Pope Benedict XVI - "faith alone is true"!

[2nd_Adam]

The bible explicit informs us that we will be judged for our actions.

We can’t please God without the intervention of his grace. However, his grace can intervene and yet we still have the choice of rejecting him.

We must strive to conform to his will.

If we reject him, he will reject us.

This IMO, is very dangerous theology when it comes to our affections for God and His glorious gospel. What makes your faith any different than other world religions of works to enter Heaven?

 

[2nd_Adam]

If we don’t obey Jesus, we won’t remain in his love.

Obedience is an act of will.

I’m guessing that your words and actions are not in conformity.

My guess is that you do strive to obey Jesus and live a holy life.

Am I right?

What degree of obedience is required to remain in Christ? When you are disobedient, do you move from the kingdom of light back into the kingdom of darkness?

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

This IMO, is very dangerous theology when it comes to our affections for God and His glorious gospel. What makes your faith any different than other world religions of works to enter Heaven?

I’m Catholic. The Catholic faith is 100% true. There are portions of truth found in other faiths, including Calvinism.

Catholics believe that salvation is possible only by God’s grace.

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

What degree of obedience is required to remain in Christ? When you are disobedient, do you move from the kingdom of light back into the kingdom of darkness?

It is possible.

It is not immediate.

Jesus is quite clear, however.

You didn’t answer my questions:

My guess is that you do strive to obey Jesus and live a holy life.

Am I right?

 

[Chancellare]

The Reformers were reacting to the abuses of indulgences. The Roman clergy were extorting the laity and giving the impression that a person could buy their way to heaven, either by doing good deeds (participating in a crusade) or by working hard and donating money to the Church.

The five solas were the “antidote” to these abuses.

So the antidote was like prescribing “paracetamol alone” because some physicians were guilty of antibiotics abuse?

 

[Canto]

What degree of obedience is required to remain in Christ? When you are disobedient, do you move from the kingdom of light back into the kingdom of darkness?

We should be fully obedient to Christ
Being mere mortals we do fail at times
We can however repent of our sins
Sacrament of Reconciliation

David was very faithful, wrote some beautiful psalms
He comited adultery though and became less than faithful
David still had faith in God though
David later repented of his sin

If David did not repent would he still be justifed?

You said of a post by Chesteronrules “This IMO, is very dangerous theology”

He said the Bible tells us we’ll be judged by our actions - I posted various NT verses in an earlier post that show this - from the very mouth of Christ.

He said we can reject Him, and we can. Remember reading about the disciples who no longer walked with Jesus. St Paul said (Heb 10:26)
“if we sin wilfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins but a certain dreadful expectation of judgment…”

We must strive to conform to his will said Chestertonrules - Yes we must. It’s the doers not the hearers that will be justified.

Mattt 7:24 Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man

Mattt 7:26 And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man

James 1:25 But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work: this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Works without grace - can’t be justified
Works without faith - can’t be justified
Faith without works - can’t be justified
Faith with works - can be justified

We work for God under his grace

 

[2nd_Adam]

I’m Catholic. The Catholic faith is 100% true. There are portions of truth found in other faiths, including Calvinism.

Catholics believe that salvation is possible only by God’s grace.

It appears that many Catholics believe that personal good works is necessary and the basis for your reconcilation to God. Therefore, it appears to be a system of good works to make it to Heaven. That is the basis of all world religions apart from biblical Christianity which is really about what God has done for us in Christ, as compared to what we have to do to merit our own salvation. The Catholic Faith for many catholics is a system of earning your way to salvation by your own personal obedience done in Christ. Please read my two links on my signature to see the difference of the fine line of truth and error. The Pope and Professor speak wonderful things if you are able to receive it.

 

[2nd_Adam]

It is possible.

It is not immediate.

Jesus is quite clear, however.

You didn’t answer my questions:

My guess is that you do strive to obey Jesus and live a holy life.

Am I right?

By the work of the Spirit of God in all true believers, we grow in personal obedience which is a birth mark of those who have been renconciled to God. However, our progress in personal holiness is never the basis of our standing before God. Please mediate on this verse in see what is our standing before God based on.

Romans 5

Peace with God Through Faith

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

[2nd_Adam]

We should be fully obedient to Christ
Being mere mortals we do fail at times
We can however repent of our sins
Sacrament of Reconciliation

David was very faithful, wrote some beautiful psalms
He comited adultery though and became less than faithful
David still had faith in God though
David later repented of his sin

If David did not repent would he still be justifed?

You said of a post by Chesteronrules “This IMO, is very dangerous theology”

He said the Bible tells us we’ll be judged by our actions - I posted various NT verses in an earlier post that show this - from the very mouth of Christ.

He said we can reject Him, and we can. Remember reading about the disciples who no longer walked with Jesus. St Paul said (Heb 10:26)
“if we sin wilfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins but a certain dreadful expectation of judgment…”

We must strive to conform to his will said Chestertonrules - Yes we must. It’s the doers not the hearers that will be justified.

