Sermon 155

SERMO 155

OF THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE, (ROMANS 8:1-11):
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those"
"Those who are in Christ Jesus," etc.
AGAINST THE PELAGIANS.
Conducted in the Basilica of the Holy Martyrs of Scillium

Why concupiscence is called sin. How sin loses dominion.

Yesterday's reading from the holy Apostle was concluded at the point where it was said: "So then I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." In this conclusion, the Apostle showed that he had said what he had previously stated: "It is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me"; because he was not doing it with his mind by consenting, but with his flesh by desiring. For he calls that by the name of sin from which all sins arise, that is, from carnal desire. For whatever sins exist in words, in deeds, in thoughts, they only arise from evil desire, they only arise from illicit pleasure. Therefore, if we resist this illicit pleasure, if we do not consent, if we do not provide our members as weapons; sin does not reign in our mortal body. For sin loses its reign first, and thus it perishes. In this life, therefore, as far as it concerns the saints, it loses its reign, in the other life it perishes. For here it loses its reign when we do not follow after our desires; there it perishes when it will be said: "Where, O death, is your victory?"

As there is no condemnation here in the saints.

Therefore, when the Apostle said: "With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin," not giving the members to commit iniquities, but only desiring, and yet not giving hands to illicit desire; therefore when he said, "With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin," he continued and said, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." For those who are in the flesh there is condemnation; for those who are in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation. Lest you think this will be thereafter, he added: "now." Later, expect that there will be no desire in you against which you contend, with which you wrestle, to which you do not consent, which you bridle and tame; later expect that it will not even exist. For if what contends with us from the mortal body will also be thereafter, "Where, O death, is your contention?" will be false. Let us know, therefore, what will come later. Then what is written will happen: "Death is swallowed in victory. Where, O death, is your contention? where, O death, is your sting?" For the sting of death is sin; but the strength of sin is the law. Because from prohibition desire is increased, not extinguished. The law gave strength to sin, merely by commanding through the letter, not aiding through the spirit. Therefore, it will not be this then, but what now? What is now, you ask? What he said a little before: "But now it is no longer I who do it." And there "now." What does it mean: "I do not do it"? I do not consent, I do not agree, I do not decide, it always displeases me: I control my members. And this is great: since there is desire from the flesh, and the members of the body pertain to the flesh, when sin does not reign, that is, the desire of the flesh; the mind has more right to control the members of the flesh, lest they be given as instruments of iniquity, than the desire of the flesh itself to move the members of the flesh. Thus, there is desire of the flesh, and members of the flesh; yet the mind, because it has dominion: if indeed it is helped from above, lest when we give it too much against the grace of God, we make it not a king but a tyrant; therefore the mind is so strong, so it rules when it is ruled, that from the members of this flesh, against the desire of this flesh, it can accomplish what the Apostle says: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions; neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin."

No one is free from the law of sin except through grace.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Let them not be anxious if they are aroused by illicit desires; let them not be anxious that there still seems to be a law in their members warring against the law of their mind. For there is no condemnation. But for whom? For those who are now, at this moment, in Christ Jesus. And where is that statement made just a little while ago: "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and making me captive to the law of sin which is in my members"? But he was lamenting from the flesh, not from the mind. So where is that law, if there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus? For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. For the law, not that one on Mount Sinai through the letter: For the law, not in the oldness of the letter; but: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For how could you delight in the law of God according to the inner man, unless the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus freed you from the law of sin and death? Therefore, human mind, do not attribute it to yourself, do not be overly proud; indeed, do not be proud at all, O human mind, that you do not consent to the desires of the flesh, that the law of sin does not bring you down from the citadel: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. That law did not set you free, of which it was said above: "that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." Why did that law not set you free? Was it not also written by the finger of God? Is not the finger of God understood to be the Holy Spirit? Read the Gospel, and see that where one evangelist says, with the Lord speaking: "If I by the Spirit of God cast out demons"; another says: "If I by the finger of God cast out demons." Therefore if that law was also written by the finger of God, that is, by the Spirit of God; by which Spirit the magicians of Pharaoh, having been overcome, said: "This is the finger of God"; if therefore that law too, or rather since that law too was written by the Spirit of God, that is, by the finger of God, why is it not said of that law: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus?

