient grace then takes place without resulting in salvation).
I would go farther than your statement and say that EVERYONE who experiences justification – not merely “most” – wants it. Those people – the ones who receive justification are the only ones who want it. To say that there are those who desire to be justified but aren’t is not the biblical stand. The unregenerate man does not desire to be justified because he hates God and is an enemy of God and does not obey God because he cannot obey God (cf. Rom. 1/Rom. 8).
Only when a person is regenerated and has his inclination and desire changed so that he desires to obey God and CAN obey God does he then receive justification.
The reason the Canon declares the anathema is that the Reformers stated that the “free will” of man was enslaved to sin and in bondage to the degree that said “will” had no desire or ability to incline itself toward obeying God (see the Erasmus/Luther debate).
Thanks again.
“4 He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me.”
All this sounds swell. However, from the Arminian perspective sin is canceled for everyone and all that remains is “propensity to sin” or a “bent toward sinning” and not total depravity that results from Adam’s original sin. Arminianism is semi-pelagian like Rome because it insists that Jesus died for all and that the power of sin is broken for all so that they now have a free will to choose or reject Christ. “He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free . . .” refers not to the elect to all mankind in general. Basically, Wesley denies the doctrine of the bondage of the will. Salvation is now up to you, not God. Calvinism and Lutheranism, on the other hand, teach that the will is in absolute bondage to sin unless and until God himself supernaturally intervenes and grants the grace of faith to each individual.
It is not that God turns anyone away. It is that no one is willing to be saved because they love their sins more than they love God. And even this is God’s just punishment and the fulfillment of God’s justice. Charles Wesley implies that God would be unjust if he did not set everyone free from total depravity and give everyone a “chance” to repent.
I guess salvation is a crap shoot???
Charlie
Two men can hear the Gospel preached and one walks away. Why? Because he is in bondage to sin. The one who heard was granted the grace to believe and the same was withheld from the other.
Ephesians 2:8-9
Charlie