Are works necessary? And thief on the cross

[Duane1966]

To TxGodFollower

So you are saying since belief is not mentioned in the parable that both the sheep and the goats are non-believers? Since the parable of the prodigal son is only about men, does that mean it doesn’t apply to women?

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

In this parable though belief is not mentioned, it is easy to see that they are both believers. If neither are believers, then woe to both. Even though they did not see Jesus in another human, the sheep do things out of compassion for others and Jesus welcomes them. The goats also believe, if they didn’t, then why would they care if they saw Jesus in another person or not? It is the fact that they do BELIEVE (in fact they are shocked that they are being condemned), but will only help if they see Jesus in another, that earns them condemnation.

The Vine and the Branches.1**

“I am the true vine,and my Father is the vine grower.a2He takes away every branch IN me that does not bear fruit,** and everyone that does he prunesso that it bears more fruit.3You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.b4Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.5I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.6c*Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.d8By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.e9As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.f10If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

Why does Jesus implore us to remain if as you say all we need is belief? Here it is obvious He is saying you can have belief and still walk away. You can have belief and be in Him, and yet if you do not produce be cast off.

 

[Gorgias]

Duane1966:

You do realize that in the parable of the sheep and the goats, both the sheep and the goats are believers? The difference is the sheep believed and did something (hmmmm, I wonder what we could call that something? ), and the goats believed and did nothing.

In the parable there is nothing about belief from either the sheep or the goats.

Are ya’ll talking about Matthew 25:31-46? If so, please remember: it’s not a parable – it’s straight-up teaching from Christ! (After all, we have none of the things that identifies parables in the Gospels: the evangelist doesn’t ID it as a parable; Jesus doesn’t say that this is a story or that the Kingdom of Heaven “is like” this; and no one asks Jesus to interpret His ‘story’.) The closest we get to ‘parable’ is that the separation of people is “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” The separation isn’t a parable; the criteria aren’t a parable; only the comparison to sheep and goats is a figure of speech!

TxGodfollower:

there is nothing about belief from either the sheep or the goats.

I’m glad you recognize this, Tex! From no less than the authority of Jesus’ own words, salvation can not possibly be a matter of ‘faith alone’. Praised be Jesus!

(Of course, if you want to make the claim that all of the sheep are believers and all of the goats are non-believers, I’d be interested to see how you frame up that argument! After all, the ‘goats’ reply reveals not just that they recognize him as ‘Lord’, but that they understand that it is necessary to “minister to [the Lord’s] needs”!)

Everyone can be saved (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9), but not all will. Only those that accept Christ’s sacrifice will be saved (Acts 16:31, John 3:16, Mark 16:16, Ephesians 2:8-9). Some passages have some action required (such as Romans 10:9-10) of confessing your faith or being baptized.

If He only paid for sins that were already committed before He died, then all of us today are doomed.

Good point! Oh… wait: if all sins are already paid for, why in the world did Jesus instruct the apostles to forgive sins in John 20:23? Most saliently, if everyone’s sins are always and irrevocably forgiven… how can the sins that the apostles “retain are retained”?

Our goal should be to live as Christ lived, perfectly. But we are still washed in the blood of the Lamb, bought with a price, and belong to the Lord. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:28. No man can get himself or anyone else out of Christ.

Hmm… Ananias and Sapphira were “washed in the blood of the Lamb, bought with a price, and belong[ed] to the Lord.” Are you saying that they didn’t “get themselves… out of Christ”?

 

[RBushlow]

Hello RBushlow and Rfournier103,

@TxGodfollower
So, since Christ paid the price for all sin, past, present and future, do you then believe that everyone is saved?
If not, do they have to do some work like say the sinners prayer, making an alter call and accepting Jesus into their heart as their personal savior to lay hold of this forgiveness?
That would be a works salvation.

Also, where in the Bible does is the sinners prayer? Where does it say that making an alter call is how one is saved? Where does the Bible say that we can continue to commit sin in the future because they are already forgiven.

How to . . . .

@Christian,

It seems that, since you ignored the questions in the original responce to TXGodfollower that neither you nor he is able to answer them. If you would have an answer to them, please directly answer the questions instead of dancing around them; that only makes it look like you cannot answer them directly. Here they are again, numbered for your answering convenience.

1. So, since Christ paid the price for all sin, past, present and future, do you then believe that everyone is saved?
2. If not, do they have to do some work like say the sinners prayer, making an alter call and accepting Jesus into their heart as their personal savior to lay hold of this forgiveness?
   That would be a works salvation.
3. Also, where in the Bible does is the sinners prayer?
4. Where does it say that making an alter call is how one is saved?
5. Where does the Bible say that we can continue to commit sin in the future because they are already forgiven

If you are not able to directly give an answer each of these five questions, fine, but please be honest and say so.

God bless you brother.

 

[RBushlow]

Are ya’ll talking about Matthew 25:31-46? If so, please remember: it’s not a parable – it’s straight-up teaching from Christ! (After all, we have none of the things that identifies parables in the Gospels: the evangelist doesn’t ID it as a parable; Jesus doesn’t say that this is a story or that the Kingdom of Heaven “is like” this; and no one asks Jesus to interpret His ‘story’.) The closest we get to ‘parable’ is that the separation of people is “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” The separation isn’t a parable; the criteria aren’t a parable; only the comparison to sheep and goats is a figure of speech!

I’m glad you recognize this, Tex! From no less than the authority of Jesus’ own words, salvation can not possibly be a matter of ‘faith alone’. Praised be Jesus!

