Condign vs. Strict merit

[dcs6f4]

When explaining the difference between a Catholic’s beliefs as they relate to condign merit vs. strict merit I have found that many Protestants just refuse to believe that there is a distinction or perhaps I am not explaining it well enough. After explaining condign merit a Protestant recently equated my beliefs to thinking “God is a vending machine who dispenses salvation for my love quarters.” Which would be the very definition of strict merit…

Maybe I am just venting my frustrations here… but I suppose I am looking for good ways of describing this distinction that are very easy to understand.

If any Protestants/Evangelicals/Non-Catholic Christians read this and feel compelled to reply… I know there are a good number of you who understand the difference and still do not believe Catholic is the way to go… so I am not trying to say if you would all just understand it you would convert right away! But, when you hear this distinction where does your thought process go from there in refuting a Catholic’s understanding of salvation.

Thanks in advance to all.

Pax
Dave

 

[uxordepp]

Hi Dave

I think this argument is similar to the Salvation by works vs. the Salvation by Grace argument.

I think it is important to emphasize that merit has to have a supernatural component. We do not ‘earn’ by doing good things. The good that we do is a result of Christ working within us. See James 2:17.

Having the merit which God freely gives to his children will not help if they do nothing with it.

That is what Catholics believe…and it is scriptural (which may surprise some of those to whom you speak).

I think part of the problem here may be that those to whom you speak are so well schooled in the idea that Catholics ‘earn’ their salvation, that they are having trouble understanding that this is not the case. Their failure to understand what you are saying may not have much at all to do with your explanation being deficient. They may just not be (or not wanting to be) ‘getting’ what you are trying to say.

Pray for them!

 

[dcs6f4]

Hi Dave

I think this argument is similar to the Salvation by works vs. the Salvation by Grace argument.

I think it is important to emphasize that merit has to have a supernatural component. We do not ‘earn’ by doing good things. The good that we do is a result of Christ working within us. See James 2:17.

Having the merit which God freely gives to his children will not help if they do nothing with it.

Thanks for the post, could you dissect the statement “merit has to have a supernatural component” a little further. I think I understand what you are talking about in relation to your statement “The good that we do is a result of Christ working within us.”