What does "Sola Fide" mean?

[alwayswill]

Ultimately refering to Tim Staples article here

catholic.com/blog/tim-staples/born-again-the-bible-way

does nothing concerning the errors I have pointed out.

Errors such as saying if you are born again (baptized), you are automatically one of the elect.

And I am saying that this is wrong, the Bible never teaches it, the Church has never taught it, the Fathers never taught it, and it contradicts other teachings which warn you can fall away from grace.

• • • .

But I do not believe those baptized are automatically one of the elect.
Never have believed that , never will:
I am not aware of any Protestant who does believe that: there be someone, somewhere; but that would be an extreme minority view.

 

[rcwitness]

Maybe the elect are those God, in His position of judge in eternity, uses as His instrument in His plan of salvation?

 

[Cathoholic]

Alwayswill. You said . . .

But I do not believe those baptized are automatically one of the elect.
Never have believed that , never will:

That’s because you don’t believe being “born again” or “born from above” or being rebirthed of “water and the Spirit” is baptism.

I get that. You are wrong but I understand your denial here.

But you DO (and correct me if I am wrong) think that if you’ve “accepted Jesus into your heart as personal Lord and Savior”, and this was a real and not a false acceptance, then you ARE one of the elect.

And LatinRite (not you alwayswill) at least SEEMS to be asserting Baptism automatically means you are among the elect (without taking so many other aspects into consideration like the NEED for charity or charitable works done in grace according to your state in life).

So I am not directing all of my comments at you at this point alwayswill.

So even in the sense you are saying “being born again” alwayswill . . . .

. . . Being “born again” does NOT mean you are automatically one of the elect.

You won’t be able to show me where being “born again” (in the sense you are talking about) means you are automatically one of “the elect”.

 

[LatinRight]

But I do not believe those baptized are automatically one of the elect.
Never have believed that , never will:
I am not aware of any Protestant who does believe that: there be someone, somewhere; but that would be an extreme minority view.

**Blessings Alwayswill,

To understand our justification, we have to understand our baptism and to understand our

baptism, first we have to understand our fallen spiritual position.

BAPTISM

OUR FALLEN SPIRITUAL POSITION

a. We are under God’s CONDEMNATION. – Rom.5:18a; John 3:18b.

b. We are in BONDAGE OF CORRUPTION. – Rom.8:19-21.

c. We are residents of the KINGDOM OF SATAN. – Luke 4:5-7.

d. We are SPIRITUALLY DEAD in sins. – Eph.2:1b; Col.2:13a.

e. We “do NOT accept anything from the Spirit of God: we see it all as nonsense; it is

BEYOND our UNDERSTANDING because it CAN ONLY be understood by the Spirit of God.” – 1 Cor.2:14.

To be able to receive things from the Spirit of God, FIRST we need new spiritual life.

This is sometimes called “Born Again.”

Col.2:13; Explains:

“And you, BEING DEAD in your trespasses … He has made you alive, … having forgiven

you all trespasses.” – This resurrection/born again and forgiveness of sins/justification, takes place at baptism.

IN OUR BAPTISM, THERE IS GOD’S PART TO DO AND OUR PART TO DO

God’s part to do in our baptism ALWAYS PRECEDES our water baptism.

This is the point, sometimes confusion comes in to understand baptism.

GOD’S WORK IN OUR BAPTISM IN FINE DETAILS

The SEQUENCE of events in our baptism.

1. GOD SANCTIFIED us. – At our sanctification God has completely washed us clean,

made us holy (our spirit + soul). – 1 Cor.6:11; 1 Pet.2:9; etc.

We may call it our first purgatory as God has completely washed us clean. – It was an INSTANT event.

1. God delivered us from the power of darkness and taken us (our spirit + soul) up to heaven, – Col. 1:13; Eph.2:6.
2. In heaven God baptized us into the body of Christ, – 1 Cor.12:13, 27.
3. In the Body of Christ God RE-CREATED us (from spiritual death, in Christ God made

us spiritually alive, – 1 Cor.15:22; Eph.2:1). – At our re-creation God MADE us SONS of

God and NEW CREATIONS/BORN AGAIN by given us a new heart, a new spirit and God

put His Spirit into us – Ez.36:26-27; 2 Cor.5:17; 1 Cor.3:16; 1 Cor.6:19.

