Friday, May 27, 2022

Does Ephesians 5:25-27 teach that the "Church" is Composed of the Elect Only?

  

1086. 4. From Eph. 5:25-27: Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle . . . , that she might be holy and without blemish.

 

Hence they object: The Church of Christ is holy and immaculate, without spot or wrinkle. But to such a Church only saints can belong. Therefore the members of the Church are only the saints.

 

I distinguish the major. The triumphant Church is absolutely holy and immaculate, conceded, the Church militant, I subdistinguish: it is absolutely holy on the part of the Head and the Soul, that is, Christ and the Holy Spirit, and also on the part of its divine institutions, conceded; on the part of its members, against I subdistinguish: inasmuch as this depends on the will and intention of Christ, conceded; inasmuch as this depends on the cooperation of men, again I subdistinguish: in many members, conceded; in all its members, denied. I distinguish the minor in the same way; I deny the consequent and the consequence. (Joachim Salaverri and Michaele Nicolau, Sacrae Theologiae Summa, 4 vols. [trans. Kenneth Baker; Keep the Faith, Inc., 2015], 1B-440)