=LongJohnSilver;7082503]I am currently debating some Protestants, and the topic is Faith and Works, hurray! I want to make sure I set out the Catholic stand properly, but I find it difficult to come up with the right approach and to find the right words. Please help me. So far I have this:
Protestants believe that a person is justified by faith in Christ. Once baptized, the person will remain justified for the rest of his life as long as he holds on to his faith.
Catholics believe that a person is justified by faith in Christ. Once baptized, the person will remain justified for the rest of his life as long as he holds on to his faith and performs good works. He can lose his justification if he does not back up his faith with works.
Furthermore, how and where should I put the concept of ‘grace’ in? Other advice?
Correct. Why the Commandmts, why the Beautitudes, Why did Jesus say FIVE TIMES “take up your Cross and follow Me?”
**There are basic rules in understanding God’s bible. **
Rule number ONE is is expressed sprcifically in
2 Tim 3:15-17… “All scripture is Inspired by God” And **1 Tim 3:15 **clearly expresses the right to biblical interpertation is exclusive to Christ CC. This is further affirmed by 2 Peter:
"2nd. Peter Chapter One verse 20 - 21“First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. “
**RULE #2 **is no one part of the bible can teach different theology than another part of he bible.
In route to there own faith. there own understanding; they ignore BOTH rules.
As for GRACE: It is always a FREE GIFT FROM GOD.
**Romans 9: 18 **“So then he has mercy upon whomever he wills, and he hardens the heart of whomever he wills.” [Grants Grce to whom it pleases Him to do so.]
This is part of the Price one who professes to be associated with a Bible Church but chooses not to be part of Christ One CC MUST PAY!
James Chapter two: 15-26 [15] If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead. "
Heb.6: 10 “For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.”
**Phil.2: 12 **"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; "
**Acts.26:20 **“but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of their repentance.”
**Rom. 2: vs. 7,13 ** “to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;” and “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified”
Each of these refutes there position.
Love and prayers.
Pat
]