. . . .I’m mainly concerned on the first question. There’s also more where that came from, but I would like to learn bit by bit.
I did search “Are you saved.” on
Catholic.com. but it was for refuting a person with a different bible passage in mind.
Quote from my post 107 to
James Least on the
Origin of the Baptist Church thread arguing against salvation by faith alone through grace alone. Link:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=593809&page=2
"James,
Actually, I said we have to consider the New Testament as a whole— all of Scripture:
**The phrase
faith alone does appear
verbatim in James Chapter 2, which clearly states we are not saved by faith alone, and faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
**
James 2: 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Please read the entire Chapter for context.
**I’m glad to see that you are citing passages of Scripture. However, none of the passages you cited say we are saved by faith
alone through grace
alone.
As I said before, I don’t believe in a “works” salvation. Christ accomplished our salvation on the cross. So, yes we have been justified by faith----but that is not all Holy Scripture says about salvation.
Being a doer of the word and perseverance are also factors in our salvation. **
James 1: 22 But be
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and
perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
When Jesus sent out the Apostles, he warned them of the persecution they would face and said the one who endures to the end with be saved. Again, we find "perseverance."
Matthew 10: 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Baptism, the circumcision made without hands–which brings us into Covenant with God-- also plays a role in our salvation. Through Baptism, our sins are forgiven. We are buried with Christ in baptism, in which we are also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Acts 2: 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 2: 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
The Lord’s Supper also plays a role in salvation and is connected with having life in us and being raised to eternal life.
John 6: 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
**James, I urge you to read all of these passages in context. A thorough reading of the New Testament–beginning to end–will help put things into context.
So, from these passages, we find faith, being doers of the word, perseverance, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper are all connected to salvation. Again, I will stress that it is through Christ that we are saved–it is through His ultimate Sacrifice that we are saved. So, I am not advocating a “works salvation.”**
Continued----Part 2 of 2 Next Page.
Here is the site: