Justified by Faith Alone cf. James 2:24

[rcwitness]

It is just being true to the New Testament Example.

Acts 22
And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Acts 2
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
That sounds pretty efficacious to me…

It is the belief that baptisms in the New Testament were by immersion.

And where does it Teach immersion is the only valid way? Do you think the 3000 Baptized at Pentecost were immersed? It’s possible, but not likely, being in Jerusalem.

 

[lanman87]

Acts 22
And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

Acts 2
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
That sounds pretty efficacious to me…
And where does it Teach immersion is the only valid way? Do you think the 3000 Baptized at Pentecost were immersed? It’s possible, but not likely, being in Jerusalem.

I’m fully aware of the bible versus that indicate baptism is efficacious and could give you the baptist interpretation of the those scriptures but then we would just play Bible baseball. Plus, you are probably already aware of the various interpretations.

I don’t know if the 3000 at Pentecost were baptized by immersion or not. However, the Greek word Baptizo means to dip or submerge. Also the allusion to be buried with Christ in Baptism hints at immersion. Even the Didache seems to indicate that immersion was the preferred method of baptism. The Didache also indicates that baptism is the first century was believers baptism.

Personally, I don’t think it matters how a person is baptized as much as it matters that a person is baptized. However, I think there is pretty solid evidence that immersion was, at least, the preferred method of baptism in the first 150 years or so of Christianity.

I think we have hijacked this thread

 

[Lenten_ashes]

I’m fully aware of the bible versus that indicate baptism is efficacious and could give you the baptist interpretation of the those scriptures but then we would just play Bible baseball. Plus, you are probably already aware of the various interpretations.

I don’t know if the 3000 at Pentecost were baptized by immersion or not. However, the Greek word Baptizo means to dip or submerge. Also the allusion to be buried with Christ in Baptism hints at immersion. Even the Didache seems to indicate that immersion was the preferred method of baptism. The Didache also indicates that baptism is the first century was believers baptism.

Personally, I don’t think it matters how a person is baptized as much as it matters that a person is baptized. However, I think there is pretty solid evidence that immersion was, at least, the preferred method of baptism in the first 150 years or so of Christianity.

I think we have hijacked this thread

Hi Ian

It also can be translated to clean, wash or bathe, etc.

In the Army we used baby wipes to bathe or wash as we had no showers at times. Similarly, clean water has been a issue throughout the ages and continues to be in some areas.

Anyhow, a example of Baptizo being used for “wash” is in Luke 11:38:

biblehub.com/interlinear/luke/11-38.htm

The Lord be with you

 

[rcwitness]

I’m fully aware of the bible versus that indicate baptism is efficacious and could give you the baptist interpretation of the those scriptures but then we would just play Bible baseball. Plus, you are probably already aware of the various interpretations.

Yes. I don’t like Bible thumping either. And that isn’t what I was trying to do. Rather, you implied that your interpretation (or tradition) is more Biblical. This just reinforcing what I accept… that Scripture Alone (without an authority agent) produces many opposing beliefs.

I don’t know if the 3000 at Pentecost were baptized by immersion or not. However, the Greek word Baptizo means to dip or submerge. Also the allusion to be buried with Christ in Baptism hints at immersion. Even the Didache seems to indicate that immersion was the preferred method of baptism. The Didache also indicates that baptism is the first century was believers baptism.

And I don’t know that the 3000 were not immersed. Immersion is good, and can definitely symbolize those aspects of what is happening. Yes, the Didache does give evidence of a preferred practice. But it is not Scripture for some reason. So it can just be considered a reference of belief, and canonical Word.

Personally, I don’t think it matters how a person is baptized as much as it matters that a person is baptized. However, I think there is pretty solid evidence that immersion was, at least, the preferred method of baptism in the first 150 years or so of Christianity.What is important to us, is the water and the Word called on and believed on, through God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that water washes over the head of the candidate.

I think we have hijacked this thread

Ok. We can let it go, I guess.