The law of sin and of death, what is it? Why was the law of Moses given?

For the law of death is not itself called the law of sin and death, nor is that law called which was given on Mount Sinai. The law of sin and death is that which, lamenting, he said: I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. But that law, itself, is which is said: Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. And he added: What then is good, has it become death to me? By no means! But sin, so that it might appear to be sin, worked death in me through that which is good; that sin might become sinful beyond measure, through the commandment. What is: beyond measure? That transgression might be added. Therefore, the law was given, so that weakness might be found. It is not enough that this weakness be found, but also that it might be increased, and even so a physician might be sought. For if it were a mild disease, it would be despised; if the disease were despised, the physician would not be sought; if the physician were not sought, the disease would not be ended. Therefore, where sin abounded, grace superabounded; which erased all the sins it found, and to our will, striving towards non-sin, supplied aid; so that our will itself might be praised not in itself, but in God. For in God we will be praised all day: and, In the Lord my soul will be praised; let the meek hear, and be glad. Let the meek hear: for the proud and contentious do not listen. Therefore, why is it not the law written by the finger of God, which gives this aid of grace, of which we speak? Why? Because it was written on tablets of stone, not on tablets of fleshly hearts.

Harmony of the Old and New Law.

Finally, my brothers, observe in the great mystery the concord, observe the difference; the concord of the law, the difference of the people. Passover is celebrated among the ancient people, as you know, with the slaughter of the lamb and unleavened bread; where the slaughter of the lamb signifies Christ, and the unleavened bread signifies new life, that is, without the old leaven. Thus the Apostle says to us: Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover is sacrificed. Thus Passover was celebrated among that ancient people, not yet in the shining light, but in the significant shadow it was celebrated; and fifty days after the celebration of the Passover, as one who wishes may calculate, the law is given on Mount Sinai, written by the finger of God. The true Passover comes, Christ is sacrificed; He makes the passage from death to life. For in Hebrew, Passover is interpreted as passing over; which the Evangelist expressed, saying: When Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Therefore Passover is celebrated, the Lord rises, makes the passage from death to life, which is Passover; and fifty days are counted, and the Holy Spirit comes, the finger of God.

The difference of those same laws.

But see how it was there, and how it is here. There the people stood afar off, there was fear, there was no love. For they were so afraid that they said to Moses: "Speak to us, and let not the Lord speak to us, lest we die." Therefore, as it is written, God descended on Sinai in fire; but terrifying the people standing afar off, and writing with His finger on stone, not in the heart. But here, when the Holy Spirit came, the faithful were gathered together in one; He neither terrified them on a mountain, but entered into a house. Indeed, there was suddenly a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind; it sounded, but no one was afraid. You heard the sound, see also the fire; because there was both fire and sound on the mountain; but there also was smoke, here however, the fire was clear. For, as Scripture says, there appeared to them tongues divided as of fire. Was He terrifying from afar off? By no means! For He sat upon each one of them, and they began to speak in tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Hear the tongue speaking, and understand the Spirit writing not on stone, but on the heart. Therefore, the law of the Spirit of life, written in the heart, not on stone; in Christ Jesus, in whom the truest Passover is celebrated: He has freed you from the law of sin and death. For to understand the very clear distinction between the Old and New Testament; from which the Apostle also says: "Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." The Lord says through the Prophet: "Behold, the days will come, says the Lord, and I will complete upon the house of Jacob a new covenant, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt." Then clearly showing this difference: "Giving," He says, "My laws in their hearts; in their hearts," He says, "I will write them." Therefore, if the law of God is written in your heart, it does not terrify from outside, but soothes within; then the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death.

The weakness of the law comes from the flesh. Christ in the likeness of sinful flesh.

