but feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving to the poor are all works. So by not doing these works I somehow lose salvation. This seems works based to me. You say it is faith that ensures my salvation, but "my" works or lack there of that can lose it. That seems works based to me but on the other end of the spectrum. Rather than works earning my salvation, it is work that lose it. Its still works no matter how you flip the coin.
JM
Johnny, I'm following what you're saying in your discussion with allend and SD. A big part of the problem is semantics....and the sequence of events. You and I believe that to have eternal life we must receive, in faith, Christ as Lord and Saviour (Jn. 1:12 & 3:14-16 for example). We are adopted as sons...permanently. Our obedience (works) justify our claim to be His children. If there are no works to justify our claim, then our claim is hollow and we only possess "dead faith."
If I have learned from these Catholics correctly (they'll set me straight if I've got it wrong), the sequence for them is different. They "believe" in Christ, but that doesn't guarantee them eternal life/salvation. Their salvation is a work in progress...the works they engage in are progressively "saving" them. They don't know for certain that they have eternal life until they reach the end and God judges them....and the more I write, the more I feel that I have their view down all wrong....Somebody help me out here!