Pope Benedict XVI - "faith alone is true"!

  • Thread starter Thread starter 2nd_Adam
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
ron77nyc said:
Of course but it’s faith that saves you and not your good deeds. If a man is on his deathbed, he doesn’t have time to do anything but believe the message of the gospel. That man would be saved by faith alone.
Click to expand...
Faith is a gift. His act of accepting this gift is what saves him.
 
2nd_Adam said:
If I understand the Pope’s faith alone context, it would be in agreement with the majority of Evangelicals who reject easy believism or decisional regeneration. True saving faith requires a progressive Lordship within the individual who is claiming saving faith over time, in progression… all Christians who are born from above will grow by the grace of God in charity and love. I think the Pope is in agreement with those Protestants who understand Lordship.
Click to expand...
Living faith requires our cooperation with God’s grace.

Living faith requires an act of will on our part.
 
ron77nyc said:
A deathbed conversion is a perfect example of salvation by faith alone. Constantine did it. The thief on the cross did it. It was a common practise in the early church.

Matthew 20, the parable of the workers in the field talks about this:12‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Click to expand...
You see, there are Catholics who understand the truth of faith alone!
 
2nd_Adam said:
If I understand the Pope’s faith alone context, it would be in agreement with the majority of Evangelicals who reject easy believism or decisional regeneration. True saving faith requires a progressive Lordship within the individual who is claiming saving faith over time, in progression… all Christians who are born from above will grow by the grace of God in charity and love. I think the Pope is in agreement with those Protestants who understand Lordship.
Click to expand...
This is an excerpt from a thorough explanation of what you are saying.
catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0027.html

“Faith is the root, the necessary beginning. Hope is the stem, the energy that makes the plant grow. Love is the fruit, the flower, the visible product, the bottom line. The plant of our new life in Christ is one; the life of God comes into us by faith, through us by hope, and out of us by the works of love. That is clearly the biblical view, and when Protestants and Catholics who know and believe the Bible discuss the issue sincerely, it is amazing how quickly and easily they come to understand and agree with each other on this, the fundamental divisive issue.”
 
Um, no.

There are catholics that haven’t read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (currently in the process, before you ask).

Pax†
 
Chancellare said:
My friend, don’t confuse faith alone with actual grace. That’s basic.
Click to expand...
This is what the Apostle Paul reveals and what I am proclaiming too. I’m sure this is the perspective of Pope Benedict too. We are not saved by faith. We are saved by grace alone through the instrument of faith, based on the merit of Christ. We are saved to work the works God prepared us to do. However, we do not do the work prepared for us to do beforehand to merit our salvation. We do those works in love and gratitude in what God has done for us in Christ!

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Paul
 
2nd_Adam said:
You see, there are Catholics who understand the truth of faith alone!
Click to expand...
Um, no.

There are catholics that haven’t read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (currently in the process, before you ask).

Pax†
 
CHESTERTONRULES said:
Faith is a gift. His act of accepting this gift is what saves him.
Click to expand...
Yes…a deathbed conversion is like the guy who shows up at the end of the day and gets the same reward as the men who worked the whole day. He just got paid for doing nothing because the master is generous.
 
CHESTERTONRULES said:
A profession of faith is a response to grace.

We must cooperate with God’s grace in order to be saved.
Click to expand...
Do you understand the many can profess faith in Christ and remain dead in their sins and treaspasses? Those who profess faith apart from the Spirit of God actually possess a James chapter 2 dead faith which the demons also have. If saving faith is a gift of God, then saving faith comes from God alone. There are two kinds of faith, a dead faith generated by the flesh of man and a living faith which is received from God as a glorious gift which transforms a sinner into the image of Christ… to the praise of His glorious transforming and saving grace.
 
ron77nyc said:
Of course but it’s faith that saves you and not your good deeds. If a man is on his deathbed, he doesn’t have time to do anything but believe the message of the gospel. That man would be saved by faith alone.
Click to expand...
You are proclaiming what Jesus revealed in this passage from John 6.