 

[AugustTherese]

Yet James says that Abraham was justified by works. If this is not to contradict Paul, it must mean that Abraham was justified by works before someone other than God.

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15 NKJV

Before whom was Abraham justified, if not God?

“You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God’.” James 2:22,23 ESV

Abraham’s faith was completed by his works, “and he was called a friend of God”, not man.

 

[SyCarl]

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15 NKJV

Before whom was Abraham justified, if not God?

“You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God’.” James 2:22,23 ESV

Abraham’s faith was completed by his works, “and he was called a friend of God”, not man.

His works would be part of his sanctification which Reformed treat separately from justification. That is what I mean by much of the disagreement is a matter of semantics. You can try to magnify the differences or you can try to show how close we are on some things. The latter is what I prefer to do.

I would note that Abraham had been declared righteous, or justified, long before he was told to sacrifice Isaac. The sacrifice of Isaac is described as a test of Abraham after which God told Abraham that He now knew he feared Him. God did not need to test Abraham to know this. It was done and recorded so that later generations could see proof of Abraham’s righteousness. That fits in with the view, that in James, Abraham’s justification before men was what was being dealt with.

 

[PRmerger]

To a Baptist, the Holy Spirit is already indwelling the believer before Baptism.

What Bible verse tells you this?

 

[PRmerger]

I’m under the impression that most Protestants (Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist) do have the same beliefs as Catholics about Baptism. No?

Yes. That is the understand that has been present in the Church since the days of the Apostles.

 

[LatinRight]

**God bless every readers of the CAF.

SALVATION / JUSTIFICATION

I believe this is one the most important issues in Christianity.**

To understand Salvation/Justification we must understand first the related theological issues.

FIRST THEOLOGICAL ISSUE

The first theological issue must be understand is, our inward part (spirit + soul) and our outward part (Body) described in Luke 11:39; Rom.7:14-25; 2 Cor.4:16; Gal.5:16-25; Eph.3:16; 1 Cor.15:42-44, 51-57; etc.

2 Cor.4:16;
Therefore we do not lose heart.
Even though our outward man (body) is perishing, yet the inward man (our spirit + soul) is being renewed day by day. In the bracket is added.

Rom.7:22-23;
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man (our spirit + soul).
But I see another law in my members (body), warring against in the law of my mind (spirit + soul), and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members (body). In the bracket is added.

Gal.5:16-18;
v. 16. I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

v. 17. For the flesh lust against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

v. 18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Rom.8:23;
… eagerly waiting for the ADOPTION, the REDEMPTION of our bodies.

1 Cor.15:42-44;
v. 42. So also the resurrection of the dead.
The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.

v. 43. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. …

v. 43. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. …

KEY TO UNDERSTAND

**CCC 2019 **
Justification includes the remission of sins, sanctification, and the renewal of the inner man.

THE COUNCIL OF TRENT Session 6 CHAPTER VII
… justification itself, which is not only a remission of sins but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man through the voluntary reception of the grace and gifts whereby an unjust man becomes just and from being an enemy becomes a friend. …

At our baptism our inward man (spirit + soul) saved/justified/adopted, DECLARED righteous and MADE righteous, we have been become sons of God, while our outward man (body) NOT YET adopted/redeemed.

Still the law of sin resides in our bodies, NOT YET adopted/redeemed and when we die our corrupt bodies goes to the grave in dishonor, and in corruption in an unredeemed state.

But will be raised from the grave as incorruptible, glorious glorified, spiritual bodies at the fulfilment of John 14:1-3; 1 Thess.4:15-18;
1 Cor.15:51-57.

