Which will be the final fate of most mankind --- Heaven or Hell?

[NotWorthy]

NotWorthy;3842142:

.

And the Epistle that says, "I write this so that you may be assured in your salvation

…" (paraphrasing), aren’t there, like, 21 “ifs” in the Epistle preceding this statement?

QUOTE]

Doesn’t the traditions of early Church teach us about assurance ?

All those martyred for the faith. St. Bart * was skinned alive w/o recanting.

Didn’t Mary know with Assurance ?*OK, I’ll give you Mary and the martyrs. But how many of us have our blood offered up as seed for conversion?

I notice you left Paul out of that…

 

[BRB]

BRB;3842169:

I notice you left Paul out of that…

Paul was a Martyr … bigtime !

He also met Christ in dramatic fashion … via Damascus road blinding event. No doubts thereafter for him.

 

[NotWorthy]

NotWorthy;3842208:

Paul was a Martyr … bigtime !

He also met Christ in dramatic fashion … via Damascus road blinding event. No doubts thereafter for him.

And yet Paul, knowing that we all wouldn’t die a martryr’s death, preached that we should work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling.

Assurance of Salvation implies that I can presume God’s Judgment. I do trust in His Covenant promises, but I’m not always sure that I live up to my end of the Covenant.

 

[grandfather]

BRB;3842266:

And yet Paul, knowing that we all wouldn’t die a martryr’s death, preached that we should work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling.

Assurance of Salvation implies that I can presume God’s Judgment. I do trust in His Covenant promises, but I’m not always sure that I live up to my end of the Covenant.

Perfect!

I trust God and I do not trust myself. Keep your hand on me Lord, or I will betray you, again and again and again.

 

[BRB]

BRB;3842266:

.

Assurance of Salvation implies that I can presume God’s Judgment. I do trust in His Covenant promises, but I’m not always sure that I live up to my end of the Covenant.

We can ‘presume’ to know God is faithful to His Word. If we believe, obey His Word, confess with contrition - daily, receive Eucharist graces - on weekly basis, … and persist to the End.

Hebrews 10:35-39 speaks well to this:

'Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.  "For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."  But, we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and keep their souls.

True enough … God always keeps His covenant promises. We may not always be so inclined. Thats why all the Gospels stress its how we finish the race that matters. Don’t be afraid to make a covenant …for fear of breaking it.

Christ chose Peter to headup his Church … probably because Peter was bold, and resolute in faith. Peter failed on occasion, but he also made it to the end … and still rules the church from sainthood.

Its the H.S. that enables one to persist to the end. Thats what we get via Sacraments … thats why the Church is essential to salvation.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

Why is it that when Jesus says “Few” that many do not believe Him. Do they think He lies when He says “Few”?