Dokimos.org - Gift Of Eternal Life... Refute

[MorphRC]

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[b][font="Times"]Caelum defendet militem, Caelum exercet militem, Caelum docet militem. Amen. Amen.[/font][/b]
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[b][color=gray][font="Times"]Dokimos.org - Gift Of Eternal Life... Refute[/color][/font][/b]
[b]Anti-Catholic Tracts: I[/b]
[b]THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE IS GIVEN FREELY BY GOD AND CANNOT BE BOUGHT FROM GOD BY PEOPLE[/b]

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[b]Bible Translation:[/b]

[url="http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible"]USCCB: New American Bible[/url]

[b]Note:[/b]
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[b]THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE IS GIVEN FREELY BY GOD AND CANNOT BE BOUGHT FROM GOD BY PEOPLE[/b]

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - ROMANS 6:23

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. - ROMANS 11:6

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. - ROMANS 4:4-5

[b]->[/b] [i]Dokimos.org[/i], appears to be charging Catholics with 'buying eternal salvation', nothing is expressed clearly, but 'works' seem to be the symbol [i]Dokimos.org[/i], is using to charge the Church with. I will deal with the Scripture and give a explaination and the context.

[url="http://dokimos.org/catholic/page02.html"]Dokimos.Org: Catholics - Gift of Eternal Life, Cant be bought.[/url]

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[color=blue][i][b]For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - ROMANS 6:23[/b][/i][/color]

-> All St. Paul is stating here is that sin will end up in death; Eternal Death, Eternal Life without knowing God, intimately like true believers and followers of Christ. The actual style is used in a Military figure of "ration money", pay to the soldier.

NJBC, 2nd Ed. States in referring to 23b, '[i]the free gift of God[/i]'; "There is no [i]quid pro quo[/i], and God's grace eventually brings about an assimilation of the Christian to God himself (2 Cor 3:18).[b][S][/b]

[b]<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>[S] [/b][i]New Jerome Biblical Commentary[/i], 2nd Edition, Published 1990, Reprint: 1995,1996 & 2000. [i]Authors & Editors: Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. & Roland E. Murphy, O'CARM[/i]. [b]Nihil Obstat & Impartiur[/b].
[b][S] [/b][i]NJBC[/i], 2nd Ed. Pub. 1990, Repr: 1995,1996 & 2000. - Page 849, Romans (6:17-7:1), [51:69-72], 69.</span>

[b]->[/b] St. Paul throughout Romans, condemns works of the law, the Mosaic Law, since they are done out of obedience more than love of God (Rom 3:20), much like systematic prayer. Works are not 'paying' God off, but infact showing Him your faith, as James 2:17 states, "Faith without works is dead".

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[color=blue][i][b]And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. - ROMANS 11:6[/b][/i][/color]

[b]106[/b]

[b]6.[/b] [i]not on the basis of deeds:[/i] See 3:24; 4:4; 9:16. The existence of this remnant is evidence of God's benevolence rather than of human merit.[b][S][/b]

[b]<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>[S] [/b][i]New Jerome Biblical Commentary[/i], 2nd Edition, Published 1990, Reprint: 1995,1996 & 2000. [i]Authors & Editors: Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. & Roland E. Murphy, O'CARM[/i]. [b]Nihil Obstat & Impartiur[/b].
[b][S] [/b][i]NJBC[/i], 2nd Ed. Pub. 1990, Repr: 1995,1996 & 2000. - Page 860, Romans (10:20-11:13), [51:104-108], 106.</span>

[b]->[/b] In context with what St. Paul is stating, is a deeper meaning. St. Paul is saying that Israel exists more through '[i]God's benevolence[/i]', than human merit earned by works earlier, for instance St. Paul states in v4, "[i]I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt to Baal.[/i]". God will always have believers who will stand against beliefs that go against God, St. Paul continues in v5 with, "[i]So also at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace[/i]." Christians who believe in the Messiahship, and do not fall back into the old ways. So God will show His benevolence now also.

[b]->[/b] Again nothing to do with 'buying' eternal life.

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[color=blue][i][b]Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. - ROMANS 4:4-5[/b][/i][/color]

[b]4[/b] A worker's wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.
[b]5[/b] But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.

The first part (v4) explains through an analogy that a worker gains his wages, his money, reward. The second part (v5) explains that when a person believes in God, who justifies, 'made upright (Gk. [i]dikaios[/i])' the ungodly, he himself is made 'morally upright' through righteousness.

However this does not mean that by belief in God alone he is justified forever, for James 2:24 states "[i]Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only[/i]", here James takes up the oppurtunity against extremists, that you are justified by faith yes, but not by faith alone, but by Faith in God and His favour, but also by your own works, that shows God your belief and favour towards Him.

Edited August 22, 2004 by MorphRC

[StColette]

Awesome job Morph