William Hemsworth-The Bible Catholic
Catholic Author, Speaker, and Evangelist
At the beginning of sacred scripture, we read how God created man. Man was created in a state of grace, and through sin this grace was lost. This led to mankind having the stain of original sin, and a desire to sin called concupiscence. This nature requires grace to assist us in our post-lapsarian nature. ... Continue Reading →
With original sin, and all sin, washed away we now partake in the deiform life imperfectly but truly. How can this be?
Within the theology of grace, we see a connection between the sacraments as instruments of grace, and Christ who is the instrument of grace. Opponents of the church argue that Christ is the sole mediator and cite 1 Timothy 2:5 as a prooftext. Regarding Christ being the only mediator between God and man the church... Continue Reading →
The three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity are given by God to those who are in a state of grace. Regarding the theological virtues St. Thomas Aquinas states, “the theological virtues direct man to supernatural happiness in the same way as by the natural inclination man is directed to his connatural end” (STII,... Continue Reading →
In the beginning of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans he lays out a case about the desire for people to know God. He says that by nature they can know things about God and God has shown them. The verse in question is from Romans 1:19 which states, “For what can be known about... Continue Reading →
Throughout history there are have been many ideas about grace that have been put forth. From the early church writers, St. Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, and in the modern era with Henri De Lubac and Karl Rahner offer various theories regarding grace and the nature of man have been put forth. From a Neo-Thomist perspective,... Continue Reading →
Grace is a central teaching of the Christian faith. Grace is a gift from God and apart from God it is not possible achieve sanctifying grace. In this regard the Church echoes the words of St. Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9 where he writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this... Continue Reading →
Within the scope of merit are the two forms of condign and congruous merit. Both are distinct from another, and yet they have an integral relationship with one another. The two merits are gained from the Christian and are payable in Heaven in different ways. Regarding these John Hardon writes, “Synonymous with condign is deserved,... Continue Reading →
The doctrines of divine participation and possession are key principles when it comes to the Christian life. This comes about by sanctifying grace, and through sanctifying grace we become partakers in the divine nature. The doctrines of participation and election are found in many places within sacred scripture. One such verse is 1 Corinthians 6:19... Continue Reading →
To understand actual grace, it is important to differentiate it from sanctifying grace. Sanctifying grace is that grace that grace that we receive at Baptism. Actual grace is that grace that assists us in our daily lives. It inspires us and guides our minds to focus on the things of God and assists us on... Continue Reading →
William Hemsworth-The Bible Catholic 