Augustine's Struggle for Salvation in Book VIII of Confessions

Introduction: A Prayer in Search of Salvation

The eighth book of Augustine's Confessions represents the internal dialogue of a man in search of spiritual and religious enlightenment, cast in the form of a sustained prayer. The first chapter of Book Eight provides insight into Augustine's anguish over having failed to become a faithful servant of God, even as he continued to search for a path toward salvation. Augustine recognized that God's love is what he truly desires and believed wholeheartedly in the virtues of a spiritual path, yet he continued to succumb to worldly desires, trivial concerns, and emotional turmoil. This state of desire for spiritual enlightenment in the face of earthly trappings is captured in his statement: "Of thy eternal life I was now certain, although I had seen it 'through a glass darkly'" (Confessions, VIII.i.1). The sentiment "through a glass darkly" comes from 1 Corinthians (13:12), an epistle of Paul. Augustine seemed to find comfort in the knowledge that others had followed the same torturous path and eventually succeeded in their spiritual goals — among them the Apostle Paul himself.

Victorinus and the Joy of the Redeemed

Augustine continued this theme over the next several chapters by describing how he reacted to and interpreted the story of Victorinus, as told by Simplicianus (Confessions, VIII.ii.3). Victorinus was a notable scholar, mentor to Roman senators, and a leading idolater well into old age, yet he declared his salvation under Christ to a doubting Simplicianus. To prove his salvation, Victorinus was baptized and then proclaimed his newfound faith before a church congregation. What seemed to capture Augustine's attention most was how the congregants rejoiced in unison over Victorinus's salvation, prompting Augustine to ponder why the faithful rejoice more over the salvation of a wretch than over a declaration of faith by one of their own.

Augustine found support for this observation in Luke (15:4), as evidenced by his statement in Confessions: "O most merciful Father, 'dost rejoice more over one that repents than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance'" (VIII.iii.6).

Scripture as Comfort and Encouragement

Augustine's interpretations of Holy Scripture appeared to provide both comfort and encouragement — comfort in the knowledge that clinging to worldly concerns and emotional turmoil was a common experience among those who finally achieved spiritual enlightenment, and encouragement to continue striving for his own salvation. However, in what seemed an act of desperation to finally attain salvation, Augustine prayed for more turmoil and strife, so that when he finally entered the grace of God the reward would be that much sweeter (Confessions, VIII.iv.9). In this way, Augustine sought to replicate the path toward righteousness that Victorinus and others had followed — and then to surpass it. One interpretation is that Augustine may have been praying for an even harder struggle than that experienced by Victorinus, in order to ensure his own salvation.

His internal struggle between spiritual and earthly desires was validated by a quotation from Paul's epistle to the Galatians (5:17): "Thus I came to understand from my own experience what I had read, how 'the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh'" (Confessions, VIII.v.11). His awakening to the truth of God's love was described as a rousing from a slumber filled with earthly desires, finding support in Paul's epistle to the Ephesians (5:14): "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light" (as cited in Confessions, VIII.v.12).

References

Augustine. Confessions. Trans. Albert C. Outler. 1955. Retrieved from

The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Edition. (1962). New York: Meridian.