Catholic and Protestant "Similarities" on Faith, Faith Alone, Salvation...

The fundamental dispute between Protestants and Catholics on Salvation was and is due mostly to a "misunderstanding", because the key terms are used in different senses.

A First Similarity: Faith and Works: Apparently Catholics and Protestants disagree about the relationship between faith and works on salvation, however, both agree in two important facts: 1- That faith is absolutely necessary for salvation. 2- That we are absolutely commanded by God to do good works.

Both these two points are unmistakably clear in Scripture, and both Protestants and Catholics give to faith in Christ a unique rule on salvation, and both try and actually do good works of evangelization and missionary work, care of the sick, the poor and old persons, with hospitals, schools and many ministries, helping people to get a job or housing... a thousand of good works of charity and love!.

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)... please, read also verse 10.

For both, Protestants and Catholics, a sin can not be erased with a thousand good works, but it is simply forgiven by confessing the sin, that simple!... and both agree on this!.

One "misunderstanding" is that the word "faith" is used in different sense by Protestants and Catholics.

For Protestants, saving faith is a faith which expresses itself through love, as per Galatians 5:6, and it is the same thing as when a Catholic says that we are saved by faith and works of charity. For in Christ Jesus... The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal.5:6).

Luther used "faith" in the broad sense of the person’s acceptance of Jesus Christ, as Paul uses it in Romans and Galatians. It includes grace, repentance, faith, hope and works of love.

Catholics, however use "faith" in a more specific sense, as in 1 Corinthians 13: For Paul here, faith is one of the three theological virtues, with hope and charity added to it.

Actually the word "faith" for a Protestant is like the words "faith", "hope" and "charity" put together for a Catholic, as we can read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC): - Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith "man freely commits his entire self to God." . For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God's will. "The righteous shall live by faith." Living faith "works through charity." (Rom.1:17, Gal.5:6) (CCC 1814). - Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."(Heb.10:23). "The Holy Spirit . . . he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life." (Tit.3:6-7). (CCC 1817). - Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. (CCC 1822).

Faith is the root, the necessary beginning. Hope is the stem, the energy that makes the plant grow. Love is the fruit, the flower, the visible product, the bottom line. The plant of our new life in Christ is one; the life of God comes into us by faith, through us by hope, and out of us by the works of love. That is clearly the biblical view, and when Protestants and Catholics who know and believe the Bible discuss the issue sincerely, it is amazing how quickly and easily they come to understand and agree with each other on this, a fundamental divisive issue.

What both communities need to do today is learn to translate between each others languages.

Protestants need to be taught that the Catholic formula "salvation by faith, hope, and charity" is equivalent to what they mean by "faith alone." And Catholics need to be taught that the Protestant formula "faith alone" is equivalent to what they mean by "faith, hope, and charity."

Otherwise, the formula itself is flatly unbiblical. The phrase "faith alone" (Greek, pisteos monon), occurs exactly once in the Bible, and there it is rejected: You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. (James 2:24).

All other places in the Bible just mention "faith", without the word "alone", 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe... 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. (Rom.3:22, 28).

Faith is absolutely necessary for salvation, the faith of Gal.5:6, For in Christ Jesus... The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Abraham was justified by his faith, but a faith with works, he left his country and job and friends to go to where the Lord was asking him to go, he even went to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, because he believed in God, and that's faith! - You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. (Jam.2:20-22). - Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Rom.4:3, Gal.3:6, Jam.2:23, Gen15:6,22).

There is also a misunderstanding here: Catholics insist on grace, Protestants on faith and the imputed righteousness of Christ... but when the Bible talks about the Judgment Day does not mention neither the grace of the Catholics, nor the faith or the imputed righteousness of the Protestants... it only mentions our own righteousness, our own deeds, our own works of love.

The real truth is that we can do nothing without God’s grace, and this grace, accepted by faith, is what saves us... what let us do lots of good deeds, to love God and our neighbor. And this fact is accepted by every Christian, since Luther to the Council of Trent.

1- Catholics: The Grace of God: For Catholics, he who dies in the Grace of God goes to Heaven. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God (Ephe.2:8). "1023 Those who die in God's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ." (Catechism of the Catholic Church).

2- Protestants: Faith, the Imputed Righteousness: For Protestants, it is by faith, for the Imputed Righteousness of Christ into the believer. Jesus pays the penalty of our sin and provides us with His very own perfections, with His own righteousness. Our record becomes His, and so He dies. But His record becomes ours, and so we live. "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2Cor.5:21...Rom.8:10 ). The word "imputed" appears in the different Bibles as "credited", "counted", "accounted", "reckoned", "charged", "attributed", "imputed". It is mentioned five times in Romans 4:3-8. Luther based the entire work of the Reformation on the reality of an imputed righteousness

All Christians agree that if we sin after Baptism, we have to confess our sin, otherwise we will go to Hell if we die with sin.

- Romans: the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds (Rom.2:5-6...2:5-11). Romans has been called "the cathedral of faith and grace", but when Paul talks about the "righteous judgment of God" he does not mention "grace", nor "faith", nor "imputed righteousness"... he only mentions our own deeds, our own works of love, our own righteousness!

