Imputation vs. Infusion of Grace

[mikeledes]

Perhaps, but we know that Protestants who believe in ‘imputed’ justification are redeemed and saved. They find scriptural support for believing Christ’s blood covers their sins.

Don’t we Catholics believe/teach that ALMS, given rightly, … COVERS a multitude of sins ? Peter taught a simple Gospel Soteriology. REPENT and be BAPTISED. Just as had John the Baptist. STEP 1 [Repent/Confess] /// STEP 2 [take actions to receive Baptism … as an appeal to God to cleanse us of sin]. Scripture is clear that we are BURIED in the holy waters, an ARISE in newness of life. The water ‘covers’ us … washing away original & personal ‘spiritual’ sins.

Paul teaches we [as Abraham] are ‘justified by faith’ … apart from works. Yet, NEXT we are to ACT upon our belief and allow God to ‘sanctify’ us with H.S. — received in Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Christian Service, Perseverance in ‘well doing’ [Charity, Evangelism, Healing,] etc.

There seems to be a ‘temporal’ order to Discipleship. Christ heals the sinner FIRST, then SECONDLY tells them to ‘go and sin no more’. Protestants recognize this so clearly in scriptures and in their ‘life experience’. I think Catholics want to MERGE justification & sanctification … removing the ‘time’ component. Each time a Catholic gives Alms … are they re-justified ? We know they receive ‘sanctification’ graces thereof. Each time we receive Eucharist … are we re-justified ? We can’t be Born Again but ONCE !!! But, we can be SANCTIFIED repeatedly. Am I wrong ?

Hey BRB! Justifcation is the sanctification of the soul through the infusion of sanctifying grace. So its not that we want to merge the two by removing the “time component.” That is the biblical and historic Christian understanding of justification. On the contrary, it’s the Protestant that wants to divide justification from sanctification, dividing it into imputed alien righteousness (justification) and infused righteousness (sanctification). In the Catholic view, there is only one type of righteousness that we receive and that’s infused righteousness (sanctifyng grace). Subsequent increases in this infused righteousness (sanctifying grace) is what is generally called sanctification, but it is a continuation of the sanctification of the soul that occured when we were first justified. In other words, when there is an increase in sanctifying grace, there is an increase in justification… for sanctifying grace is infused righteousness. So, yes, we can increase in sanctification and hence increase in infused righteousness.

God Bless,
Michael

 

[mikeledes]

Oh… and we believe that we are washed … not merely covered… by the Blood of Christ, as Scripture clearly teaches:

1 John 1:7

**7but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. **

Hebrews 9:14

**14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? **

Note that the blood of Jesus doesn’t “cover”, it effects an internal sanctification of the person (i.e. cleanses the conscience).

God Bless,
Michael

 

[brb3]

Justifcation is the sanctification of the soul through the infusion of sanctifying grace. So its not that we want to merge the two by removing the “time component.” That is the biblical and historic Christian understanding of justification. On the contrary, it’s the Protestant that wants to divide justification from sanctification, dividing it into imputed alien righteousness (justification) and infused righteousness (sanctification). In the Catholic view, there is only one type of righteousness that we receive and that’s infused righteousness (sanctifyng grace). Subsequent increases in this infused righteousness (sanctifying grace) is what is generally called sanctification, but it is a continuation of the sanctification of the soul that occured when we were first justified. In other words, when there is an increase in sanctifying grace, there is an increase in justification… for sanctifying grace is infused righteousness. So, yes, we can increase in sanctification and hence increase in infused righteousness.

I like this explanation ! Great apologetic Mike …

 

[mikeledes]

I like this explanation ! Great apologetic Mike …

Thanks!

God Bless,
Michael