(Of course, if you want to make the claim that all of the sheep are believers and all of the goats are non-believers, I’d be interested to see how you frame up that argument! After all, the ‘goats’ reply reveals not just that they recognize him as ‘Lord’, but that they understand that it is necessary to “minister to [the Lord’s] needs”!)

Everyone can be saved (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9), but not all will. Only those that accept Christ’s sacrifice will be saved (Acts 16:31, John 3:16, Mark 16:16, Ephesians 2:8-9). Some passages have some action required (such as Romans 10:9-10) of confessing your faith or being baptized.

Good point! Oh… wait: if all sins are already paid for, why in the world did Jesus instruct the apostles to forgive sins in John 20:23? Most saliently, if everyone’s sins are always and irrevocably forgiven… how can the sins that the apostles “retain are retained”?

Hmm… Ananias and Sapphira were “washed in the blood of the Lamb, bought with a price, and belong[ed] to the Lord.” Are you saying that they didn’t “get themselves… out of Christ”?

Looks like Duane 1966 and Gorgias beat me to it. Excellent responses. Kudos!!!

 

[zz912]

No man can get himself or anyone else out of Christ.

Could you please reconcile this personal teaching of yours with the parable of the True Vine?

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunesa so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6** If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned**. 7** If **you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 **If **you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

 

[Christian50]

Hello Fr of Jazz,

The following quote is from one my earlier posts.

“I would call myself a Non-Denominational Christian. My wife is a Catholic (Latin Rite), and I have been encouraged by her, to study Catholic Teaching. I have also studied other religions and their teachings, but I found the Catholic Church has many good doctrines and I feel is the true church.
I often attend mass and also other Catholic social events with my wife, and have developed a good relationship within the Catholic community.” End quote.

The above not exactly the full story.
Just to let you know, English is my second language and my English grammar is far from perfect.
Two years ago I officially become full communion with the Catholic Church (Latin Rite). After completing one year of RCIA, I still knew very little about Catholic teaching/doctrines.
Even as I’m in formal communion with the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and I believe the essential teaching of the RCC, I do question some of the teachings.

Two years ago when I started my study of RCC teaching, I took the opportunity to read any relevant material that I could obtain. Almost a year ago I also came across the Catholic Answers Forum (CAF) and found many posts that were interesting and useful for my study.

For example I have printed out many posts from David Filmer, Cathoholic, Gorgias, Lion Heart, John Martin etc. Even as my English language less than perfect I have learned many good teachings from these posts.

For example, I easily understand David Filmer’s and John Martin’s posts, and I have learned a lot from Lion Heart’s quotes as well.
Of course I don’t take anyone’s quotes as absolute truth until I tested them with the sources the quotes came from. I have already collected at least 95% of those Catholic books that were recommended.

Such us PETER KREFT: How to Win the Culture War, Catholic Christianity, You Can Understand the Bible, etc.

Fr. BRENDAN BYRNE S.J. Sacra Pagina, ROMANS etc.

ETIENNE CHARPENTIER, How to Read the Old Testament , How to Read the New Testament. – The quote you ask Fr of Jazz, comes from Lion Heart’s post, which is the summary of How to Read the New Testament pages 46 and 47.
I recommend the above Catholic books for every Catholic and Protestants as well.

I also read and study some of Jimmy Akin’s work along with countless other Catholic teaching materials.

I believe and I agree, the context of a quote is very important. In fact I believe; the heart of a quote is the context. Without the context a quote can be misleading.

We find a very good example in Paul’s vs. James’s teaching in Peter Kreeft’s book. You Can Understand the Bible.
If someone doesn’t know who Peter Kreeft is: He is one of the most popular and widely-read Catholic authors today.

Just one of the many recommendations of the above book from John K. Hardon S.J.
Quote: “Highly recommended to all those who want to deepen their spiritual lives. The beauty of this book is that it literally makes the [Bible] come alive.” End quote.

You Can Understand the Bible by Peter Kreeft Page 291
Quote: The apparent contradiction between James, who says that we, like Abraham, are justified by works (James 2:21), and Paul, who says that we, like Abraham, are justified by faith (Rom 4:3), is explained by looking at the context.

Paul’s context is the relationship between the believer and God, while James’ context is the relationship between the believer and his neighbor.

God sees your faith; your neighbor sees your works.
Faith justifies us BEFORE God; works justify us BEFORE our neighbors.

A further explanation is that James means by “faith” only intellectual belief. “You believe that God is one; you do well.
Even the demons believe – and shudder” (James 2:19).

But Paul means by “faith” (in Galatians and Romans) something more then belief. He means accepting Christ into your soul and thus into your life, where it produces good works as ITS FRUIT.

In more technical terms.
Paul is contrasting faith with law as a way to be justified, while
James is contrasting faith without works, with a faith that works as a way to be sanctified.

Paul is asking how to be saved; James is asking how to be holy.
Paul is asking HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN,
James is asking HOW TO LIVE ON EARTH.
End quote.

Continued

 

[Christian50]

Before examining what we can learn from the above teachings of Peter Kreeft, we need to know the conditions of supernatural merit according to the teaching of the RCC.

The conditions MUST BE PRESENT to make supernatural merit possible:
“The meritorious work must be morally good, that is, in accordance with the moral law in its object, intent, and circumstances.

It MUST be done FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or INTERNAL NECESSITY.

It MUST be SUPERNATURAL, that is, AROUSED and ACCOMPANIED by ACTUAL GRACE, and proceeding from a SUPERNATURAL motive.

Strictly speaking only a person in the STATE OF GRACE can merit, as defined by the Church.” (Denzinger 1576, 1582)

Justification in Catholic Teaching by Jimmy Akin

Quote: “The essence of supernatural love is unselfishness—doing something NOT BECAUSE IT WILL HELP US SOMEHOW, but because we want to do it out of SHEER LOVE for the other person, whether that person is God or one of our fellow human beings out of the love of God.

