'There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’ These words are according to Acts 4:12, a book was written by Luke the disciple to the Jewish leaders at that time. These words were written by Peter as a declaration by the apostles addressing the Authorities of Jews. The authorities were greatly irritated by peter’s courage of preaching Jesus as Israel’s Messiah. The act of Peter is taken into the history of doctrine as a way of supporting and justifying Christian’s attitude of restrictive nature that would possibly result in salvation for non-Christians. It is taken an implication of Christian salvation that happens through having faith in Jesus name and his word in the bible since God’s grace does not work in the world at large but works with the hope of eternal life as an expectation by having faith in Jesus as a person while still living earthly life. God knows the purpose of everyone in this world. He has ordained everyone with a certain gift to work with on earth. God has also commanded every human being to go into the earth and preach his gospel. He also wants us to spread love and peace to everyone. And everyone must follow God’s command of going everywhere on earth to preach. Considering the Book of Acts of the apostles, it portrays Peter's life and testimony as a lesson to all of us. The book reminds us to serve God correctly and most importantly to seek salvation through Jesus Christ since it is only through Jesus we can be saved. This paper will seek to analyze different perspective of theologians on Act 4:12. The theologians that the paper will analyze is John Calvin, Thomas Aquinas, and Adam Clarke.
How Act 4:12 is used by John Calvin
John Calvin was born on 10 July 1509 and died on 27 May 1564. He was a French reformer, preacher, and theologian who hailed from Geneva during the period of Protestant Reformation. Calvin was the focal character in the enhancement of the organization of Christian theology. It was eventually changed to Calvinism, an aspect of which entails the canons of the outright sovereignty of Almighty God in the redemption of the soul of a human being from death and everlasting condemnation and of predestination, in which Calvinism was elaborated and influenced in references to Augustinian and other Christian customs. Numerous Congregational and Reformed ministries that found inspiration from Calvin as the main philosopher of their beliefs which escalated to the entire world. Calvin was remorseful and diligent polemic author who produced copious controversy. Also, Calvin exchanged cordial and supportive letters to another reformist who had a different perspective of viewing the new testament especially the books such as Acts of Apostles that St Paul authored. The most famous commentary and the work of Calvin is his interpretation of Acts 4:12 which is about salvation through God only (Herman and Erik, 2014).
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Calvin claims that gospel is election or predestination that shows the sovereignty of Christ and demonstrating the association of five points of policy with his name. Calvin states them as the aspects of gospel adding that Jesus himself is the gospel. Calvin’s description seems to be a truism as everyone seems to be thinking the same. But the truth about it is taking a fresh significance in understanding Calvin.
Calvin continuous study of the scripture made him publish several editions about the book of Acts; he brought a new debt to the understanding of the book of Acts especially the topic of salvation. By spending most time of his time researching on salvation, he stated to insist through his subsequent edition that salvation and all its packages not only come through Jesus but exclusively in Jesus who was crucified, died, resurrected, ascended reigning and will return to judge both the dead and the living (Herman and Erik, 2014).
Two contemplations followed. First, Calvin comprehended that it is via faith in Christ all the blessing of the gospel was his and Christ is the only salvation. Second, Calvin realized that his life should be built upon the fellowship of Christ to attain salvation. Possibly it is the individual realization of the salvation according to Act 4:12 which led him to be inspired at the climax of his elucidation of the Christological segment of the Apostles’ Creed (Herman and Erik, 2014).
Calvin views the entire salvation and its entire components to be understood in Jesus Christ. Calvin advice people to be careful and not to derive the least portion of it from anywhere else. He advises his readers that it is wrong to consider other things in the name of seeking salvation since the only way to access salvation and all its attractive package is through Jesus Christ. Calvin depicts that if human beings seek salvation, the Bible teaches through Acts of apostle 4:12 that that is by the very name of Jesus that it is “of him” that salvation is attained (Herman and Erik, 2014).
