Baptist analogy about works and love

[DavidFilmer]

But, David, your qualifying phrase “intact at the time of our death” is what makes your claim of exclusivity suspect. To phrase it another way, we might say, "the sanctifying grace of baptism is the FIRST thing that is ordinarily necessary for salvation, since when we lose it through sin, we need reconciliation,

s/sin/mortal sin/ (a regexp - you omitted the important adjective “mortal” to qualify the direct object, “sin”)

and when we have the opportunity to cooperate with that grace through our own works, we must do so.

“Must” is a strong word, especially in this context.

A mortal sin of omission (which is what you are talking about) is no different than any sin of commission. It requires that we know, at the time we withheld our cooperation, that the offense was mortally sinful in nature, and it requires that we give complete freewill consent to this offense.

I can accuse myself of MANY mortal sins of commission (and I have done so in Confession). But I have never accused myself of a mortal sin of omission. Have you?

 

[DavidFilmer]

Sanctifying Grace is the only thing necessary for salvation. This grace is introduced to us at Baptism, and is introduced to us in no other way. But that doesn’t make Baptism the only thing necessary for salvation. It’s the grace that’s imparted through Baptism that is necessary. And that makes Baptism necessary, for sure. And it’s also the first necessary act in the economy of salvation.

There is no other Grace apart from the Sanctifying Grace of Baptism by which we are (ordinarily) saved.

Let me put it this way. I work for a major international corporation. As a manager-level employee, I am expected to contribute at least two Continuous Improvement Initiatives (CII) per year. This is a quota, and my performance will be judged on whether I achieve this goal (the year is more than half gone, and I submit my first CII this Wednesday).

If I fail to meet the quota, I will be penalized in reduced (or negated) raises and bonuses. But I won’t be fired. I can only be fired by committing a corporate “mortal sin” such as accepting bribes, sexual harassment, etc.

We can argue whether the Kingdom of Heaven resembles my company’s merit/bonus policy ("my Father’s house has many mansions, etc), but we can only be “fired” as Christians by committing mortal sin. There are no quotas in my company that would get me fired, and there are no quotas in heaven either.

 

[MrSnaith]

There is no other Grace apart from the Sanctifying Grace of Baptism by which we are (ordinarily) saved.

Let me put it this way. I work for a major international corporation. As a manager-level employee, I am expected to contribute at least two Continuous Improvement Initiatives (CII) per year. This is a quota, and my performance will be judged on whether I achieve this goal (the year is more than half gone, and I submit my first CII this Wednesday).

If I fail to meet the quota, I will be penalized in reduced (or negated) raises and bonuses. But I won’t be fired. I can only be fired by committing a corporate “mortal sin” such as accepting bribes, sexual harassment, etc.

We can argue whether the Kingdom of Heaven resembles my company’s merit/bonus policy ("my Father’s house has many mansions, etc), but we can only be “fired” as Christians by committing mortal sin. There are no quotas in my company that would get me fired, and there are no quotas in heaven either.

I feel like we’re speaking past each other.

Nobody said anything, not even remotely, about quotas. I’m not sure why you’re bringing it up.