Protestant vs Catholic salvation

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mike_sieber

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Hi all. This is my first post. I’m a catholic and have a good friend who is protestant. She’s going through a period of searching for truth and is looking at the catholic faith.

During our many discussions, she always comes to knowing she’s saved and reveling in that joy. She seems to think that because of all of the rules we follow, that we have to walk around all day in fear that God is going to get us for making one little mistake.

I’ve tried telling her that this isn’t the case, but I’m not having much luck.

Any advice?
 
mike_sieber said:
Hi all. This is my first post. I’m a catholic and have a good friend who is protestant. She’s going through a period of searching for truth and is looking at the catholic faith.

During our many discussions, she always comes to knowing she’s saved and reveling in that joy. She seems to think that because of all of the rules we follow, that we have to walk around all day in fear that God is going to get us for making one little mistake.

I’ve tried telling her that this isn’t the case, but I’m not having much luck.

Any advice?
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Ask her how she would feel if she had a husband who said that because he loved her, he shouldn’t have to do anything further beyond feel love. So, doing things like working and paying bills, taking out the trash or even making love were unnecessary because he felt love.

In marriage the fact that we have rules does not mean that we walk around terrified that we will anger our spouses.

Christ compares his relationship to the Church as a marriage, so I think that it is appropriate to use marriage as an analogy of one’s relationship with God.
 
That makes really good sense. I never thought about it in that context before. Thanks:thumbsup:
 
That was a great way of describing it! One point I’ve attempted bring up with my girlfriend (I’m catholic, shes non-denom) is that even though she thinks shes right, I know she’ll love knowing that she’s right with substantial evidence to back it up. I’ve tried telling her that when it comes to Salvation, even though she’s been doing it a certain way, that Salvation isn’t something to just “wing” or “think” you’re doing it right…and hopefully have absolute conviction that you’re doing what you should. (even though she thought she had absolute conviction, our Bible discussions have raised a few doubts suddenly in her personal faith). Good luck - I’ve put a lot of effort into trying to gain Catholic apologetic knowledge and trying to shed light to the Protestant side, but I’ve had very little luck. One Forum member in here said “Ask the Holy Spirit, because it’s through the Holy Spirit that conversions are made”
 
Mike - this is a common point of debate on these fora and there is a lot of information on the Catholic Answers website. You can search their library for “salvation” and come up with a lot of good resources. I did a quick search and found this one - catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0502sbs.asp There are a lot of Scriptures that shows that individual salvation is more than just acceptance of Christ as one’s personal savior. Those are referenced in many of the Catholic Answers materials.

Blessings,

Jim
 
mike_sieber said:
Hi all. This is my first post. I’m a catholic and have a good friend who is protestant. She’s going through a period of searching for truth and is looking at the catholic faith.

During our many discussions, she always comes to knowing she’s saved and reveling in that joy. She seems to think that because of all of the rules we follow, that we have to walk around all day in fear that God is going to get us for making one little mistake.

I’ve tried telling her that this isn’t the case, but I’m not having much luck.

Any advice?
Click to expand...
She might want to consider the following, from one of the Doctors of Catholic Church, St. Athanasius:

St. Athanasius: "***when someone falls from the Spirit through any wickedness—that grace indeed remains irrevocably with those *who are willing to repent after such a fall." (Discourses Against the Arians, 3, 24-25, ca. AD 358 )

If St. Athanasius is correct (and I believe he is), then you can take comfort and have trust in the Lord.
 
deb1 said:
Ask her how she would feel if she had a husband who said that because he loved her, he shouldn’t have to do anything further beyond feel love. So, doing things like working and paying bills, taking out the trash or even making love were unnecessary because he felt love.

In marriage the fact that we have rules does not mean that we walk around terrified that we will anger our spouses.

Christ compares his relationship to the Church as a marriage, so I think that it is appropriate to use marriage as an analogy of one’s relationship with God.
Click to expand...
Outstanding! 👍
 
Does she believe in “Once Saved Always Saved” (OSAS)?

Depending on this, you may want to adjust your strategy.
 
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