Why jump from thread to thread? You don't believe the Holy Scripture -- this is a free country. Believe what you will.
hundreds of millions of Christians, who have no such limitation, disagree
Well, of course they disagree. What Christ taught is a difficult doctrine. Most people prefer inventing some easy theology and call that their gospel. Luther was not the first to do so and he won't be the last. But they all will be dust, and the Church lead by the Holy Ghost, will be just fine.
Any faith that doesnt result in works is a dead faith
Precisely. So therefore we are not saved by faith alone.
Merry Christmas!
Semi-Pelagianism is a weaker form of Pelagianism (a heresy derived from Pelagius who lived in the 5th century A.D. and was a teacher in Rome). Semi-Pelagianism (advocated by Cassian at Marseilles, 5th Century) did not deny original sin and its effects upon the human soul and will; but, it taught that God and man cooperate to achieve man’s salvation. This cooperation is not by human effort as in keeping the law but rather in the ability of a person to make a free will choice. The semi-Pelagian teaches that man can make the first move toward God by seeking God out of his own free will, and that man can cooperate with God’s grace even to the keeping of his faith through human effort. This would mean that God responds to the initial effort of person, and that God’s grace is not absolutely necessary to maintain faith.
The problem is that this is no longer grace. Grace is the completely unmerited and freely given favor of God upon the sinner; but, if man is the one who first seeks God, then God is responding to the good effort of seeking him. This would mean that God is offering a proper response to the initial effort of man. This is not grace but what is due the person who chooses to believe in God apart from God’s initial effort.
Semi-Pelagianism says the sinner has the ability to initiate belief in God.
Semi-Pelagianism says God’s grace is a response to man’s initial effort.
Semi-Pelagianism denies predestination.
Semi-Pelagianism was condemned at the Council of Orange in 529.
http://carm.org/semi-pelagianism
You say we are not saved by faith alone.....
Yet...We see this clearly in Saint Pauls question to the Corinthians:
....”What have you that you did not receive?” (1 Cor 4:7)
This was at the very heart of Pauls debate with the Pharisees: ....the issue of whether salvation is attained by faith or by the works of the law.... Paul ‘rejects’ the attitude of those who would consider themselves justified before God on the basis of their own works. ...Such people, even when they obey the commandments and do good works, are centred on themselves; they fail to realize that goodness comes from God..... Those who live this way, who want to be the source of their own righteousness, find that the latter is soon depleted and that they are unable even to keep the law..... They become closed in on themselves and isolated from the Lord and from others;... their lives become futile and their works barren, like a tree far from water....
Salvation by faith means recognizing the primacy of Gods gift. As Saint Paul puts it: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).
ENCYCLICAL LETTER
LUMEN FIDEI
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF FRANCIS
TO THE BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL
ON FAITH