Oh, Ben, the Father has already TOLD us what he has decided AND what he has done about our retched condition. Have you forgotten everything that Evangelicalism taught you? It is not presuming when you admit you believe God's promises. It certainly WOULD be presumptuous had he not given us any assurance that we can know our eternal destiny. If our salvation was based on how well we merited or earned Heaven or how perfect we could make ourselves so we could be in God's presence, then no one COULD ever be sure until they faced the judge (God) and He tallied up the "tab".
But it isn't based on our merit or how good we are. If righteousness could come by being "good enough" and obeying all the rules, then why did Christ have to die? He is dead in vain, Galatians 2:20 says, if righteousness comes by the law. The Gospel means "good news" and the good news is that we are saved "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by his mercy he has saved us." (Titus 3:5) Whatever you do - and I'm not saying this to talk you out of being a Catholic - please, do not give up that blessed assurance that says we can KNOW we HAVE eternal life. Don't stop trusting God to do what he has promised to do.
“Oh, Ben, the Father has already TOLD us what he has decided”
No he has not. I will not know until the day of judgement.
“Have you forgotten everything that Evangelicalism taught you?”
And if I fall? What then?
“It is not presuming when you admit you believe God’s promises.”
I believe in God’s promises to me, that should I profess my love for Christ and obey him, that I will be saved. Of that I am confident.
But I am unsure, not of Christ, but of myself. If I do not obey him, if I turn away from him, then I will not be saved.
“If our salvation was based on how well we merited or earned Heaven or how perfect we could make ourselves so we could be in God’s presence, then no one COULD ever be sure until they faced the judge (God) and He tallied up the “tab”.”
On the contrary, everyone would know. They would fail. That is what Christ teaches us. This is why we cannot save ourselves, because we are sinful creatures that are unworthy of salvation.
Can I look in my heart and confess that I have always loved him as I should? No, I cannot. Is my love for him sufficient? I don’t know, but it is Christ who decides not me.
My job is to keep turning towards him and away from sin. Each day, until that day when I am called before him. Only then will I know my fate.
“Whatever you do - and I’m not saying this to talk you out of being a Catholic - please, do not give up that blessed assurance that says we can KNOW we HAVE eternal life. Don’t stop trusting God to do what he has promised to do.”
It’s not God that I doubt. It’s me. Please understand this. And no, if asked, I do not know what my fate will be. That’s up to God to decide through his grace to forgive me for my sins.