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

Continuation

**SECOND THEOLOGICAL ISSUE

We must understand Baptism, but even before we understand baptism, we must understand our fallen spiritual position.**

OUR FALLEN SPIRITUAL POSITION

a. We are under God’s CONDEMNATION. – Rom.5:18a; John 3:18b.

b. We are in BONDAGE OF CORRUPTION. – Rom.8:19-21.

c. We are residents of the KINGDOM OF SATAN. – Luke 4:5-7.

d. We are SPIRITUALLY DEAD in sins. – Eph.2:1b; Col.2:13a.

e. We “do NOT accept anything from the Spirit of God: we see it all as nonsense; it is** BEYOND our UNDERSTANDING** because it CAN ONLY be understood by the Spirit of God.” – 1 Cor.2:14 Emphasis mine.

To be able to receive anything from the Spirit of God, FIRST we need new spiritual life.
This is sometimes called “Born Again.”

Col.2:13; Explains:
“And you, BEING DEAD in your trespasses … He has made you alive, … having forgiven you all trespasses.” – This resurrection/born again and forgiveness of sins/justification, takes place at baptism.

**BAPTISM OF GOD’S CHILDREN/ELECT
**
In our baptism, there is God’s part to do and our part to do.

God’s part to do in our baptism ALWAYS PRECEDES our water baptism.

This is the point, sometimes confusion comes in understanding baptism.

**GOD’S PART TO DO IN OUR BAPTISM IS OUR INITIAL JUSTIFICATION

GOD’S WORK IN OUR BAPTISM IN FINE DETAILS

The sequence of events of our baptism.**

1. GOD SANCTIFIED us. – At our sanctification God has completely washed us clean, made us holy (our spirit + soul). – 1 Cor.6:11; 1 Pet.2:9; etc.

We may call it the purgatory of our (spirit +soul) as God has completely washed us clean, made us ready to heaven. **– It was an instant event. **

1. God delivered us from the power of darkness and taken us (our spirit + soul) up to heaven, – Col. 1:13; Eph.2:6.

3.** In heaven** God baptized us into the body of Christ, – 1 Cor.12:13, 27.

4.** In the Body of Christ** God RE-CREATED us (from spiritual death, in Christ God made us spiritually alive, – 1 Cor.15:22; Eph.2:1). – At our re-creation God MADE us righteous and MADE us SONS of God and NEW CREATIONS / BORN AGAIN by given us a new heart, given us a new spirit and God put His Spirit into us – Ez.36:26-27; 2 Cor.5:17; 1 Cor.3:16; 1 Cor.6:19.

1. God JUSTIFIED us. – At our justification God DECLARED us righteous and DECLARED us to be sons of God. – Rom.3:24; Rom.8:15.
2. In heaven in Christ (our spirit + soul) have been built into God’s Holy Temple. for a habitation of God in the Spirit. – Eph.2:19-22.
3. God made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, –Eph.2:6.

** “AUGUSTINE’S CONTRIBUTION TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.**

Quote: We are inserted into the Body of Christ** by our baptism** and become members united to the Head, so that while our feet may be on earth we are already in heaven.” End quote.
The above quote taken from a public letter of Paul Maloney OSA Written September 19th 2012

Because it is a MYSTERY we may not yet fully understand the way it is possible that at the SAME TIME our (spirit + soul) is in heaven built into God’s Holy Temple, siting together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and it is on the earth as well.

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

Continuation

Our initial justification in our baptism is an instant event, we don’t even realize it and in this work for three reasons we cannot even co-operated with the grace of God.

First reason: In our fallen state, we are spiritually dead and we accept nothing from the Spirit of God. – This is our spiritual resurrection from spiritual death.

Second reason: Our initial justification and born again in our baptism is an instant event.

Third reason: The above work of God takes us to the state of grace.
Until we are in the state of grace we cannot make supernatural decisions or do supernatural merit.

John 15:5; “… for without Me you can do nothing.”

Strictly speaking only a person in the STATE OF GRACE can merit, as defined by the Church (Denzinger 1576, 1582).

