No Other Name? - Article 18/39

XVIII. OF OBTAINING ETERNAL SALVATION ONLY BY THE NAME OF CHRIST

THEY also are to be had accursed that presume to say, That every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law, and the light of Nature. For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ, whereby men must be saved.

O'Donovan reminds us of St Peter's great statement in Acts 4:12 that '...there is no other name under heaven given... by which we must be saved.' He adds, 'The Christian Church has always made this exclusive claim, and that is why the status of other religious professions has always been something of a theological problem.'

Note, a theological problem. We look back with sorrow at the times when the borders of Christianity were extended with the sword. We believe in inter-faith dialogue and we carry 'I am the way, the truth and the life' lightly into those discussions.

So what does that mean for our current relationship with Article 18? It doesn't change the fact that our job is still evangelism. In the context of dialogue we must tell people about Jesus. It is our great commission, whether we be universalist or not.

And the condemnation is for those who suggest that salvation lies in any other name, not for those who are yet to understand the significance of the name of Jesus. And if we ponder a little we can only conclude that this condemnation is because those who venture to suggest there is salvation beyond Christ have put themselves in the place of God. There may be, indeed the Bible suggests there will be, some surprise at who we get to share eternity with, but it is not for us to pre-judge the matter. Speak of Jesus when we speak. Leave the results up to the one who sent him.

Over and Above - Article 14/39

XIV. OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION

VOLUNTARY Works besides, over, and above, God's Commandments, which they call Works of Supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety: for by them men do declare, that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake, than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

You can serve God with all your heart. Or you can become a monk. I think this is what the Article is popping at. Such works of 'over and above' (supererogation) add nothing. You either do your serving, your good works, in Christ or you don't. You can't add a bit more to end up a bit more saved. Even as I write that its stupidity is apparent.

Recently on Ash Wednesday I found myself discussing the difference between those who pray on the street corners to demonstrate their holiness (condemned by Jesus) and those of us who go out with an ash cross on our foreheads (hopefully to lead people to ask 'why' rather than to demonstrate our superiority). Shortly afterwards I was embroiled in a discussion about which, of two churches, was making the bigger financial sacrifice currently.

We can all fall into the Pharisee/tax collector trap of thanking God that we are not like others and the conversation from which we then need to extract ourselves is rarely edifying.

Thank God for Jesus, as Cranmer didn't quite say. The rest is response, in gratitude and in Christ.