- 2 Corinthians: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2Cor.5:10).

- Gospel of John: Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (Jn.5:28-29)

- Revelation, in the Judgment of the "great white throne": The same account is given : The dead were judged by their "works", their "deeds", "by what they had done", as recorded in the books of life... notice again that the "works" are mentioned twice, and "faith" is not even mentioned, nor grace, nor the imputed righteousness: Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. (Rev.20:11-13).

- Gospel of Matthew: - For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done (Mat.16:27). - "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' (Mat.25:21...21-28).

- In the "General Judgment" or "Last Judgment" of Matt.25:31-46: This is how it is described by Jesus Himself: To Heaven will go those who fed the hungry, and gave water to the thirsty, those who clothed the naked, and visited the sick or in prison... and to Hell will go those who did not feed the hungry, nor visited the sick or in prison... and it is for all!, for those born 5000 years ago, and those to be born in the next 1000 or 5000 years!... for all!:

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me.' (verse 40) "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do to one of the least of these, you did not do to me.' (verse 45) "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (verse46) In verse 46 is the execution of both these sentences... Grace and Faith are not even mentioned, nor imputed righteousness... just good or bad personal deeds, our own righteousness.

Still more: The Bible often states that the reward in Heaven is in proportion to the good or bad works done on earth:

- 1 Corinthians: each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; (1Cor.3:8-9). - Colossians: Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. (Col.3:24). - Gospel of Matthew: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Mat.16:27, KJV). - Gospel of Luke: Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Lk.6:38). - Galatians: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap...And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Gal.6:7-10).

Yes, there are "rewards" of the Lord, according to the "merits" you get on earth, in proportion to the good or bad works done on earth.

So, what Grace and Faith are good for?: The Grace of God is a most wonderful gift, the greatest treasure on earth, able to fill us with the love of God, because Jesus Christ Himself comes freely into you, just by faith, and then you can love and do good deeds, and not you, but Jesus who is in you! (Gal.2:20)... In Christianity, faith is the foundation of the building, love is the building itself, and hope is the windows of that building, to receive fresh air and light and warmth and energy of the sun... (1Cor.13, Gal.5:5-6).

It is the bottom-line of the Judgment of God in Romans, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God "will give to each person according to what he has done...For God does not show favoritism. (Rom.2:5-6, 11) You may read the whole statement (Rom.2:5-11). Paul also mentions it in Colossians, But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. (Col.3:25, KJV).

In God there is no partiality, no favoritism, no respect of persons... He uses the same measure to judge Jews and Christians and Muslims and Hindus and Indians... He uses to each one the same measure, the measure of love, the good or bad deeds we do in this period of test on earth.

The only measure of faith is love, the good or bad works we did with the gift of faith, as in Abraham, whose faith is was measured by his deeds, he even was ready to kill his own beloved son Isaac, because of his faith in God, that's the real good saving faith expressing itself through love. (Gal.5:6).

Can a Jew go to Heaven?... Sure!... Jesus himself says that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Prophets of the Old Testament are in Heaven already (Matt.8:11, Lk.13:28).

Can a Muslim, an Indian, a Hindu go to Heaven?... yes, God wants everybody in Heaven: "God desires everyone to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1Tim.2:4)... God wants every man and woman to go to Heaven... this is the God of the Bible!: He wants every man and woman, before and after Christ, to go to Heaven... every Indian who lived 3,000 years ago had all he needed to know God, and to go to Heaven... every Hindu or Jew woman who lived 2,000 years before Christ is a treasure to God, and God gave her all she needed to reach Heaven... and Jesus Christ died for her!... and for every Muslim and every Buddhist... for All!... the saving blood of Christ is retroactive, eternal, for every human ever lived on earth.

And there is no respect of persons for God, He will judge anyone by the same measure of love, the only measure of faith in God, the love to God and to our neighbors.

In the general judgment, Jesus will not ask, were you a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim?... He will only say, `Come... For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink... read the whole quotation above... and it will be the same words for a Christian or a Jew or an Indian... For God does not show favoritism. (Rom.2:11).

What about an Atheist?: They have "no excuse", says Paul, because since the creation of the world God has shown to them his eternal power and divine nature, in Rom.1:18-24... Psalms 14 and 53 call them "fools"... and Job says to them: "ask the beasts!, and they will teach you"... who made the feathers of the birds, or the lungs of the fish...? (Job 12:7-9). Salvation To Heaven

In the New Testament we often see the words "saved" and "salvation": - Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Act.16:31). - I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. (Rom.1:16).

But this "saved" and "salvation" does not mean that "you are already in Heaven", it always mean that you have been saved from sin, from the slavery of the flesh and of the devil, and you have been made a "new creature", a "child of God", freely, by grace, by faith... as a "gift"... the most wonderful gift a person can receive on earth!...