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” - Jesus
 
ron77nyc said:
This is an excerpt from a thorough explanation of what you are saying.
catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0027.html

“Faith is the root, the necessary beginning. Hope is the stem, the energy that makes the plant grow. Love is the fruit, the flower, the visible product, the bottom line. The plant of our new life in Christ is one; the life of God comes into us by faith, through us by hope, and out of us by the works of love. That is clearly the biblical view, and when Protestants and Catholics who know and believe the Bible discuss the issue sincerely, it is amazing how quickly and easily they come to understand and agree with each other on this, the fundamental divisive issue.”
Click to expand...
I have to leave but I want to read your link. I think Catholic Answers is an excellent place to learn what you are sharing since some of the Apologists are ex-Protestants. I think the Pope is in agreement too, considering his work on the doctrine of justification according to Paul. We all know a dead faith which cannot generate the fruit of charity and love is a dead faith which is demonic. A true living faith which is granted by God (grace) will produce charity and love in progression, because the root is God. Who is the author and perfecter of our faith according to Scripture?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - hebrews 12
 
2nd_Adam said:
Do you understand the many can profess faith in Christ and remain dead in their sins and treaspasses? Those who profess faith apart from the Spirit of God actually possess a James chapter 2 dead faith which the demons also have. If saving faith is a gift of God, then saving faith comes from God alone. There are two kinds of faith, a dead faith generated by the flesh of man and a living faith which is received from God as a glorious gift which transforms a sinner into the image of Christ… to the praise of His glorious transforming and saving grace.
Click to expand...
Faith is a free gift of grace. If we don’t respond to this gift, we won’t be saved.

As Augustine said: "Without God, we can’t, without us, God won’t’
 
CHESTERTONRULES said:
Faith is a free gift of grace. If we don’t respond to this gift, we won’t be saved.

As Augustine said: "Without God, we can’t, without us, God won’t’
Click to expand...
Do you believe that there are measures of faith given to men, and some are not given the gift of faith according to the Scriptures? Or, do you believe faith is self-generated from self?

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Revelation 21:8
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

2 Thessalonians 3
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Philippians 1:29
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
 
2nd_Adam said:
Do you believe that there are measures of faith given to men, and some are not given the gift of faith according to the Scriptures? Or, do you believe faith is self-generated from self?

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Revelation 21:8
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

2 Thessalonians 3
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Philippians 1:29
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Click to expand...
As I’ve already stated, faith is a gift of grace. We must respond to this grace in order to saved.

God wants all of us to be saved and turn from our wicked ways. Jesus is drawing all men to himself.

All men.
 
=2nd Adam;5719194]Pope Benedict XVI agreed with Martin Luther on the truth of faith alone!
Click to expand...
vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20081119_en.html
Click to expand...
“For this reason Luther’s phrase: “faith alone” is true, if it is not opposed to faith in charity, in love. Faith is looking at Christ, entrusting oneself to Christ, being united to Christ, conformed to Christ, to his life”. - Pope Benedict XVI
Click to expand...
He does not mean want you want him too friend. I bet you’re not the least bit suprised to “discover that?”

Love and prayers,
 
CHESTERTONRULES said:
As I’ve already stated, faith is a gift of grace. We must respond to this grace in order to saved.

God wants all of us to be saved and turn from our wicked ways. Jesus is drawing all men to himself.

All men.
Click to expand...
What do you think about the Emperor Constantine? He postponed baptism until death. He had no good works after his conversion. Under those conditions the Church has always said a person would skip Purgatory and go to heaven. If that’s not salvation by faith alone I don’t know what is.
 
2nd_Adam said:
Revelation 21:8
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Note that it say faithless and … not faithless are.

Philippians 1:29
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
Click to expand...
Interesting quotes that seem to support the Pope’s “If”
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top