Catholic salvation economy

[De_Maria]

** Catholic salvation economy
**

                                                                                                            Anyway, it seems as though we are saved by faith apart from works in the Sacraments.

And by faith and works throughout our lives.

PRELIMINARY

The Sacraments are described as God’s work, are they not? CCC#740

Taking for instance, Baptism, could we say that when that water is poured over our head and God justifies us by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, could we say that we had nothing to do with that but to have faith that God will do what He promised?

And could this not be what St. Paul referred to when he said:
Titus 3:5
Not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us, by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Ghost;

And also:
Romans 3:20
Because by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified before him. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

And Trent says:
CHAPTER VII
IN WHAT THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE SINNER CONSISTS, AND WHAT ARE ITS CAUSES

This disposition or preparation is followed by justification itself, which is not only a remission of sins but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man through the voluntary reception of the grace and gifts whereby an unjust man becomes just and from being an enemy becomes a friend, that he may be an heir according to hope of life everlasting.[30]

The causes of this justification are:
the final cause is the glory of God and of Christ and life everlasting; the efficient cause is the merciful God who washes and sanctifies[31] gratuitously, signing and anointing with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance,[32] the meritorious cause is His most beloved only begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were enemies,[33] for the exceeding charity wherewith he loved us,[34] merited for us justification by His most holy passion on the wood of the cross and made satisfaction for us to God the Father, the instrumental cause is the sacrament of baptism, which is the sacrament of faith,[35] without which no man was ever justified finally, the single formal cause is the justice of God, not that by which He Himself is just, but that by which He makes us just, that, namely, with which we being endowed by Him, are renewed in the spirit of our mind,[36] and not only are we reputed but we are truly called and are just, receiving justice within us, each one according to his own measure, which the Holy Ghost distributes to everyone as He wills,[37] and according to each one’s disposition and cooperation.
ewtn.com/library/councils/trent6.htm

HOWEVER, St. Paul turns right around and says:
Romans 2:13
For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Which coincides precisely with St. James famous quote:
James 2:24
Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only?

And of course that coincides with Trent where it says:
CHAPTER X
THE INCREASE OF THE JUSTIFICATION RECEIVED

Having, therefore, been thus justified and made the friends and domestics of God,[49] advancing from virtue to virtue,[50] they are renewed, as the Apostle says, day by day,[51] that is, mortifying the members[52] of their flesh, and presenting them as instruments of justice unto sanctification,[53] they, through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, faith cooperating with good works, increase in that justice received through the grace of Christ and are further justified, as it is written:
He that is just, let him be justified still;[54] and, Be not afraid to be justified even to death;[55] and again, Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only?[56]

TWO TYPES OF JUSTIFICATION

There seem to be two types of justification going on in the Catholic Sacramental system. The one, a conversion of the sinner, establishing holy habits and exercising virtues which gradually change the sinner into the saint. This is a justification by faith AND WORKS.

The other and more radical justification, which was brought to this world by Jesus Christ and which the Patriarchs did not experience until Jesus died on the Cross and led them into heaven. But we get it in the Sacrament of Water which was imposed by Jesus Christ. But that justification of Baptism (and of the other Sacraments) requires in us only a disposition of acceptance which I describe as faith in God. Because no man can wash his own soul. Only God can do that. This is justification APART FROM WORKS.

The two are melded together in the Catholic Economy of Salvation.

Therefore, with St. Paul we can say that we are saved by faith APART FROM WORKS.

And with St. James we can say that we are saved by faith AND WORKS.

What say you?

 

[dcdurel]

“Therefore, with St. Paul we can say that we are saved by faith APART FROM WORKS.
And with St. James we can say that we are saved by faith AND WORKS.
What say you?”

Actually the works of St. Paul and the works of James refers to two different things.
St. Paul’s works referred to the ceremonial works of the Jewish religion, which Christians no longer had to follow, such as circumcision.

St. James works refer to obedience to the teachings of Jesus.

