I believe this quote from Ephesians is St. Paul telling people that their works that they did before they came to the Church are not the reason that they have been brought to the Church. St. Paul is telling them that God’s grace was granted to them and because they accepted it, it brought them to the Church; and now they can start their journey of faith which will save them.
Faith is meant to establish relationship/communion with God. Communion with God results in being transformed into His image as He does a work in us. This is all pure grace. The fruit of this communion, then, is love. And love acts, by its nature, whereas faith, on its own, doesn’t necessarily do so.
Be sure to read both
I would say faith and good works both come from grace.
I would ask what motivated you to help, and I suspect that it was compassion, recognizing in that person what you have experienced needing help and receiving it. In effect you were practicing what faith teaches, love of neighbor, alms giving. Apparently you believe in helping others, that’s why you give and you don’t recognize the element of faith. You are practicing the virtue of charity, it is greater than faith. By your works, I know your faith
You just pointed out the basic contradiction and/or problem. I have absolutely no “faith” in God. I have no “need” for faith. I do have compassion, because I can put myself onto the other person’s “shoes”. I can imagine how humiliating it would be to sit on the street corner and ask for a few bucks. And that has nothing to with faith or grace - whatever that might be.
Also Mathew 24:12-13
This is the condensed Catholic view, from the Catechism. The quote at the end is from St John of the Cross:You just pointed out the basic contradiction and/or problem. I have absolutely no “faith” in God. I have no “need” for faith. I do have compassion, because I can put myself onto the other person’s “shoes”. I can imagine how humiliating it would be to sit on the street corner and ask for a few bucks. And that has nothing to with faith or grace - whatever that might be.
But the point is that just practicing “charity” is not really sufficient - according to some believers. Works without faith are not enough. When you say that my “works” are grounded in faith, you are simply mistaken.
So my conclusion is simple: practicing good works, helping the ones in need are good “enough”, they need no external foundation or justification. If you do it because you have faith, that is your business. It adds nothing to the fact of helping. This is my only point.
The reception may be most important to* the person receiving*, but the intentions is important to God and in only one of the three determinants of the morality of an act, along with the object, and the circumstances. For a morally good act, the object of it must be good – the thing with which the action is concerned must confirm to the law of God – and the circumstances can make an otherwise good action evil – and for intention, the actor must want to accomplish something that is good in one way or another.
I would say that there is no faith without good works. If one does not love, one has not accepted the wisdom, knowledge and understanding that has been gifted. God gives us the heads up, and it is in action that we in reality manifest the acceptance of His grace.I would say faith and good works both come from grace. . . It never understood how someone would say you have to have “Faith” first to receive the free gift of God’s Grace, which there is nothing you could ever do to merit this free gift. And by the way, Faith in this instance is in no way a work.*
God’s Actual Grace leading us to Faith, making the Faith itself a gift from God sounds so much better.
God Bless
Giving to others for fame and honour, to enrich oneself because it’s one’s job or by advertising a business or services, out of pride to feel better than others, out of coercion, not to be condemned, or any other self-serving reason may actually be do some good.You just pointed out the basic contradiction and/or problem. I have absolutely no “faith” in God. I have no “need” for faith. I do have compassion, because I can put myself onto the other person’s “shoes”. I can imagine how humiliating it would be to sit on the street corner and ask for a few bucks. And that has nothing to with faith or grace - whatever that might be.
But the point is that just practicing “charity” is not really sufficient - according to some believers. Works without faith are not enough. When you say that my “works” are grounded in faith, you are simply mistaken.
So my conclusion is simple: practicing good works, helping the ones in need are good “enough”, they need no external foundation or justification. If you do it because you have faith, that is your business. It adds nothing to the fact of helping. This is my only point.
Yep, I’m on board with this as long as we acknowledge that God’s grace came first.
God is always calling us to Himself. Our relationship with Him is primary. We are distracted by the world and our desires for transient and ultimately unfulfilling goods so that we don’t hear or do not wish to follow Him.Yep, I’m on board with this as long as we acknowledge that God’s grace came first.
He loves us all and guides us in our own way, ultimately to share in His purposes which are to bring humanity and creation into communion with Him. Even when He hardens our hearts, it is we who chose to follow that route rather than remaining true to His message.
Sorry I can’t tell if you are agreeing or disagreeing with something I said.