Real Life Apologetics

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If any of you were reading the Catholic living forum about a month ago, you would know that I have been dating a Protestant minister’s daughter for a long while now.

Now, she is the highest caliber of woman, that I am certain. We “broke up” about a month ago. I use quotations because nothing really changed in our relationship - it seems it was just to keep her dad happy. (Who she has trouble standing up to, to say the least.) He had been pressuring her for a while.

I talked with her dad today. I just wanted to hear it from him. He basicly said, to keep this short, that he thinks I am a great person and he could not choose a better suitor for his daughter - except that the Catholic Church teaches a “different” gospel, one which is wrong. He had a LaHaye feel to him at points, in the sense that “I do feel there are Catholics going to Heaven, the ones who understand that salvations is only through faith, and not works, but just choose to stay with the church for whatever reason.”

I didn’t respond, I had expected as much. However, we planned to discuss the “issues” at length next week.

With that said, my question is, what can I say to such a brick wall? I feel confident since I have the Truth behind me, but how should I approach it?

If any of you are “battle hardened” in this, how do you usually start out? “Where did we get the Bible?”, “How are you saved?”.How do you usually talk to people?

Here is his church webpage if ya’ll wanna check out his beliefs.

caryalliance.org/

Maybe I just need some advice, if anyone has life experience and how to deal with this.

Adam
 
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Unfinished:
If any of you were reading the Catholic living forum about a month ago, you would know that I have been dating a Protestant minister’s daughter for a long while now.

Now, she is the highest caliber of woman, that I am certain. We “broke up” about a month ago. I use quotations because nothing really changed in our relationship - it seems it was just to keep her dad happy. (Who she has trouble standing up to, to say the least.) He had been pressuring her for a while.

I talked with her dad today. I just wanted to hear it from him. He basicly said, to keep this short, that he thinks I am a great person and he could not choose a better suitor for his daughter - except that the Catholic Church teaches a “different” gospel, one which is wrong. He had a LaHaye feel to him at points, in the sense that “I do feel there are Catholics going to Heaven, the ones who understand that salvations is only through faith, and not works, but just choose to stay with the church for whatever reason.”

I didn’t respond, I had expected as much. However, we planned to discuss the “issues” at length next week.

With that said, my question is, what can I say to such a brick wall? I feel confident since I have the Truth behind me, but how should I approach it?

If any of you are “battle hardened” in this, how do you usually start out? “Where did we get the Bible?”, “How are you saved?”.How do you usually talk to people?

Here is his church webpage if ya’ll wanna check out his beliefs.

caryalliance.org/

Maybe I just need some advice, if anyone has life experience and how to deal with this.

Adam
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I’d start out with clarifying exactly what the Church says about salvation, since that seems to be the problem he has. Your goal in these conversations should not be to convince him to become a Catholic (although that’d be nice), but to show him that the Catholic view on salvation is not as incompatible with his view as he thinks. Point out to him politely and with respect that he is attacking a strawman, and emphasize that we believe it is God’s grace that saves us, not our human efforts. There are some great resources available on the Catholic Answers webpage under the heading “Salvation.”
 
5 years ago I was doing insurance physicals for some extra money. I was called to do a policy physical for a pastor from the Christian Missionary Alliance. I arrived at his house at 6:30 P.M. went through the physical in about 25 minutes then he intiated his “pitch”. He was a former Catholic who, when he found out I was Catholic, was drooling at the prospect converting the average joe Catholic. In short I didn’t leave his house until 1:30 AM and he was quite taken back by the fact that I knew my faith significantly better than any Catholic he had ever come across. In fact I would have to say he was visibly shaken at the my revealing that some of his beliefs about Catholicism were for the most part spectacular misinformation. There was nothing he said to me that I didn’t have a correction for or an answer for. I give all of my thanks to the people who run Catholic Answers. I will warn you of this. The Christian Missionary Alliance is a fairly anti-Catholic denomination. Do not do anything to harm yourself or the Church
 