... It is like the son of a King: He is a Prince, freely, not because he is handsome or because he has done good deeds, but just because he is the son of the King, freely, a gift... but if that Prince does bad things, he will be a bad Prince, and it is a shame, because as a Prince he had the opportunity to do many good things... the same goes for a "Christian": He has received more good things than a Prince, and if he does bad works it is a shame, and he will go to a worse Hell than an Indian who does bad works, but who never even heard about Jesus, nor had the Bible for guidance, nor the maternal care of the Church...

The "faith" is a "gift", a "charisma"... like your hands or your face, or the grace of God, or the Bible, or the Church... all are "gifts" of God... and you do not go to Heaven because of the "gifts" you received, but because of the "fruits"... because of the "works" you did using your hands, and your Christian faith, and the grace of God, and the knowledge of the Bible, and the maternal care of the Church...

We also read often about "eternal life": Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. (Jn.3:36).

Again, "you are not in Heaven yet!... you have a life on earth like the eternal life in Heaven, with love and joy and peace... but you are not in Heaven yet, you still can go to Hell. And in Fact Jesus says that many believers will go to Hell, many preachers who cast out devils in the name of Jesus, and who heal the sick in the name of Jesus... and Jesus says "many"! Read it in the Sermon of the Mount, called by some the "Constitution of Christianity" in Matthew 7:21-23.

So, what Faith is good for?: It is a most wonderful gift, the greatest treasure on earth, able to fill us with the love of God, because Jesus Christ Himself comes freely into you, just by faith, and with Jesus in you, you are going to have joy and love and peace, afraid of nobody and of nothing, and you can love and do good deeds, and not you, but Jesus who is in you! - I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal.2:20... Jn.15). - 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom.8:35-38)

As a Lutheran that has studied the differences between Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism (which is not the same as Protestantism), there are not only differences between terms, such as grace, faith, righteousness, and sinner, but there are huge theological differences. If Lutherans and Roman Catholics were in essential agreement, then explain why Lutherans do not believe in purgatory or the invocation of the saints and Roman Catholics do? Why do Lutherans believe that the papacy is the AntiChrist and those that follow him are the kingdom of the Antichrist? The author of this article is delusional, and he is engaging in wishful thinking.

The author is making some real howlers, also.

Try this one on for size:

“All Christians agree that if we sin after Baptism, we have to confess our sin, otherwise we will go to Hell if we die with sin.”

I guess that might hold if the author eliminated all Calvinists and all Baptists who adopt the “once saved always saved” line. If that is the case, then the author is taking two steps back for every step he thinks he is taking forward with his ecumenism....

More likely, though, the author is just not very aware of other Christian traditions.

Can a Muslim, an Indian, a Hindu go to Heaven?... yes, God wants everybody in Heaven”

No comment.

Seems like this explanation is too complicated.

Protestants believe the ‘Holy Spirit’ guides them to understand God’s will without the reality check of comparing their feelings to the teachings of generations of wise men.

It’s a kind of arrogant emotionalism seldom penetrable by rational persuasion.

Protestants believe the ‘Holy Spirit’ guides them to understand God's will without the reality check of comparing their feelings to the teachings of generations of wise men.

If that were so we wouldn't have Lutheranism, Calvinism, Wesleyanism, etc... When it comes to Protestants, it is hard to paint with a broad brush.

Generally Protestants do not interpret the Bible through the authority of the church fathers, but instead view the teachings of the church fathers through the authority of the Bible.

There are many good things within the Roman Catholic Church, and I do not hate Roman Catholics. The reality is that Lutherans and Roman Catholics have fundamental differences. There is a difference between disagreement WITHIN the church structure and the difference that occurs OUTSIDE the church. Once Luther was excommunicated and the various irenical confessions were rejected by Rome, the differences grew too wide for any reconciliation. If Rome had been willing to Reform herself earlier, instead of waiting for the Council of Trent, history could have been very different for all concerned. There is no way to undo centuries of disunity and theological differences at this point.

The various founders of these denominations suffered the same lack of reality checks.

You didn't even try to understand what I posted, just responded with another attack.

We study the church fathers in my very Southern Baptist church. Origen, Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Tertullian, Clement and the list goes on and on. But again, we do not interpret the Bible through the authority of the church fathers, but instead view the teachings of the church fathers through the authority of the Bible.

I agree Nosterrex. This author is confused. Sola Fide means exactly that. Belief upon Christ and his atonement on the cross justfies sinners. St. Paul said “faith is credited to us as righteousness” in Romans. However, repentance, faithfulness, fruit of the spirit etc is evidence of authentic faith and that the person has beem transformed by God’s grace. But that is a result of true faith. Faith should not be confused with works.

Well, here's a mistake of fact

All Christians agree that if we sin after Baptism, we have to confess our sin, otherwise we will go to Hell if we die with sin.

Many, in fact, believe in "once saved, always saved">

Further, I can find no support in Scripture for the view that Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc, can be saved without accepting Christ as personal Savior, anymore than I can find that Catholics, Orthodox, or Protestant can. If you have accepted God's Salvation, you will do good because Christ commanded it. But it is not essential to Salvation. Hitler could have been saved, at the end, although I don't think he was. But all he had to do was accept God's grace.

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