"One crucial issue remained to be resolved: Justification by Faith, the central bone of contention of the Reformation.
Luther was obviously right here: the doctrine is dearly taught in Romans and Galatians. ....
At Heaven’s gate our entrance ticket, according to Scripture and Church dogma, is not our good works or our sincerity, but our faith, which glues us to Jesus.
He saves us; we do not save ourselves. But I find, incredibly, that 9 out of 10 Catholics do not know this, the absolutely central, core, essential dogma of Christianity.
Protestants are right: most Catholics do in fact believe a whole other religion.
Well over 90% of students I have polled who have had 12 years of catechism classes, even Catholic high schools, say they expect to go to Heaven because they tried, or did their best, or had compassionate feelings to everyone, or were sincere. They hardly ever mention Jesus.
Asked why they hope to be saved, they mention almost anything except the Savior."
Salvation in an immediate sense involves getting filled and cleaned by the Holy Spirit. It is a repurposing of an old fallen self that was purposed to the devil and/or to the devil’s waypoints (flesh and world). The details entail the Son (whom we typically refer to as Jesus because that’s how the Son became incarnate) performing the atoning work of the salvation, teaching the new believer, and presenting the new believer in love to the Father.
And I’d also call that a cock and bull story if I hadn’t experienced and witnessed it. Because of that, I am sold. The Holy Spirit is real and does marvelous works in the world.