Do you fear that you may go to Hell?

[LatinRight]

The initial justification is a free gift and is never earned afterwards either.
But is upheld through faith and works unto salvation.
This is also all by the gifts of His feeding us. He provides the grace and love which holds us together and completes His will in our lives.

Blessings Rcwitness,

A quote from your post:
“But it is upheld through faith and works unto salvation.” End quote.

If we upheld our initial justification by faith only and we work hard ONLY for the GLORY OF GOD, we go to heaven with plenty of supernatural merit and God’s reward.

If we try to uphold our initial justification by faith and works we will go to heaven by grace alone/faith alone BECAUSE all our works are wood, hay and straw, rejected by God and goes up in smoke at the judgment of our works. In reference – 1 Cor.3:11-15.

CONDITIONS THAT OUR WORKS COUNT FOR ANYTHING

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 mine.

Blessings

LatinRight

 

[ajcstr]

I fear God but I don’t have fear that I may go to hell.

I doing my best to the GLORY OF GOD and my faith is IN CHRIST for my salvation.

Blessings Ajcstr,

JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church

3/17 Justification is SOLELY due to the forgiving and renewing mercy that God imparts as a gift and we RECEIVE IN FAITH, and NEVER CAN MERIT IT ANY WAY.

4/25 We confess together that sinners are justified by faith in the saving action of God in Christ. WHATEVER in the JUSTIFIED PRECEDES or FOLLOWS the free gift of faith is NEITHER THE BASIS of justification NOR MERITS it.

4/27.The Catholic understanding also sees faith as fundamental in justification. For without faith, no justification can take place. Thus justifying grace never becomes a human possession. While Catholic teaching emphasizes the renewal of life by justifying grace, this RENEVAL in FAITH, HOPE, LOVE is always dependent on God’s unfathomable grace and contributes NOTHING to JUSTIFICATION.

4/37 We confess together that good works - a Christian life lived in faith, hope and love - FOLLOW JUSTIFICATION and ARE ITS FRUITS. Emphasize mine.

HOW TO READ THE NEW TESTAMENT By Etienne Charpentier

Nihil obstate: Father Anton Cowan

Imprimatur: Monsignor John Crowley, VG Westminster, 28 May 1985

Quote: “There is ONE CENTRAL QUESTION here: how can we become RIGHTEOUS and be SAVED?

We NOT justified by what we do (works, observing law) but by FAITH IN CHRIST.

Salvation is NOT a matter of achieving but RECEIVING IT FREELY from God hands, in faith.” End quote. Emphasize mine.

Blessings

LatinRight

As you are probably aware there is a difference between the Catholic use of the word justification and the Lutheran use of justification. As far as initial justification - goes, we agree its a totally unmerited free gift from God and thus the joint declaration.

The problem arises with what happens after initial justification. Catholic theology includes sanctification in with justification so after the initial justification, works do play a role in our salvation in that we must react to God’s grace and we have the free will to reject it. This is where Catholics and Lutherans part ways in that Luther believed that no works can be pleasing to God.

So for Catholics justification itself is a process not a one time event. James tells us that we are justified by works and not by faith alone. The doctrine on Justification from the Council of Trent lays all this out. The Catechism of the Catholic Church statement on Grace and Justification can be found here:

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm

 

[ffg]

I’m interested in opinions from all Religions.

Do you ever think that you may not make it to Heaven based on the tenants of your Religion, or are you sure that you will go to Heaven?

I’ve had to think about this one for a bit.

Obviously, no person wants to go to Hell (the real Hell, not the one a Satanist is tricked into thinking exists), which should bring a natural ‘fear’, I suppose.

In my Act of Contrition, I say -

“I detest all my sins because I dread (fear) the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend you my God, who art all good and deserving of all of my love”…

Because of this thread, I’ve been analyzing that a bit.

I dread (fear) the ‘pains of Hell’, that doesn’t necessarily equate to a fear of being in the location, rather what happens in the location.

I think the term is used because my lived life is my preparation for the final test (Judgement), the ‘choice’ isn’t a moment in time event. So if I say today ‘nope, not going to hell, it’s scary’, that is meaningless. How am I showing that to be the case in my life?

That last bit in the quoted portion I think is key ‘But most of all’, so my concern first needs to be with how my life affects my relationship with God, not my concern with Hell.

If building a relationship with God is my focus, Hell and it’s gates need not be feared.

Now since I am a sinner, I’m not always building a relationship with God, so the term exists in the act, in order to remind me of the consequences of losing focus on ‘most of all’.

Take care,

Mike

 

[rcwitness]

As you are probably aware there is a difference between the Catholic use of the word justification and the Lutheran use of justification. As far as initial justification - goes, we agree its a totally unmerited free gift from God and thus the joint declaration.

