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I understand where you are coming from, but consider this: Catholics believe that God is the final Judge; we cannot pin our salvation on ourselves before He does. If you pin salvation on yourself before He does, then you are obliging Him to agree with you. Correct?

Correct, and that is what everyman that credits himself with being able to purchase his salvation by following church law, or the commandments or good deeds tries . They are attempting to be able to say to God, you owe me salvation based on MY MERITS . I am "better " than most people...It is an attempt to oblige God to save you

But the saved do not credit themselves with anything of value before God.. Like the publican we stand before God as sinners in need of a Savior.. We credit Christ, as the author and finisher of our faith.. we have no standing or merit before God EXCEPT IN CHRIST..who is our propitiation before God, who merited salvation for us by His work..not ours..

The self identification of having personal salvation means exactly that.

Mark let me ask you, why does God save men?

Negative. The Catholic understands that he will stand alone before God and answer for each and every action and inaction in his whole life. There is no purchasing, there is no pass, there is no sliding by. There is only God.

By declaring personal salvation before your death, before Christ Judges you, you attempt to gainsay Him and to anticipate His Judgement. Wrong. I cannot say that I am saved because He has not yet Judged me. It is His Judgement that matters, not any human.

Mark let me ask you, why does God save men?

Because He wishes to have all those men who wish to be with Him forever with Him forever. He loves all mankind. More than that, Scripture does not state.