James: page one
Posted on 01/21/2012 1:33:21 PM PST by NYer
If you are accosted by a person on the street who asks, “Are you saved?,” it’s like being asked: “when did you stop beating your wife?”
Answer either “yes” or “no,” and you’re in trouble.
In such moments, I think of Joan of Arc’s answer to Jean Beaupère, one of the prosecutors at her trial, who asked whether she thought she was in the state of grace. She replied: “If I am in the state of grace, may God keep me there; if I am not, may He put me there.”
St. Thomas Aquinas (Summa I-II, 1123, 5) poses the question whether we can know we are in the state of grace. He answers that there are two ways: 1) through a special revelation; 2) with a bit less certainty, through interior experience of the manna absconditum (“hidden manna”) spoken of in Rev. 2:17.
Very few saints have been given special revelations. There’s the “good thief,” who received assurance from Jesus on the Cross that he and the Lord would be together in Paradise that very day. Two of the three child visionaries at Fatima received assurances from Our Lady that they would soon be going to heaven. But even great saints, as St. Paul says (Phil. 2:12), have to work out their salvation “with fear and trepidation.”
Should we be envious at the apparent absolute certitude of some Protestants who, like some Catholics, have had a powerful religious experience that they interpret as being “born again?” Catholics with the same experience may take it as a sign of a vocation, or of the need for repentance.
But “born again” Protestants also seem to assume that they can never be lost. This is doubly amazing. Since most Protestants don’t believe in Purgatory, “born again” Protestants would thus believe they go immediately into heavenly bliss after death. No delay!
Jesus’ disciples did not seem to have such absolute certainty. In Luke 13:23, they asked Him whether only a few are saved. Jesus avoided a direct answer, but recommended to them that they “take the narrow gate,” and warned them in Mt. 7:13 that the “wide gate” can lead to destruction.
The problem is particularly severe, Jesus says, for the wealthy, since it will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for them to be saved (Mt. 19:25, Mk. 10:26). Jesus’ disciples, astonished at this statement, wondered whether anyone could be saved; but then the Master assured them that with God, all things are possible. Even what’s impossible for us.
James: page one
In her famous Dialogues, God the Father assures St. Catherine of Siena that, at the very last minute, He can offer even a great sinner the grace of repentance. In Chapter 132 of that work, He mentions that He has a special “trick” up His sleeve: He persuades some who have “spent their life in wickedness” to “put immense trust in my mercy” – thus keeping them from despair, that is, from “the single sin that leads them to hell.” In other words, avoid despair at all costs.
In the Old Testament, “salvation” often had the connotation of deliverance from the multiple external exigencies and enemy forces that threatened the struggle of God’s chosen people to establish His reign in the world. The political aspects of this ideal remain in the Gospels, but Jesus gradually brought his followers to focus primarily on the spiritual and eschatological aspects of salvation.
Most of us are probably amazed at the sheer presumption of the Apostles James and John, when they ask to sit at the side of Jesus, one on the right side and one on the left, when He comes into His glory. But on second thought this just brings out what tremendous familiarity they must have had with the incarnate Son of God, spending days and days with Him, eating and drinking, with hours and hours of conversation. Many of us might be quite satisfied just to have some obscure corner of heaven reserved for us.
If we can take a cue from the Roman martyrology, vast numbers of Old Testament personages having no connection with the Mosaic Law not only were saved but are to be revered as saints: Abel, the brother of Cain; Enoch, who was taken up bodily into heaven; Lot, the brother of Abraham; Noah, the Babylonian; Job, Melchizedek, and even the Arabian Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon.
In the New Testament, Jesus offered Baptism as a passport to salvation. But also assured his followers (Mt. 10:42) that even someone who gave a cup of cold water to one of His disciples would not lose his reward. And he promises that, in the final judgment, those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, or visited the sick and prisoners would be saved (Mt. 25:35-37).
Especially in view of the tremendous obstacles to conversion in such places as North Korea, many Middle Eastern countries, and countries overwhelmed by secularization – the traditional catechetical alternative of “baptism of desire” and “baptism by blood” assume greater and greater significance.