For what was impossible by the law. For this follows in the reading of the Apostle: What was impossible by the law. And lest it be blamed, what did he add? In that it was weakened by the flesh. For the law commanded, but did not fulfill; because the flesh, where there was no grace, resisted most invincibly. And the law was weakened by the flesh, because the law is spiritual; but I am carnal. How then would the law aid me by commanding through the letter, but not giving grace? It was weakened by the flesh. What did God do, since this was impossible by the law, and it was weakened by the flesh? God sent His Son. By what was the law weakened, and why was this impossible by the law? It was weakened by the flesh. What then did God do? He sent flesh against the flesh; rather, He sent flesh for the flesh. For he killed the sin of the flesh, he freed the substance of the flesh. God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Indeed in true flesh, but not in sinful flesh. But what is it: in the likeness of sinful flesh? That is, that there be flesh, true flesh. And whence the likeness of sinful flesh? Because death is from sin: death surely is in all sinful flesh; of which the Apostle says: That the body of sin might be destroyed. Because therefore death is in all sinful flesh: but both are there, both death and sin in other flesh. In sinful flesh, there is both death and sin; in the likeness of sinful flesh, there was death, but there was no sin. For if it were sinful flesh, and for the merit of sin would pay the penalty of death, the Lord Himself would not say: Behold, the prince of the world comes, and finds nothing in me. Why then does he kill me? Because what I did not steal, then I paid. Precisely what He did with the tax, He did with death. Tribute was demanded, a didrachma: Why, he says, do you and your disciples not pay the tribute? He called Peter to Him, and said to him: The kings of the world, from whom do they demand tribute? from their sons, or from strangers? The answer was: From strangers. Therefore, He said, the sons are free. But lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and the first one that comes up, that is, the firstborn from the dead; open its mouth, He said, and you will find a stater, that is, two didrachmas, four drachmas; because a didrachma, that is, two drachmas, was demanded per head. You will find a stater there, that is, four drachmas, give it to them for me and you. What is it: For me and you? Christ Himself, Peter, the Church of Christ, the four Gospels of the Church. The mystery was hidden: Yet Christ paid a tribute not owed. Thus, He paid death: He did not owe, yet He paid. If He had not paid what was not owed, He would never free us from our debt.

Christ made sin.

What was impossible for the law, which made one a transgressor, because the mind had not yet been convinced to seek a Savior; in which it was weakened through the flesh, God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh. How then did He not have sin, if He condemned sin for sin? We have explained this to you before, but let those who remember recognize it; those who have not heard, let them listen; those who have forgotten, let them recollect. In the law, the sacrifice for sin was called sin. The law frequently mentions this; not once, not twice, but very often, sins were called sacrifices for sins. Such a sin was Christ. What then shall we say? Did He have sin? By no means! He did not have sin, and yet He was sin. He was sin, I said, according to that understanding because He was a sacrifice for sin. Listen, because this is how He was sin, listen to the Apostle himself. Speaking of Him, he says: "Him who knew no sin." I was explaining this statement to you when I said these things: "He," he says, "who knew no sin," that is, our Lord Jesus Christ, "God the Father made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us"; that very Christ who knew no sin, God the Father made to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. See these two things, the righteousness of God, not ours; in Him, not in us. Hence those great saints, about whom the Psalm says: "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God." And as if it were said in that Psalm, where it is mentioned: "Your righteousness"; for it is not their righteousness, but: "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God.” For I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, whence comes my help; but not from the mountains: "For my help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth"; therefore when he said: "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God," as if it were asked: "Why then are there others born who do not pertain to the righteousness of God?" he added: "your judgments are like a great abyss." What does it mean: "like a great abyss"? It is high, it is impenetrable, it is inaccessible to human intention. For the riches of God are inscrutable; His judgments are inscrutable, His ways untraceable. Therefore also here: God sent His Son, because of those foreknown, and predestined, called, justified, glorified: so that the mountains of God may say: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. It was not fulfilled by itself, it was fulfilled through Christ. For He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.

To walk according to the flesh and according to the spirit. How the righteousness of the law is now fulfilled.