This is THE ONLY KIND of love that ultimately pleases God and therefore the ONLY KIND that ultimately gets us a reward IN heaven.” End quote. Emphasize added.

Now we are ready to study Kreeft’s teaching in the light of the conditions of supernatural merit.

SUMMARY OF KREEFT’S TEACHING

Faith justifies us BEFORE God; works justify us BEFORE our neighbors.

Paul is asking how to be saved; James is asking how to be holy.
Paul is asking HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN,
James is asking HOW TO LIVE ON EARTH.

Paul means by “faith” (in Galatians and Romans) something more then belief. He means accepting Christ into your soul and thus into your life, where it produces good works as ITS’ FRUIT.
ITS’ FRUIT = SUPERNATURAL MERIT

We don’t know we are among God’s elects to heaven or not. For easier understanding, in this study we pretend we are among God’s elects to heaven.

Our salvation is God’s free gift. By grace we have been saved through faith.
Ordinarily we enter the state of grace through baptism. At baptism our salvation is completed. If we die the next second after our baptism, we go straight to heaven in Heavenly Glory.

We pretend after our baptism we still live here on earth many years.
All our Christian work should be supernatural merit.

It MUST be done FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or INTERNAL NECESSITY.

What this is mean; done FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or INTERNAL NECESSITY?

In my opinion, if the motivation of our work is to avoid hell, that work is not supernatural merit and God doesn’t recognize it as supernatural work and rejected.
In the eyes of God, this work is hay and straw because instead of God’s Divine grace it is energized by the spirit of slavery of fear.

For example: Two people doing exactly the same work, for one person’s work can be supernatural merit while the other person’s work is hay and straw because his work energized by the spirit of slavery of fear described in Rom.8:15.

The way our supernatural merit done is; combination of both, Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace.
Divine grace given that the work may done. God’s grace always precedes action.

The different areas of our supernatural work/merit.
Growing in holiness and to be more just. We can be more just and more holy. But we cannot be more saved.

Our salvation is an instant event at baptism as God’s free gift. We can add nothing to it before our salvation or after our salvation. – If we could or would have to add to it, then our salvation could not be God’s free gift.

Growing in holiness and justice is our development a lifelong hard work throughout all our Christian life but this development and hard work, contributes nothing to our salvation.

In order to understand Paul’s teaching on justification in Romans and James teaching on justification, we have to think in chronological order.

Paul’s teaching on justification in Romans is until the point of our baptism.
At the point of our baptism we enter the state of grace, 100 % saved as our salvation God’s free gift, ready to go to heaven in Heavenly Glory.

The Bible speaks our justification and sanctification as a completed event (1 Cor.6:11; Heb.10:10; etc.). – Completed at our baptism as God’s free gift.

In chronological order, these events above until the completion of baptism.
The events bellow from baptism until we die.

This work done as the combination of both; Divine grace aiding our will, and our will co-operating with Divine grace.”
This is what James referring to in his teaching on our justification.

Our further Christian maturity in justice and holiness, (Phil.2:12-15; Eph.4:22-24; Rom.12:1-2; etc.). – Start after our baptism. This is our growing in likeness to Christ.
This our further grows in justice and holiness is a lifelong Christian work.
This is our supernatural work/merit and done by our co-operation with Divine grace.

The key to understand: Our supernatural merit contributes nothing to our salvation, for this merit God rewards us in heaven.

Now we understand Peter Kreeft’s two points

1. Paul is teaching how to be saved and how to get to heaven.
2. James is teaching how to live on earth and how to be holy.

If need I can prove all of the above statements with RCC teaching.

Continued

 

[Christian50]

Another area of work is; being an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ, work on the salvation of the whole world.
Our spiritual development, growing in justice and holiness and our work as Christ’s ambassadors is a simultaneous event.

We must acknowledge our sins and ask forgiveness. (Jerusalem Bible.)

If we live our lives in the light, as He is in the light, we are in union with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

If we acknowledge our sins, then God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and purify us from everything that is wrong. (1 John 1:9)

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood. (Rev.1:5)

My answer for your questions Fr of Jazz:

1. I didn’t read the whole Catholic Encyclopedia.
   With the quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia on predestination, I tried to prove one point: The total certainty in the way God works.
2. I never believed double predestination. The fact that the elects to heaven God has chosen according to His “foreknowledge” automatically EXCLUDES arbitrary act.
3. I didn’t study “Final Perseverance” from the Catholic Encyclopedia but from some other Catholic teaching publication. I’m not exactly sure whose work it was.
4. I know; all areas of our Christian life is our co-operation with the Divine grace of God. Without God’s grace preceding our actions we can do nothing.
   (To believe in the opposite way, would be same like; we say to our cars, go from point A to point B then I will give you the petrol you deserve.)
5. I believe “the power of perseverance is neither in the human will alone nor in God’s grace solely, but in the combination of both, i.e., Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace.”
   I did know and believed before but with my limited English language knowledge I couldn’t describe it as it is written above.

6.At this stage I also believe; God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” through their co-operation with Divine grace protects the recipients from committing mortal sins.

I believe this for the following reason:
If a predestined to heaven would die between committed a mortal sin and confession/absolution he would go to hell.
We all know (or should) it is a theological impossibility for a predestined to heaven end up in hell.

This is NOTHING to do with OSAS. (One Saved Always Saved)
I understand that, who are not predestined to heaven, some period of their life can be saved and if they lose their salvation, their salvation can be restored.

This is an investigation to find out how far God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” goes in combination of both, Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace in protection of the elects to heaven.

