Again, I’m repeating what I think you’re saying back to you. There is a world of difference in our participation in our salvation and what it seems you said from the begining.
What I said from the “beginning”? I would hope I have been consistent. If not, please indicate how so.
This is how I view Catholic Soteriology. God elects us. (what this means exactly I’m not certain but certainly not in a Calvinistic point of view) Or God Chooses us to be saved. Now I think its general to the whole world. So he provides both salvation and Justification.
And gives us faith.
Sounds very predestinational. Of course, in many areas the Church has not made official pronouncements, so s what you seem to be saying probably is not currently viewed as antithetical to Catholic theology. However, your emphasis places you in a minority position. Your view really does appear, at least to me, to be very protestant, even Calvinistic. However, as I said, I do not believe the Church has made any official pronouncements that would reject what you have said. I simply disagree with your viewpoint.
So we are Saved from Gods election in which he provides the means to be saved through his son and God in his graces gives us faith. The only reasonable response to that faith is to accept it. (which diverges from Calvins irrestable aspect) So we are saved as we accept this faith. \
Saved from [or by?] God’s election? No. God does provide each individual with varying amounts of grace. However, we participate in the extent to which we cooperate or respond to that grace, which either **maintains, weakens or eliminates **our Justification. We may build on the deposit of grace by obedient faith, by loving our neighbors, or we may not. That is where our **Will **comes into the picture.
The only ***reasonable ***response? Perhaps the only **beneficial **response, but “reasonable”? Not a good choice of term, since our life situations may incline us to respond in a way that doesn’t cooperate with God’s grace. That certainly wouldn’t be reasonable in terms of our justification and eventual salvation, but most people wouldn’t view it in such a long-term perspective.
I know often “saved” is used as you used it here. But theologically, one is saved when God’s judgment is irreversible. So, ***justified ***is the proper term.
Your viewpoint, and I know you have labelled yourself a Catholic, is so radically different from my own, that I would not even consider someone espousing such views, to be a Catholic. Again, I do not believe your views are considered heretical in the Church, but fortunately, they are a minority.
We participate in that salvation through out our lives and as we hold on to the faith until the end we are saved as well. When we obtain the eternal reward likewise we are saved.
As you see, you are forced to use “saved” with very different meanings. That is why it is best to use “saved” only to mean an **irreversible judgment **by God, that comes after the end of termporal life. **Justified **is the proper word. The only ***reward ***in Catholicism is Eternal Life. Only protestants believe otherwise. The differing ways in which you use "saved’ is getting you into trouble.
Furthermore, “hold on to the faith”, is only accurate if you mean “faith” in a theological sense directly connected to a salvation context. Before you interject, “of course I mean it that way”, it is not apparent since you *continually *refer to “faith” but leave out any reference to “works”. We hold on to our JUSTIFICATION by **obedient faith **which means, an action-oriented faith based on works of charity. This seems to be completely missing from your narration. That is why I consider your viewpoint far more protestant than Catholic.
I think in Catholic soteriology salvation means everything in the christian life.
No. Theological faith means everything in one’s life that is obedient to God’s teachings; viz.,** belief and actions **based on that belief. **Salvation **logically can only mean a judgment by God that one is going to heaven. That comes *after *temporal death. Use Justification, not salvation, in all other contexts.
A poor analogy is that a person is drowning in the sea. Jesus offers his hand to pull us out to save us. We choose to take his hand to be saved and he pulls us out and puts us on dry ground which saves us.
No. If we take his hand we are cooperating with God’s grace. We are then justified, not saved.
And everything we do that keeps us on the dry ground and experience on the dry ground is living salvation or our participation in it. It is safe to say Jesus saved us and we then participate in salvation.
Everything we do that keeps us on dry ground is due to our cooperating with God’s grace, and thereby, retaining our Justification. God’s grace has prompted us to cooperate with that grace and thereby maintain or build further on our justification *sanctification *would also be an appropriate word, here].
From what you said I believe I would easily believe salvation is about saving myself which is why I sought clarification. I’m a simple person and must with simple consepts work.
You react that way, no offense, because your views are so protestant.
Neverthess, I say adieu,
In Christ
