If I am parroting anyone, it’s Paul and the other N.T. writers.
Then grace is no longer grace.Rom 11:6 "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.Your “it is up to us” boils down to works with the message that salvation, ultimately, is based on what you do, not on what Christ has done. This nonbiblical notion that “Christ did His thing, now we must do ours” is nothing less than salvation by works, not grace, and diametrically opposed to what Paul plainly states in Rom. 11:6 above.Originally taught? That makes no sense. What we have in the N.T. are the original teachings regarding the faith preserved for us in Holy Writ. What you’re claiming is there’s an original interpretation of the N.T. preserved in Rome somewhere. Hey, James, not even your Magisterium has produced an “official” interpretation (commentary) on the whole N.T.
Notice that there’s only ONE letter addressed to the church at Rome. And it wasn’t from Peter but from Paul. And it’s not addressed to the “official interpreters” in Rome. There was no such thing, never was. And when the church at Corinth received its letters, there is no record of them sending to Rome for an official interpreter. Nor did the Ephesians or the Galatians or the Jewish believers who received letters from Peter, James and the writer of Hebrews. There is absolutely no instruction by any of the writers of the N.T. to appoint official interpreters of Scripture. But instead, the letters and gospel accounts were copied and passed around to all the churches. James, when you receive a letter in the mail do you have an “official interpreter” appointed in your house? Do you have somebody interpret this message of mine for you?
Now it is true the Scriptures need to be studied. But God has raised up within the Body of Christ teachers to facilitate in that matter, many being mere “layman” (the N.T. does not mention priests (Gr. hiereus) in the church, only bishops/overseers (Gr. eposkopos), elders (Gr. presbyteros) and deacons (Gr. diakonos); none of which are called priests (hiereus).
The false separation of “clergy” and “layman” was a later development and has no Biblical support. There is only the general priesthood of believers, who themselves are called “saints.”
No teacher raised up by God teaches a gospel of works. Such are false teachers which Peter warned/predicted would rise up among us (2 Pet. 2:1).You mean not in conformity to your church tradition.But the Scriptures do not and are the original source."Rom 11:6 "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."Grace (unmerited favor) is the means by which God saves (completely) the believer, not a means by which He assists a believer to work for his salvation. The grace by which He saves, through faith, is sovereign grace. Because of the cross it is His right to save, and He remains righteous (just) when He does. Christ having met all the requirements. What you’re not understanding is the power of the cross:1 Cor 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved (through faith) it is the power of God.”
Eph 2:16 "…and might reconcile them both (Jew and Gentile) in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.Now if you look at Eph. 2:16 in context, James, you’ll see the “enmity” between Jew and Gentile is “the Law of commandments {contained} in ordinances.” This, through the cross, says Paul, He abolished and “in Himself” He makes the two (both believing Jew and Gentile) into one new man (Eph. 2:15, called “the church”). All of this has nothing to do with works, and certainly not the Law with its Decalogue.Acts 10:43 “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
Acts 13:38 “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,”
Acts 26:18 "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
Col 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
1 John 2:12 "I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake."It’s a false assumption, indeed, to think that they taught something entirely differently “by mouth,” from that which they taught “by letter.” And anyway, it is only the Scriptures that are theopneustos (God-breathed). It doesn’t mean they weren’t verbally speaking truth, but theopneustos only refers to the written Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16). And it is impossible to accurately preserve that which is verbally delivered. That’s why God provided us with the God-breathed Scriptures.No, Moses delivered those to Israel at Mt. Sinai through the covenant of Law. As a Man, a Jew, born under the Law, Jesus fulfilled them perfectly. He Himself actually being another “Adam,” a Federal Head with a posterity, made righteous, now “in Him,” through faith in Him alone.
Jim — gets no Charity points for this rebutal
The point is that membership in the elect (i.e. predestined to glory) is not determined by foreseen good works/ merits. In order to understand this, you must understand that predestination is not pure divine forekowledge of man’s choices (faith, works, etc.), which is basically the Arminian view. In the Catholic view, God plays a much more active role than a mere spectator or a rubber stamp.