What must I do to be saved?

[djrakowski]

What good is it, my brothers, if **a man claims **to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
** You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.** Demons have faith, but certainly not a saving faith.

You can CLAIM to have faith but without any works that prove you have saving faith, your CLAIM of faith is most likely the demonic kind/ head faith/ non saving faith.

Ah, I see…we’re in agreement! Faith alone is a fallacy, since the Bible clearly says (unless this is another one of those books you find questionable along with those mentioned in the other post) that faith without works is dead. Therefore, a faith that sits around doing nothing is clearly not a saving faith, but one that works is a saving faith.

 

[djrakowski]

Do all Catholics keep all the commandments? Do all Catholics sell everything they have and give to the poor? How many will have treasure in Heaven?

Hey, I was just quoting the word of Jesus, in which he said that, to be saved, we must keep the commandments, even listing some of them. I also quoted the scripture from Mark’s gospel, in which another work was commanded as a requirement for salvation - the work of baptism.

Further, Jesus even gives us means of being forgiven of our sins after we’ve been baptized, by passing along the authority to forgive to his disciples:

John 20:22-23 (NIV) - And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Interesting… we’re told to keep the commandments, but we know that we’re all sinful (Romans 3). But how great is our God that He has given us a way to be reconciled to him through the confession of sins to those with the power to forgive in His name. Praised Be Jesus Christ!

 

[mikeledes]

Hey, I was just quoting the word of Jesus, in which he said that, to be saved, we must keep the commandments, even listing some of them. I also quoted the scripture from Mark’s gospel, in which another work was commanded as a requirement for salvation - the work of baptism.

Further, Jesus even gives us means of being forgiven of our sins after we’ve been baptized, by passing along the authority to forgive to his disciples:

John 20:22-23 (NIV) - And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Interesting… we’re told to keep the commandments, but we know that we’re all sinful (Romans 3). But how great is our God that He has given us a way to be reconciled to him through the confession of sins to those with the power to forgive in His name. Praised Be Jesus Christ!

God Bless,
Michael

 

[MariaG]

Which example of Christ?

In acts, Christ told them they had to wait awhile before the coming of the Holy Spirit. And His followers faithfully prayed waiting for the coming of the Spirit.

Sometimes we have to wait for our answers. Yes, you have been waiting longer than most. But have you prayed deliberately everyday about this until your answer came?

This is what His followers did in the first chapter of acts. They prayed.

If you read the article there are various possible reasons for the number 9.

But the important part is not superstitiously believing that if you pray for a set number of days, God will answer your prayer, the important thing is to know that God will answer the prayers of the faithful if they are diligent. Jacob is another such example (it was Jacob who wrestled the angel until God would bless him?)

God rewards persistence and perseverance. A novena helps one get into the mindset of praying diligently.

Catholics Christians are big into concrete things and actions to help focus our minds on God. A novena is such a thing.

God Bless,
Maria

 

[mikeledes]

Hi Gracelife! Here are a couple of verses that might help with your question. I haven’t read all of the posts - I’m a bit lazy - but I apologize for any redundancies.

Romans 2:6-7

6 God “will give to each person according to what he has done.”[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

John 5:28-29

28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

1 Timothy 6:18-19

18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

This all presupposes, of course, that you have been freely justified by God’s grace. Justification comes with an obligation to do good. If you, empowered by the Holy Spirit, fulfill this obligation, God has promised eternal life in the age to come.

God Bless,
Michael

 

[RWMorris]

I’m sorry if I implied that Catholics believe that those “things” are necesssary for salvation. I know that is not what C teaches and that wasn’t my point.

My point, is that these things distract. They are “extras” that take our mind away from the centrality of the Gospel. I know, they are meant to help, but what’s so hard about simply knowing through one’s intellect & heart what Christ has done.

Why these other things?

Mary / Rosary - Marian apparitions tell us to say the rosary. Fatima, promises salvation by devotion to her immaculate heart. Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of All Graces… These things fly in the face of the central message of the Gospel… They distract. (I don’t have a problem with “Mother of God”).

I’ve done the scripture search. I’ve read John Salza, Keating and others. I see where Catholics can support their doctrines with scripture. But why is their interpretation any better than anyone elses?

I know Catholics do not deny this, but Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It’s His way, it’s His truth and life is in Him.
Indeed the church may be the pillar and foundation of truth. But which church? You say Catholic. Others disagree that it is the CC.

So where are we to turn, but to Christ.