The problem arises with what happens after initial justification. Catholic theology includes sanctification in with justification so after the initial justification, works do play a role in our salvation in that we must react to God’s grace and we have the free will to reject it. This is where Catholics and Lutherans part ways in that Luther believed that no works can be pleasing to God.

So for Catholics justification itself is a process not a one time event. James tells us that we are justified by works and not by faith alone. The doctrine on Justification from the Council of Trent lays all this out. The Catechism of the Catholic Church statement on Grace and Justification can be found here:

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a2.htm

Thank you. I agree. I don’t get into these “justification debates” too much anymore because it just goes on and on.

The important thing, is to always be thankful for God’s grace which we perpetually rely on for any good work.

So while a good work is not done simply for our reward, it doesn’t mean that a good work is not caught up in the reward of heaven. Only those who turn from sin and rely on God to do so, and thank Him for leading us to accomplish His good will, will enter into eternal life. He is obviously the judge of who this is.

We should know and have either confidence or shame in our present state before Him. It doesn’t mean the same thing as “Assurance of Salvation” in the sense that we are certain we will be in a state of grace in our future. But it means we can have confidence when we are humble and repented for sin, receiving Him (Eucharist) in this worthy manner.

 

[ajcstr]

Thank you. I agree. I don’t get into these “justification debates” too much anymore because it just goes on and on.

Since 1520 non-stop !

We should know and have either confidence or shame in our present state before Him. It doesn’t mean the same thing as “Assurance of Salvation” in the sense that we are certain we will be in a state of grace in our future.

We can’t have absolute assurance, but we can have the assurance that God will be faithful to his promise of salvation. I believe the term is “moral assurance” so long as we remain in his grace.

 

[Expatreprocedit]

St. Silouan the Athonite said “Keep your mind in hell, and don’t despair.”

I would like to get to the point where I am motivated solely by love for God, and not the fear of hell.

When I think I’m failing, I focus on Christ’s words: “Perfect love casteth out fear.” I know God’s love is perfect, but it is also demanding.

I fail often. All I can do is pray for God’s mercy.

 

[rcwitness]

If we try to uphold our initial justification by faith and works we will go to heaven by grace alone/faith alone BECAUSE all our works are wood, hay and straw, rejected by God and goes up in smoke at the judgment of our works. In reference – 1 Cor.3:11-15.

That is NOT what Paul says in the passage.

According to the commission of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble— each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.Our works are tested, and some will be destroyed by the judgement of God, but works that survive are rewarded. Paul is not saying a man is saved without any works. He is address g those who work, and though all our works may not survive God’s testing fire, he will be saved but only as through fire.

 

[cheese_sdc]

I’m interested in opinions from all Religions.

Do you ever think that you may not make it to Heaven based on the tenants of your Religion, or are you sure that you will go to Heaven?

I’m a Unitarian Universalist, but I’m not convinced there’s an afterlife. If there is an afterlife, managed by some sort of Divine Being that is just (depending on what definition of “Just” you want to use), we’ll all end up in the same place.

 

[LatinRight]

That is NOT what Paul says in the passage.

According to the commission of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble— each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.Our works are tested, and some will be destroyed by the judgement of God, but works that survive are rewarded. Paul is not saying a man is saved without any works. He is address g those who work, and though all our works may not survive God’s testing fire, he will be saved but only as through fire.

Blessings Rcwitness,

Thank you for your post.

Please keep in mind: According to RCC teaching there are only two group of people in the world.

1. God’s elect. All God’s elect end up in heaven. They are predestined to heaven.
2. The reprobates. For their vehement rejection of God and his grace they all end up in hell.

So, when I speak about salvation, I always speak or write the salvation of the elect.

My answer to your post Rcwitness,

If we combine together 1 Cor.3:11-15 + The RCC teachings of the conditions of good works/supernatural works which God not rejects and rewards. = The outcome: Every work what we do for our own interest, such us:

We try to uphold our initial justification by our works **[which is working for our own interest to enter heaven, yet our initial justification is God’s free gift (it is irrevocable,. – Rom.11:29)]. **

Try to do enough work to make us eligible for enter heaven before we die **(our initial justification at baptism made us eligible for enter heaven, it is God’s irrevocable gift), **etc.

All these above works are done for our own interest not for out of love for the glory of God.

The works we do for the reason to avoid hell or to make us eligible for heaven are graceless faithless works.

God not provides us actual grace for “knocking open door” to work for something faithlessly what we already have. – Our salvation is God’s free gift paid by Christ on the cross.

At our baptism God has given us his gift of initial justification which is irrevocable and made us eligible for enter heaven, **whenever we die **we will end up in heaven.

As God’s elect, to die in the state of mortal sin is a theological impossibility. – DE FIDE Catholic Dogma which is the highest level of theological certainty. (The predestination of the elect.)

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

OUR SALVATION IS GOD’S FREE GIFT.