1. God JUSTIFIED us. – At our justification God has DECLARED us JUST and

DECLARED us to be sons of God. – Rom.3:24; Rom.8:15.

1. God made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, –Eph.2:6.

Quote:
“AUGUSTINE’S CONTRIBUTION TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS TO

BE IN THE BODY OF CHRIST.

We are inserted into the Body of Christ by our baptism and become members united to

the Head, so that while our feet may be on earth we are already in heaven.” End quote.

The above quote taken from a letter of Paul Maloney OSA Written September 19th 2012

Because it is a mystery we may not yet fully understand the way it is possible that at the

same time our (spirit + soul) is in heaven and on the earth as well.

All of the above works of God is an instant event, we don’t even realize it and in this work

for three reasons we cannot even co-operated with the grace of God.

FIRST REASON: We are spiritually dead and we accept nothing from the Spirit of God.

• This is our spiritual resurrection from spiritual death.

SECOND REASON: Our initial justification and born again in our baptism is an instant event.

THIRD REASON: The above work of God taken us to the state of grace.

Until we are in the state of grace we cannot make supernatural decisions or do

supernatural work/merit.

Meaning man DOES NOTHING and COULD DO NOTHING, to enter the state of (initial)

justification. – Because spiritually dead at the beginning and the end initially justified, born

again and in the state of grace, the whole process is an instant event.

In the SEQUENCE of the events, first God does His part in our Baptism, as the results; we

are spiritually alive/born again, initially justified, and we are in the state of grace.

This is the point when God gives us His gift of faith and we are able to positively respond

to it. – Because we are spiritually alive, initially justified and we are in the state of grace.

As we see above the necessity of God’s works in our baptism is absolute.

Apart from God first does His part in our baptism we are spiritually dead and we “do NOT

accept anything from the Spirit of God.” – 1 Cor.2:14.

It is SOLELY God’s work and always PRECEDES our water baptism.

This is the point, sometimes confusion comes in, because at this point we are born again,

initially justified, we are in the state of grace and we are not yet water baptized.

Sometimes it is a great distance between God does his part in our baptism and we do our part in our water baptism.

If some reason we are not able to do our part of the baptism that doesn’t stop God to do

His part of our baptism which gives us initial justification, spiritual resurrection/born again

and puts us into the state of grace and if we die enables us to enter heaven. – And of

course God’s part to do in our baptism, always PRECEDES our water baptism.

If we die the next minute after our baptism we go INSTANTLY back home to heaven.

Continue**

 

[LatinRight]

**OUR BAPTISM / JUSTIFICATION IS GOD’S FREE GIFT

HOW TO READ THE NEW TESTAMENT By Etienne Charpentier

Nihil obstate: Father Anton Cowan

Imprimatur: Monsignor John Crowley, VG Westminster, 28 May 1985

Quote: “There is ONE CENTRAL QUESTION here: how can we become RIGHTEOUS and be SAVED?

We NOT justified by what we do (works, observing law) but by FAITH IN CHRIST.

Salvation is NOT a matter of achieving but RECEIVING IT FREELY from God hands, in faith.” End quote. Emphasize mine.

JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church

3/17 Justification is SOLELY due to the forgiving and renewing mercy that God imparts

as a gift and we RECEIVE IN FAITH, and NEVER CAN MERIT IT ANY WAY.

4/25 We confess together that sinners are justified by faith in the saving action of God in

Christ. WHATEVER in the JUSTIFIED PRECEDES or FOLLOWS the free gift of faith is

NEITHER THE BASIS of justification NOR MERITS it.

4/27.The Catholic understanding also sees faith as fundamental in justification. For

without faith, no justification can take place. Thus justifying grace never becomes a

human possession. While Catholic teaching emphasizes the renewal of life by justifying

grace, this RENEVAL in FAITH, HOPE, LOVE is always dependent on God’s

unfathomable grace and contributes NOTHING to JUSTIFICATION.

4/37 We confess together that good works - a Christian life lived in faith, hope and love -

FOLLOW JUSTIFICATION and ARE ITS FRUITS. Emphasize mine.

God bless

LatinRight**

 

[JimmyDFG]

But I do not believe those baptized are automatically one of the elect.
Never have believed that , never will:
I am not aware of any Protestant who does believe that: there be someone, somewhere; but that would be an extreme minority view.

