Salvation via Baptism?

[Zeldarocks]

In reading through the Catechism regarding the Sacrament of Baptism, I read that “The faithful Christian who has ‘kept the seal’ until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life ‘marked with the sign of faith.’”

So, we are saved through Baptism, but must persevere in the path of God until we die?

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Could you please post links and/or paragraph numbers to read more context, or is there more context?

Alan

 

[po18guy]

One need look no further than the words of our Savior:

Matthew 10:22
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
And you shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.

Matthew 24:13
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.

Mark 13:13
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
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.

 

[Sherry_G]

In reading through the Catechism regarding the Sacrament of Baptism, I read that “The faithful Christian who has ‘kept the seal’ until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life ‘marked with the sign of faith.’”

So, we are saved through Baptism, but must persevere in the path of God until we die?

Where did the quote you refer to come from? I don’t find it in my Catechism nor recognize those words you are using.
In general, of course we must perservere in our faith, and Baptism is the beginning of God’s grace poured out to us. We all are called to continue to grow in faith, following all that Jesus taught us and incorporating it into our lives. being Christ to others requires a lot of work. A simple profession of belief just really doesn’t accomplish what Christ has asked of us. Check out the CCC, Section 2, article 1 on the subject of Baptism for a complete understanding.
Welcome home to the Catholic Church. We will pray for you as you complete your studies and enter into Christs one true Church.

 

[fhansen]

Where did the quote you refer to come from? I don’t find it in my Catechism nor recognize those words you are using.
In general, of course we must perservere in our faith, and Baptism is the beginning of God’s grace poured out to us. We all are called to continue to grow in faith, following all that Jesus taught us and incorporating it into our lives. being Christ to others requires a lot of work. A simple profession of belief just really doesn’t accomplish what Christ has asked of us. Check out the CCC, Section 2, article 1 on the subject of Baptism for a complete understanding.
Welcome home to the Catholic Church. We will pray for you as you complete your studies and enter into Christs one true Church.

Here’s the paragraph it comes from:
1274 The Holy Spirit has marked us with the seal of the Lord (“Dominicus character”) "for the day of redemption."86 "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life."87 The faithful Christian who has “kept the seal” until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith,"88 with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.

And, regarding the question in the OP, these other paragraphs emphasize that Baptism is only the beginning of our walk with God:
**1253 Baptism is the sacrament of faith.54 But faith needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can believe. The faith required for Baptism is not a perfect and mature faith, but a beginning that is called to develop. The catechumen or the godparent is asked: “What do you ask of God’s Church?” The response is: “Faith!”

1254 For all the baptized, children or adults, faith must grow after Baptism. For this reason the Church celebrates each year at the Easter Vigil the renewal of baptismal promises. Preparation for Baptism leads only to the threshold of new life. Baptism is the source of that new life in Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth. **

 

[Zeldarocks]

So… It seems to be akin to the plan of Salvation within the Pentecostal denomination: We are saved by faith, and the works are a sign of our salvation?

 

[fhansen]

So… It seems to be akin to the plan of Salvation within the Pentecostal denomination: We are saved by faith, and the works are a sign of our salvation?

No, in Catholicism it’s all about what we do with what we’re given. I’d suggest reading Luke 12:48 and also the Parable of the Talents as well as James 2. Works of love are a part of our salvation depending on the time and opportunity we have, i.e. what we do counts.

 

[po18guy]

So… It seems to be akin to the plan of Salvation within the Pentecostal denomination: We are saved by faith, and the works are a sign of our salvation?

We are saved by God’s grace through our faith. Faith doesn’t save directly, but it calls down God’s grace - which saves. Yet, we must leave this earth yet in a state of grace, else we are not saved. So, as Jesus teaches us, we must persevere to the end. Paul wrote of those who were already converted, but were “being saved”, so it clearly is not a single-point-in-time event, but a process.

Faith and love are inseparable. So, our love must produce fruits, or else it is dead. The Epistle of James makes this clear. Faith without works (of charity) is dead. We cannot expect to have eternal life if our faith is dead.

We must not confuse the two biblical usages of the term “works”. There are two distinct meanings in scripture: the first and oldest being the works of the Mosaic law. These were physical actions that obeyed the commands of Moses. Although it was intended to, faith had little to do with it. Secondly, there are works of Christian charity. These we do out of our love of one another, in fulfillment of Jesus’ command to “love one another as I have loved you”.

Jesus fulfilled (completed) the Mosaic covenant, and so introduced the new and eternal covenant in His Blood. Thus, we need not obey Mosaic law, but need to produce the fruits of our love, in accordance with the new covenant.