"Saved???"

[Kmon23]

I have some protestant songs, but in any scenario where it says “saved” in the past tense, is there absolutely no truth to this? I understand Catholic theology says it is those who endure to the end that shall be saved and does not believe in OSAS belief. However, just as how “born again” is used differently in protestant and catholic churches, is there any merit or truth to phrases or lyrics that say “we are saved?”

Is it also applicable in Catholic theology to phrases such as “Jesus’ blood washes away our sins” or to “cover us with Jesus’ blood”?

 

[naomily]

I don’t think there’s any harm in referring to oneself as “saved”. Even if the wording is clumsy and it doesn’t exactly line up with Catholic teaching, the spirit of the phrase is a joyful proclamation of God’s sacrifice and redemption. That cannot be wrong.

 

[TimothyH]

The Bible refers to salvation in the past tense, present tens and future tense. We have been saved, we are being saved and will be saved.

Past Tense

And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7:50)

Present Tense

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47)

Future Tense

But he who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:13)

We were saved, are being saved and will be saved. Salvation is a process which starts at baptism and ends when we die.

-Tim-

 

[garyo49]

I have some protestant songs, but in any scenario where it says “saved” in the past tense, is there absolutely no truth to this? I understand Catholic theology says it is those who endure to the end that shall be saved and does not believe in OSAS belief. However, just as how “born again” is used differently in protestant and catholic churches, is there any merit or truth to phrases or lyrics that say “we are saved?”

Is it also applicable in Catholic theology to phrases such as “Jesus’ blood washes away our sins” or to “cover us with Jesus’ blood”?

As Catholics we believe that you can lose your justification. It takes way more than you stating a belief in the name of Jesus. That is a good start though. In Matthew 25 in the Lords description of the last judgement he tells us that we need to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit the sick. Then he said: “Amen I say that as long as you did it to the least of these you did it to me and those that didn’t shall go into everlasting punishment.” In Matthew ch. 7 The Lord says, “Not everyone that says to me Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but those that do the will of my Father will enter the Kingdom of Heaven,” Yes by Grace we are saved, but it takes a life time of participation in the Sacraments and doing the will of God to be “saved.”

2 Peter 2:20 :

“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first.”

 

[DavidFilmer]

It is a doctrine of the Church that we cannot know for sure if anybody (who has reached the age of reason) is saved or damned (not even ourselves). Claiming this knowledge could be presumptuous. If the lyric was, “I am redeemed” it would not be a problem (everybody is redeemed).

There’s no theological concern about the “Jesus’ blood” quotes. They are adapted from Revelation and spoken by Saints in heaven, but there’s no reason why the concept is limited to the Saints in heaven (our sins are washed away in Baptism through the merits of Jesus’ blood). But I think lines like that scare and confuse children.

 

[lutherlic]

Timothy H nailed it. It is a past / present / future concept for us.

I suppose if you are asking in the purely Protestant sense of the question, then “no” – and neither are they.

I wrote about this very topic here, FWIW.