Holiness Through the History (Roman Catholic Perceptions) - Joel R. Beeke

"Holiness" by Joel R. Beeke
A series of comparisons of holiness between the Roman Catholic view and the Protestant view. I do not hold the views of this first video and they are heretical and mis-conceptional views of holiness

Holiness in History: The Church's Understanding

So rich a theme as holiness has yielded a variety of emphases in church history. For the apostolic church the essence of holiness was conformity to Christ. Christ-like purity was the accented goal. In the patristic church (that is early Church Fathers), holiness was largely viewed as withdrawal from the contaminations of society.
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
As the ancient church moved into the medieval era, three major Roman Catholic and Eastern perceptions of holiness evolved.

1. Ascetic. In this tradition, holiness was pursued by forsaking the world, literally (e.g., abandoning secular occupations, marriage, worldly goods) and by engaging extensively in prayer vigils, fasting and self mortification (Medieval asceticism is a hardening of the patristic church's emphasis). Only those who have reached this "high level" of holiness were regarded worthy to be reckoned as saints. "Sainthood" was not normative among Christians, but reserved largely for the ascetics. Hence, a double standard evolved: "Saintliness" came to be applied only to the "religious" person (i.e. priest, monk, and nun) whereas a "lower attainment" of holiness, necessitated by remaining in the world, was tolerated in the "ordinary, secular or lay" Christian. The problems with asceticism are many. Briefly, the ascetic forgets that the Christian must remain in the world, but not be of it. Also, he ignores that the major problems with the world is his own heart's worldliness which he brings with him into a monastery setting. Finally, unusual forms of self-denial which serve no worthy purpose in themselves, tend to promote an attitude of salvation by works rather than by grace.

2. Mystical. According to the medieval mystics, holiness was not to be attained so much by fleeing the world as by rising above it. Holiness could be viewed as a ladder with various stages of spiritual absorption into God, such as purgation, illumination, and contemplation. The danger of this view is twofold: Mysticism tends to lose sight of Scripture as the touchstone of faith and practice; and it is prone to forget the calling of the Christian to be salt in the earth and light on the hill.



3. Sacramental. This form of holiness was available to all, since sanctification was automatically regarded as being imparted when the mass' wafer was lifted by the priest. Regardless of personal lifestyle, anyone who witnessed this event received, according tom Roman Catholicism, an "objective fusion of holiness" without any struggle involved in the ascetic and mystical views of holiness. The danger here is obvious: The sacramental is prone to replace the need for the personal, subjective work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a sinner...

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Education

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• Holiness
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• History
• Apostolic
• Patristic
• Augustine
• Roman
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• Ascetic
• Mystical
• Sacramental
• False

[TCMAO0]

It just goes to show that people have no idea what being holy really is. And much of the modern church whether Protestant or Catholic still don't. And this includes the current modern Sovereign Grace/Calvinistic churches and their clergy who downplay works in order to avoid the error of works-based righteousness. Watch my videos... Especially the one titled... "Working to Be Saved (A Biblical Response)" ...and may the Truth set you free!

[ArginGerigorian]

@TCMAO0 Wow, it just goes to show that people on Youtube who comment without knowing ones view on holiness, just get keyboard happy and comment away. I do believe in Lordship Salvation and not just " I'm saved and therefore can do whatever I want". Faith without works is dead. My favorite preacher on the issue of faith preceded and followed by repentance is Paul Washer.

[ArginGerigorian]

@TCMAO0 And I do hold to the biblical view which he preaches, that our faith in Christ must be worked out, until the day of completion.

[TCMAO0]

@ArginGerigorian Do you obey the verses in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16? Tell me how you teach these to those who want to be biblical.

[GraceAboundedMore]

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Yet not I but Christ.. my faith in His faithfulness..

2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Joint-heirs...He is Holy

I'm accepted in the Beloved