The atonement for sins is/was Christ's one-time sacrifice, the perfect once-and-for-all sacrifice that we participate in, in each Eucharistic celebration (as the Prophet Micah spoke about the prayers being all the time, across the world)
His Salvation saves us in the continuous sanctification.
it's like (a bad analogy) we get on a bus and someone before us has paid for us already. We just have to accept this payment. Of course it's a bad analogy as we ourselves can't pay for the ticket no matter what we do. AND, it's not just "oh, he paid, now let me do what I like" but as Jesus said Repent, believe, be baptised, eat of My body and blood and endure to the end"/
It’s interesting that Catholics always bring up that line. Not once have they ever been able to show that anyone has ever said that. No one I have ever known has said that. I can assure you that no one who is saved with the indwelling of Christ would ever utter those words or think that anyone would who professes faith in Him.
Look at what Jesus said to the Pharisees.
John 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
He wasn’t commending them in that passage. That was just after He said to the woman caught in adultery “Neither do I condemn thee”. That comment about “ye judge after the flesh” is something that Catholics should ponder and study. It means something. The focus on flesh is rather pervasive in the RCC. It’s not what Jesus and the apostles taught.
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
“not in the flesh”? Those who are saved are not in the flesh? What does that mean to a Catholic who focuses so much on the flesh? Constantly they tell us it’s what is done “in the flesh” that is important yet both Jesus and Paul have told us it’s not “in the flesh” that we live or judge. How is that to be understood? Paul again tells us.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
It’s Christ in us that gives us the ability and understanding of what “in the Spirit” means. It’s no longer we who live but Christ lives in us.
Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Notice it says by the faith of Christ. Not >u>my faith in Christ. It’s not our faith we rely on, it’s Christ’s faith which we were promised would sustain us. It’s not our righteousness we rely on which Catholics constantly try to impose.
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Philippians 3:9
It’s the faith of Christ in us that imparts righteousness to us and not the following of the law of the flesh that Catholics insist is what is needed for salvation. The RCC teaches that it’s by living according to the laws of the flesh that is needed for salvation. True believers are told that it’s Christ Jesus living in us that gives us that righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
It’s God who gets the glory for it is God who works through us and not we who follow some law of the flesh. Now if each of us who truly have accepted Jesus as our savior possess the righteousness of Christ would you please tell me who has more righteousness then Christ?
So if it’s Christ who lives in us and it’s Christ’s righteousness we have been given why would we even want or think to “do anything we want” as Catholics accuse us of? If it’s “not I who live but Christ in me” how can you assume that Christ would cause us to believe we can “do what I like” as you said? Christ told us that we would have the law written in our heart and He told us we would have His Spirit living within us to give us the faith to live by that law “in the Spirit”. “it is not I who lives but Christ who lives in me”.
If Catholics want to live “in the flesh” and think they can do it by their own strength the result will be disappointing to say the least. Accusing others of thinking that if they are saved they can “do anything they want” indicates a lack of knowledge of what “Christ in us” means.