decn2b said:
5 years ago I was doing insurance physicals for some extra money. I was called to do a policy physical for a pastor from the Christian Missionary Alliance. I arrived at his house at 6:30 P.M. went through the physical in about 25 minutes then he intiated his “pitch”. He was a former Catholic who, when he found out I was Catholic, was drooling at the prospect converting the average joe Catholic. In short I didn’t leave his house until 1:30 AM and he was quite taken back by the fact that I knew my faith significantly better than any Catholic he had ever come across. In fact I would have to say he was visibly shaken at the my revealing that some of his beliefs about Catholicism were for the most part spectacular misinformation. There was nothing he said to me that I didn’t have a correction for or an answer for. I give all of my thanks to the people who run Catholic Answers. I will warn you of this. The Christian Missionary Alliance is a fairly anti-Catholic denomination. Do not do anything to harm yourself or the Church
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That’s a great testimony. Thanks for sharing it. I used to be pretty anti-Catholic myself and stumbled on the Catholic Answers website in an attempt to find out more about one of those “crazy Catholic doctrines.” Imagine my surprise at finding out how misinformed I was! As long as someone is willing to take a reasonable look at what Catholicism actually teaches, you’ll be able to make quite a bit of headway with them. Hopefully, this pastor is willing to do so and willing to accept that he has been wrong about what Catholics really believe.
 
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Unfinished:
If any of you were reading the Catholic living forum about a month ago, you would know that I have been dating a Protestant minister’s daughter for a long while now.

Now, she is the highest caliber of woman, that I am certain. We “broke up” about a month ago. I use quotations because nothing really changed in our relationship - it seems it was just to keep her dad happy. (Who she has trouble standing up to, to say the least.) He had been pressuring her for a while.

I talked with her dad today. I just wanted to hear it from him. He basicly said, to keep this short, that he thinks I am a great person and he could not choose a better suitor for his daughter - except that the Catholic Church teaches a “different” gospel, one which is wrong. He had a LaHaye feel to him at points, in the sense that “I do feel there are Catholics going to Heaven, the ones who understand that salvations is only through faith, and not works, but just choose to stay with the church for whatever reason.”

I didn’t respond, I had expected as much. However, we planned to discuss the “issues” at length next week.

With that said, my question is, what can I say to such a brick wall? I feel confident since I have the Truth behind me, but how should I approach it?

If any of you are “battle hardened” in this, how do you usually start out? “Where did we get the Bible?”, “How are you saved?”.How do you usually talk to people?

Here is his church webpage if ya’ll wanna check out his beliefs.

caryalliance.org/

Maybe I just need some advice, if anyone has life experience and how to deal with this.

Adam
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Hey Adam,

God bless you brother! I admire your faith and perseverence. The first thing I would do if I were you, is pray pray and pray some more! Remember that we have no power in and of ourselves to change another man’s heart, but the Holy Spirit can provide the grace necessary. I am not telling you to not know your faith, but you could give the most brilliant arguments/explainations and if this man’s heart is hardened, nothing you say will change it!

In the words of JPII “Coragio” brother, God provides for His children in need. Prayers for you, your girlfriend and her father!
 
Unfinished,

Try to point out why the teaching that we are saved by “faith alone” is an error. The following list of arguments should help show why the teaching of “faith alone” is erroneous.

HOW WE ARE SAVED
faith? grace ? baptism? hope? works? obedience? Love? sanctification?]

BY FAITH
1 Cor 1:21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.

Rom 3:28
28 For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.

Rom 10:10
For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

BY GRACE
Eph 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God–not the result of works, so that no one may boast.

Rom 3:24
they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

Eph 2:4-6
the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ

WORKS–
Matt 16:24-27
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done.

1 Tim 4:16
Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

James 2:24
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

James 1:21-22
Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.

James 5:20
you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

BY BAPTISM
Acts: 2:40-41
And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

Rom 6:4
Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

1 Peter 3:21
And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you-not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

John 3:5
Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

BY HOPE
Rom 8:24
For we are saved by hope:

Eph :11-12
In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

Col 1:5-6
You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.

Titus 3:6-7
This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Heb 3:6
Christ, however, was faithful over God’s house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope.

Heb 6:11 And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end,

BY OBEDIENCE
Deu 7:9-10
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, and who repays in their own person those who reject him.

John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.

Acts 5:32
And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

cont. on next post
 
cont. from prior post

Heb 5:9
and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,

Matt 7:21
"Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Rev 12:17
Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.

BY LOVE
1 Cor 8:3
…but anyone who loves God is known by him.