It is a theological fact; not even one predestined to heaven end up in hell.

So, at this stage I believe; the recipients of God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” (predestined to heaven) by their co-operation with Divine grace are protected from committing mortal sins.

For the reason of clear understanding of the question and the answer I made two statements.

1. Every predestined to heaven is a recipient of God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance.”
   As the result of human will co-operating with Divine grace they have total protection from committing even one mortal sin in their entire Christian life.
   For the above reason, it is an absolute certainty that every predestined to heaven die in the state of grace.
2. God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” does not protect the predestined to heaven (even with their co-operation with Divine grace) from committing mortal sins.
   Yet it is a theological impossibility that for even one predestined to heaven, in all Christian history, can die between committing a mortal sin and confession/absolution.

Maybe some biblical facts help to answer the question.
First fact: Our faith and our salvation are God’s free gifts.

Second fact: The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Rom.11:29)

Third fact: Those who have faith in Christ and His word have everlasting life. (John 5:24; 1 John 5:13; etc.)

Fourth fact: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” could not protect the predestined to heaven, even with their co-operation with Divine grace from committing mortal sins, then in the time period between they committing a mortal sin and confession/absolution, God would have to revoke His gift of salvation from them.

Fifth fact: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” could not protect the predestined to heaven, even with their co-operation with Divine grace from committing mortal sins, instead of everlasting life, they would have periodical life and death.

Fr of Jazz I am respectfully asking, what do you suggest for me; which one of the above two statements should I believe?

Thanking you in advance.

God bless.

Christian

 

[Fr_of_Jazz]

. . . .

For the reason of clear understanding of the question and the answer I made two statements.

1. Every predestined to heaven is a recipient of God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance.”
   As the result of human will co-operating with Divine grace they have total protection from committing even one mortal sin in their entire Christian life.
   For the above reason, it is an absolute certainty that every predestined to heaven die in the state of grace.
2. God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” does not protect the predestined to heaven (even with their co-operation with Divine grace) from committing mortal sins.
   Yet it is a theological impossibility that for even one predestined to heaven, in all Christian history, can die between committing a mortal sin and confession/absolution.

Maybe some biblical facts help to answer the question.
First fact: Our faith and our salvation are God’s free gifts.

Second fact: The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Rom.11:29)

Third fact: Those who have faith in Christ and His word have everlasting life. (John 5:24; 1 John 5:13; etc.)

Fourth fact: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” could not protect the predestined to heaven, even with their co-operation with Divine grace from committing mortal sins, then in the time period between they committing a mortal sin and confession/absolution, God would have to revoke His gift of salvation from them.

Fifth fact: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” could not protect the predestined to heaven, even with their co-operation with Divine grace from committing mortal sins, instead of everlasting life, they would have periodical life and death.

Fr of Jazz I am respectfully asking, what do you suggest for me; which one of the above two statements should I believe?

Thanking you in advance.

God bless.

Christian

Let’s do this Christian and then together we can see how to deal with your above statements. I’ll define some terms from authentic sources of Catholic doctrine. Bear in mind that as capable as Peter Kreeft is, he is not a professional theologian nor are his books the voice of the magisterium.

Predestination

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

600 To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of “predestination”, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace.

1037 God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end.

So we could say for all Christians “predestination” means at least this: right now God knows and wills my eternal destiny.

For Catholic as per the Catechism predestination means: right now God knows and wills one’s eternal destiny because He foresees whether or not I will freely respond affirmatively to His grace and He wills the result.

For certain Protestants, generally in the Calvinist tradition, predestination means: right now God knows and wills one’s eternal destiny because from all eternity He has unconditionally chosen to save that person or send them to hell.

Catholics have never taught that fatalistic determinism. It has been rejected explicitly as early as the 6th c. at the Council of Orange (Conclusion). “According to the catholic faith we also believe that after grace has been received through baptism, all baptized persons have the ability and responsibility, if they desire to labor faithfully, to perform with the aid and cooperation of Christ what is of essential importance in regard to the salvation of their soul. We not only do not believe that any are foreordained to evil by the power of God, but even state with utter abhorrence that if there are those who want to believe so evil a thing, they are anathema.”

Final Perseverance

We have already looked at the Church’s teaching from Trent.

The doctrine of final perseverance gets at something else. It addresses the questions of whether I can know for sure that I will in the future die in God’s favor (in a state of grace) and so go to heaven, and whether I can determine now to make it be the case.

The doctrine is that we cannot know for certain (apart from a special revelation from God) that I will in the future die in God’s favor, and that we cannot predetermine that to happen.

I can know whether I am in a state of grace now and choose to be now, but cannot know for sure (apart from a special revelation from God) about the future or determine that it will be the case. Obviously I can and should pray that it will be the case.

 

[Ignatius]

BTW, The Bible says in James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
and James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

 

[Christian50]

Let’s do this Christian and then together we can see how to deal with your above statements. I’ll define some terms from authentic sources of Catholic doctrine. Bear in mind that as capable as Peter Kreeft is, he is not a professional theologian nor are his books the voice of the magisterium.

Predestination

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

600 To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of “predestination”, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace.

1037 God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end.

So we could say for all Christians “predestination” means at least this: right now God knows and wills my eternal destiny.

For Catholic as per the Catechism predestination means: right now God knows and wills one’s eternal destiny because He foresees whether or not I will freely respond affirmatively to His grace and He wills the result.

For certain Protestants, generally in the Calvinist tradition, predestination means: right now God knows and wills one’s eternal destiny because from all eternity He has unconditionally chosen to save that person or send them to hell.