**FR. WILLIAM MOST TEACHES THE SAME ABOVE THEOLOGICAL FACTS

Tuesday, April 2, 2013 Fr. William Most
What does the Catholic Church teach on Predestination? **

Predestination is gratuitous: For even before God considers human merits, He predestines, and because the sole and total cause of predestination is the goodness and love of the Father which moves spontaneously WITHOUT stimulus, merit, or condition.

God’s grace appears to all men (e.g.Tit. 2:11), and man’s initial “response” is the omission of resistance, which he identifies as an “ontological zero,”
meaning man does NOTHING, to enter a state of justification.

Meaning man does nothing and could do nothing, to enter the state of (initial) justification. – Because spiritually dead at the beginning and the end initially justified, born again and in the state of grace, the whole process is an instant event.

**COUNCIL OF TRENT **
. . . none of those things which precede justification - whether faith or works - merit the grace itself of justification.
For, if it be a grace, it is not now by works, otherwise, as the same Apostle says, grace is no more grace. End quote.

In the sequence of the events, first God does His part in our Baptism, as the results; we are spiritually alive/born again, initially justified, and we are in the state of grace.

In the FIRST STAGE of our salvation (initial justification): At baptism God puts us into the state of grace, by made and declared us righteous, taken us (our spirit + soul) up to heaven, in heaven have been built us into His Holy Temple, in heaven made us sitting together in Christ Jesus.

Without being in the state of grace we could NOT co-operate with the grace of God because we are spiritually dead.

In the SECOND STAGE of our salvation: God gives us His gift of Formed Faith and we are able to positively respond to it, BECAUSE we are already in the state of grace, born again, in heaven we have been built into God’s Holy Temple, in heaven we are sitting together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, AT THE SAME TIME (our spirit + soul) is on the earth as well (in our unredeemed/corrupt bodies) and in spite of that, we are able to co-operate with the grace of God.

**The SECOND STAGE of our salvation: **
The second stage of our salvation is (as God’s elect) from the point God did His part in our baptism until we die.
When we die it is the end of the mystery because we are (our spirit + soul) continue living only in heaven (not on the earth as well) and our corrupt unredeemed bodies goes to the grave.

As we see above the necessity of God’s works in our baptism is absolute.

Apart from God first does His part in our baptism we are spiritually dead and we “do NOT accept anything from the Spirit of God.” – 1 Cor.2:14.

It is SOLELY God’s work and always PRECEDES our water baptism.

**This is the point, sometimes confusion comes in, because at this point: **
We are born again, initially justified, we are in the state of grace, in heaven we have been built into God’s Holy Temple, in heaven we are sitting together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and **we are not yet water baptized. **

Sometimes it is a great distance between God does His part in our baptism and we do our part in our water baptism.

If some reason we are not able to do our part of our water baptism that doesn’t stop God to do His part of our baptism which gives us initial justification, spiritual resurrection/born again and puts us into the state of grace, in heaven we have been built into God’s Holy Temple, in heaven we are sitting together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus and if we die, the mystery is over, we continue to exist and living only in heaven and our corrupt unredeemed bodies goes to the grave on earth.

And of course God’s part to do in our baptism, always PRECEDES our water baptism.

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

Continuation

**THIRD THEOLOGICAL ISSUE WE SHOULD KNOW IS GOD’S ELECTION

Tuesday, April 2, 2013 Fr. William Most
What does the Catholic Church teach on Predestination?**

Fr. Most himself leans toward a school of thought known as Thomism, which he develops in summary as follows:

Predestination is gratuitous: …for even before God considers human merits, He predestines, and because the sole and total cause of predestination is the goodness and love of the Father which moves spontaneously WITHOUT stimulus, merit, or condition.

God’s grace appears to all men (e.g.Tit. 2:11), and man’s initial “response” is the omission of resistance, which he identifies as an “ontological zero,” meaning man does NOTHING, to enter a state of justification. End quote.

So, we can say, our Initial Justification is God’s free gift and we obtained it by our omission of resistance, MEANING we did NOTHING, to enter the state of our Initial Justification.