2 Thess 2:10
and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

1 Cor 16:22
Let anyone be accursed who has no love for the Lord. Our Lord, come!

Jam 1:12-15
Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

James 2:5
Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

Luke 10:25-37
“Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”

John 14:15
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 15:10
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

1Cor 2:9
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”

1Cor 13:1-2
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

1Cor 13:13
And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
LOVE IS OBEDIENCE
1Jn 5:3
For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments.

2 Jn 1:6
And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning-you must walk in it.

BY ENDURANCE
Luke 21:19
By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Heb 10:36
For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

Matt 24 :12-13
And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

BY SANCTIFICATION
Heb 13:12
Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood.

Acts 20:32
And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.

1Cor 1:2
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Rom 6:22
But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life.

Heb 2:11
For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,

HEB 10:9
And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

1Peter 1:2
who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood:

2 Thess 2:13
But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Clearly, your girl friends father does not believe that we are saved by “love alone”, “hope alone”, or “obedience alone.” Each of the above arguments shows that these kinds of things are necessary to salvation but none of them “alone” accounts for how we are saved. The argument for “faith alone” fails for the same reason that the arguments for “love alone” and all of the other arguments fail. These elements for salvation are not mutually exclusive and they all come from the same source. They are all by the grace of God, and all of the glory goes to God.
 
Unfinished,

You will probably not make much headway in one session. My suggestions to you are as follows:

Engage this man many times, perhaps face to face and also by email. Email gives you the advantage of being able to analyze everything he says so you can do your research and then give a well reasoned response. Do everything you can to control the direction and course of the debate. Keeping him on the defensive with questions and quotes from scripture is your best bet.

Most importantly…keep your head and heart in the right place. Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit and show him how excited your are to be a Catholic. Let him know what God has done for you in your life. Hammer home the Catholic belief that “everything” comes to us by grace. Our faith and our works are “the work of the Father’s hands” in our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies.

Finally, never let him make a mistatement about Catholic teaching without correcting him. This does not mean that you need to interupt him. You can wait until he finishes his thoughts before correcting him. He needs to realize that he has many misconceptions about Catholic teaching. Correct misconceptions repeatedly if necessary. And remember this. Traditions run deep as do biases…sometimes we can do nothing more than plant a few seeds. The Holy Spirit does all of the heavy lifting.
 
Kristina P.:
. Your goal in these conversations should not be to convince him to become a Catholic (although that’d be nice), but to show him that the Catholic view on salvation is not as incompatible with his view as he thinks.
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i think that’s good advice. arguing over “faith alone” is probably unneccessary at this point, unless he really tries to push it on you. Just point out that Catholics do not in fact believe we are saved simply by our works. Look for common ground instead of differences first, because your primary objective is to perserve your relationship with his daughter. “Debating” can come later.
 
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Pax:
Most importantly…keep your head and heart in the right place. Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit and show him how excited your are to be a Catholic. Let him know what God has done for you in your life. Hammer home the Catholic belief that “everything” comes to us by grace. Our faith and our works are “the work of the Father’s hands” in our hearts, minds, souls, and bodies.
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I read the track on this (Reward and Merit), and I am pretty sure I understand it properly, but how do I go about explaining that to a man such as this?
 
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Unfinished:
I read the track on this (Reward and Merit), and I am pretty sure I understand it properly, but how do I go about explaining that to a man such as this?
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Print it out and give it to him? You could print out the tracts which address the most common issues and have them at the ready. Or you could say to him, “I don’t quite trust myself to explain this but I will get you a brief discussion of this [go home and print out the relevant tract and send it to him] that you could look at.”

Tread lightly.

Maybe go to “The Journey Home” archives and look around for conversion stories from people of your GF’s dad’s denomination. It could give you an idea of what the main issues will be for him, along with personal insights about the human side of the equation. Never lose sight of the human side.

You could quote Fulton Sheen:

“There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church—which is, of course, quite a different thing. These millions can hardly be blamed for hating Catholics because Catholics “adore statues”; because they “put the Blessed Mother on the same level with God”; because they say “indulgence is a permission to commit sin”; because the Pope “is a Fascist”; because the “Church is the defender of Capitalism.” If the Church taught or believed any one of these things it should be hated, but the fact is that the Church does not believe nor teach any one of them. It follows then that the hatred of the millions is directed against error and not against truth. As a matter of fact, if we Catholics believed all of the untruths and lies which were said against the Church, we probably would hate the Church a thousand times more than they do…”
 
Many people have given good advice, one other very very important thing is to keep on topic.

