Brother Adam Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 I wrote this as a short, 1 page summary of Catholic Soteriology and was wondering if this would be accurate. Feel free to correct anything that would be against Church teaching so when I put it on my website it is accurate. Please make sure any corrections are actual church teaching and not opinion. Understanding Catholic Soteriology Of God Christian salvation is the total liberation from evil in which one goes from the unregenerate state of living in sin to the regenerated state of living in Christ. Redemption begins at one point in time and ends with a person’s entrance into heaven. Grace alone – All aspects of man’s redemption are possible only by the grace of God alone. God through the Holy Spirit acts in man to move him to a response to God. Thus all actions of man towards God are only through the grace of God. God’s work does not begin at one point and end at one point, but transcends from beginning to end. God’s action through the Lord Jesus Christ allows man to return to the relationship with God first given to Adam and Eve. Because all works of sacrifice through the Mosaic Law fall short of necessary appeasement for sin towards a righteous God, the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the role of High Priest and instead of sacrificing a lamb for the people he became the Lamb of God, the perfect atonement for the sins of the people. This atonement through the grace of God is made available not only to the chosen Jewish people, but now also to the Gentiles- that is all mankind. The Lord Jesus Christ in a New Covenant found through his blood described the participation in the New Covenant as family affair. Jesus described the adoption of the believer as a son of God, and commanded baptism as the cleansing of sin nature. Not as a work of man, but as a participation in the work of God. In baptism, water is combined with the Word of God to bring about the work of God. Through the adoption in baptism man is called to participate in the New Covenant through communion, partaking of the Pascal lamb. The view that participation in the sacraments are a work of man meant to earn salvation is a false conclusion. When the Word of God speaks that works of salvation are not of man, they are not referring to the sacraments, which are the work of God to salvation. Of Man Man’s responsibility through the grace of God in salvation is to respond and participate in the free gift of God offered to man. Not through his own works, but through the work of God. This is most beautifully expressed through the baptism of infants, in which man, in faith, brings children to the Lord Jesus to enter into the family of God through the power of God. Man is given free will to reject or accept the gospel message. While once a Christian, man can never lose the sacramental seal of baptism, that is, adoption as a son of God, man is still free to choose to reject the inheritance offered to Him through faith in Christ. If man does not live his faith and rejects God’s grace after adoption he risks cutting himself off from God’s grace. Christ, our one mediator will never lose any of those entrusted to him, however man is permitted in free will to break the covenantal relationship with God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willguy Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Okay, bro, you really need to just convert so I stop feeling bad everytime you defend my faith better than I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagiDragon Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 [quote name='willguy' date='Apr 4 2004, 06:23 PM'] Okay, bro, you really need to just convert so I stop feeling bad everytime you defend my faith better than I can. [/quote] no doubt! at this point what is it that's keeping you from converting? I mean, you know Catholicism better than I do, and i don't think i'm a total slouch on the subject. I feel like you and the mrs. are some of the best Catholics around, and yer not even Catholic! every now and then i actually notice an errant Protestant idea, but usually you clarify and it's right in line with Rome. Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagiDragon Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 (edited) doh! i hit message number 50 and i'm still a lurker! what's it take around here?!? Edit: , apparently all it takes is to complain. As soon as this one got posted, i hit non-lurker status. Edited April 5, 2004 by MagiDragon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 lol. I just found a minor error. Thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagiDragon Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 [quote]lol. I just found a minor error. [/quote] what was it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livin_the_MASS Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 [url="http://www.catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp"]SALVATION[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willguy Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Okay, so now you not only argue my faith better but find the errors in your own arguement that i don't. I'm gonna be crying in the corner if anyone needs me. j/k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 The error was in the words "sin nature". More appropriately it should be "original sin" that is dealt with in baptism. Jason, you will have to expound on what you are trying to say with your link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livin_the_MASS Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 (edited) "Are you saved?" asks the Fundamentalist. The Catholic should reply: "As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13)." Salvation is a work in process. sorry it took so long I was God Bless Jason Edited April 5, 2004 by Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Adam Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 yes, that is correct, do you see something in the summary that contradicts this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livin_the_MASS Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 [quote] Jesus described the adoption of the believer as a son of God, and commanded baptism as the cleansing of sin nature.[/quote] I would say this. [b][u](The Apostles Creed)[/b][/u] "We believe in ONE baptism for the forgivness OF SINS." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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