If we would have to work for our salvation, all those people whose works are WOOD, HAY and STRAW rejected by God at the judgment, they would all end up in hell, yet they are all saved without any work which is count [they might worked hard all their life for hold up their initial justification, “knocking open door all their life”)].

They still saved, they lose only their rewards. – 1 Cor.11-15. Rom.4:4-6 also corresponds with 1 Cor.3:11-15; Rom.6:23b; Rom.11:29; etc.

To enter heaven is God’s free gift received by faith, our glory in heaven is determined by our supernatural merit.

Every member of the RCC should know the conditions of our supernatural merit.

CONDITIONS THAT OUR WORKS COUNT FOR ANYTHING

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 mine.

YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE by Peter Kreeft

If someone doesn’t know: Peter Kreeft is one of the most popular and widely-read Catholic authors of today.

“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 to alive.” – John A. Harden, S.J. Author, The Catholic Catechism.

Quote from page 291;
The apparent contradiction between James, who says that we, like Abraham, are justified by works (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. End quote.

CONCLUSION

James 2 could not talk about justification before God because:

1. Paul’s context is the relationship between the believer and God.
2. James’ context is the relationship between the believer and his neighbor.
3. Faith justifies us before God.
4. Works justify us before our neighbors.

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

Someone may ask: What about Phil.2:12-15?

Someone may ask: What if I don’t work out my own salvation?

MAKE IT CLEAR:

Fhil.2:12-15; Work out our salvation is not work for our salvation.

What is Fhil.2:12-15?
It is to work out of the benefits of our salvation.
v. 15: Work on to “become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we shine as light in the world. …”

This is above a continuous work throughout all our Christian life.
This is above the summary of all our Christian works from baptism until to the end.

Our above works must be up to the conditions of supernatural merit.

If we believe:
If we choose not to work out our salvation we will end up in hell, then our works will never be up to the standard of supernatural work and CAN NOT BE up to the standard of supernatural work.

If God wants that we do supernatural work **he must set us free **that we freely decide that we work out our salvation or we choose not to and whatever we decide he must let us to enter heaven.

BECAUSE:

**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.

“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 mine.

If we do our works because we want to avoid hell or because we want to go to heaven, that works are** wood, hay and straw, rejected by God and goes up in smoke at the judgment of our works.**

The results: We enter heaven by grace alone/face alone because all our life time faceless graceless works goes up in smoke at the judgment of our works.

But even if all our works are wood, hay and straw, rejected by God, God is still faithful to us and to his promises and let us enter into heaven. – His gift of salvation given to us at our baptism is irrevocable. – Rom.11:29; 1 Cor.3:11-15.

As we see above God in did set us free. – Rom.4:4-6; 1 Cor.3:11-15; Rom.11:29.

God’s standard to do supernatural work which pleasing God and gains God’s reward is VERY HIGH.

I have to admit, if I would believe God would cast me to hell if I would choose not to work, my work could never be up to the standard of supernatural work, because I **could never **work FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION and INTERNAL NECESSITY.

I would work slavishly not to end up in hell or because I would want to go to heaven or even, probably for the combination of the two,** energized by the spirit of fear **because God wouldn’t provide me actual grace to working for something what I already have as God’s irrevocable gift.

**My work is up to God’s standard of supernatural work because I believe God’s promises, include Rom.4:4-6; Rom.6:23b; Rom.11:5-6, 29; 1 Cor.3:11-15; **etc.

Blessings

LatinRight

 

[rcwitness]

1 John 4
We love, because he first loved us. If any one says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.

 

[ajcstr]

James 2 could not talk about justification before God because:

1. Paul’s context is the relationship between the believer and God.
2. James’ context is the relationship between the believer and his neighbor.
3. Faith justifies us before God.
4. Works justify us before our neighbors.

I believe this to be a deviation from Catholic teaching.

James is speaking of sanctification as it relates to justification. He is not speaking of the initial justification that Paul speaks of in Romans and Ephesians.

 

[rcwitness]

I believe this to be a deviation from Catholic teaching.

Hence my quote from 1 John 4.

John reminds us that we cannot love God and not love our neighbor. To be justified before God, we must keep His commandments. John repeats this many times over. It’s the Charity that the Church acknowledges as necessary, if we are to be Just before Him. John relates how God loved us first, outside of works, and even despite our failure to keep the Law of Works. According to the Law we are condemned. But according to the Law of Faith, our work is a result of His grace in us.

 

[ajcstr]

our work is a result of His grace in us.

Agreed, that is Catholic teaching.

 

[rcwitness]

Luke 18
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others:10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.12I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’14*I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Parise kept the Law of Works, but did not love his brother. We aren’t told that he was never justified before God, but only that he went home unjustified. The sinner could only confess to needing God’s mercy and went home justified. But the next week, the sinner may not have shown his brother mercy, and then be counted unjust before God.

