 |  |
how far it falls short! To begin with, the writer has the extraordinary idea that only one
sin after conversion can be forgiven by God. In the dialogue between the Shepherd (the
angel of repentance) and Hermas, we find the following:
"If then, sir", I said, "after the wife is divorced, she repents and wishes to return to her
own husband, will she not be taken back?"
"Certainly", said he, "if her husband does not take her back, he sins and involves
himself in great sin. The sinner who repents, must be taken back, but not often, for the
slaves of God can have but one repentance" (Com. 4.1:7,8).
"But I tell you", said he (the angel), "If after this great and holy invitation a man is
severely tempted by the devil and sins, he has one opportunity to repent" (Com. 4.3:6).
Moreover, Divine forgiveness is not immediate. The Shepherd comments upon some
who have repented of sin and says to Hermas:
"I know that they have repented with all their hearts; then do you think that the sins of
those who repent are immediately forgiven?
Not at all! But the man who repents must torment his own soul . . . . . and be
distressed with all kinds of afflictions" (Parable 7:4).
Here we have two cardinal errors: (1) the failure to see that the forgiveness of sins by
God to the redeemed covers all sins past, present and future, and (2) such forgiveness is
an act of grace on the part of God and cannot be mixed, or be dependent upon the
believer's works, such as self affliction, and torment, etc.
Hermas knows nothing of external life as a free gift by faith in Christ. He is very fond
of the expression "Living to God". It occurs many times throughout this writing, and in
every case is connected with works and human merit of which the following is a sample:
"Why, Sir" said I, "did you say of those that keep His commands, `they will live to
God'?" "Because" said he, ". . . . . life with God belongs to those who fear Him and keep
His commands. But those who do not keep His commands do not have life . . . . ."
(Com.7:5).
"But now I say to you, if you do not keep them (God's commands), but neglect them,
you will not have Salvation, nor your children, nor your family . . . . ." (Com. 12.3:6).
It is quite clear that, for Hermas, salvation is only realized through the law. His one
object is a personal striving for legal conformity. If he "refrains from every evil passion,
he will make sure of eternal life" (Vision 3.8:4). Grace, for him, is only an additional
force to help him do this. The faith that he talks about, is not faith in Christ as Saviour,
but faith that enables one to keep the commandments. Not only does this writer stress
human merit, but also supererogatory merit. In fact we find the germ of later Roman
Catholic doctrine in more than one sense in The Shepherd of Hermas. Vision 3:7
indicates a similar idea to that later developed; in other passages we have the doctrine of
penance in the doctrine of purgatory. In Parable 5.3:3, we find the Shepherd speaking to
Hermas:
"I will show you His (God's) commands, and if you keep them, you will be pleasing
to Him, . . . . . and if you do anything good beyond God's command, you will gain greater
glory for yourself and be more honoured in the sight of God than you would have been."