vladimir, this is perhaps the first time I’ve ever sort of agreed with you. Brief moment of celebration.
Sweet.
His worthiness doesn’t come to us by being the “most worthy.” Or works or sacraments.
It comes to us by the Grace of God, into the hands of faith in Him alone. It is His finished sacrifice on the cross and His righteousness, imputed to those who have placed their faith in Him.
Best.
“His worthiness doesn’t come to us by being the “most worthy.” Or works or sacraments.”
It comes from His grace, but He gives that to use through things like His works (e.g. the Sacraments). The Sacraments are HIS works. He died to give us grace using His physical body to do it. Likewise, He gives us grace using physical things and all of that grace comes from His death on the cross.
“It comes to us by the Grace of God, into the hands of faith in Him alone. It is His finished sacrifice on the cross and His righteousness, imputed to those who have placed their faith in Him.”
I think, in a sense, you’re cheapening the power and grace of God when you say He only imputes His righteousness. No, through the power of God’s grace we are actually transformed (Romans 12:2). That’s why St. Paul talks of the new man, a new creature (Eph. 4:24; 2 Corinthians 4:16). God shares Himself with us, shares His divine life with us. That’s called holiness and it is transformative. We are new creatures, not just imputed to be new, but actually new, transformed. This is one of the reasons why John saw no Temple in Heaven in Revelation 21:22.