You can trust the Catholic Church. For one thing, they’ve been there since the beginning. Sure, there have been abuses but we are all human beings and all sinners before God. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Jesus said the Church would be “a city shining on a hill.” Contrast that with all the twenty thousand Protestant sects and you can get a pretty good idea why God wanted us, Catholics, to remain “one holy catholic and apostolic Church”.
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and read some of Scott Hahn’;s books, particularly “Rome Sweet Home”. It will help you underestand the importance of unity and give you appreciation of the authority of the Church.
You do know we are to be subject to our bishops, deacons, apostles, etc., right? It says so in the Bible.

 

[gracelife]

Listening, but not much to say right now.

 

[kaycee]

Hey, I was just quoting the word of Jesus, in which he said that, to be saved, we must keep the commandments, even listing some of them. I also quoted the scripture from Mark’s gospel, in which another work was commanded as a requirement for salvation - the work of baptism.

Have you sold all that you own and given to the poor? Why not? Jesus said to keep ALL the commandments AND sell all you own and give it to the poor.

Gee, I guess he did not require Faith from the rich young ruler.

If you want to take the verse literally, then take it all literally!

 

[kaycee]

Ah, I see…we’re in agreement! Faith alone is a fallacy, since the Bible clearly says (unless this is another one of those books you find questionable along with those mentioned in the other post) that faith without works is dead. Therefore, a faith that sits around doing nothing is clearly not a saving faith, but one that works is a saving faith.

Sorry . Faith without works is not a saving Faith. Does the faith that demons posses produce good works? Clearly not a saving faith, correct? The Kind of Faith that saves will produce good works. But it is Faith alone, but not a Faith that is alone. Do olive branches produce olives by themselves or is it not because they get their life from the olive tree?

 

[MariaG]

Listening, but not much to say right now.

That’s okay. We really didn’t think you would just say, “Oh I see it now! I am going to the Catholic Church and do all I need to do to be a practicing Catholic!”

Although I do keep praying for that someday

God Bless,
Maria

 

[mikeledes]

Have you sold all that you own and given to the poor? Why not? Jesus said to keep ALL the commandments AND sell all you own and give it to the poor.

Gee, I guess he did not require Faith from the rich young ruler.

If you want to take the verse literally, then take it all literally!

We are not required to sell everything we have in order to be saved. However, we are required to have a proper attitude towards wealth, which the rich young man lacked. God has to be first in our lives. Jesus exposed the unwillingness of the rich young man to give up everything he had to follow Jesus. So in his heart, God was not first.

God Bless,
michael

 

[mikeledes]

Sorry . Faith without works is not a saving Faith. Does the faith that demons posses produce good works? Clearly not a saving faith, correct? The Kind of Faith that saves will produce good works. But it is Faith alone, but not a Faith that is alone. Do olive branches produce olives by themselves or is it not because they get their life from the olive tree?

Really? Then explain:

2 Peter 1:5-9

**5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. **

A person who has had their past sins forgiven is a person who is genuinely justified. Here, Peter discussed the possibility of someone who has been justified but fails to make the effort of adding to their faith all the things he listed. Secondly, a person must persevere in doing good. It’s not like you do a couple of good works and then slack off.

God Bless,
Michael

 

[MariaG]

Sorry . Faith without works is not a saving Faith. Does the faith that demons posses produce good works? Clearly not a saving faith, correct? The Kind of Faith that saves will produce good works. But it is Faith alone, but not a Faith that is alone. Do olive branches produce olives by themselves or is it not because they get their life from the olive tree?

The Catholic Church has always taught that is only through God’s Grace that we have anything. We do not produce any good works separate from God and His Grace.

Respectfully, Protestants choose to change the definition of Faith.

Catholic say that faith is defined as intellectual agreement. This kind of faith is reflected in James 2 where it says that we are not saved by faith alone. A faith that only has intellectual agreement.

So clearly by the Catholics cannot agree with “we Are saved by Faith alone” since the definition of faith in Catholic teaching is that would mean one is saved by intellectual agreement only.

These definitions were clearly in place when Luther formulated his “faith alone” argument which the Catholic Church heard as we are saved by intellectual agreement alone.

**1814 **Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith “man freely commits his entire self to God.” For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God’s will. “The righteous shall live by faith.” Living faith “work through charity.”

**1817 **Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” “The Holy Spirit . . . he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.”

**1822 **Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.

All three of these virtues are placed in our heart when, through God’s grace we are justified.

While Protestants may have chosen to meld hope and Charity into the definition of faith to make it possible to say one is saved by faith alone we still choose to stand by the defintions in long standing of our own Church thereby declaring that “faith alone” is a false statement by the Standards of definitions of the Catholic Church.

There is a good article from James Akin that explains this.

The article above does acknowledge the fact that for the most part however,

Protestant idea of faith = Catholic idea of faith + Catholic idea of hope + Catholic idea of charity