**COUNCIL OF TRENT **
. . . none of those things which precede justification - whether faith or works - merit the grace itself of justification.
For, if it be a grace, it is not now by works, otherwise, as the same Apostle says, grace is no more grace. End quote.

As CCC 600 and Fr. Most teaches, man‘s free responds can be an omission of resistance, or vehement rejection of God and His grace.

CCC 600 To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of “predestination”, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace.

**THE DIFFERENT RESPONSES OF THE ELECT AND THE REPROBATES

THE RESPONSE OF THE ELCT AND THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OF THE SALVATION OF THE ELECT**

1. The elect initial “response” is the omission of resistance. – God knows from all eternity.
2. And then their predestination to heaven from all eternity.
3. Followed by initial justification which is the first stage of their salvation.
4. And then their co-operation with the grace of God in the second stage of their salvation.

Every elect at their initial justification, recipients of God’s gift of Salvation/Everlasting Life and God’s special grace The Gift of Final Perseverance which is an Eternal Protection of their Salvation/Everlasting Life.

Without the above Protection every Elect of God would end up in hell.

**THE RESPONSE OF THE REPROBATES AND THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OF THE REPROBATES PREDESTINATION TO HELL **

1. The reprobates initial response is their **vehement rejection of God and His grace. **– God knows their rejection from all eternity.
2. By their vehement rejection of God and His grace they practically predestined themselves to hell from all eternity.
3. Their names taken out from the Book of life rom all eternity.
4. However; some of the reprobates can come to participate some Cristian groups, even can gain some intellectual faith (which cannot save) and invalid baptism (which cannot save).

Invalid baptism because God performs His part of the baptism of the elect’s (spirit + soul) in heaven and reprobates CANNOT reach heaven, in heaven they cannot be built into God’s Holy Temple, in heaven they cannot stay and sitting together in Christ Jesus like the (spirit + soul) of the elect.

Reprobates also can have some kind of an “intellectual faith produced (like) salvation” which qualifies the reprobates only to enter hell at any moment of time they die.
**For their rejection of God and His grace they are predestined to hell **from all eternity.

Another proof the reprobates cannot have the same baptism as God’s children/elect has:

When an elect dies it is the end of the mystery because the elect (spirit + soul) continues to exists and continue living only in heaven (not on the earth as well) and his/her corrupt unredeemed body goes to the grave on earth.

If a reprobate baptized and dies the next second after baptism then he goes instantly to hell, and his/her corrupt unredeemed body goes to the grave.
So, it cannot be the same baptism, only can be an invalid baptism.

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

Continuation

THE SECOND STAGE OF THE SALVATION OF GOD’S CHILDREN/ELECT

The SECOND STAGE of our salvation, grace moves us so by our co-operatins with the grace of God we do MAKE positive DECISIONS and good WORKS:

"It is God who . . . works in us both the WILL and the PERFORMANCE."

So, in summary the initial response is one of omission of resistance in our Initial Justification (first stage of our salvation), followed by positive response in grace in our second stage of salvation.

Second stage of our salvation is: From God’s part to do in our baptism until we die.

The entire process of our Initial Justification (first stage of our salvation), need not take more than one instant of time.

Aquinas said, “God changes the will without forcing it.

But he can change the will from the fact that He himself operates in the will as He does in nature,” De Veritatis 22:9.

Similarly, the Council of Orange says that “in every good work, we do not begin.” (#329.2)

ST. AUGUSTINE ON GRACE AND PREDESTINATION

De gratia Christi 25, 26:
“For not only has God given us our ability and helps it, but He even works [brings about] willing and acting in us; not that we do not will or that we do not act, but that without His help we neither will anything good nor do it.”

De gratia et libero arbitrio 16, 32:
“It is certain that we will when we will; but He brings it about that we will good. . . . It is certain that we act when we act, but He brings it about that we act, PROVIDING MOST EFFECTIVE POWERS TO THE WILL.”