Romans 2
All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.14*When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

 

[LatinRight]

Luke 18
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others:10“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.12I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’14*I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Parise kept the Law of Works, but did not love his brother. We aren’t told that he was never justified before God, but only that he went home unjustified. The sinner could only confess to needing God’s mercy and went home justified. But the next week, the sinner may not have shown his brother mercy, and then be counted unjust before God.

Romans 2
All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.14*When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

Blessings Rcwitness,

My confidence is in the Lord.

Faith is NOT exaltation. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Salvation is God’s free gift received by faith.

I asking with respect. What do you think Rcwitness, do we should know if our works are supernatural?

Joshua 1:9; “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be frightened, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

2 Tim.1:7; Eph.5:8; “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. … now you are light in the Lord. ”

You have also quoted Romans 2 (Bible verses must be interpreted in the light of the whole Scripture.)

To do the will of God first we have to know the will of God.

THE WILL OF GOD

For example:

**1. To be good ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Chris. – 2 Cor.5:20.

2.To work out of the benefits of our salvation. – Fhil.2:12-15.
v. 15: Work on to “become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom we shine as light in the world. …”

1. All our works must be supernatural!
   God provides actual grace only for supernatural works.
   Every other kind of works energized by the spirit of fear and rejected by God.**

Our supernatural works (supernatural if it is up to God’s standard) is a continuous work throughout all our Christian life.

**Our works must be up to the conditions of supernatural merit.

THE ONLY WAY TO DO SURNATUAL MERIT AS FOLLOWS

**Our works 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.**

“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 mine.

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

SACRA PAGINA ROMANS By Brendan Byrne, S.J. Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., Editor

Brendan Byrne, S.J., is professor of New Testament at Jesuit Theological College, within the United Faculty of Theology, Parkville, Melbourne Australia. … Pope John Paul II named him a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission in 1990.

The Church official interpretation of Romans 2:6-13 – 3:28.

Quote:** “Paul fully embraces the principle of justification according to one’s works.

Acceptance of the Christian gospel has indeed led him to fully convinced that IN FACT **NO HUMAN BEING WILL FIND JUSTIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF WORKS **and that, faced with total human unrighteousness, God has graciously effected in Christ an ALTERNARIVE mode of justification for those who believe (Rom.3:21-26).

…For the purpose of the prophetic accusation and echoing what has already been stated in vv 6-7 and 10, he envisages at least the possibility of justification on the basis of performance – though VERY SOON (Rom.3:19-20, 23) he will DENY that this possibility, at least as conventionally understood, could be realized in fact. End quote. Emphasize mine.

Performance is the criterion of justification (Rom.2:6-13) VS. Faith is the criterion of justification Rom. (3:19-20, 23-24, 28). …

As we see above, context is very important. Paul is contrasting the old conventional way of work salvation which cannot save VS. the salvation by faith of the New Covenant, which is THE only way of salvation.

If we take Rom.2:6-13 OUT OF CONTEXT, we can be deceived and to believe, “Faith + Works = Salvation” (half new + half old), which is **THE greatest heresy **in Christianity described in (Gal.1:6-9).

HOW TO READ THE NEW TESTAMENT By Etienne Charpentier

Nihil obstate: Father Anton Cowan

Imprimatur: Monsignor John Crowley, VG Westminster, 28 May 1985

Quote: “There is ONE CENTRAL QUESTION here: how can we become RIGHTEOUS and be SAVED?

We NOT justified by what we do (works, observing law) but by FAITH IN CHRIST.

Salvation is NOT a matter of achieving but RECEIVING IT FREELY from God hands, in faith.” End quote. Emphasize mine.

If we try to work for achieve our salvation, that works are wood, hay and straw, rejected by God.

Blessings

LatinRight.**

 

[ajcstr]

If we try to work for achieve our salvation, that works are wood, hay and straw, rejected by God.

Blessings

LatinRight.

We agree with you on this, we are not Pelagians.

I believe when you say “justification” you are taking on the Protestant understanding of a one time event. The Catholic view calls this one time event “initial justification” which is a pure gift but also asserts that justification itself is a process which includes sanctification. Not that in Romans and in James, they both reference Abraham’s justification but they cite two different events. So if justification is a one time event, when was Abraham justified?

Works do play a role in our justification as it relates to sanctification or the progressive justification (James) that takes place after initial justification (Paul/Romans). Yes it is still grace but we must respond to that grace by our works.

My own take is that we do not work FOR justification, we work because of it.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

 

[ajcstr]

This may also help:

brantpitre.com/~brant243/how_are_we_saved.pdf

Note that the above PDF is an outline of this talk:

store.catholicproductions.com/collections/brant-pitre/products/faith-and-works-according-to-paul-and-james?variant=&variant=16598644033