Knowledge of Salvation?

[mrs_abbott]

Protestants say that they can know whether they are saved are not. I’ve seen the scripture verses that claim this too.
What hope do Catholics have of salvation? Sometimes it feels like we have to live up to impossible standards and I wonder if what I’m doing is good enough to merit heaven. Lord knows I’m far from perfect but it seems like we must constantly strive for perfection, a goal not possible of being achieved due to our sinful human natures.
Any advice/(name removed by moderator)ut from Catholics and Protestants is welcomed on this topic.

 

[Scottgun]

Protestants say that they can know whether they are saved are not. I’ve seen the scripture verses that claim this too.
What hope do Catholics have of salvation? Sometimes it feels like we have to live up to impossible standards and I wonder if what I’m doing is good enough to merit heaven. Lord knows I’m far from perfect but it seems like we must constantly strive for perfection, a goal not possible of being achieved due to our sinful human natures.
Any advice/(name removed by moderator)ut from Catholics and Protestants is welcomed on this topic.

The only way anyone knows they are saved is when they are in Heaven and beholding the Almighty Himself. The rest of us have to rely on faith in God’s promises. Now one certainly can be thoroughly convinced they are saved, but conviction is not the same as knowledge.

Scott

 

[Verbum]

Hi Mrs Abbott,

When you were baptized, you were made an adopted child of God and heir to heaven. That’s being saved.

You can reject your salvation by turning against God, but God is always ready to take you back. YOU BELONG TO HIM.

The grace of perseverance is one that we should pray for daily. Invoking Mary for “now and in the hour of our death” is highly recommended, as is the recitation of the Rosary. And let’s not forget the words ascribed to Jesus on the Last Day: Whatever you have done to the least of these you have done to me. Practicing the works of mercy for the love of Jesus is a token of salvation.

Verbum

 

[George_Craft]

Sometimes it feels like we have to live up to impossible standards and I wonder if what I’m doing is good enough to merit heaven. Lord knows I’m far from perfect but it seems like we must constantly strive for perfection, a goal not possible of being achieved due to our sinful human natures.
Any advice/(name removed by moderator)ut from Catholics and Protestants is welcomed on this topic.

Dear Mrs. Abbot,

You’re absolutely right, nothing you do is good enough to merit heaven. That’s why Jesus had to die the way He did, so we could be righteous and stand before the Father in judgment.

That being said, as Jesus told us, trust in Him and persevere. Your reward is there, just don’t give up hope.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.
Mar 13:13 And you shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake. But he that shall endure unto the end, he shall be saved.

Trust, love and obey the Lord. He knows you love Him if you keep His commandments. He gave us the Church to guide us in His truths. Trust that and you’ll endure.

With love and prayers for the strengthening of our faith,
George

 

[FCEGM]

Protestants say that they can know whether they are saved are not. I’ve seen the scripture verses that claim this too.
What hope do Catholics have of salvation? Sometimes it feels like we have to live up to impossible standards and I wonder if what I’m doing is good enough to merit heaven. Lord knows I’m far from perfect but it seems like we must constantly strive for perfection, a goal not possible of being achieved due to our sinful human natures.
Any advice/(name removed by moderator)ut from Catholics and Protestants is welcomed on this topic.

I like what this article has to say:

At Baptism Divine Life (a supernatural Birth) enters the soul, virtues are infused (habitual grace) and the person needs to put into practice (by grace) what has been received.

For the normal Catholic, therefore, the question of one’s salvation is not a major concern or emphasis; rather it is to love God by following His will by means of a sacramental life, preceded and followed by prayer, penance, love of neighbor, in one’s state of life. There is a trust that God will bring one to heaven because of what He has started in the soul. Looking at oneself there is reason to be fearful; but looking at God there is reason to hope. And this hope is the infused virtue of Hope by which one trusts that God will help you get where He desires you to end up, i.e., with Him. The normal Catholic, therefore, does not have an anxiety about salvation, yet has a realistic humility about the terms of it. . . .

bringyou.to/apologetics/a54.htm

 

[Damascus]

I dont think even when I was a Protestant I believed that anyone could know if they were saved or not. Mind you, I was not really into “religion” at that time, and cynical beyond belief. But, I always thought it was arrogant to have that kind of conviction when that is Jesus Christs job to decide not ours.

