Apologetics.com Neiswonger

On “Faith Alone” in the thought of Phillip Melanchthon
I wouldn’t want you to misunderstand me as to writing that what you said, was well said.  It was meant to imply neither agreement nor that your arguments had persuasive force, but that I can appreciate you apart form all of that.  Your initial comments were thoughtful, if a bit rude, and I appreciate thoughtfulness and bitey conversation, especially from those I disagree with.  Shouldn’t we all?  I mean, part of the joy of it all is in the practice.  If it’s not, we shouldn’t write out here in the air.  We can’t sit around and speak with ourselves for goodness sake.  I find myself boring and I’m always surprised when others urge me on to write even one more line.  Having not read my blogs before you wouldn’t have known that most of them come as responses to letters sent to me or questions asked.  It keeps it from getting dry as we write continually about only subjects that entertain ourselves.

Now of course, you are not going gain any affection from people like me, in telling a story that gives bitter self aggrandizing insults to a mountain of a Christian like Phillip Melanchthon.  His moral purity and theological brilliance are legendary.  Besides that, it is such an awful misrepresentation of his thought and practice.  To place him in Hell, even if it is merely a Hell of Swedenborg’s continuously re-creative imagination is beyond credulity.  And why?  Because He (Melanchthon) believed that his justification before God, the reason that God took pleasure in him and loved him, was not to be found in some meritorious good found in himself, but in the merciful pleasure of God himself apart from Melanchthon’s ambitious accumulation of merits?  That’s what sola fide, Faith Alone, means after all.  It has never meant or been taken as, a faith that is alone, or that is not immediately effective to mercy and good works, but these are the effect of faith, not its cause or nature.

The point of it all being this, that God does not sit in Heaven counting our sins on the cosmic abacus.  His love for us is internally self motivated, not externally coerced or won by favors.  This is the traditional Evangelical/Augustinian position, and it is mine.

I am familiar with writings of Swedenborg, though there is nothing of a peculiarly Christian sense to his writings, all of which seem to be compiled to the end of the refutation of Christianity and the beginning a new religion, very different from the one that Christ brought to us.  But it might be obvious from your comment that you have not read Melanchthon, otherwise you would not have fallen into this kind of misrepresentation, since I am confident it is not intentional on your part.

Here is a little of what Melanchthon wrote on this in the Augsburg Confession, one of the most famous confessions of faith in the history of the world.
      The Confession of Faith:
      Which Was Submitted to His Imperial Majesty Charles V
      At the Diet of Augsburg in the Year 1530_.
      by Philip Melanchthon, 1497-1560 1.
               
        Article VI: Of New Obedience. 
        
        Also they teach that this faith is bound to bring forth good
        fruits, and that it is necessary to do good works commanded by
        God, because of God’s will, but that we should not rely on
        those works to merit justification before God. For remission
        of sins and justification is apprehended by faith, as also the
        voice of Christ attests: When ye shall have done all these
        things, say: We are unprofitable servants. Luke 17, 10. The
        same is also taught by the Fathers. For Ambrose says: It is
        ordained of God that he who believes in Christ is saved,
        freely receiving remission of sins, without works, by faith
        alone. (Melanchthon)

An equally famous presentation of these things by Martin Luther gives the depth and meaning that is so often left out of Modernist communications of Evangelical theology, by Evangelicals themselves.  Just to be on point, neither Luther, nor any official Lutheran presentation of dogma, and really the official presentations are all that matter, has ever held any other view.  (And Melanchthon was nothing if not a good solid Lutheran.)
An Introduction to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Luther’s German Bible of 1522 by Martin Luther, 1483-1546

“Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. “Faith is not enough,” they say, “You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.” They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, “I believe.” That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn’t come from this `faith,’ either.

Instead, faith is God’s work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn’t stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words.

Faith is a living, bold trust in God’s grace, so certain of God’s favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God’s grace makes you joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they’re smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.”  Martin Luther. 2.
This section of Augsburg goes a little deeper in to the nuances and the refutation of the possible misrepresentation of the Lutheran position, usually by Roman Catholic apologists, but it applies equally to Swedenborg under the circumstances.
        Article XX: Of Good Works. 
        
        Our teachers are falsely accused of forbidding good Works. For
        their published writings on the Ten Commandments, and others
        of like import, bear witness that they have taught to good
        purpose concerning all estates and duties of life, as to what
        estates of life and what works in every calling be pleasing to
        God. Concerning these things preachers heretofore taught but
        little, and urged only childish and needless works, as
        particular holy-days, particular fasts, brotherhoods,
        pilgrimages, services in honor of saints, the use of rosaries,
        monasticism, and such like. Since our adversaries have been
        admonished of these things, they are now unlearning them, and
        do not preach these unprofitable works as heretofore. Besides,
        they begin to mention faith, of which there was heretofore
        marvelous silence. They teach that we are justified not by
        works only, but they conjoin faith and works, and say that we
        are justified by faith and works. This doctrine is more
        tolerable than the former one, and can afford more consolation
        than their old doctrine. 
        
        Forasmuch, therefore, as the doctrine concerning faith, which
        ought to be the chief one in the Church, has lain so long
        unknown, as all must needs grant that there was the deepest
        silence in their sermons concerning the righteousness of
        faith, while only the doctrine of works was treated in the
        churches, our teachers have instructed the churches concerning
        faith as follows: –
        
        First, that our works cannot reconcile God or merit
        forgiveness of sins, grace, and justification, but that we
        obtain this only by faith when we believe that we are received
        into favor for Christs sake, who alone has been set forth the
        Mediator and Propitiation, 1 Tim. 2, 6, in order that the
        Father may be reconciled through Him. Whoever, therefore,
        trusts that by works he merits grace, despises the merit and
        grace of Christ, and seeks a way to God without Christ, by
        human strength, although Christ has said of Himself: I am the
        Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14, 6. 
        