Often if you have an answer to an objection that will be followed by one more objection or two more at the same time, in an effort to poke holes in your belief. This is very common to have multiple objections thrown at you not looking for an answer. If you have an answer make sure you explain it as best as you can, and make sure you make the point that you have a valid answer.

Or else after 30 questions you will end up being asked that very same question again as you go round and round.

And if you don’t know just write down the question tell him “I don’t know and get back to him on it” There is an answer to every objection out there.

If you haven’t already stop by www.biblechristiansociety.com

God Bless
Scylla
 
The most helpful site is www.scripturecatholic.com . It is my favourite resource for correcting Protestant errors and misconceptions, using “scripture alone”, even though that in itself is a man made doctrine.
 
Thanks for the links guys.

Do any of ya’ll have reference to the CCC? I searched for salvation, but it didn’t quite turn up what I was looking for on the subject.
 
Unfinished said:
If any of you are “battle hardened” in this, how do you usually start out? “Where did we get the Bible?”, “How are you saved?”.How do you usually talk to people?
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I am not battle hardened, but I am preparing for battle. I have been boning up on apologetics materials quite a bit lately to be able to debate my brother-in-law, an ex-Catholic evangelical who wanted to be a priest at one point. I want to be ready for the inevitable moment when he attempts to get in an anti-Catholic dig or quote the Bible to me. If I ever force the issue (and I feel I’m getting close to be able to do that,) I will begin by simply asking him about his Church or about what he believes about a certain subject. I am leaning toward asking him about his church’s communion service and then contrast it to the Holy Eucharist, citing scripture passages in which Jesus speaks literally of His flesh and His blood. But I’d rather not force the issue if I don’t have to. I don’t want to come on too strong so that he gets defensive right away. It would be best if he initiated the conversation and felt like HE was evangelizing ME. I feel that if I pray and be patient, God will provide the right opportunity to engage him.

I am preparing by perusing alot of protestant internet forums to get a feel for their terminology, what their arguments are like, and what they feel about Catholics and Catholicism. I have even begun to engage in a little discussion on some sites. I have surprisingly found many Catholics doing the same and really defending the Faith well. It has been edifying.

I am also preparing by reading books by converts like Scott Hahn, Steve Ray, Karl Keating, Patrick Madrid, David Currie, and Jeff Cavins. They are enormously helpful to be able to anticipate the protestant arguments, and to understand the major issues that caused their conversions.

I wish you the best of luck and may God bless your efforts.
 
Try explaining everything using scripture. Protestants love Eph 2:8-9 for salvation by faith alone. Explore these verses and then carefully look at verse 10. You can really use verse ten to your advantage. You can further demonstrate the power of God’s grace and his desires for us using the following passages:

Isaiah 55:11
so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

2 Cor 3:5-6
Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent…

1 Cor 15:58
Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Eph 3:16
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit,

Eph 3:20
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,

Eph 6:10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Phil 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Col 1:11
May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with joy

2 Thess 1:11
To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thess 3:3
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

2 Tim 1:7
for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

2 Tim 3:2- 5
For people will be lovers of themselves, … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power.

Heb 13:9
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings; for it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace,

John 15:5
I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

Freedom from sin by grace:

John 8: 31-36
Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, “You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Rom 6: 6
We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.

Rom 6:14-16
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

1 Jn 3: 4-9
Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God.

Acts 13:39
by this Jesus everyone who believes is set free from all those sins from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

1 Peter 4:1-2
Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin), so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God.

Once again, “everything” is by God’s grace and the glory all goes to God. I hope this helps.
 
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Unfinished:
Thanks for the links guys.

Do any of ya’ll have reference to the CCC? I searched for salvation, but it didn’t quite turn up what I was looking for on the subject.
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Paragraphs 1987-2029 deal with justification, grace, merit and holiness.
 
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Unfinished:
I read the track on this (Reward and Merit), and I am pretty sure I understand it properly, but how do I go about explaining that to a man such as this?
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If it comes down to it and you don’t mind annoying him just a little, point out to him that the only time the Bible uses the phrase “faith alone” is in the book of James, where verse 2:24 says, “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” That’s coming from the New International Version, one of the translations most widely used by Protestants.
 
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