Posted on 06/17/2008 7:55:24 AM PDT by NYer
When I was in law school, I had a classmate named Barry (not his real name). At the time, I was not practicing the faith and by no means was a paragon of virtuous living. Despite my own low standards, I thought Barry’s carousing lifestyle crossed the bounds of propriety. He even confided to me that while he was home one weekend he made his girlfriend procure an abortion, because he was not willing to take responsibility for his actions.
One day, months later, Barry out of the blue told me, “It’s time for a revival.” It was only then that I learned that he was a part-time preacher who from time to time would go barnstorming through Missouri and Arkansas, inviting people to become “saved.”
I was shocked. I admitted that I had no room to talk, since in my estimation I was no longer a Catholic or even a Christian. Even so, the disparity between Barry’s faith and his ongoing debauchery confused and scandalized me. He eventually explained that I had to learn to separate faith from daily life. I told him–with less refinement and charity than I’d use today–what I thought of a religion I could test drive but not take home. My burning intuition was that a religion that did not affect who I was and how I lived was not worth my time.
An analogous situation arises today in the context of funerals. As many of us know, the dominant mindset is that the deceased is “in a better place,” and thus the funeral rite itself becomes nothing other than a mini-canonization.
Assuredly we entrust the deceased to the mercy of God, who alone judges hearts. We also must console those who are mourning, offering them solid grounds for hope that their departed loved one is indeed with the Lord. In this regard, it is entirely fitting to recall the good deeds and accomplishments of the deceased to buoy our hope in his or her resurrection.
Yet the current trend goes even further. Our contemporaries assume the deceased is in heaven, so the only real concern is helping friends and family cope with the temporal loss. This approach effectively does away with the need to pray and offer sacrifice for the deceased, which Scripture describes as a “very excellent and noble” practice (cf. 2 Mac. 12:43; Catechism, no. 1032). It also derails a teachable moment: The reality of death affords all of us the opportunity to consider our own mortality and thus seek to be in right relationship with God. An objective observer at many funerals today could easily conclude that it really doesn’t matter how one lives, because everyone’s eternal fate seems to be the same.
Both my encounter with Barry and the experience at many funerals today reflect the error of presumption, which takes many forms (cf. Catechism, no. 2092). One form of presumption is the timeless heresy of Pelagianism, which holds that happiness is attainable by merely human effort, without the necessity of grace. This is manifested today by those who place all their hope in technological progress. Another example of presumption, commonly seen at funerals, is the attitude that in the end God will forgive us irrespective of our cooperation with grace. Following this view, heaven is the inevitable and more or less universal sequel to this life.
Christian fundamentalism is yet another form of presumption. Granted, Barry’s case is an extreme example of the “once saved, always saved” mentality. Most Bible Christians would be aghast at Barry’s lifestyle. Further, they rightly affirm in the midst of our largely secular and indifferent society the centrality of our faith in Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 4:12; 1 Cor. 3:11). Even so, the necessity of a “born again” experience is often explained in a way that leaves no room for human freedom. Once “saved,” the individual can’t “lose” his salvation, even through mortal sin. (Click here for CUF’s FAITH FACT entitled “Persevering to the End: The Biblical Reality of Mortal Sin.”)
“When will I come to the end of my pilgrimage, and enter the presence of God?” This antiphon, taken from Monday Morning Prayer, Week II in the Liturgy of the Hours, summarizes the proper attitude of the Christian in this life. This attitude can be summed up in one word: hope.
If one is only looking for fire insurance, once saved, always saved.
God provides and has planned for much more for us.
Our Lord and Savior didn’t just bring fire insurance. He constantly taught us the Word to provide us life insurance.
By remaining in fellowship with Him, walking with Him through faith in Christ, He continues the sanctification processes in us.
When we are tested, again by faith in Christ we may win crowns which have been predetermined in eternity past.
If we fall out of fellowship, He disciplines us. Our sins are still paid for, but until we return to Him, by facing Him and confessing them to Him through faith in Christ alone, then our fellowship with Him is restored. Our soul may be scarred from sin and the consequences of our sin, but we still have fellowship with perfect righteousness through faith in Christ, no matter how heinous our sins may have been.
If we further rebel from Him, we don’t lose eternal life, but when we stand before the bema seat, we are judged on our works through faith in Him, and some of those crowns which were already made for us, will not be rewarded us, but may become eternal memorials to the foolishness of man in failing to remain in faith in Him in all things.
In James we see that faith without works is dead. That does not mean that if we don’t perform good works, God condemns us to the Lake of Fire. Rather, death is a state of existence involving separation. Faith separated from works is simply separate,.i.e. dead. Man’s anthropology is in body, soul, and spirit. Faith is a system of perception in the spiritual life. When coupled with our remaining in faith through Him, we are placed in the position to perform good works as He has intended from eternity past.
Our works through faith in Him might not be similar for all believers. Some may be accounted as worthy of 5 different crowns. After being purified as if by fire, our remaining good works shall be presented at the bema seat for his rewards of crowns. The incorruptible crowm of 1Cor 9:24-35, or the crown of glorying (1Thes 2:19), a crown of righteousness (II Thes 4:7-8), a crown of life for those who endure trials, (and Rev2:10) and the crown of glory 1Pet 5:2-4.
These are crowns of determining degrees of authority in the Messianic Kingdom, not the Eternal Order.
Rock Solid: The Salvation History of the Catholic Church [Ecumenical]
Getting in Touch With Reality (good character and behavior as a ticket to Heaven)
The Early Church Fathers on Salvation Outside the Church [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Extra ecclesiam - Outside the Church there is no salvation.
Is Faith Necessary for Salvation? (Part 2)
Good Will Equals Salvation? (Did the pope say non christians could be saved - part 1)
The Experience of the Salvation of Christ Today
And how did Luther change the Bible?
He added the word ‘alone’ after faith.
Rosary bump.
Yes, there is a heaven, but there is also a hell.
Many people will be shocked at which direction they will be going at the moment of their death because of the things they did while on earth.
So which sins did Christ not redeem us from while on the Cross?
I suspect there will be many degenerate Catholics, who at one time had simple faith in Christ, but later felt overburdened by the demands of the Catholic Church to persevere by their standards, instead of placing faith alone in Christ alone, who will find themselves in heaven by His work, not by the RCC's efforts.
Unfortunately, many having been distracted by worldly religious institutions, attempting to counterfeit God's kingdom on earth, shall leave many a crown on the table which had been preordained for them had they remained faithful to Him alone.
Christ redeemed us from all sins. As baptized Catholics, we can agree that we have been justified and we have been saved. Thus, in one sense, our justification and salvation is in the past as a completed action. The initial grace of justification and salvation we receive in baptism is a done deal. And Catholics do not believe we were partially justified or partially saved at baptism. Catholics believe, as Peter says in 1 Peter 3:21, "Baptism… now saves you…" Ananias said to Saul of Tarsus, "Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16). That means the new Christian has been "washed… sanctified… [and] justified" as 1 Corinthians 6:11 remarks. That much is a done deal; thus, it is entirely proper to say we "have been justified" and we "have been saved." However, this is not the end of the story. Scripture reveals that through this justification and salvation the new Christian experiences in baptism, he enters into a process of justification and salvation requiring his free cooperation with God’s grace. If we read the very next verses of our above-cited texts, we find the writer telling us there is more to the story.
Romans 5:1-2 states, "Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope (not presumption) of sharing the glory of God."
There are many biblical texts revealing justification to have a future and contingent sense as well as those that show a past sense. In other words, justification and salvation also have a sense in which they are not complete in the lives of believers. Perhaps this is most plainly seen in Galatians 5:1-5:
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness.
The Greek word used in verse 5 and here translated as righteousness is dikaiosunes, which can be translated either as "righteousness" or as "justification." In fact, Romans 4:3, which we quoted above, uses a verb form of this same word for justification. Now the fact that St. Paul tells us we "wait for the hope of [justification]" is very significant. As we said before, what is hoped for not yet possessed. It is still in the future. Romans 8:24 tells us "For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." The context of Galatians is clear: Paul warns Galatian Christians that if they attempt to be justified—even though they are already justified in one sense, through baptism, according to Galatians 3:27—by the works of the law, they will fall from the grace of Christ. Why? Because they would be attempting to be justified apart from Christ and the gospel of Christ. That they could not do! For "those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom. 8:8, cf. Gal. 5:19-21). "The flesh" is a reference to the human person apart from grace. read more
Paul doesn't hope like you all and your pope...
̓λπίς
elpis
el-pece'
From ἔλπω elpō which is a primary word (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope.
Hope is conficence, expectation, anticipation...
It is NOT wishful thinking like you guys have...
We not only read the scriptures 'very' closely, we believe what we read...And we divide it like it says...
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We do the good works...NOT because we have to as the previous verses clearly show, but because God put it into our hearts to want to do good works for Him, for God's glory, not ours...
If we do good works to gain salvation, we'll be denyed salvation...And that's the difference between you guys and us...
Assurance of one’s salvation comes from the Sacraments of the Catholic Church. If anyone had suggested that reciting anything, a Rosary or any other prayer while avoiding the sacraments, could ensure salvation, that would be indeed ludicrous.
At the same time, one in full communion with the Church will grow in sanctity, and thus make his election secure, if he recites the Rosary often. That is because of several elements the rosary prayer combines:
- it is a profound meditation on the events of the Gospel in the language of the Gospel;
- it identifies the faithful with Mary the Mother of God and the first disciple;
- it solicits the prayer of Mary for our soul at the hour of our death;
- it contains a prayer for Christ’s mercy on all who need it, thus strengthening the entire Church and bringing souls to Christ;
- it contains the Creed, the most precise expression of Christian Faith, the foundation of our salvation.
In fact it is tragic that mariophobia prevents some non-Catholics from joining the Church in this powerful prayer.
Which verses would that be?
Astounding. The Catholic has no assurance of his salvation by his faith in Christ, but he does have assurance of his salvation by endless recitations of a prayer to a creature.
Christ instructs you otherwise.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." -- Matthew 6:7-8"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Nowhere do we read from the lips of Christ that we are to pray to anyone other than the Triune God. Prayers to anyone but God require only repentance for their error.
Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." -- 1 Timothy 1:6-7 "From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
I think I explained the benefits of the Rosary Prayer quite clearly in the post you are responding to. Still, if you have a question, I will be glad to answer.
We Catholics agree with the scripture you cited, as always. When one recites the rosary, or any other prayer, he should have his mind on it, understand it deeply, and not do it for a vain reason.
Prayers to Mary are not only a waste of time, but an affront to the Triune God who alone hears our prayers.
This is your mistaken opinion. In fact, mariophobia is the largest single obstacle on the road to salvation for most Protestants.
“Prayers to Mary are not only a waste of time, but an affront to the Triune God who alone hears our prayers.”
It is the meditation on the mysteries that gives the rosary its staying power. The Joyful Mysteries are these: the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), the Visitation (Luke 1:40-56), the Nativity (Luke 2:6-20), the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:21-39), and the Finding of the child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-51).
Then come the Sorrowful Mysteries: the Agony in the Garden (Matt. 26:36-46), the Scourging (Matt. 27:26), the Crowning with Thorns (Matt. 27:29), the Carrying of the Cross (John 19:17), and the Crucifixion (Luke 23:33-46).
The final Mysteries are the Glorious: the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-12), the Ascension (Luke 24:50-51), the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), the Assumption of Mary into heaven (Rev. 12), and her Coronation (cf. Rev. 12:1).
http://www.catholic.com/library/Rosary.asp
From the same link I just posted: “Many Protestants now say the rosary, recognizing it as a truly biblical form of prayer—after all, the prayers that comprise it come mainly from the Bible.”
http://www.catholic.com/library/Rosary.asp
Hey annalex, I believe the net is helping to dispel a lot of the old myths about the RCC and the Our Blessed Mother. It’s been a long time coming. :}
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