A long tradition of interpretation of Rev. 12:4 holds that two-thirds of the angels after Creation were saved. Are we to believe that we humans, with all our temptations and sufferings and struggles with doubts, are going to end up with more than one-third losing out?
In the drama of salvation, the devil apparently has a tremendous advantage. He knows, doesn’t he, exactly who has been saved. And he knows what sort of things brought about the downfall of those who are with him. With our minuscule strength against the power of Satan, how can we win?
But we may assume that the angels, who have had as much experience with humans as the devils, have also developed strategies for keeping their charges on the road to salvation. Just read C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters: he seems to know the strategies on both sides.
Catholic ping!
oh goody, another know it all protestant, “me, and jesus, and my bible” is all we need...
Let the Verbal Mud Slinging Begin!! LOL!!
We know that we are saved by Christ.. His sacrifice was SUFFICIENT , no work needs to be added to His.. He is the author AND THE FINISHER of our faith...there is nothing we can add to that
We are the righteousness of God in Christ.. not because we deserve it..but because He has given it to us
“Who Can be Saved?”
I suspect that G-d has the ability to save anybody he chooses to.
Jhn 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Jhn 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Jhn 6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Jhn 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Most evangelicals know to a date certain on what day and at what moment they committed and gave their life to God.
My impression is that its a bit different with Catholics, they will see their walk of faith as more of a continuum. Although, in actual fact, there will definitely have been a moment in the life of any committed Catholic believer in which he did, in fact, accept God’s dominion over his life. (Like, every day, no doubt).
I see my walk as a continuum too, but I remember when it started.
I don’t know that Catholics typically say anything directly equivalent to the “sinner’s prayer” that is popular in evangelical churches but a committed, believing Catholic would have no problem saying those words and has no doubt said them many times.
If you love God and have made him lord of your life, if you believe that Jesus is the Christ, then we’re brothers. You may or may not see me in the same light, but I see you as my brother or sister. If God is alive in your life you will already have seen all the confirmation you need.
I’m not catholic but I’ve met many genuinely Christian catholics and I do not doubt their salvation. And if God claims you, I do too. We aren’t going to agree with each other on everything this side of heaven, and I don’t know that its necessary that we do. We aren’t called to agree with each other on everything, we’re only called to love one another. And I think we mostly do.
God is the choreographer. I’ll do whats in front of me, while you do what he puts in front of you. I’ll feel free to tell you you aren’t doing it right from time to time, and you will no doubt tell me the same. Its part of being human.
as long as you are content in your stunted growth as a christian, and feel comfy in your man-made thelogy, as opposed to what shows, and is documented historically from the time of the apostles, that’s fine....
Apparently, neither do you.
In Matt. 7:21 - all those who say "Lord, Lord" on the last day will not be saved. They are judged by their evil deeds. And, in Luke 8:13 - Jesus teaches that some people receive the word with joy, but they have no root, believe for a while, and then fall away in temptation. They had the faith but they lost it.
Scripture further demonstrates the possibility of losing Salvation. For example, Rom. 8:24 - for in this hope we were saved (but, again, why "hope" if salvation is a certainty?) More importantly in 1 Peter 1:9 we learn that you obtain the salvation of your souls as the outcome of your faith. Working out our salvation in fear and trembling is a lifelong process.
What with all the enemy of our souls have thrown at us believers to argue with semantics which come down to a real belief anyway. If we walk the walk with or without the so-called "key word". We Trust in Jesus.
I remember hearing about this Christian in the Iron curtain during the 1950's. He was in Jail with every know Christian. Catholics and Indy church were praising and singing hymns together in Jail. Most of them died except him. He wrote a book and came to America to witness his supernatural story.
Gee! I forgot his name.
Amen!
His Divine Mercy overrides all else!
Praise Jesus!!
See my post #13.
Everyone can be saved that deserves to be saved. IMHO
Thank you for their Witness Lord Jesus!
Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[e] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[f]
Only trouble with that is no one deserves to be saved.
Great link!
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