Catholics have never taught that fatalistic determinism. It has been rejected explicitly as early as the 6th c. at the Council of Orange (Conclusion). “According to the catholic faith we also believe that after grace has been received through baptism, all baptized persons have the ability and responsibility, if they desire to labor faithfully, to perform with the aid and cooperation of Christ what is of essential importance in regard to the salvation of their soul. We not only do not believe that any are foreordained to evil by the power of God, but even state with utter abhorrence that if there are those who want to believe so evil a thing, they are anathema.”

Final Perseverance

We have already looked at the Church’s teaching from Trent.

The doctrine of final perseverance gets at something else. It addresses the questions of whether I can know for sure that I will in the future die in God’s favor (in a state of grace) and so go to heaven, and whether I can determine now to make it be the case.

The doctrine is that we cannot know for certain (apart from a special revelation from God) that I will in the future die in God’s favor, and that we cannot predetermine that to happen.

I can know whether I am in a state of grace now and choose to be now, but cannot know for sure (apart from a special revelation from God) about the future or determine that it will be the case. Obviously I can and should pray that it will be the case.

Hello Fr of Jazz,

Thank you for answering of my post. I know under our circumstances, you gave the best possible answer you could and I appreciate that.

I agree with you Fr. of Jazz, Peter Kreeft’s books are not the voice of the magisterium.

I believe Peter Kreeft books are the voice of the Pauline Charism and the voice of the Word of God and as John A. Hardon, S.J. described it his book, You can Understand the Word of God, “literally makes the [Bible] come alive.”

We know a big reputation stands or falls on the correct answer to the following question:

“How far God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” goes in combination of both, Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace in protection of the elects to heaven; – are they protected from committing mortal sins or not?

I believe The Lord Jesus Christ has already given His answer to the above question about 2000 years ago and His answer is reinforced many times in the Bible.

Christ The Head of the Catholic Church “Most assured” revelation to the whole world:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent Me HAS EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall NOT come into judgment, but has passed from DEATH into LIFE.” (John 5:24)
(Everlasting life is NOT a periodical life and death!)

“… The GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom.6:23)
(God’s gift of eternal life is not subject to revoke!
As it is irrevocable, only the predestined to heaven are the recipients of this gift.)

“For the GIFTS and the CALLING of God are IRREVOCABLE.” (Rom.11:29)

Catholic Encyclopedia. The predestination of the elect.

Quote: “Consequently, the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has been irrevocably fixed from all eternity.
Nor could it be otherwise. For if it were possible that a predestined individual should after all be cast into hell or that one not predestined should in the end reach heaven, then God would have been mistaken in his foreknowledge of future events; He would no longer be omniscient.” End quote.

I believe the above picture is very clear and answered the above question.

Maybe not everyone believes the Word of God is a special revelation.
Every Word of God described in the Bible is the most special revelation to me.
My UNSHAKABLE FAITH, which I know is God’s gift, is in Christ and in His Word.

Someone told me: If we dig deep in the Bible we find the gold nuggets.
I also believe, If we dig deep into the Catholic teaching we also find the gold nuggets. – In fact in Catholic teaching I have many gold nuggets to share.

I consider the above Bible verses and the above quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia as gold nuggets and if we love one another we share them with each other and with the whole world.

God bless.

Christian

 

[Fr_of_Jazz]

“How far God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” goes in combination of both, Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace in protection of the elects to heaven; – are they protected from committing mortal sins or not?

I believe The Lord Jesus Christ has already given His answer to the above question about 2000 years ago and His answer is reinforced many times in the Bible.

Christ The Head of the Catholic Church “Most assured” revelation to the whole world:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in Him who sent Me HAS EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall NOT come into judgment, but has passed from DEATH into LIFE.” (John 5:24)
(Everlasting life is NOT a periodical life and death!)

“… The GIFT of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom.6:23)
(God’s gift of eternal life is not subject to revoke!
As it is irrevocable, only the predestined to heaven are the recipients of this gift.)

“For the GIFTS and the CALLING of God are IRREVOCABLE.” (Rom.11:29)

Your quotes from scripture are selective. Consider:

The role of our conscious moral choices in salvation. These choices are taught by the word of God and empowered by His grace. Still we can resist the workings of grace.

When the young rich man approached Jesus and asked, “What must I do to inherit/gain eternal life?” How does Jesus answer? “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Mt 19:16-19 // Mk 10:17-19; Lk 18:18-20) Jesus said, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15) How can one repent of sin without at the same time intending not to sin again? The apostles likewise preached repentance (and baptism) for the forgiveness of sins (AA 2:37-38).

Jn 5:28-29
Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voices and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.

1 Cor 6:8-10
Corinthians, who are already believers, are warned: no slanderers, robbers, etc. will enter the kingdom of God. *

Gal 5:16-21
The Galatians, who are already believers, are warned: if you do {x, y, z, etc.}, you will not enter the kingdom of God.

Heb 6:4-6; 10:26-7

Jas 5:19-20
One of the “brothers” [someone who already believes] may stray. His soul is saved from “death”, if he is brought back from sin. (see 1:15; 4:17).

1 Jn 5:16-17
“There is such a thing as a deadly ‘mortal’ in RSV] sin.” [a “brother” (=believer) is not exempt].

We must choose to remain faithful to reach salvation.

Jn 15:6
If we don’t remain in Christ (the Vine) will be thrown out and burned.

1 Cor 9:27
Paul “drives” and “trains” his body for fear that having preached to others, he himself may be “disqualified.”

1 Cor 15:1-2
the Gospel will save you, if you hold fast to it; otherwise you believed in vain

Philip 3:10-13
Paul does not believe he has “taken hold” of the resurrection: he “hopes” to posses it.
[One does not hope for that of which they are already assured.]