Phil.2:13; “For it is God who works in you BOTH TO WILL and TO ACT for His good pleasure.”

CCC 2022; “The divine initiative in the work of grace PRECEDES,PREPARES, and ELICITS the free response of man. …”

The salvation of God’s children/elect always based on God’s initiative.

2 Tim.1:9; “God who saved us and called us with holy calling, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, but ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE …”

Eph.1:11; “… being predestined ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE of Him …”

John 6:44 … NO ONE can come to Me unless the Father DRAWS him.

In other words, when God commands, He capacitates the hearer to respond.

Yet the ability to respond is also His gift.

Continue

 

[LatinRight]

Continuation

THE FOURTH THEOLOGICAL ISSUE WE SHOULD KNOW IS THE PREDESTINATION OF THE ELECT

**The Catholic Church affirms predestination as a *DE FIDE *Dogma (the highest level of binding theological certainty).

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA

THE CATHOLIC DOGMA. – The predestination of the elect**

Consequently, the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has

been IRREVOCABLY FIXED FROM ALL ETERNITY. Nor could it be otherwise. For if it

were possible that a predestined individual should after all be CAST INTO HELL or that

one not predestined should in the end REACH HEAVEN, then God would have been

MISTAKEN in his foreknowledge of future events; He would NO LONGER be omniscient.

God’s unerring foreknowledge and foreordaining is designated in the Bible by the beautiful

figure of the “Book of Life” (liber vitæ, to biblion tes zoes). This book of life is a list which

contains the names of ALL THE ELECT and admits NEITHER ADDITIONS NO ERASURES.

(2) The second quality of predestination, the DEFINITENESS of the number of the elect,

follows NATURALLY from the first. For if the eternal counsel of God regarding the

predestined is UNCHANGEABLE, then the number of the predestined must likewise be

UNCHANGEABLE and DEFINITE, subject NEITHER to ADDITIONS nor to

CANCELLATIONS. Anything indefinite in the number would eo ipso imply a lack of

certitude in God’s knowledge and would DESTROY His omniscience. End quote. Emphasis added.

THE BOOK OF LIFE

God has completed the Book of Life from all eternity by taken out the names of the reprobates from the Book of Life for their vehement rejection of God and His grace and as the results they all end up in hell.

Practically by their vehement rejection of God and His grace the reprobates predestined themselves to hell.

In Catholic Theology only the reprobates end up in hell who are predestined to hell from all eternity .

From the completion, from all eternity, the Book of life admits NEITHER ADDITIONS no ERASURES.

Some people can be confused about the Book of Life, because God has completed the Book of Life in His “chronological order” from all eternity, but in the Bible concerning the events in the Book of Life, for our understanding, written in our chronological order, like the cancellations from the Book of Life done at our present time, this is not the case.

This fact can cause confusion, because someone may wrongly conclude; God’s children/elect can lose their salvation, which is a theological impossibility.

As we see above, Concerning the Book of Life there is only two groups of people in the world.

God’s children/elect. – All predestined to heaven from all eternity.

The Salvation/Everlasting Life of every Child/Elect of God is protected by God’s special grace The Gift of Final Perseverance, without this protection every Child/Elect of God would end up in hell.

Every Child/Elect of God have been given the Great Commission to one way or another, **to be an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ. **

God’s Children/Elect’s position and glory in heaven is determined by God according to the judgment of their works, of course their salvation is not at stake, it is Eternally Protected.

**The other group is the reprobates. **
Just as every child/elect of God predestined to heaven from all eternity, in the same way all reprobates predestined to hell from all eternity.

There is no in between position, **every member of the entire human race is a member one of the above two groups. **

God bless every reader of the CAF.

LatinRight

 

[James248]

Continuation

THE FOURTH THEOLOGICAL ISSUE WE SHOULD KNOW IS THE PREDESTINATION OF THE ELECT

**The Catholic Church affirms predestination as a *DE FIDE ***Dogma (the highest level of binding theological certainty).

