Paramount Church

The doctrine of salvation by sincere obedience, which was invented against Antinomianism, may well be ranked among the worst Antinomian errors. For my part, I hate it with perfect hatred, and account it my enemy, as I have found it to be. —Walter Marshall

Here is a reading from Augustine of Hippo for the eve of Easter: When it has been said in the Creed, “Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary,” what comes next, on our behalf? There follows, “Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was Crucified, dead, and buried.” God’s Only Son, our Lord, who was crucified, is God’s Only Son, our Lord, who was buried. As Man, He was crucified; as Man, buried; God was not changed, God was not yet slain, and yet He was slain as to His Manhood. “For,” says the Apostle, “had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” He both showed Him to be the Lord of glory, and confessed Him to have been crucified. He is our Lord, He is the Father’s Only Son, He is our Saviour, He is the Lord of glory; yet He was crucified; but it was in the flesh, and in the flesh alone was He buried. For where He was buried, and when He was buried, then and there His soul was not. In flesh alone He lay in the sepulchre; yet thou confessest that He was “conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,” who is “Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord:” He was “crucified under Pontius Pilate,” who is “Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord:” and He was “buried,” who is “Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord.” Only the Flesh lies there, and sayest thou, “Our Lord?” Yes, certainly I say it; for I see the garment, and I adore the Wearer. That flesh was His garment. Let us not despise the mere flesh. When it lay there, then it bought us. –St. Augustine, Sermon ccxiii. Such a profound mystery is the Incarnation, but we do not have to comprehend or fully understand it; we simply have to accept the wondrous Gift of our salvation.

It is finished wasn't a cry of relief, but a cry of triumph. Jesus accomplished what He came to do, to save His people from the wrath of God.

For Good Friday, here is an excerpt from Alexander of Alexandria, who was Patriarch of Alexandria in the fourth century, and mentor to Athanasius. Like him, Alexander was a strong proponent of the orthodox faith against Arius. Behold what a return Israel made for benefits! They slew their Benefactor, rendering evil for good, affliction for joy, death for life. Him who had raised their dead, healed their lame, cleansed their lepers, opened the eyes of their blind, they nailed on the wood; they hung up on the tree Him who spread out the earth; they pierced with nails Him who laid the foundations of the world; they bound Him who absolved sinners; they gave Him vinegar and gall to taste, who offered the food and drink of life and righteousness; they marred His hands and feet, who had brought healing to theirs; they closed His eyes, who had opened theirs; they committed Him to the sepulchre, who raised up the dead, not only before His Passion, but even while hanging on the Cross. Creation, in amazement, said, “What is this new mystery? The Judge is judged, and is silent; the Invisible is beheld, and is not confounded; the Infinite is seized, and is not wrathful; the Immeasurable is circumscribed, and resists not; the Impassible suffers, and avenges not Himself; the Immortal dies, and complains not; the Celestial is buried, and calmly bears it.” For the Lord Incarnate was condemned, in order to bestow mercy on us; bound, in order to loose us; seized, in order to free us; He suffered, to heal our sufferings; He died, to restore life to us; He was buried, to raise us up again. One, in truth, was condemned, thousands were set free; One was buried, thousands rose again. This is the Mediator between God and men; this is the Resurrection and Salvation of all; this is the Guide of the erring, the Shepherd of rescued men, the Life of the dead, the Rider on the cherub-car, the Leader of Angels, and the King of kings; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. –St. Alexander of Alexandria This Good Friday, let us remember that He suffered that we might be healed.