But how would the righteousness of the law be fulfilled in us, or how is it fulfilled in us, or in whom is it fulfilled? Do you want to hear in whom it is fulfilled? In those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. What does it mean to walk according to the flesh? To consent to carnal desires. What does it mean to walk according to the Spirit? To be helped by the Spirit in the mind, and not to obey the desires of the flesh. Thus the law is fulfilled in us, the righteousness of God is fulfilled in us. For now, it is fulfilled as follows: Do not follow after your desires. When you hear 'after your desires', understand it as illicit desires. Do not follow after your desires must be fulfilled by our own will aided by the grace of God; it must be fulfilled: Do not follow after your desires. For whatever that carnal desire enacted in us in our past sins, whether in deeds, words, or thoughts, it has all been erased by sacred Baptism; one indulgence has erased all debts. Therefore, the struggle with the flesh remains, for iniquity has been erased, but infirmity remains. There exists within us a teasing of illicit desire; fight against it, resist it, do not consent; and it is fulfilled thus: Do not follow after your desires, for even if they sometimes creep in and seize the eye, the ear, the tongue, or fleeting thoughts, let us not despair of our salvation. That is why we say every day: Forgive us our debts. The righteousness of the law, he says, is fulfilled in us.

The wisdom of the flesh and spirit.

But in whom is it for us? Those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. For those who are according to the flesh think of the things of the flesh; but those who are according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. For the wisdom of the flesh is death; but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace. For the wisdom of the flesh is hostile to God. For it is not subject to the law of God: nor indeed can it be. What does it mean: nor indeed can it? It does not mean that man cannot, nor the soul cannot, nor finally the flesh itself, because it is a creature of God, cannot; but the wisdom of the flesh cannot, vice cannot, not nature. As if you were to say: Lameness cannot subject itself to walking uprightly; nor indeed can it. The foot can, but the lameness cannot. Remove the lameness, and you will see upright walking. But as long as there is lameness, it cannot; so as long as there is the wisdom of the flesh, it cannot. Let there not be the wisdom of the flesh, and man can. The wisdom of the spirit is life and peace. Therefore what he says: the wisdom of the flesh is hostile to God, do not understand it as if this hostility could harm God. It is hostile by resisting, not by doing harm. But it harms the one in whom the wisdom of the flesh is; because it is the vice of nature that harms, in which nature it is found. However, medicine was invented for the purpose of driving out the vice and healing the nature. Hence, the Savior came to the human race, found no one healthy, therefore the great physician came.

The error of the Manichaeans.

This was said because the Manichaeans, wanting to introduce another nature of evil against God, think that their error is somewhat assisted by this testimony of the Apostle, and they suppose that it was said as if naturally, because it was said: "It cannot, it is hostile to God: for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be"; and they did not notice that it was not said of the flesh: "it cannot"; nor of man: "it cannot"; nor of the soul: "it cannot"; but of the prudence of the flesh. This prudence is a vice.

Do you want to know what it is: To be wise according to the flesh? It is death. But that same man, and the same nature created by the true and good Lord God, yesterday was wise according to the flesh, today is wise according to the spirit; the vice has been expelled, the nature has been healed. For as long as there was that prudence of the flesh, it could in no way be subject to the law of God. For as long as there is a limp due to vice, there can by no means be a proper walk. However, with the vice healed, the nature is restored. You were once darkness; now, however, [you are] light in the Lord.

Not to be in the flesh.

See then what follows: Those who are in the flesh; that is, those who trust in the flesh, who follow their desires, who dwell in them, who are delighted by their pleasures, who establish a blessed and happy life in their delights, they are in the flesh; they cannot please God. For it is not said thus: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God; as if it were said: As long as men are in this life, they cannot please God. So then, did the holy Patriarchs not please? So then, did the holy Prophets not please? So then, did the holy Apostles not please? Did the holy martyrs, who before laying down their body by suffering, by confessing Christ, not only despised pleasure but also very patiently endured pains, not please? They pleased, but they were not in the flesh. They bore the flesh, but they were not borne by the flesh. For it had already been said to the paralytic: Take up your bed. Therefore, those who are in the flesh, as I have said, as I have now explained, by not living in this world, but by consenting to the desires of the flesh, cannot please God.