In his commentaries Calvin acknowledges that it there is no way to salvation besides the only way which is through God and nothing on earth can substitute him. Also, he depicts that if human beings try to seek another gift of the Spirit to find salvation, they shall be found on his anointing; If human being seeks strength to attain salvation god his dominion; if human seeks salvation through purity, God is available in conception; if human being tries to find salvation through. This depicts that there is no shortcut to attaining salvation even if human beings try to attain salvation through other aspects of the bible such as gift and fruits of the holy spirit since God is present in all those aspects. Therefore, Calvin observes that in every aspect that human beings try to access salvation God is there, and that is why Peter says in Acts of Apostles 4:12 that way to salvation is only God (Herman and Erik, 2014).
Calvin made a prodigious discovery which it subjugated both his life and his theology: if Jesus is our Redeemer, then Jesus was molded in the incarnation so that he could deal fully, perfectively and precisely, with both the consequences and the cause of the guilt of our sin. Union with Jesus was the way the Spirit used to bring this about (Herman and Erik, 2014). From the teaching of Calvin, it is evident that God is jealous and does not want His creation to seek salvation through any other being since there are consequences for that.
How Act 4:12 is used by Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas is one of the most representative and famous Catholic theologians in the history of religion; he advised his people that they can enjoy the certainty of eternal life. Thomas Aquinas interpreted Acts 4:12 and insisted that human beings should fear the likelihood of failing away from God. However, he argues that the fear of losing the friendship of God is good to fear and that fear is dependable with the guarantee of hope ( Clarke, 1800) .
Conferring to Aquinas, rewards from faith in the omnipotence and mercy of God requires all people to be saved. Aquinas depicts that unless human beings despair on their salvation, they should live in hope. In hopes, human beings enjoy the guarantee that they will the required help to achieve the ultimate salvation ( Clarke, 1800) . Therefore, hope does not only look to the end to be attained. Therefore, it would be fuzzy from resilience but similarly to the current divine aid by which we are allowed to acquire eventually. Aquinas depicts that the people who have been promised divine promise should rejoice for the assurance of everlasting life since the work of God has already commenced in them and it will be completed on the judgment day.
Aquinas observed that for Christians to be assured to salvation, an individual must desire that salvation that Almighty God promises to offer, that included serving God and withdrawal from sin. St. Thomas associates a probable hope–one that wants an antinomian form of salvation with “the sin committed against the Holy Spirit.” Aquinas tries to depict that God is gracious God and guaranteed the faithful salvations ( Clarke, 1800) .
How Act 4:12 is used by Adam Clarke
Adam Clarke is one of the famous theologians who lived in Britain and lived between 1760–1762, to August 28, 1832. Clarke is mainly remembered for authoring a commentary on the bible that lasted for over 40 years to complete. His commentary was published in "The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Clarke made many commentaries about the acts of apostles to be particular Acts 4:12 and the salvation (John, n.d).
In one of his commentaries, Clarke quoted “ Neither is their salvation in any other ” Acts 4:12, he depicts that no kind of healing, whether for soul or body, can come through any but him who is Christ. Clarke observed that the spirit of healing resided in God and from God alone human beings receive its influences. Clarke acknowledges that there is no way to salvation (spiritual healing) apart from God and he is the only way (John, n.d).
Also, Clarke quote in one of his commentary “For there is none another name ” Acts 4:12: he depicts that there is only one appointed person who has the authority to grant salvation which is only God. Clark depicts no individual who is under heaven is capable of giving salvation. All other means are only subordinate since they refer to God and have their efficacy from God solely (John, n.d).
In conclusion, all three theologians acknowledge that God grants salvation and no one who is beneath heaven has the permission to grant salvation. However, Calvin and Clarke depict that human beings should seek salvation from God since he grants it to those who seek it. However, St Thomas Aquinas depicts that God grants salvation to the special few who live a good life as per the doctrines of Christ. They do not have to struggle to obtain it since it is promised to those who are faithful and it is completed during the judgment day. Different theologians have different ways they interpret the bible, so it is important to embrace the different perspective of the bible even if we don’t agree with it.
References
Clarke, A. (1800). The New Testament. A Commentary and Critical Notes. New York.
Herman H. (Erik) van Alten. (2014). Calvin's view on the book of the Acts of the Apostles
http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2304-85572014000400005
John F. Boyle. (n.d). St. Thomas Aquinas and Sacred Scripture
https://www3.nd.edu/~afreddos/papers/Taqandss.htm