Is being “one of the elect” once saved always saved?

 

[Cathoholic]

LatinRite.

Do you understand you just said in post 134 . . .

QUOTE:

**A Christian stands before the judgment seat and ALL his works are REJECTED by God

because not even an iota of his work was qualified as good work/supernatural work**

. . . . then you appealed to 1st Corinthians 3:12-15 in the very same post, which explicitly talks about “work” which is “tested” by “fire”?

Work that is described as gold, silver, precious stones, and wood, hay and stubble (straw) which all get tested by fire.

Gold and silver tested by fire becomes refined.

Precious stones tested by fire gets the dross burnt off.

Wood, hay, and straw tested by fire gets “burned up”.

Notice SOME of those works “survive”.

The very verses you appealed to . . . . do NOT have all of man’s works “REJECTED” as you said and placed in all caps.

The very verses you cite have at least some works (built upon Christ) SURVIVING!

St. Paul (in the verses YOU cited) explicitly says so.

1st CORINTHIANS 3:11-15 11 For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw– 13 each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

What you said above is only a partial truth.

Our works on their own are not acceptable.

But we don’t claim our works are on their own. Go back and re-read the thread.

These are works done IN GRACE.

We receive the supernatural virtues (faith, hope, and charity) which are infused into us at Baptism.

CCC 1813 The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its special character. They inform and give life to all the moral virtues. They are infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as his children and of meriting eternal life. They are the pledge of the **presence and action of the Holy Spirit **in the faculties of the human being. There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.77

Those works done in grace are different.

That’s WHY St. Augustine can talk about God crowning HIS works in and through people.

ST. AUGUSTINE You are glorified in the assembly of your Holy Ones, for in crowning their merits you are crowning your own gifts.

(See CCC header for CCC 2006)

That’s WHY St. Paul admonishes people to WORK out their salvation.

Because God is AT WORK within you, both for the will and good pleasure of the Father.

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

So as I said. What you say is a partial truth. But there is more.

And when you take these partial truths and absolutize them, you fall into error.

And I am not denying the need for faith here. We’ve already been through THAT too earlier in the thread.

 

[LatinRight]

LatinRite.

Do you understand you just said in post 134 . . .

QUOTE:

**A Christian stands before the judgment seat and ALL his works are REJECTED by God

because not even an iota of his work was qualified as good work/supernatural work**

. . . . then you appealed to 1st Corinthians 3:12-15 in the very same post, which explicitly talks about “work” which is “tested” by “fire”?

Work that is described as gold, silver, precious stones, and wood, hay and stubble (straw) which all get tested by fire.

Gold and silver tested by fire becomes refined.

Precious stones tested by fire gets the dross burnt off.

Wood, hay, and straw tested by fire gets “burned up”.

Notice SOME of those works “survive”.

The very verses you appealed to . . . . do NOT have all of man’s works “REJECTED” as you said and placed in all caps.

The very verses you cite have at least some works (built upon Christ) SURVIVING!

St. Paul (in the verses YOU cited) explicitly says so.

1st CORINTHIANS 3:11-15 11 For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw– 13 each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

What you said above is only a partial truth.

Our works on their own are not acceptable.

But we don’t claim our works are on their own. Go back and re-read the thread.

These are works done IN GRACE.

We receive the supernatural virtues (faith, hope, and charity) which are infused into us at Baptism.

CCC 1813 The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its special character. They inform and give life to all the moral virtues. They are infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as his children and of meriting eternal life. They are the pledge of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the faculties of the human being. There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.77

Those works done in grace are different.

That’s WHY St. Augustine can talk about God crowning HIS works in and through people.

ST. AUGUSTINE You are glorified in the assembly of your Holy Ones, for in crowning their merits you are crowning your own gifts.

(See CCC header for CCC 2006)

That’s WHY St. Paul admonishes people to WORK out their salvation.

Because God is AT WORK within you, both for the will and good pleasure of the Father.

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

So as I said. What you say is a partial truth. But there is more.

And when you take these partial truths and absolutize them, you fall into error.

And I am not denying the need for faith here. We’ve already been through THAT too earlier in the thread.

