Brother Adam Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Short, sweet, and to the point. Catholics and Salvation: Myth: Catholics believe in salvation by faith and good works. It is the AND part of the equation that puts them outside of being true Christians. It is by faith alone that we are saved. The Truth of the Matter: The Bible is specifically clear that "man is justified by what he does and not by faith alone" (James 2:24). Catholics do not have an equation or math formula for what good works a person must do to be saved. In fact the whole mentality of "faith and good works justifies a man" is a heresy when commonly understood by non-Catholics. Catholics believe man is saved by "Faith working in love" (Galatians 5:6) and not in "faith alone". The faith alone doctrine states that a person has faith by the intellectual acceptance of Jesus Christ as one's personal Lord and Savior. While there is nothing wrong with doing this, it should be an everyday assent of the mind. To Catholics, justification is by faith, a faith which is obediant to the will of God (Romans 1:5, 16:26). One which follows the teachings of Jesus to be baptized and reborn into the New Covenant, where salvation is found, through our one and only mediator of the New Covenant (1 Timothy 2:5), Jesus Christ. Good works are part of this faith, however, our faith should be a life of good works. No Catholic "earns" heaven by one's own human merit. This is impossible for the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 3:23). By merit, no person earns salvation, with or without a intellectual acceptance of Christ as the Lord and Savior. The merit or good works a Catholic will discuss as part of the process of justification, to which James 2 refers, is condign merit, that merit which we participate in only through the grace of God and only through his strength. Something that is not of ourselves, but of God. Thus no Catholic would say properly "I am going to heaven because of my good works". If one obligates God to repay them for their works, the only obligation God can repay them with is condemnation. St. Paul states that our works however "fill what is lacking in the cross" (Col. 1:24). St. Paul does not assert that Christ's sacrifice is not enough, but rather God calls us to "lift up our cross and follow Him"(Luke 9:23). This leads us to a correct understanding of Catholic soteriology: Whether we do one good work, or one million good works is not the point. The bare bones of it is that we remain in the grace of God. That we "do not sin unto death" (1 John 5:16), that is willfully reject Christ in our actions through mortal sin. Thus it is not by faith alone but through a covenantal relationship through the blood of Christ that we are saved. In this relationship faith is not "alone". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Knight Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 but without works Faith is dead. I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorphRC Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Correct Bro White. James 2:17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StColette Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Nice job Bro Adam did this result from the Tulips paltalk room ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorphRC Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Id say a lot of bro adams apologetics will have origins from Paltalk in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 [quote name='White Knight' date='Aug 16 2004, 10:14 PM'] but without works Faith is dead. I think. [/quote] This is essentially what Bro Adam just posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Amen brother! I've been trying to explain this to people for so long, and you've put it all here. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted August 17, 2004 Author Share Posted August 17, 2004 [quote name='MorphRC' date='Aug 17 2004, 04:31 AM'] Id say a lot of bro adams apologetics will have origins from Paltalk in the future [/quote] Word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picchick Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 I don't really agree with the title of this thread (although what you say Bro. Adam, I do agree with). As believers in Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit. (Catechism 1695) we are Christians. However, since we have different believes then "mainstream" Christians, we believe in the Divine Presence in the Eucharist, and faith with out works thing, we are Catholic. To say that Catholics are not Christians would be oxymoronish. (new word) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picchick Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 I don't really agree with the title of this thread (although what you say Bro. Adam, I do agree with). As believers in Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit. (Catechism 1695) we are Christians. However, since we have different believes then "mainstream" Christians, we believe in the Divine Presence in the Eucharist, and faith with out works thing, we are Catholic. To say that Catholics are not Christians would be oxymoronish. (new word) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picchick Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 I am sorry. I have just been enlighted by Maxk that you are arguing against the title not for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JeffCR07 Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 good post Bro. Adam, a concise overview of the catholic view is always helpful, and that was really well done. - Your Brother In Christ, Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorphRC Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 Catholics and I suppose Orthodox are mainstream Christians. The rest are off on their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted August 18, 2004 Author Share Posted August 18, 2004 [quote name='picchick' date='Aug 17 2004, 11:52 PM'] I am sorry. I have just been enlighted by Maxk that you are arguing against the title not for it. [/quote] Catchy title eh? That's okay, as long as you understand now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picchick Posted August 18, 2004 Share Posted August 18, 2004 Yeah I understand. I jumped the gun in defense!! Lol. Great job though with the info. It is awesome, short, sweet and consise!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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