Gal 5:4
One can “fall from grace.” The Galatians, who were believers but went back to believing in salvation through the Jewish Law, have “fallen from grace.”

1 Cor 10:1-12
Paul speaking to believers warns them not to be overconfident and “tempt/test Christ” and concludes by saying: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

2 Pt 2:20-21
“For if they, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition is worse than their first. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them.”

Catholic Encyclopedia. The predestination of the elect.

Quote: “Consequently, the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has been irrevocably fixed from all eternity.
Nor could it be otherwise. For if it were possible that a predestined individual should after all be cast into hell or that one not predestined should in the end reach heaven, then God would have been mistaken in his foreknowledge of future events; He would no longer be omniscient.” End quote.

The predestination that the Catholic Encyclopedia speaks about, as I showed you, is conditional predestination. It is not unconditional double presdestination or “once saved, always saved.”

I believe the above picture is very clear and answered the above question.

Maybe not everyone believes the Word of God is a special revelation.
Every Word of God described in the Bible is the most special revelation to me.
My UNSHAKABLE FAITH, which I know is God’s gift, is in Christ and in His Word.

The “special revelation” the Council of Trent speaks about is a personal revelation from God to an individual, not public divine revelation in the word of God.

The Scriptural word quite clearly comports (is in agreement) with the doctrine I laid out for you from authentic Catholic sources. You have yet to address it directly.

Someone told me: If we dig deep in the Bible we find the gold nuggets.
I also believe, If we dig deep into the Catholic teaching we also find the gold nuggets. – In fact in Catholic teaching I have many gold nuggets to share.

I consider the above Bible verses and the above quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia as gold nuggets and if we love one another we share them with each other and with the whole world.

God bless.

Christian

They are indeed gold nuggets, but they have to be understood properly. That is what I have been trying to get across.*

 

[Gabbanelli911]

Good question. I was watching a documentary about the war on drugs with a friend, and they were talking about a drug lord named Amado Carrillo Fuentes “the Lord of the Skies.” This guy is already dead but they were showing a picture when he went to Jerusalem and was walking carrying a cross in the same place where Jesus carried his cross.

I told my friend that The drug lord was a hypocrite and that he was in hell right now. My friend reminded me of the thief on the cross and said that this drug lord was now in heaven. Could this be true? He died of facial surgery, trying to hide his identity. Could God forgive you for doing all that evil and right before you go into surgery accept your repentance?

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Good question. I was watching a documentary about the war on drugs with a friend, and they were talking about a drug lord named Amado Carrillo Fuentes “the Lord of the Skies.” This guy is already dead but they were showing a picture when he went to Jerusalem and was walking carrying a cross in the same place where Jesus carried his cross.

I told my friend that The drug lord was a hypocrite and that he was in hell right now. My friend reminded me of the thief on the cross and said that this drug lord was now in heaven. Could this be true? He died of facial surgery, trying to hide his identity. Could God forgive you for doing all that evil and right before you go into surgery accept your repentance?

Only God knows the heart. His judgement is perfect and just. It’s also a mystery.

 

[Christian50]

Hello Fr of Jazz,

I agree with everything you Fr of Jazz have written in your post. I not only agree, but I have the same view on the subject.

Let’s see our salvation in the light of RCC teaching and the light of the Word of God.

[CCC 600] To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of “predestination”, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace.

All Christian life is: Combination of both, Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace.”

The role of our conscious moral choices in salvation.
These choices are taught by the word of God and empowered by His grace. Still we can resist the workings of grace.
Everyone has the free choice to co-operate or not to co-operate. Or co-operate for a while and then stop co-operating and don’t even keep their faith, the end result is hell.

We have to make it very clear: God wants to save everyone and everyone has the equal chance to salvation. Those who are end up in hell, they are end up in hell because of their rejection of the grace of God.

Scripture Catholic by John Salza. (Well known Catholic Author and Apologist.)
III. Predestination and the “Elect”

Quote: “There are two types of predestination, grace (initial salvation) and to glory (final salvation). … Predestination is either to grace (initial salvation) which we could lose or to glory (final salvation) which we cannot lose. …
1 Tim.2:6 – Jesus Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all not just for the elect. But only those predestined to glory (final salvation) will be saved.”
End quote. (In the brackets is mine.)

We can conclude:
According to the principle of [CCC 600], and by examining our hearts and will, God has made His choice of predestination.
God has predestined a part of the human race to glory/heaven/final salvation and He has also predestined a part of the human race to grace/initial salvation.

We must choose to remain faithful to the end of our life to be able to die in the state of grace.
The unfaithfulness and their rejection of Divine grace of the predestined to grace/initial salvation is the only reason they end up in hell.

Between committing a mortal sin and confession/absolution they are not in the state of grace and they are spiritually dead. This is results in a periodical life and death.
Because they stop co-operating with the grace of God and give up their faith the end is hell by their choice.

On the other hand, those whom God has predestined to Glory/heaven/final salvation they have chosen to remain faithful and they are choosing to remain faithful to the end of their life.

They have God’s gift of everlasting life.
What is God’s gift of everlasting life?
Everlasting life is a life which is continues into eternity, being CONTINUALLY in the state of grace throughout all eternity.

God’s gift of everlasting life is NOT God’s gift of periodical life and death.
It is everlasting life, from the point it has given. Meaning: being CONTINUALLY in the state of grace throughout all eternity.

To the predestined to heaven, the gift of everlasting life is given at their baptism.

They also have God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance.”
The power of perseverance is neither in the human will alone nor in God’s grace solely, but in the combination of both, i.e., Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace.”