**God bless Cathoholic,

I have asked from you that question because of your and Alwayswill argument on works and salvation.

I tried to show you Cathoholic even if an elect’s all works are wood hay and straw,

rejected by God he only lose his supernatural merit not his salvation.

Rom.4:5-6 also proves the same thing. – Of course we should work as much as we can.

Another thing, our salvation is God’s free gift, if we would have to work for it or we could

purchase it with our works than couldn’t be God’s free gift.

Another post I will show you the relationship between faith and works in fine details.

God bless

LatinRight**

 

[alwayswill]

Is being “one of the elect” once saved always saved?

not necessarily:
the elect will be saved at the end:
that doesn’t mean there were not periods in their life when they walked away from the faith.

 

[LatinRight]

And LatinRite (not you alwayswill) at least SEEMS to be asserting Baptism automatically means you are among the elect (without taking so many other aspects into consideration like the NEED for charity or charitable works done in grace according to your state in life).

**God bless Cathoholic,

THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OF THE SALVATION OF THE ELECT

1 Pet.1:2
Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the father, …

Romans 8:29
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren.

Romans 8:30
And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

1. Foreknew
2. Completion of the Book of Life
3. Predestined
4. Called
5. Baptized
6. Justified
7. Glorified

THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IN DETAIL

1. First stage of the salvation of the elect: FOREKNEW

It is a mystery for us according to what criteria God has chosen His elect.

A quote from jour above post: “LatinRite …at least SEEMS to be asserting Baptism

automatically means you are among the elect (without taking so many other aspects into

consideration like the NEED for charity or charitable works done in grace according to your state in life).”

All of the above details already was in God’s knowledge at the “First stage of our

salvation: FOREKNEW” but it is a mystery for us the way God used that knowledge in our election.

1. Second stage of the salvation of the elect: COMPLETION OF THE BOOK OF LIFE

God has completed the Book of Life before the foundation of the world by taken out the

names of the reprobates for their vehement rejection of God and His grace. – All

reprobates are on the way to hell.

The predestination of the elect. (DE FIDE)

“God’s unerring foreknowledge and foreordaining is designated in the Bible by the beautiful

figure of the “Book of Life” (liber vitæ, to biblion tes zoes). This book of life is a list which

contains the names of ALL THE ELECT and admits NEITHER ADDITIONS NO ERASURES.” End quote.

1. Third stage of the salvation of the elect: THE PREDESTINATION OF THE ELECT

God has predestined to heaven all His elect. Their names stands written in the Book of Live.

THE CATHOLIC DOGMA. – The predestination of the elect (DE FIDE)

Consequently, the whole future membership of heaven, down to its minutest details, has

been IRREVOCABLY FIXED FROM ALL ETERNITY. Nor could it be otherwise. For if it

were possible that a predestined individual should after all be CAST INTO HELL or that

one not predestined should in the end REACH HEAVEN, then God would have been

MISTAKEN in his foreknowledge of future events; He would NO LONGER be omniscient.

End quote.

1. Fourth stage of the salvation of the elect: GOD HAS CALLED HIS ELECT INTO HIS SERVICE

Rom.11:29; “For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.”

1. Fifth stage of the salvation of the elect: BAPTISM OF THE ELECT

At baptism the elect received God’s gift of everlasting life and God’s gift of Final

Perseverance which is an Eternal Assurance of their Irrevocable salvation and their

everlasting life. – Everlasting life is not a periodical life and death.

According to the Joint Declaration (and common sense) Baptism without faith is invalid.

We can be sure for several reasons God does not baptize the reprobates into the Body of

Christ while they are on the way to hell.

a. The reprobates not only don’t have faith but for their vehement rejection of God and His

grace their names taken out from the Book of Life from all eternity.

b. God’s call into His service and His gift of baptism are irrevocable. – Rom.11:29.

c. If a reprobate would die in the state of grace God would lose His omniscience. etc. etc.

1. Sixth stage of the salvation of the elect: JUSTIFICATION OF THE ELECT

Justification of the elect takes place at their baptism.

1. Seventh stage of the salvation of the elect: THE ELECT GLORIFIED

The elect will be glorified in heaven.

The salvation of the elect absolutely assured from all eternity from the point of their election.

