[Jvette]

Not devil’s advocate.

Merely seeking an understanding of this seeming contradiction to the non Catholic tenet of faith alone.

When a Catholic says both faith and works are needed for salvation, we are accused of teaching against the Bible which supposedly says faith alone saves. We defend the belief by saying that one who has faith will have works/fruits/deeds which reveals that faith.

Again, I do not judge Hugo Chavez. I do not judge anyone. God judges.

But, here in this thread I am reading posts by non Catholics condemning him for his actions even though he professed a belief in Jesus.

Logically is would follow that if one must have good fruits as evidence of faith, then faith alone does not save, faith must be accompanied by deeds.

Just saying.

[bramps]

I answered you and presently no screen name answered you and you come right back as though you didn't read a word. Much worse than that, Jesus has answered you and you ignore him. I'll know better than to waste my time in the future. And you took me away from precious time I could’ve been spending speculating on the next pope. That's something like a venereal sin or something, isn't it? No, excuse me, a venereal sin is something a priest gives to a little boy.

[BlueDragon]

Logically is would follow that if one must have good fruits as evidence of faith, then faith alone does not save, faith must be accompanied by deeds.

STUFF THAT LOGIC.

The Apostle Paul; Galatians 2

15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles
16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!
18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

continuing in chapter 3

3 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

We defend the belief by saying that one who has faith will have works/fruits/deeds which reveals that faith

Though that may be common enough in Catholic settings, it is not the Gospel Paul preached, is subtly different, but not insignificantly "different."