To the predestined to heaven, God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” also given at baptism.

Continued

 

[Christian50]

How do we know, the predestined to heaven BOTH, God’s gift of everlasting life and God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” given at baptism?

First reason: We know because Christ himself declares it in John 5:24. Please see also John 3:18; 1 John 5:13; etc.

Second reason: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” would be given at death, would be useless.

Third reason: Because God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” needs to protect the recipients with their co-operation with God’s grace from committing mortal sins.

Fourth reason: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” couldn’t protect the predestined from committing mortal sins, then God’s gift of everlasting life would be God’s gift of periodical life and death.

Fifth reason: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” couldn’t protect the predestined to heaven from committing mortal sins, then some of the predestined to heaven could die between committing mortal sin and confession/absolution and they would end up in hell and then God would no longer be omniscient.

Catholic Encyclopedia. The predestination of the elect.

Quote: “Consequently, the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has been irrevocably fixed from all eternity.
Nor could it be otherwise. For if it were possible that a predestined individual should after all be cast into hell or that one not predestined should in the end reach heaven, then God would have been mistaken in his foreknowledge of future events; He would no longer be omniscient.” End quote.

The predestined to heaven elected according to [CCC 600].

If I’m correct, you asked me Fr of Jazz how confident I am that I will die in the state of grace?

My answer to the above question:
I consider The Bible is God’s special revelation. Apart from the Bible I have received other special revelations.
Such as supernatural dreams and visions with their interpretations.
Received some spiritual gifts. For example praying with the spirit [gift of different kinds of tongues (Rom.8:26-27; 1Cor.14:2, 4a,-5a; 14-15)].

THE DEGREE of faith and confidence I have in Christ Jesus and in His Word, THE SAME DEGREE of confidence I have that I will die in the state of grace.

I believe we all should remain faithful to God to the end and we all should co-operate with His grace as long as we alive.

God bless.

Christian

 

[fhansen]

THE DEGREE of faith and confidence I have in Christ Jesus and in His Word, THE SAME DEGREE of confidence I have that I will die in the state of grace.

So it depends on a subjective self-assessment of ones “DEGREE of faith”?

BTW, while the Catholic Encyclopedia says that “…the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has been irrevocably fixed from all eternity”, which is true, this does not mean that God predetermined election without reference to our free choices, and it does not mean that we can know with 100% certainty who will be saved and who won’t, who will persevere and who won’t. God, alone, knows with that degree of certainty whose names are written in the Book of Life.

 

[Fr_of_Jazz]

Hello Fr of Jazz,

I agree with everything you Fr of Jazz have written in your post. I not only agree, but I have the same view on the subject.

Let’s see our salvation in the light of RCC teaching and the light of the Word of God.

RCC teaching is derived from the word of God. God’s word is transmitted by the interrelated process of Scripture and Tradition in the Church with the latter two stemming from the apostles and Pentecost.

[CCC 600] To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of “predestination”, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace.

All Christian life is: Combination of both, Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace.”

The role of our conscious moral choices in salvation.
These choices are taught by the word of God and empowered by His grace. Still we can resist the workings of grace.
Everyone has the free choice to co-operate or not to co-operate. Or co-operate for a while and then stop co-operating and don’t even keep their faith, the end result is hell.

We have to make it very clear: God wants to save everyone and everyone has the equal chance to salvation. Those who are end up in hell, they are end up in hell because of their rejection of the grace of God.

Agreed.

Scripture Catholic by John Salza. (Well known Catholic Author and Apologist.)
III. Predestination and the “Elect”

Quote: “There are two types of predestination, grace (initial salvation) and to glory (final salvation). … Predestination is either to grace (initial salvation) which we could lose or to glory (final salvation) which we cannot lose. …
1 Tim.2:6 – Jesus Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all not just for the elect. But only those predestined to glory (final salvation) will be saved.”
End quote. (In the brackets is mine.)

Paul never speaks about the predestination of individual Christians: he speaks about the predestination of the church as a whole.

We can conclude:
According to the principle of [CCC 600], and by examining our hearts and will, God has made His choice of predestination.

All we need is CCC 600 to know that God foreknows and wills our eternal destiny. Examining our hearts and wills at any moment in life can only tell us whether we are in his grace now. It will not tell us we will be in His grace when we die in the future.

God has predestined a part of the human race to glory/heaven/final salvation and He has also predestined a part of the human race to grace/initial salvation.

Salza’s distinction is not in RC theology as far as I know. It is not in the Catechism. God predestining some to heaven is covered by CCC 600. The whole human race is offered sufficient grace for salvation–as you noted from Paul God wills the salvation of all men. The classic theological concept of sufficient grace covers the initial grace group. The term “predestination” applies to our eternal destiny, not to sufficient grace offered to everyone from the beginning of their life.

We must choose to remain faithful to the end of our life to be able to die in the state of grace.
The unfaithfulness and their rejection of Divine grace of the predestined to grace/initial salvation is the only reason they end up in hell.

True, we must choose to be faithful throughout our life. People end up in hell because they reject sufficient grace throughout their life to the end. Also because God foresees this rejection of grace to the end, He wills the consequence, damnation. These are predestined conditionally.

Between committing a mortal sin and confession/absolution they are not in the state of grace and they are spiritually dead. This is results in a periodical life and death.
Because they stop co-operating with the grace of God and give up their faith the end is hell by their choice.

They end up in hell if they don’t repent, as above.

On the other hand, those whom God has predestined to Glory/heaven/final salvation they have chosen to remain faithful and they are choosing to remain faithful to the end of their life.

A little unclear. It would be better to say “God foresees those who will choose to remain faithful all their life to the end and wills the consequence, eternal life in heaven.” These too are predestined conditionally.