I’m not asserting they are elect because they are baptized, I’m asserting the elect are

elect from all eternity and they are baptized because they are elect. – I also asserting no

one can have a valid baptism who is not an elect.

THEOLOGICAL FACT – God’s gift of baptism is irrevocable. Rom.11:29.

Many people can have invalid baptism but only the elect can have valid baptism.

Baptism and Eucharist is only for the elect.

God bless

LatinRight**

 

[Cathoholic]

LatinRite. In post 144 I pointed out you sai all of mans works were worthless appealing to 1st Corinthian 3. . . .

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=14266754&postcount=144

I showed why 1st Corinthians 3 contradicted what you said.

I showed why Philippians 2 contradicted what you said.

I showed why St. Augustine contradicted what you said.

I showed why the CCC contradicted what you said.

Here.

Your response?

Just keep repeating partial truth.

This is not responsible handling of Sacred Scripture.

 

[rcwitness]

I’ll place this post here also, since it applies:

2 Peter

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.For this very reason make every effort tosupplement your faithwith virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. Forifthese things are yours and abound,theykeep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous toconfirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so therewill be*richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So, just as in all the promises, in Scripture, of eternal life, we see the instruction to do works of faith, hope and charity in order to give us assurance of His reward. We are to examine our lives and come to a confidence that we are acting and abounding in self-control, steadfastness, Godliness and brotherly love! This is how we can be sure of our state before the Lord. But our election depends of our completeness of faith. Peter does not say, “… so there is already provided you an entrance…” but that, “… therewillbe provided…”. There are conditions of eternal life. It is not by faith without virtues that faith shows to us.*

What does “suppliment” mean?

Suppliment:

: something that is added to something else in order to make it complete.

 

[rcwitness]

I’ll post those post here also, since it applies: forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=14267183&postcount=55

 

[goout]

When we speak of God’'s foreknowledge we are not speaking of God knowing events “before they happen”. There is no time in God. Time and “future events” is for human beings not God.

 

[LatinRight]

LatinRite. In post 144 I pointed out you sai all of mans works were worthless appealing to 1st Corinthian 3. . . .

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=14266754&postcount=144

I showed why 1st Corinthians 3 contradicted what you said.

I showed why Philippians 2 contradicted what you said.

I showed why St. Augustine contradicted what you said.

I showed why the CCC contradicted what you said.

Here.

Your response?

Just keep repeating partial truth.

This is not responsible handling of Sacred Scripture.

**God bless Cathoholic,

There is a 500 years debate between Catholics and Protestants the way God saves His elect.

THE KEY TO UNDERSTAND

When a Protestant speaks about salvation always speaks Legal salvation/100 % Legal

Right of the elect to enter heaven (initial justification/salvation).

LEGAL SALVATION / 100 % IRREVOCABLE LEGAL RIGHT OF THE ELECT TO ENTER HEAVEN.

Legal salvation is by FAITH ALONE.

When a Catholic speaks about salvation always speaks Practical salvation.

Working on to be more just and more holy, plus to do other works as well.

Practical salvation is by FAITH + OUR WOKS BY CO-OPERATION WITH THE GRACE OF GOD.

THE WAY AS FOLLOWS – God saves us in three main stages.

1. FIRST STAGE OF OUR SALVATION (Initial justification/salvation.)

As God’s children/His elect in this first stage of our salvation at our baptism we have

received 100 % Irrevocable Legal Right/Eligibility to enter heaven as

God’s free gift. – (DE FIDE) Catholic Dogma.

Our 100 % Legal Right/Eligibility to enter heaven can never be revoked.

Christ merited for us paid in full on the cross.

THIS MEANS

We need to understand:

It is a big difference between our 100 % Irrevocable Legal Salvation (at the first stage of

our salvation/initial justification), and our practical salvation (at the second stage of our salvation). – The two are not the same.

a. LEGALLY SAVED / LEGAL SALVATION / INITIAL JUSTIFICATION

At our baptism as elect we have been Irrevocably, and Legally 100 % Saved.

God justified us and made us sons of God.

Our Legal and Irrevocable Salvation is COMPLETED.

Until now and from this point on we can contribute nothing to our Legal Salvation.

It is God’s free gift, Christ merited for us paid in full on the cross. Period.

End of the first stage of our salvation.

