Posted on 03/08/2011 10:19:18 AM PST by NYer
Catholic ping!
Good post. Thanks, Nyer.
I have one question though. The article says this:
“Secondly, he means good actions performed by willpower, without any particular help from God.”
Does not all good come from God?
“So we are justified by faith, if we mean the authentic biblical faith that causes us to walk in Gods ways. And we are justified by works, if we mean the works of charity that can only flow from faith and grace.”
Amen!
The good works of following Christ are real faith in action, the faith that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Both.
As noted by James, faith without works is dead. A living active faith, as described in Romans in the example of Abraham, is required of the Lord’s people.
Correct! Justified ONCE by faith, sanctified throughout life. Works are the evidence of true saving faith, of a regenerated heart.
I have always understood faith to be a verb.
The Bible says, “To whom much is given, much is expected.”
One can take this to mean worldly gifts, but is the heavenly gift that saves, that is the gift of faith.
So, the one to whom much faith has been given, much action is expected.
Show me a reference versus for that, please.
If you can be saved by works, then what was the point of the crucifixion and resurrection?
EXACTLY!! Christ is sufficient or He’s not. Of course He is. Only God’s sacrifice can pay the penalty of sin. Nothing else.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
The thief on the cross had no works. He simply acknowledged the Lord, his own sinful condition and asked for mercy in his own way.
Deathbed conversions have no works, yet if they are repentant and place their trust in Jesus, they are saved.
Jhn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
When Paul talks of Faith, it's implied that it's a trusting faith. Paul exhorts us to do good works, yet he doesn't place his faith in those works. In fact, Paul places his faith in Christ to do good works though us.
In Roman's 7 & 8 Paul talks openly about still struggling with his old nature as a Christian, yet he concludes in Roman's 8 that nothing, not even anything in this life or death, can separate us from the love of God.
James also is focused on faith. He starts out in James 1 talking about faith and increasing faith. However, James has people in his church saying, "I believe" but James isn't seeing it in their lifestyles. And in Chapter 2, James starts questioning their faith. James equates such faith to mere mental assent saying "even the demons believe". James knows that true faith eventually produces works and says "I will show you my faith by my works."
One of the spiritual diagnostic questions I was taught as a youth is to ask, "If you died and God met you at the gates to heaven and asked 'why should I allow you into my heaven', what would you answer?"
I've asked this of enough Catholics (I'm Southern Baptist) to know their response is likely to be "I hope I've been good enough." And that is the WRONG answer.
The right answer is "because your Son paid the price for my sins." Catholics know this, and when you remind them, they invariably, say, "Yeah, that makes sense." But it seems to me that the way they answer indicates they lose sight of that and don't have the confidence in their salvation that they were meant to have.
It's certainly not wrong to have a focus on good works, we should be about our Father's business. But our faith for salvation should be in what Jesus did. And because of that faith, the fruit of the spirit should be growing in our lives, we should be ever more prepared to do good works, and we should eventually see a harvest.
I believe he’s referencing Phillipians 2:12. Reading that verse in context, however, shows it is referring to the sanctification process rather than the justification. The verse is addressing those who are already members of the body of Christ through faith in Him. The “working out” is a reference to the sanctification process, not being justified before God (which Christ provided for on the cross) and has already occurred. One cannot “work” enough to earn God’s favor.
35For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. 37Then the righteous will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? 40The King will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.41Then He will also say to those on His left, Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me. 44Then they themselves also will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You? 45Then He will answer them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. 46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Great post. Another great verse “For it is by grace you are saved and not of yourselves lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8. Such verses are all over the NT with the emphasis on salvation by grace and faith, not works.
Jesus said...’if you have faith the size of a mustard seed...”
I agree with JLLH. That was a fantastic post. Thanks, DannyTN
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.