        This doctrine concerning faith is everywhere treated by Paul,
        Eph. 2, 8: By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
        of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, etc. 
        
        And lest any one should craftily say that a new interpretation
        of Paul has been devised by us, this entire matter is
        supported by the testimonies of the Fathers. For Augustine, in
        many volumes, defends grace and the righteousness of faith,
        over against the merits of works. And Ambrose, in his De
        Vocatione Gentium, and elsewhere, teaches to like effect. For
        in his De Vocatione Gentium he says as follows: Redemption by
        the blood of Christ would become of little value, neither
        would the preeminence of man’s works be superseded by the
        mercy of God, if justification, which is wrought through
        grace, were due to the merits going before, so as to be, not
        the free gift of a donor, but the reward due to the laborer. 
        
        But, although this doctrine is despised by the inexperienced,
        nevertheless God-fearing and anxious consciences find by
        experience that it brings the greatest consolation, because
        consciences cannot be set at rest through any works, but only
        by faith, when they take the sure ground that for Christ’s
        sake they have a reconciled God. As Paul teaches Rom. 5, 1:
        Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. This whole
        doctrine is to be referred to that conflict of the terrified
        conscience, neither can it be understood apart from that
        conflict. Therefore inexperienced and profane men judge ill
        concerning this matter, who dream that Christian righteousness
        is nothing but civil and philosophical righteousness. 
        
        Heretofore consciences were plagued with the doctrine of
        works, they did not hear the consolation from the Gospel. Some
        persons were driven by conscience into the desert, into
        monasteries hoping there to merit grace by a monastic life.
        Some also devised other works whereby to merit grace and make
        satisfaction for sins. Hence there was very great need to
        treat of, and renew, this doctrine of faith in Christ, to the
        end that anxious consciences should not be without consolation
        but that they might know that grace and forgiveness of sins
        and justification are apprehended by faith in Christ. 
        
        Men are also admonished that here the term “faith” does not
        signify merely the knowledge of the history, such as is in the
        ungodly and in the devil, but signifies a faith which
        believes, not merely the history, but also the effect of the
        history — namely, this Article: the forgiveness of sins, to
        wit, that we have grace, righteousness, and forgiveness of
        sins through Christ. 
        
        Now he that knows that he has a Father gracious to him through
        Christ, truly knows God; he knows also that God cares for him,
        and calls upon God; in a word, he is not without God, as the
        heathen. For devils and the ungodly are not able to believe
        this Article: the forgiveness of sins. Hence, they hate God as
        an enemy, call not upon Him, and expect no good from Him.
        Augustine also admonishes his readers concerning the word
        “faith,” and teaches that the term “faith” is accepted in the
        Scriptures not for knowledge such as is in the ungodly but for
        confidence which consoles and encourages the terrified mind. 
        
        Furthermore, it is taught on our part that it is necessary to
        do good works, not that we should trust to merit grace by
        them, but because it is the will of God. It is only by faith
        that forgiveness of sins is apprehended, and that, for
        nothing. And because through faith the Holy Ghost is received,
        hearts are renewed and endowed with new affections, so as to
        be able to bring forth good works. For Ambrose says: Faith is
        the mother of a good will and right doing. For man’s powers
        without the Holy Ghost are full of ungodly affections, and are
        too weak to do works which are good in God’s sight. Besides,
        they are in the power of the devil who impels men to divers
        sins, to ungodly opinions, to open crimes. This we may see in
        the philosophers, who, although they endeavored to live an
        honest life could not succeed, but were defiled with many open
        crimes. Such is the feebleness of man when he is without faith
        and without the Holy Ghost, and governs himself only by human
        strength. 
        
        Hence it may be readily seen that this doctrine is not to be
        charged with prohibiting good works, but rather the more to be
        commended, because it shows how we are enabled to do good
        works. For without faith human nature can in no wise do the
        works of the First or of the Second Commandment. Without faith
        it does not call upon God, nor expect anything from God, nor
        bear the cross, but seeks, and trusts in, man’s help. And
        thus, when there is no faith and trust in God all manner of
        lusts and human devices rule in the heart. Wherefore Christ
        said, John 16,6: Without Me ye can do nothing; and the Church
        sings: 
             Lacking Thy divine favor,
             There is nothing found in man,
             Naught in him is harmless. 3.
The presentation here might differ, but there is no substantial disagreement in the official Creedal statements or standards of any of the Evangelical Churches, so if you are going to disagree, this would be the place.  Now since your argument, well, not yours but Swedenborg’s, which you may or may not hold personally, but from his writings he certainly did, is that Melanchthon is in Hell, accompanied I’m sure by a bevy of other notorious Evangelicals.

I would think that now that the materials are on the table you could voice your reasoning as to why you would agree with Swedenborg on this point, or at least why you think the Evangelicals were wrong in thinking that God loves them apart from their works of Merit, and that their justification before God was by Grace alone through Faith alone, as was the measure of their corporate doctrine.

All the best,

Neiswonger
1.    Translated by F. Bente and  W. H. T. Dau Published in:Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Booksof the Ev. Lutheran Church_.(St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921), pp. 37-95.

2. An Introduction to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Luther’s German Bible of 1522 by Martin Luther, 1483-1546

3.The Confession of Faith:
Which Was Submitted to His Imperial Majesty Charles V At the Diet of Augsburg in the Year 1530_.by Philip Melanchthon, 1497-1560 Translated by F. Bente and  W. H. T. Dau Published in:_Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Ev. Lutheran Church_. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921), pp. 37-95.