The first stage of our salvation was fully the work of God we didn’t and couldn’t even co-

operate in it, it was an instant event at our baptism.

THE SECOND STAGE OF OUR SALVATION

b. THIS IS OUR PRACTICAL SALVATION

This second stage of our salvation is done by Faith + Works.

In the second stage of our salvation (from baptism until we die) we have a chance to put

as much supernatural work/merit under our belts as we can.

For example:

Phil.2:12-15; We work out our salvation, …

Which is in reality, we working out the benefits of our salvation.

In this stage of our salvation we work as ambassadors of Christ.

We do every kind of Christian works includes to work on to increase our holiness and justice day by day.

For our good works/supernatural merit God gives us rewards in heaven.

It cannot be the reward of heaven because we have received God’s gift of everlasting life in heaven at our baptism.

We have heaven already by Christ merit on the cross. – It was God’s free gift.

Continue**

 

[LatinRight]

**THIS IS AS FOLLOWS THE GREATEST CONFUSION COMES IN BETWEEN PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS

With our works (in our second stage of our salvation), we can increase our holiness and

justice, but this ongoing work DOES NOT increase our 100 % Irrevocable Legal

Right/Eligibility to enter to heaven.

If a Christian doesn’t understand the above theological fact, doesn’t understand salvation.

For the simple reason, which is:

At our baptism (at the first stage of our salvation) God has already given to us as His free

gift: Our 100 % Irrevocable Legal Right/Eligibility to enter to heaven.

For the above reason we cannot increase our 100 % Irrevocable Legal Right/Eligibility to

enter to heaven and we don’t need to increase it because we have it all since our baptism.

We don’t need to work for something and we cannot work for something what we already have.

Some theologically uneducated Christian believes, when we continually increase our

justification and sanctification, in the same way we continually increase our Legal Right/Eligibility to enter heaven.

This is not the case at all, because at our baptism we have received as God’s free gift our

100 % Irrevocable Legal Right/Eligibility to enter heaven. – This 100 % Right CAN NOT be increased.

NOW WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING TEACHINGS OF THE RCC ON OUR

LEGAL SALVATION (First stage of our salvation / initial justification.)

HOW TO READ THE NEW TESTAMENT By Etienne Charpentier

Nihil obstate: Father Anton Cowan

Imprimatur: Monsignor John Crowley, VG Westminster, 28 May 1985

Quote: “There is ONE CENTRAL QUESTION here: how can we become RIGHTEOUS and be SAVED?

We NOT justified by what we do (works, observing law) but by FAITH IN CHRIST.

Salvation is NOT a matter of achieving but RECEIVING IT FREELY from God hands, in faith.”

End quote. Emphasize mine.

JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church

3/17 Justification is SOLELY due to the forgiving and renewing mercy that God imparts

as a gift and we RECEIVE IN FAITH, and NEVER CAN MERIT IT ANY WAY.

4/25 We confess together that sinners are justified by faith in the saving action of God in

Christ. WHATEVER in the JUSTIFIED PRECEDES or FOLLOWS the free gift of faith is

NEITHER THE BASIS of justification NOR MERITS it. End quote.

4/27.The Catholic understanding also sees faith as fundamental in justification. For

without faith, no justification can take place. Thus justifying grace never becomes a

human possession. While Catholic teaching emphasizes the renewal of life by justifying

grace, this RENEVAL in FAITH, HOPE, LOVE is always dependent on God’s

unfathomable grace and contributes NOTHING to JUSTIFICATION.

Benedict also affirmed that Luther had correctly translated Paul’s words

as ‘justified by faith alone’ – the well known sola fide.

THE FIRST STAGE OF SALVATION (INITIAL JUSTIFICATION / OUR 100 % IRREVOCABLE

LEGAL SALVATION) is by faith alone because we contribute nothing to

it and THIS IS THE POINT we have been IRREVOCABLY SAVED. (DE FIDE)

The second stage of our salvation gives us the possibility that we could put under our

belts as much supernatural merit as possible.

CONDITIONS THAT OUR WORKS (OUR DEEDS) COUNT FOR ANYTHING

Conditions MUST BE PRESENT to make SUPERNATURAL MERIT possible.

The meritorious work must be morally good, that is, in accordance with the moral law in its

object, intent, and circumstances.

