What does it mean to be "saved"? Catholic vs. Protestant

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The Holy Spirit inspired James in 2:24 to say that we’re justified by works.

The Holy Spirit is God.

I believe God.
 
=William C;9790209]Is that “yes,” or “no?”
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Its a QUALIFIED YES:D

By these works and only by these works salvations becomes a POSSIBILITY!👍

And yes it has a very firm bbilical foundation.

God Bless,
pat/PJM
 
PJM said:
Its a QUALIFIED YES:D

By these works and only by these works salvations becomes a POSSIBILITY!👍

And yes it has a very firm bbilical foundation.

God Bless,
pat/PJM
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Your a Catholic who’s justified by his works, but with qualification.
 
William_C said:
Are you saved by your works?
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I am saved by Jesus Christ the Risen Lord

Am I saved by the works of the “Law” (Torah)? --no.

Did I “earn” initial justification by my works? --no.

Was my justification --a free gift of God by grace? --yes
 
Man is justified not by “works of the Law” but by Faith in Jesus Christ the Lord.
 
As Paul states in Romans: For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law.

Read more: ewtn.com/ewtn/bible/search_bible.asp#ixzz26xQbz0BD

And in his letter to the Galations:* yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified.*

Read more: ewtn.com/ewtn/bible/search_bible.asp#ixzz26xQqQmPl

(RSV on the EWTN website)
 
To be saved to me means being saved from eternal damnation or hell and living happily forever in heaven with God.
 
Does God reward our good works? sure. (as Jesus notes that those who give a cup of water to those that are his because they are his --will be rewarded)

Are they from him? sure!

Hence that great quote from St. Augustine is fitting.

Do I earn entering into a state of Justification?

no.

Am I saved by the works of the law? no.
 
William_C said:
Your response “begged the question” I asked.

Will you answer it, or run from it? :ehh:
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Hum I gave an answer and St. Augustine put it very nicely.

Maybe you meant something else. I will take another look,
 
Bookcat said:
Hum I gave an answer and St. Augustine put it very nicely.

Maybe you meant something else. I will take another look,
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Never mind. My question makes you uncomfortable. From that, I know your answer. I understand.
 
Bookcat said:
Hum I gave an answer and St. Augustine put it very nicely.

Maybe you meant something else. I will take another look,
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I think it was you word “initial” that signaled him to ask if, having been saved by Grace (which I believe we all agree on, yes?) do you earn an “increase” in justification. Perhaps it is a matter of a misunderstanding. I tried to put it as simply as possible, and the Church Militant provided a very in-depth explanation, that we are saved by Grace, not by works. Yet, as Scripture tells us, we must have faith+works (one, at the exclusion of the other, being dead or empty) to accept this Grace and persevere in it.

I hope I’m saying that right…please correct me if I’m wrong.
 
William_C said:
Did you earn your “increase” in justification?
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Hum.

It can be the case that people mean different things by the same words or similar words.

I do not use the praise “increase in justification” but rather that God can yes make us more and more holy --more and more like Christ and he can reward us of course --reward “good works” but then as I noted he is rewarding his own gifts.

As the Catholic Liturgy notes (borrowing from St. Augustine):

“You are glorified in the assembly of your Holy Ones, for in crowning their merits you are crowning your own gifts”

I can do nothing “of myself” to earn an increase in justification. So no I did not “earn” an increase of justification – as a corollary to did I “earn” my justification. “Apart from me you can do nothing”.

God certainly can be at work in me --see Paul’s letter to the Philippians 2:13

Anything I “merit” after God justified me --comes still by the grace of God. My being moved by the Holy Spirit. Nothing is “earned” as if it where some strict right to some merit by me. We receive everything from God.

As Paul noted to the Ephesians-- “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (2:10)

Are Christians by the grace of God – are they in their faith — to work? Most certainly.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.” (Gal 5:6)

Do they do these of their own --earning something in by some strict merit? – no.

Apart from me you can do nothing.

( RSV ewtn.com/devotionals/biblesearch.asp )
 
William_C said:
Did you earn your “increase” in justification?
Click to expand...
(I said I would take another look)

Hum.

It can be the case that people mean different things by the same words or similar words.

I do not use the praise “increase in justification” but rather that God can yes make us more and more holy --more and more like Christ and he can reward us of course --reward “good works” but then as I noted he is rewarding his own gifts.

As the *Catholic Liturgy *notes (borrowing from St. Augustine):

“You are glorified in the assembly of your Holy Ones, for in crowning their merits you are crowning* your own gifts*”

I can do nothing “of myself” to earn an increase in justification. So no I did not “earn” an increase of justification – as a corollary to did I not “earn” my justification. “Apart from me you can do nothing”.

God certainly can be at work in me --see Paul’s letter to the Philippians 2:13

Anything I “merit” after God justified me --comes still by the grace of God. My being moved by the Holy Spirit. Nothing is “earned” as if it where some strict right to some merit by me. We receive everything from God. He crowns His own gifts.

As Paul noted to the Ephesians-- “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (2:10)

Are Christians by the grace of God – are they in their faith — to work? Most certainly.

As Paul noted:

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.” (Gal 5:6)

Now do they do these of works their own and are they earning something by some strict merit? – no and no.

+Apart from me you can do nothing."​

Indeed: God crowns His own gifts

( RSV ewtn.com/devotionals/biblesearch.asp )

(fixed typos added a little)
 
"In the first place, Paul helps us to understand the absolutely basic and irreplaceable value of faith. This is what he wrote in his Letter to the Romans: “We hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law” (3: 28).

This is what he also wrote in his Letter to the Galatians: “[M]an is not justified by works of the law but only through faith in Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified” (2: 16).

“Being justified” means being made righteous, that is, being accepted by God’s merciful justice to enter into communion with him and, consequently, to be able to establish a far more genuine relationship with all our brethren: and this takes place on the basis of the complete forgiveness of our sins.

Well, Paul states with absolute clarity that this condition of life does not depend on our possible good works but on the pure grace of God: “[We] are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3: 24). With these words St Paul expressed the fundamental content of his conversion, the new direction his life took as a result of his encounter with the Risen Christ."

–Pope Benedict XVI 8 November 2006
 
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