And the word “saved” has a different meaning from what Protestants give it.

Both St. Paul and St. James use the word “saved” as the Popes teach today. It means to be set free from the slavery of sin.

In Paul’s situation, some Jewish Christians wanted to go back to following the ceremonial laws of the Jewish religion, in other words, follow the law of Moses.
But, he pointed out, that while the law of Moses had the moral commandments which everyone had to follow, the law of Moses did not give the grace to free men from the slavery of sin. Thus, they still were not set free, they were not “saved”, and thus they could not keep the law, the way God intended.

In the new law, the law of grace, which Christians had to follow, Jesus kept the commanments, the moral teachings and through faith in Him, Christians now had the sacraments which gave the grace to follow the commandments. Thus, Christians were “saved”, set free, set free from the slavery of sin, depending on how much they received the sacraments and prayed to continually receive this grace that frees them from the slavery of sin.

Some Christians interpreted St. Paul, as do many Protestants do today, in which they thought the “works of the law” referred to the moral teachings, the commandments, when St. Paul was actually referring to the ceremonial laws, which some Christians said still must be followed.

St. James clears this up. St. James clearly is referring to the moral teachings, the commandments, which still must be followed. For what good is it to have the grace to be freed from the slavery of sin, to be freed from the inclination to sin, if one chooses to continues to sin. Then that faith in Jesus, which gives the grace, through the sacraments, to free one from sin becomes useless. One is still in unrepentant sin. One is still a slave to sin. One is still unrighteous. Such a person is still in rebellion against God and unless he repents, when he dies will end up in hell.

 

[De_Maria]

“Therefore, with St. Paul we can say that we are saved by faith APART FROM WORKS.
And with St. James we can say that we are saved by faith AND WORKS.
What say you?”

Actually the works of St. Paul and the works of James refers to two different things.
St. Paul’s works referred to the ceremonial works of the Jewish religion, which Christians no longer had to follow, such as circumcision.

St. James works refer to obedience to the teachings of Jesus.

And the word “saved” has a different meaning from what Protestants give it.

Both St. Paul and St. James use the word “saved” as the Popes teach today. It means to be set free from the slavery of sin.

In Paul’s situation, some Jewish Christians wanted to go back to following the ceremonial laws of the Jewish religion, in other words, follow the law of Moses.
But, he pointed out, that while the law of Moses had the moral commandments which everyone had to follow, the law of Moses did not give the grace to free men from the slavery of sin. Thus, they still were not set free, they were not “saved”, and thus they could not keep the law, the way God intended.

In the new law, the law of grace, which Christians had to follow, Jesus kept the commanments, the moral teachings and through faith in Him, Christians now had the sacraments which gave the grace to follow the commandments. Thus, Christians were “saved”, set free, set free from the slavery of sin, depending on how much they received the sacraments and prayed to continually receive this grace that frees them from the slavery of sin.

Some Christians interpreted St. Paul, as do many Protestants do today, in which they thought the “works of the law” referred to the moral teachings, the commandments, when St. Paul was actually referring to the ceremonial laws, which some Christians said still must be followed.

St. James clears this up. St. James clearly is referring to the moral teachings, the commandments, which still must be followed. For what good is it to have the grace to be freed from the slavery of sin, to be freed from the inclination to sin, if one chooses to continues to sin. Then that faith in Jesus, which gives the grace, through the sacraments, to free one from sin becomes useless. One is still in unrepentant sin. One is still a slave to sin. One is still unrighteous. Such a person is still in rebellion against God and unless he repents, when he dies will end up in hell.

Ok, but lets get back to the OP.

Can we say that, in the beginning of justification, when God calls us, we are justified by the unmerited gift of grace?

Can we also say that during the process of justification, when we seek God and repent of our sins and make a commitment to live the Gospels and the Ten Commandments, we are justified by grace through faith and works.

And can we say that in the Sacraments themselves, which are God’s work alone, we are justified by grace through faith apart from works.