It MUST be done FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or INTERNAL NECESSITY.

It MUST be SUPERNATURAL, that is, AROUSED and ACCOMPANIED by ACTUAL

GRACE, and proceeding from a SUPERNATURAL motive.

Strictly speaking only a person in the STATE OF GRACE can merit, as defined by the

Church (Denzinger 1576, 1582).

JUSTIFICATION IN CATHOLIC TEACHING by Jimmy Akin

Quote: “The essence of supernatural love is unselfishness—doing something NOT

BECAUSE IT WILL HELP US SOMEHOW, but because we want to do it out of SHEER

LOVE for the other person, whether that person is God or one of our fellow human beings

out of the love of God.

This is THE ONLY KIND of love that ultimately pleases God and therefore the ONLY

KIND that ultimately gets us a reward IN heaven.” End quote. Emphasize mine.

Continue**

 

[LatinRight]

**If we live our Christian life in uncertainty, fear and doubt we can NEVER be qualified to do

supernatural works because our work instead of actual grace energized by the spirit of

slavery, the fear of hell and OUR WORKS REJECTED BY GOD.

I tell you Cathoholic, the way I do supernatural work in the light of the above teachings:

1. I always keep in mind Eph.2:10.
2. I believe Rom.4:5-6; Eph.2:8-9; Rom.3:24; Rom.5:18; Rom.11:6; that I don’t have to

work for my salvation even an iota, my salvation is God’s free gift. – 100 % gift and I can contribute nothing to it.

For my work to increase my justification and sanctification God gives me reward in heaven if my work is up to the standard of supernatural merit.

But if I do my work to get or to keep my salvation I do my work for my own interest and that work is wood, hay and straw, rejected by God.

1. I believe, according to Rom.4:5-6; 1 Cor.3:12-15 even if I do nothing or all my work

rejected by God I still enter into heaven, this knowledge SET ME FREE to freely decide to

work or not to work without the fear of hell. – this is a condition to do supernatural merit.

There are other conditions as well. – It is not so simple to do supernatural merit. The standard is very high.

1. I work as much as I possibly can, FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or

INTERNAL NECESSITY not BECAUSE IT WILL HELP ME SOMEHOW, but because I

want to do it out of SHEER for the Glory of God and for the love of others.

If we not set free to love freely, we cannot love.

If we not set free to freely decide to work, we cannot do supernatural work/merit.

We cannot please God with the work we MUST do, because we cannot do it FREELY,

WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or INTERNAL NECESSITY. – The work we

MUST do is NOT supernatural work!!!

MUST always kills our supernatural works/good works.

THE THIRD STAGE OF OUR SALVATION

Even of those Christians who died 2,000 years ago their salvation not yet completed.

Our salvation will be completed and we will be immortal at the fulfillment of John 14:1-3; 1 Thess.4:15-18; 1 Cor.15:42-44, 51-57; Rev.20:4-6.

Then fulfill Dan.7:13-14, 18, 22, 27.

The above Bible verses describe the future tasks of the Bride of Christ.

If you like to know your future assignment from Christ, please read it.

Every member of the Bride of Christ is a saint of God. – 1 Pet.2:9; etc.

God bless

LatinRight**

 

[rcwitness]

These extremely long posts between you are overbearing… :whacky:

 

[rcwitness]

**… to enter to heaven and we don’t need to increase it because we have it all since our baptism.

We don’t need to work for something and we cannot work for something what we already have.**This is definitely true.

Mark 16
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.16He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
Salvation is based on the grace of God. He chose to associate Himself with man and grant everlasting life to us. But this meant delivering us from our bondage to sin. This took the sacrifice (death) of His own son (the eternal Word made flesh). And since we cannot become God or neither carry the weight of Himself, He calls us through faith to freely be washed and enter into His life, death and promise of a resurrection to His own glory!

After this, our faith is tested and attacked. His Eucharist is established to keep us in His grace and salvation, since it is the means in which the Spirit accomplished our salvation, and now we must partake in faithfullness, convicted in the Spirit through faith completed in Charity (obedience to His commands, chiefly the love of on another).

 

[goout]

These extremely long posts between you are overbearing… :whacky:

I agree.
And for me personally…I skip over posts that are uber-formatted. They drive my eyes nuts.