They have God’s gift of everlasting life.
What is God’s gift of everlasting life?
Everlasting life is a life which is continues into eternity, being CONTINUALLY in the state of grace throughout all eternity.

True

God’s gift of everlasting life is NOT God’s gift of periodical life and death.

In heaven this is obviously true. On earth, due to human sinfulness, it is not true. We can reject God’s grace for a while on earth and repent and return. . . and die in His grace.

It is everlasting life, from the point it has given. Meaning: being CONTINUALLY in the state of grace throughout all eternity.

In heaven, yes. On earth no, as above.

To the predestined to heaven, the gift of everlasting life is given at their baptism.

“Eternal/everlasting life” in the Gospel of John means the life of God given in grace. This is offered to all in sufficient grace. According to John, if we “remain” in “eternal life” while on earth, we will enjoy it forever in heaven.

 

[Fr_of_Jazz]

They also have God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance.”

Final perseverance, by definition, is given at the end of life, not at baptism.

The power of perseverance is neither in the human will alone nor in God’s grace solely, but in the combination of both, i.e., Divine grace aiding human will, and human will co-operating with Divine grace.”

True

To the predestined to heaven, God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” also given at baptism.

Final perseverance, by definition, is given at the end of life.

How do we know, the predestined to heaven BOTH, God’s gift of everlasting life and God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” given at baptism?

WE don’t know that. Again, final perseverance =FP] is given at the end of life, not baptism.

Remember I said that FP addresses the questions of whether I can know for sure that I will in the future die in God’s favor (in a state of grace) and so go to heaven, and whether I can determine now to make it be the case. The doctrine is that we cannot know for certain (apart from a special revelation from God) that I will in the future die in God’s favor, and that we cannot predetermine that to happen.

First reason: We know because Christ himself declares it in John 5:24. Please see also John 3:18; 1 John 5:13; etc.

First none of these passages make a reference to baptism. Secondly, again, your choice of passages is selective, and you haven’t accounted for the other passages from John that I already gave you.

Jn 3:18 does not say “Whoever believed in me will not be condemned.” He says “believes’–it is ongoing.”
Jn 5:24 must be read with the passages later on in chap 5 I already gave you.
Re 1 Jn 5:13 see definition of eternal life in John I already gave you in post immediately above.

Read what John says in (15:4,6): “Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. . . . Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.” Again, (15:10), “You will remain in my love, if you keep my commandments.”

Second reason: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” would be given at death, would be useless.

Final perseverance is given at the end of life, not in death.

Third reason: Because God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” needs to protect the recipients with their co-operation with God’s grace from committing mortal sins.

FP applies at the end of life. Actual grace assists us all during life to avoid mortal sins (and any sins). FP does not protect us from committing any mortal sins in our life: it protects us from dying in mortal sin.

Fourth reason: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” couldn’t protect the predestined from committing mortal sins, then God’s gift of everlasting life would be God’s gift of periodical life and death.

The fact that a believer may mortally sin and repent (periodic life and death in the life of a believer) is not the fault of God’s grace or eternal life: it is the fault of the sinner.

Fifth reason: If God’s “Great and Special Gift of Final Perseverance” couldn’t protect the predestined to heaven from committing mortal sins, then some of the predestined to heaven could die between committing mortal sin and confession/absolution and they would end up in hell and then God would no longer be omniscient.

This betrays the underlying problem all along. The predestined to heaven are by definition those God foresees who will in fact die in a state of grace based on their cooperation; who will in fact repent before they die. So none of the predestined (i.e., those God foresees who will die in a state of grace) will be lost. God’s omniscience is not at all affected.

You cannot know now with absolute certainty if you will die in a state of grace. You cannot know the future. But God does. He knows now whether you will or won’t. You only know your state now.

Catholic Encyclopedia. The predestination of the elect.

Quote: “Consequently, the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has been irrevocably fixed from all eternity.
Nor could it be otherwise. For if it were possible that a predestined individual should after all be cast into hell or that one not predestined should in the end reach heaven, then God would have been mistaken in his foreknowledge of future events; He would no longer be omniscient.” End quote.

Yes, conditionally predestined as above.

The predestined to heaven elected according to [CCC 600].

CCC 600 makes no mention of election.

If I’m correct, you asked me Fr of Jazz how confident I am that I will die in the state of grace?

My answer to the above question:
I consider The Bible is God’s special revelation. Apart from the Bible I have received other special revelations.
. . . . .

I believe we all should remain faithful to God to the end and we all should co-operate with His grace as long as we alive.

As I showed above, we can be confident that if we remain faithful to the end of life we will enter eternity with God. We can know now whether we are in a state of grace. We cannot absolutely predict or control the future. But we can pray that we will die in a state of grace. And God l listens to our prayers.

 

[JonathonofOhio]

I know others have answered this and there’s quite a long discussion going on here, but I’d like to offer you a simple answer to your question:

There are 3 types of works:

1. Sin.
2. Works of the Law (this includes those under the new covenant; communion, confession, etc.).
3. Works of Charity (love).

We can all agree that scripture is clear that anyone who does #1 and doesn’t do #2 or #3 will not get to heaven.

It’s also clear from scripture that whoever does #1 and #2 (we are all sinners) will not get to heaven. An example of this teaching comes from Jesus when he tells us the story of Lazarus and the rich man. You will notice that Jesus never mentions that the rich man was a sinner, but that his sin was lacking charity.

There are other scriptures that drive the point home that works of charity are necessary for salvation. In fact, in 1 Peter 4:8 the apostle even goes so far as to say that love (charity) covers a multitude of sin.