Systematic Theology, by Louis Berkhof - New Leaven

3. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC VIEW. In Roman Catholic theology the doctrine of the
Church precedes the discussion of the ordo salutis. Children are regenerated by baptism,
but they who first become acquainted with the gospel in later life receive a gratia
sufficiens, consisting in an illumination of the mind and a strengthening of the will. Man
can resist this grace, but can also assent to it. If he assents to it, it turns into a gratia co-
operans, in which man co-operates to prepare himself for justification. This preparation
consists of seven parts: (a) a believing acceptance of the Word of God, (b) an insight into
one’s sinful condition, (c) hope in the mercy of God, (d) the beginning of love to God,
(e) an abhorrence of sin, (f) a resolve to obey the commandments of God, and (g) a
desire for baptism. It is quite evident that faith does not occupy a central place here, but
is simply co-ordinated with the other preparations. It is merely an intellectual assent to
the doctrines of the Church (fides informis) and acquires its justifying power only
through the love that is imparted in the gratia infusa (fides caritate formata). It can be
called justifying faith only in the sense that it is the basis and root of all justification as
the first of the preparations named above. After this preparation justification itself
follows in baptism. This consists in the infusion of grace, of supernatural virtues,
followed by the forgiveness of sins. The measure of this forgiveness is commensurate
with the degree in which sin is actually overcome. It should be borne in mind that
justification is given freely, and is not merited by the preceding preparations. The gift of
justification is preserved by obeying the commandments and by doing good works. In
the gratia infusa man receives the supernatural strength to do good works and thus to
merit (with a merit de condigno, that is, real merit) all following grace and even
everlasting life. The grace of God thus serves the purpose of enabling man once more to
merit salvation. But it is not certain that man will retain the forgiveness of sins. The
grace of justification may be lost, not only through unbelief, but through any mortal sin.
It may be regained, however, by the sacrament of penance, consisting of contrition (or,
attrition) and confession, together with absolution and works of satisfaction. Both the
guilt of sin and eternal punishment are removed by absolution, but temporal penalties
can be canceled only by works of satisfaction.
4. THE ARMINIAN VIEW. The Arminian order of salvation, while ostensibly ascribing
the work of salvation to God, really makes it contingent on the attitude and the work of
man. God opens up the possibility of salvation for man, but it is up to man to improve
the opportunity. The Arminian regards the atonement of Christ “as an oblation and
satisfaction for the sins of the whole world” (Pope), that is, for the sins of every
individual of the human race. He denies that the guilt of Adam’s sin is imputed to all
his descendants, and that man is by nature totally depraved, and therefore unable to do
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