Mattt 7:24 Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man

Mattt 7:26 And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man

James 1:25 But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work: this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Works without grace - can’t be justified
Works without faith - can’t be justified
Faith without works - can’t be justified
Faith with works - can be justified

We work for God under his grace

Catholic theology is still in error since it cannot distinguish between a forensic justification revealed in the 13 Epistles of Paul, and the transforming work of the Spirit making us like Christ in sanctification. James chapter 2 is so important when understood in the light of all of Scripture. It is what Martin Luther described in the Catholic way of salvation… however, the just will live by faith in what God has done for us in Christ. It is good to make our calling and election sure, and to strive for progress in personal obedience and christlikenss through the Spirit. However, this is not our basis for our standing before God for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8

Life in the Spirit

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. - Paul

 

[Carlan]

What insight is that?

It is sad that there are so many Catholics that don’t know their faith. It is also very fortunate that we have a faithful and capable teacher in the Pope.

However, embracing heresies created by Reformers is not the solution, 2nd Adam. It was not the doctrine that needed to be reformed, but the ones responsible for teaching it. Men are always in need of Reform. Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin erred by trying to solve the problem by moving away from the Apostolic faith.

You know Guanophore, I began reading what Adam has to say since I began here at CA.
I still cannot figure out what it is he is trying to convince himself of or us of for that matter.
The circle continues on, and I still don’t get him. Can you help us out here? Carlan

 

[2nd_Adam]

You know Guanophore, I began reading what Adam has to say since I began here at CA.
I still cannot figure out what it is he is trying to convince himself of or us of for that matter.
The circle continues on, and I still don’t get him. Can you help us out here? Carlan

Thanks for reading my posts. The Protestant Reformation still lives on in the remnant of God. The remnant chosen by grace crosses denominational lines and Christian communities.

The watchword of the Reformation became Saint Paul’s summary of the gospel: “The just (justified, saved) shall live [have eternal life] by faith [in Christ]” (Rom 1: 17) -

Justification by Faith
PETER KREEFT

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

By the work of the Spirit of God in all true believers, we grow in personal obedience which is a birth mark of those who have been renconciled to God. .

.

Some do, and some don’t. Some fall out of favor with God by persistently disobeying the commandments of Jesus.

Do you think that you are capable of choosing sin?

Do you think a believing Christian who persistently and willfully rejects the commandments of Jesus without remorse will go to heaven?

 

[2nd_Adam]

Some do, and some don’t. Some fall out of favor with God by persistently disobeying the commandments of Jesus.

Do you think that you are capable of choosing sin?

Do you think a believing Christian who persistently and willfully rejects the commandments of Jesus without remorse will go to heaven?

Do you think a believing Christian who persistently and willfully rejects the commandments of Jesus without remorse will go to heaven?

No, because it is not a saving transforming faith. That person has a demonic faith as described in James 2. It is not a faith granted by God, rather it is faith from the flesh of mankind. God saves us from the consequences of our sin, and the bondage of our sin nature.

Do you think that you are capable of choosing sin?

Yes, I do sin when I do not want to sin. Who will rescue me from this body of death?

The Law and Sin

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. **Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! **So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. - My favorite Apostle (Paul)

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

My favorite Apostle (Paul)

Paul has many words of warning for you, but you seem to want to ignore them.

I don’t recommend it:

Gal 6
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. **A man reaps what he sows. **8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

 

[JohnnyBeth]

I don’t think Pope Benedict XVI is speaking of “faith alone” (sola fide) in the context of salvation. No, he is referring to the following:

1.) Turning to Christ in times of need (“Faith is looking at Christ”);
2.) Giving your life over to Christ (“entrusting oneself to Christ”); and
3.) Living as Christ did and taught (“being united to Christ, conformed to Christ, to his life”)

In other words, affirming what Christ said in the Gospel of John:

“Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.” - John 14:6

Probably explains why the Pope referenced Luther???

 

[2nd_Adam]

Paul has many words of warning for you, but you seem to want to ignore them.

I don’t recommend it:

Gal 6
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. **A man reaps what he sows. **8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

• And don’t foget the entire Romans chapter 8 to parallel with the passages above. True Christians put to death the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit.*

 

[JohnnyBeth]

I thought they answered it quite well, in the JDDJ:

Jon

Except for a minor point; they don’t believe it. I suppose you know what their true definition of justification is; which is not apart from santification in the sense that we are declared righteous, our justification, then we are santified. They put the 2 together in the sense that santification is part of justification, when the Bible teaches otherwise. I suspect you already know this.

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

• And don’t foget the entire Romans chapter 8 to parallel with the passages above. True Christians put to death the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit.*

True Christians reap what they sow.

You and I are not exceptions to this rule.

 

[2nd_Adam]

True Christians reap what they sow.

You and I are not exceptions to this rule.

So, what will you reap and based on what source? There are rewards in Heaven for those who are in Christ. However, God is still the source of Christians who will be rewarded for their faithfulness done in Christ. In essence, God is crowning his own work done in us… grace upon grace.

 

[CHESTERTONRULES]

So, what will you reap and based on what source?

Gal 6
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.** A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.**