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Excellent Post!
[[ Many non-Catholics, in their confused zeal for Jesus, are constantly asking Catholics if we are “born again,” admonishing us that unless we are “born again” we cannot be saved. But you see, Catholics, like St. John the Evangelist in the third chapter of his Gospel, relate the phrase “born again” to the results of Baptism. Baptism is how we enter into the New Covenant, in the same way the Hebrews and Israelites entered the Old Covenant through circumcision (which, you’ll note, was done to infants). ]]
And therein lies the difference. Protestants see baptism as something one does as an outward expression of what has happened in their heart—ie, they have become a new person (”born again”)—rather than the means of transformation.
[[ When many Protestants use the phrase “born again,” they seem to be referring to an “emotional experience.” They often expect instant transformation (which can certainly happen), speaking in tongues, miracles, etc. as some sort of “proof” of having been “born again.” ]]
Protestants are not referring to an “emotional experience,” but rather the point at which they became a new person in Christ.
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
—Colossians 3:9-10
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
—Ephesians 4:22-24
There are different word or phrases that people might use to express this transformation experience:
I asked Jesus into my heart.
I gave my life to Jesus.
I was born again.
God changed my life.
I decided to put my trust in Jesus.
I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior.
I got saved.
God made me a new person.
I turned my life over to God.
etc.
It is sometimes hard to explain the transformation that happens in one’s heart and life. But it comes down to having a personal relationship with Jesus, and it is life-changing.
***Sola gratia! Grace alone — but a grace we have to co-operate with.
The bottom line: all salvation comes from the grace of Christ’s Sacrifice and only from the grace of His Sacrifice.***
Do Catholics see the glaring contradiciton in these statements. If salvation truly came solely from the sacrifice, then based soley on the sacrifice men would be saved. This is the Calvinist view of Sola Gratia.
The Catholic view is different: grace plus works based cooperation.
Answer this question: What must I do to be saved?
What "work" did Abraham actually perform? Actual action, "a work" was imputed to him, tho his hand was stayed. If Abraham's hand had not been stayed, what would be the difference between our Father & Molach, who people believed demanded the sacrifice of children?
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Beyond believing in God, faith is believing God. There is an implied trust in God in the kind of faith most "Protestants" are talking about.
shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Who was James talking about "showing" his faith to, God?
Some Protestants seem to believe that all one has to do is believe the train exists and all will be well.
Some may believe this, but it is certainly not how I understand Sola Fide, "faith".
But what Catholics actually believe is that the train -- Grace -- is the only way to Heaven, that it is the only means by which we are saved, that we can't take another route and can do nothing about getting to Heaven without that train. But we also teach that we have to believe in the train's existence and board it through repentance and obedience to what Christ teaches.
Using the same analogy, my church would tell you God puts us on that train. We don't board it on our own & in truth, many of us do everything in our power to stay off of that train, because we love sin instead of God. "Works" (repentance and obedience) will help keep us from jumping off of it to our destruction and they are a byproduct of God putting us on His train.
What would cause y'all to board the "Grace" train, rather than the one heading to Hell? You just that good, smart or deserving in some way? You go through the motions, "do works" until you've become good, smart or deserving enough to board?
PING
Ping for reference
Trent:
CANON 9:
"If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema."
God in the Scriptures:
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20).
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24).
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Rom. 3:28).
"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3).
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8).
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5).
Trent: CANON 12:
"If any one shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy pardoning sins for Christ's sake, or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified ... let him be accursed."
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12).
"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (Rom. 3:28).
'For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3).
"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples': for this he did once, when he offered up himself" (Heb. 7:25-27).
"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Tim. 1:12).
Trent; Canon 14: "If any one saith, that man is truly absolved from his sins and justified, because that he assuredly believed himself absolved and justified; or, that no one is truly justified but he who believes himself justified; and that, by this faith alone, absolution and justification are effected; let him be anathema."
God:
"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3).
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
Trent; Canon 23: "lf any one saith, that a man once justified can sin no more, nor lose grace, and that therefore he that falls and sins was never truly justified; or, on the other hand, that he is able, during his whole life, to avoid all sins, even those that are venial,- except by a special privilege from God, as the Church holds in regard of the Blessed Virgin; let him be anathema."
God:
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36).
"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40).
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:28).
"That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:21).
"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (1 John 2:19).
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:13).
Trent;
Canon 24: "If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema."
God:
"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" (Gal. 3:1-3)
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law" (Gal. 5:1-3).
Trent:
Canon 30: "If any one saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema."
God:
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Col. 2:13-14).
Trent:
Canon 33: "If any one saith, that, by the Catholic doctrine touching Justification, by this holy Synod inset forth in this present decree, the glory of God, or the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ are in any way derogated from, and not rather that the truth of our faith, and the glory in fine of God and of Jesus Christ are rendered (more) illustrious; let him be anathema.
Trent declares that if anyone disagrees with it, they are damned. Trent has declared anathema on God and has sealed it's eternal fate as a lost, apostate, false religion.