The Council of Trent: Canons on Justification

 

The following are the most significant canons with which the Council of Trent (1545-1563) expressed itself on the doctrine of justification. These and the other doctrinal positions of the Council are still accepted today by the Roman Catholic Church.

In every canon, the Council uses the word "anathema", thus indicating that anyone who disagrees with its statements is - according to the Catholic church - cursed by God, cannot be part of the Church, and therefore is not saved.

But the claims of the Catholic church are once again at odds with those of the Bible. Let's read:

CANON 9 : "If anyone affirms that the wicked is justified by faith alone, so as to understand that nothing else is required with which to cooperate in the attainment of the grace of justification and that in no way is it necessary that he prepare and arrange with an act of his will: be anathema. "

The Bible, on the other hand, states :

A. "By the works of the law no one will be justified before Him; for the law only gives knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20)

B. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God - but they are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus "(Rom. 3: 23-24)

C." Man is justified by faith without the works of the law "(Rom. 3:28)

D." In fact, what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and this was counted upon him as righteousness' "(Rom. 4: 3)

E." Therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord "(Rom. 5: 1)

F. "For it is by grace that you have been saved, by faith; and this does not come from you; it is the gift of God. It is not by virtue of works that no one may boast" (Eph. 2: 8-9)

G. "He has saved us, not by righteous works we performed, but by his mercy, through the washing of the regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3: 5).

CANON 12 : "If anyone affirms that justifying faith is nothing other than trust in divine mercy, that forgives sins because of Christ, or that this trust alone justifies: let him be anathema."

The Bible, on the other hand, states:

A. "To all who received him he gave the right to become children of God: to those who believe in his name" (John 1:12)

B. "Man is justified by means of faith without the works of the law "(Rom. 3:28)

C." Indeed, what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God and this was counted to him as righteousness' "(Rom. 4: 3)

D. "He can perfectly save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. In fact we needed a high priest like that, holy, innocent, spotless, separated from sinners and elevated above the heavens; who does not need to offer sacrifices every day, like the other high priests, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; for he did this once and for all when he offered himself " (Heb. 7: 25-27)

E. "It is also for this reason that I suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, because I know in whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he has the power to guard my deposit until that day "(2 Tim. 1:12).

CANON 14 : "If anyone affirms that man is absolved of sins and justified by the fact that he believes with certainty that he is absolved and justified, or that no one is really justified but he who believes that he is justified, and that the absolution and justification is made for this faith alone: ​​let it be anathema. "

The Bible, on the other hand, states:

A. "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God and this was counted upon him as righteousness'" (Rom. 4: 3)

B. "Therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ , our Lord "(Rom. 5: 1).

CANON 24 : "If anyone affirms that the justice received is not preserved and even increased before God with good works, but that these are only the fruit and sign of the justification achieved, and not also the cause of its increase: let him be anathema."

The Bible, on the other hand, states:

A. "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was represented crucified? This only I want to know from you: have you received the Spirit through the works of the law or through the preaching of faith? so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, do you now want to achieve perfection with the flesh? " (Gal. 3: 1-3)

B. "Christ has delivered us to be free; therefore stand firm and do not let yourselves be placed again under the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5: 1, cf. Jas. 2:10) ).

CANON 30 : "If anyone claims that after receiving the grace of justification, any repentant sinner is remitted the guilt and the debt of eternal punishment canceled so that he has no temporal debt to be paid either in this world or in the future in purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened to him: let him be anathema. "

The Bible, on the other hand, states:

A. "Therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5: 1)

B. "You who were dead in sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, God he vivified with him, forgiving us all our sins; he blotted out the document hostile to us, whose commandments condemned us, and took it out of the way, nailing him to the cross "(Col. 2: 13-14).