Replies

Unfortunately, I have to disagree with your last paragraph. While it is true we need grace for salvation, we are, in the end, judge by works, "...And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what THEY HAD DONE (emphasize added)" (Revelation 20:12 RSV). Also, St. James added, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead" (St. James 2:26 RSV) Grace by Faith and Works is the way to Salvation. After all, Jesus's Sermon on the Mount was all about action, He told us to build our houses (faith) on the rock (works) so that the house will not fall when "the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house (all tribulations)" (St. Matthew 7:25 (24-27) RSV). Besides, we Catholics never in 2000 years had we been taught that works is the way to salvation, instead we were taught that we are saved by Grace through Faith and Works, not by Grace through Faith Alone.

Besides, we Catholics never in 2000 years had we been taught that works is the way to salvation, instead we were taught that we are saved by Grace through Faith and Works, not by Grace through Faith Alone.

Then you and many other folks have a dilemma...

You absolutely know that in Ephesians, as was posted here twice, that Faith and Faith only saves you, without works...And you have other scriptures that tell you that works is required along with Faith to save you...

You can't just throw one in the trash and pick the one you like...You're stuck with both of them...

What is the work God requires of us? For Catholics who take John 6 too literally in parts, it is odd to see one section skipped:

“When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

While works are the fruit of a repentant heart, the repentant heart comes first. And that is, as Paul wrote, “by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Not “we are saved by Grace through Faith and Works, not by Grace through Faith Alone”, but “saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works”.

You can’t get much clearer than that!

“While it is true we need grace for salvation, we are, in the end, judge by works, “”

I actually think I agree with you in this sense:

We are saved by grace.

We are lost due to our works.

So, if we go to heaven, it is because of God’s extraordinary mercy. If we go to hell, it is because of our hideous sinfulness.

Salvation by grace; damnation by works.