I don't really comprehend the Catholic concept of Justification?

[Dovekin]

“By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works.”

From the Joint Declaration on he Doctrine of Justification isuued by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church.

This declaration also describes the differences in emphasis placed by Lutherans and Catholics over the years, but it is a statement that we share our faith in God’s grace.

 

[Gorgias]

“By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works.”

From the Joint Declaration on he Doctrine of Justification isuued by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church.

This declaration also describes the differences in emphasis placed by Lutherans and Catholics over the years, but it is a statement that we share our faith in God’s grace.

I heard an interesting assertion on the radio this week, and it caused me to stop and think – I’d never considered what the speaker was pointing out! I think it was on the EWTN program “Called to Communion”, and the discussion was one of differences in theology. The host (who, if it is the program I think it was, would have been Dr David Anders) noted that this joint declaration isn’t the entirety of the Catholic teaching on justification, but rather, a statement of where we find common ground.

(The more I think about it, the more I think it was Dr Anders. He was talking about a subtle presumption that goes into Protestant thought on justification. It’s a presumption that is diametrically opposed to the Catholic take on this theological topic. And so, we can read the document and still miss the fact that there are distinctly different things going on in the mind of the Church and the mind of the Lutheran denomination.)

So, if you want to understand the Catholic teaching on justification, it’s a better idea to use a Church teaching document, and not a document geared toward ecumenical dialogue.

 

[Erikaspirit16]

One of my friends is an Evangelical Lutheran minister. His take on the “Joint Declaration” is that is all depends on how you define terms–which is what we often find in this forum. There can be subtle–or not so subtle–differences in what people mean by the same word.

 

[joeybaggz]

I think part of the dilemma in a discussion such as this is the semantics.

I understand Christ’s actions as “Redeeming” the world, not “saving” it. My eternal salvation, my “saving” myself is something I work out a day at a time, “with fear and trembling” as Paul said. Works for me.
My $.02

 

[margaret42]

I think “justified” means that Jesus has made it possible that the sacraments can be received. We are supposedly “justified through Baptism”, since “original sin has been removed”.