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA

THE CATHOLIC DOGMA. – The predestination of the elect

Consequently, the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has

been IRREVOCABLY FIXED FROM ALL ETERNITY. Nor could it be otherwise. For if it

were possible that a predestined individual should after all be CAST INTO HELL or that

one not predestined should in the end REACH HEAVEN, then God would have been

MISTAKEN in his foreknowledge of future events; He would NO LONGER be omniscient.

God’s unerring foreknowledge and foreordaining is designated in the Bible by the beautiful

figure of the “Book of Life” (liber vitæ, to biblion tes zoes). This book of life is a list which

contains the names of ALL THE ELECT and admits NEITHER ADDITIONS NO ERASURES.

(2) The second quality of predestination, the DEFINITENESS of the number of the elect,

follows NATURALLY from the first. For if the eternal counsel of God regarding the

predestined is UNCHANGEABLE, then the number of the predestined must likewise be

UNCHANGEABLE and DEFINITE, subject NEITHER to ADDITIONS nor to

CANCELLATIONS. Anything indefinite in the number would eo ipso imply a lack of

certitude in God’s knowledge and would DESTROY His omniscience. End quote. Emphasis added.

THE BOOK OF LIFE

God has completed the Book of Life from all eternity by taken out the names of the reprobates from the Book of Life for their vehement rejection of God and His grace and as the results they all end up in hell.

Practically by their vehement rejection of God and His grace the reprobates predestined themselves to hell.

In Catholic Theology only the reprobates end up in hell **who are predestined to hell from all eternity **.

From the completion, from all eternity, the Book of life admits NEITHER ADDITIONS no ERASURES.

Some people can be confused about the Book of Life, because God has completed the Book of Life in His “chronological order” from all eternity, but in the Bible concerning the events in the Book of Life, for our understanding, written in our chronological order, like the cancellations from the Book of Life done at our present time, this is not the case.

This fact can cause confusion, because someone may wrongly conclude; God’s children/elect can lose their salvation, which is a theological impossibility.

As we see above, Concerning the Book of Life there is only two groups of people in the world.

God’s children/elect. – All predestined to heaven from all eternity.

The Salvation/Everlasting Life of every Child/Elect of God is protected by God’s special grace The Gift of Final Perseverance, without this protection every Child/Elect of God would end up in hell.

Every Child/Elect of God have been given the Great Commission to one way or another, **to be an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ. **

God’s Children/Elect’s position and glory in heaven is determined by God according to the judgment of their works, of course their salvation is not at stake, it is Eternally Protected.

**The other group is the reprobates. **
Just as every child/elect of God predestined to heaven from all eternity, in the same way all reprobates predestined to hell from all eternity.

There is no in between position, **every member of the entire human race is a member one of the above two groups. **

God bless every reader of the CAF.

LatinRight

God doesn’t predestine ANYONE to hell. To profess double predestination is heresy.

 

[lanman87]

What Bible verse tells you this?

Since you asked

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Eph 1:13

Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:39

Also, the example of Cornelius.

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Acts 10:44-48

Cornelius and those with him were obviously indwelled with the Spirit before being baptized with water. This “Pentecost for Gentiles” shows us Eph 1:13 in practice.

 

[PRmerger]

Since you asked

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Eph 1:13

Really? So even the demons are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit?

James 2:19–even the demons believe

Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:39

Where does this say that they received the HS without baptism?

 

[lanman87]

Really? So even the demons are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit?

James 2:19–even the demons believe

Where does this say that they received the HS without baptism?

Belief in Eph 1:13 is believing in the word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation. It is much more than intellectual understanding that the demons have.

Both passages indicated that belief/faith/trust is how a person receives the Holy Spirit.

 

[rcwitness]

Where does this say that they received the HS without baptism?

Acts 10

While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

 

[lanman87]

Acts 10

While Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

Are you implying that they had been baptized earlier?