The 39 Articles of Religion

Part ten: Regeneration and sin

Article XV. Of Christ alone without Sin

Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world; and sin (as Saint John saith) was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Truly tempted, yet without sin

“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie… We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it” C. S. Lewis

Duccio di Buoninsegna, Temptation of Christ on the Mount, c. 1310

Revivalism and the sin problem• Do revivalist movements take spiritual life more seriously or experience God’s presence

and gifts more powerfully than confessional churches, which place less emphasis on examining for evidence of a credible ‘conversion’?

George Washington Brownlow, John Wesley preaching at Epsom, c. 1860

The positive quality of holiness

“If you asked twenty good men to-day what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you asked almost any of the great Christians of old he would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive...” C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Article XVI. Of Sin after Baptism

Not every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God we may arise again, and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned, which say, they can no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

Discipline and restoration

Jean Ingres, Jesus giving the keys to Peter, 1820

“Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

Radical power for a radical

problem• “While there is perfect provision

against sinning, no allowance is, or can be, made for sin.” Thomas, Principles of Theology, 232

• “…grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” Collect for Grace, BCP

Mosaic from Monreale Cathedral, Sicily, late 12th C