 

[VociMike]

I dont think even when I was a Protestant I believed that anyone could know if they were saved or not.

I have read accounts by many Protestants where they acknowledged that they had doubts, often grave doubts, that they were saved. Often they kept “getting saved” again and again, hoping that each new “saving” would be the real thing.

 

[mrs_abbott]

The only way anyone knows they are saved is when they are in Heaven and beholding the Almighty Himself. The rest of us have to rely on faith in God’s promises. Now one certainly can be thoroughly convinced they are saved, but conviction is not the same as knowledge.

Scott

Ok, let’s use “conviction” instead of knowledge. How can we be convinced that salvation is attainable?
I know when Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, He opened the doors for us to make Heaven realistic for us.
How can I have hope for salvation if I’m trying to live my life the best I can for God???

 

[George_Craft]

Ok, let’s use “conviction” instead of knowledge. How can we be convinced that salvation is attainable?
I know when Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, He opened the doors for us to make Heaven realistic for us.
How can I have hope for salvation if I’m trying to live my life the best I can for God???

Hi again Mrs. Abbot,

Isn’t God’s timing always perfect? The answer to your question was given in today’s first reading:

1Jo 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself. 16 In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 He that hath the substance of this world and shall see his brother in need and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 In this we know that we are of the truth and in his sight shall persuade our hearts. 20 For if our heart reprehend us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. 3:21 Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God.

Have confidence, if you are trying to live your life for God, it’s because He resides in you, and He only does that if He already claimed you.

With love,
George

 

[mrs_abbott]

Hi again Mrs. Abbot,

Isn’t God’s timing always perfect? The answer to your question was given in today’s first reading:

1Jo 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself. 16 In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 He that hath the substance of this world and shall see his brother in need and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 In this we know that we are of the truth and in his sight shall persuade our hearts. 20 For if our heart reprehend us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. 3:21 Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God.

Have confidence, if you are trying to live your life for God, it’s because He resides in you, and He only does that if He already claimed you.

With love,
George

God truly DOES have a sense of humor! That’s ironic that the readings for today coincide with this thread.
Thanks for the boost of confidence. I will focus on those Bible chapters when I’m not so sure of salvation. I bookmarked them for future reference.
Thanks again!

 

[mrs_abbott]

I dont think even when I was a Protestant I believed that anyone could know if they were saved or not. Mind you, I was not really into “religion” at that time, and cynical beyond belief. But, I always thought it was arrogant to have that kind of conviction when that is Jesus Christs job to decide not ours.

Oh I know but somedays it just feels like I’m not good enough to be saved.

 

[Damascus]

Oh I know but somedays it just feels like I’m not good enough to be saved.

I have those days.

But so do Protestants. Their theology does not change their emotional make up. If only make up could change a lot of things as much as we think it does,LOLOL

 

[mrs_abbott]

I have those days.

But so do Protestants. Their theology does not change their emotional make up. If only make up could change a lot of things as much as we think it does,LOLOL

Kinda like mirrors.

 

[ALLFORHIM]

I have those days.

But so do Protestants. Their theology does not change their emotional make up. If only make up could change a lot of things as much as we think it does,LOLOL

OOPs I was responding to Mrs. abbott about not feeling worthy of being saved.
Hi,

This protestant thinks that every day of my life and then I thank God for His mercy and love so I could be in His presence when I die.

Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for this sinner so I could be in eternity with you.

 

[JOE_OBERR]

Protestants say that they can know whether they are saved are not. I’ve seen the scripture verses that claim this too.

What hope do Catholics have of salvation? Sometimes it feels like we have to live up to impossible standards and I wonder if what I’m doing is good enough to merit heaven. Lord knows I’m far from perfect but it seems like we must constantly strive for perfection, a goal not possible of being achieved due to our sinful human natures.
Any advice/(name removed by moderator)ut from Catholics and Protestants is welcomed on this topic.

What do you mean by being “saved”? Saved from what? Unless this is clearly defined it is difficult to answer. Do you mean saved from the fires of hell? Saved from our sins? Saved from a spiritual death preventing us from attaining heaven but without suffering in hell?

The definition would have to, of course, be in sync with how the Apostles understood it when they preached the Gospel in the first century as well as how the Church understands it today.