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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans
**The Catholic must downplay sin in this way because he believes that he must be justified by his works— but if we acknowledge all sin as damning, that, indeed, breaking the law even on one point makes you “guilty of all,” then their project of self-justification is in vain.**

The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus died for every human being, from Adam and Eve to the last person to be conceived. The interpretation here of no one coming to the Father but through Jesus means that He as the promised Messiah made it possible for mankind to enter Heaven.

To us, faith and good works go hand-in-hand and not mutually exclusive. A devout Jew, though he may not acknowledge Jesus, was still redeemed by His Passion and death. His faith in the Father, as well as any good works, and suffering accepted as God's will is what he will have with him when he stands before God. Then it is Good who decides. The same works for everyone else. That's what Catholics believe.


From: Lumen Gentium: "Light of Nations"

The Second Vatican Council speaks of salvation outside the Church in Lumen Gentium, nos. 14 and 16. Here are the pertinent sections from those two articles: 14. This Sacred Council wishes to turn its attention firstly to the Catholic faithful. Basing itself upon Sacred Scripture and Tradition, it teaches that the Church, now sojourning on earth as an exile, is necessary for salvation. Christ, present to us in His Body, which is the Church, is the one Mediator and the unique way of salvation. In explicit terms He Himself affirmed the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mk 16:16; Jn 3:5) and thereby affirmed also the necessity of the Church, for through baptism as through a door men enter the Church. Whosoever, therefore, knowing that the Catholic Church was made necessary by Christ, would refuse to enter or to remain in it, could not be saved. [. . .] 16. [. . .] Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience. Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel. She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life.

18 posted on 05/08/2015 9:55:31 PM PDT by Grateful2God (Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord...)
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To: Grateful2God
To us, faith and good works go hand-in-hand and not mutually exclusive. A devout Jew, though he may not acknowledge Jesus, was still redeemed by His Passion and death. His faith in the Father, as well as any good works, and suffering accepted as God's will is what he will have with him when he stands before God. Then it is Good who decides. The same works for everyone else. That's what Catholics believe.

Then Catholics spread false teaching.

First, Jews are damned, as are all other unbelievers, regardless of how many good works they do, if they do not believe in Christ.

1Jn_2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:

All are condemned under Adam, having inherited origin sin, being born dead in sin and unable to see the Kingdom of Heaven.

Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Furthermore, salvation cannot be won by "good works," which play absolutely no role in our justification. As Grace cannot be earned by our merits, and all our righteousness will always fall short of God:

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works," (Rom 4:4-6)

19 posted on 05/09/2015 12:27:36 AM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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