Not in the flesh, but in the spirit.

Finally, listen to him who resolves the question without any doubt. He was speaking while living in this body; and yet he added: But you are not in the flesh. Do you think this was said to anyone here among us? Behold, it was said to the people of God, to the Church; indeed, he was writing to the Romans, but he was speaking to the whole Church of Christ; he spoke to the wheat, not to the chaff; he spoke to the hidden mass, not to the visible straw. Let each one recognize in his own heart. We speak to the ears; we do not see consciences; nevertheless, according to what we have previously spoken, I think in the name of Christ, it was said to those in the people of Christ: But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. You are not in the flesh because you do not do the works of the flesh by consenting to the desires of the flesh; but you are in the Spirit, because you delight in the law of God according to the inner man; and this is: if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. For if you presume upon your own spirit, you are still in the flesh. Therefore, if you are not in the flesh, that you may be in the Spirit of God; for then you are not in the flesh. For if the Spirit of God departs, the spirit of man, by its own weight, reverts to the flesh, returns to carnal deeds, returns to worldly desires; and the last state of that man will be worse than the first. So then, have free will, so that you may implore for help. Are you not in the flesh, and is this from your own strength? Far from it! How, then?

If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Therefore, let not an impoverished and corrupted nature extend itself, boast, or claim its own power. O human nature! O Adam, when you were healthy, you did not stand, and did you rise by your own strength? If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ: for the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ; and it belongs to both the Father and the Son: If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, let him not deceive himself, he does not belong to Him.

What is to be hoped for from the flesh?

Behold, with the help of His mercy, we have the Spirit of Christ; from that very love of justice, with complete faith, Catholic faith, we recognize that the Spirit of God is in us. But what about that mortal flesh? What about the law in our members warring against the law of the mind? What about that groan: Wretched man that I am? Listen: But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Therefore, should we despair of the body dead because of sin? Is there no hope? Does it sleep in such a way that it will not rise again? By no means! The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Sadness remains about our body. However, no one ever hated his own flesh. We see how carefully the burial of the dead is attended to. The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Already you were saying for consolation: Indeed, I would wish that my body also be in life; but since it cannot, let at least my spirit be, let at least my soul be. Wait, do not be anxious.

The restoration of the flesh and immortality is promised to the pious.

For if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. What do you fear? Why are you even anxious for this flesh? The hair of your head will not perish. Adam, by sinning, condemned your bodies to death; but Jesus, if His Spirit is in you, will give life to your mortal bodies; because He gave His blood for your salvation. Do you doubt the promise being fulfilled when you hold such a pledge? So then, man, that mortal struggle will not exist, thus it will be fulfilled as it was said: Miserable man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? Because Christ Jesus, if His Spirit dwells in you, will give life to your mortal bodies. Thus you will be delivered from this body of death, not by not having a body, or by having another; but by not dying any further. For if he had not added: of this death, and said: Who will deliver me from the body? perhaps the error might be suggested to the human mind, and it might be said: Do you see that God does not want us to be with a body? He says, of this body of death. Remove death, and the body is good. Let the last enemy, death, be removed, and my flesh will be my friend forever. For no one ever hated his own flesh. Even if the spirit desires against the flesh, and the flesh desires against the spirit; even if now there is strife in this house, the husband litigating seeks not the destruction, but the concord of his wife. By no means! My brothers, by no means let the spirit hate the flesh by desiring against the flesh. It hates the vices of the flesh, it hates the prudence of the flesh, it hates the contention of death. Let this corruptible put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality; let it be sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body; and you will see full and perfect concord, you will see creation praising the Creator. Therefore, if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life also to your mortal bodies, because of His Spirit who dwells in you; not because of your merits, but because of His gifts. Turned to the Lord, etc.