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faith and good works should be so closely joined together that the essence of the entire Christian life consists in both.

"Should be" is theory, but that's not the way it usually works. Takes a whole life for current behavior (one's state) to catch up with guaranteed faithbased position (one's standing before God).

The RC problem is that they think one can "lose" the gift of salvation through lack of visible works. But that is an opinion fostered by the god of this world, who would have the newly-born Christ-follower get back under the burden of shame and guilt through lack in confidence in the burden-shifting work of Jesus.

The correctly catechized New Covenant believer is convinced that because of his trust in the Cross-experience transaction, The Judge Of All has pardoned, judicially declared him "NOT GUILTY" once and for all time, and imputed the righteousness of His Beloved Son to him, thus removing the sense of guilt and the power of Sin as an indwelling agent.

The RCs do not like that view of justification.

"Should be" is theory, but that's not the way it usually works. Takes a whole life for current behavior (one's state) to catch up with guaranteed faithbased position (one's standing before God). The RC problem is that they think one can "lose" the gift of salvation through lack of visible works. But that is an opinion fostered by the god of this world, who would have the newly-born Christ-follower get back under the burden of shame and guilt through lack in confidence in the burden-shifting work of Jesus. The correctly catechized New Covenant believer is convinced that because of his trust in the Cross-experience transaction, The Judge Of All has pardoned, judicially declared him "NOT GUILTY" once and for all time, and imputed the righteousness of His Beloved Son to him, thus removing the sense of guilt and the power of Sin as an indwelling agent.

The burden of shame and guilt through lack in confidence in the burden-shifting work of Jesus is a consequence of no faith, though on the basis of that faith some claim they can live like the devil and be saved. However, saving faith in Scripture is not faith in a promise of salvation if one just believes the promise, abstract from who Christ is, but it is "whosoever believeth in HIM shall receive remission of sins," (Acts 10:43) which means one will seek to live according to what the object of his faith wills. For faith is what effects all our volitional actions.

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)

Those who do not Biblically believe in the risen Jesus as their Lord and Savior (He is both) should feel shame and guilt. And as it is faith that saves, for which man can take zero credit for (seeing as God draws, opens hearts, grants repentance, and gives faith, and motivates and enables us to do what we otherwise could not and would not do), then we have exhortations to preserve in the faith, ( (Heb. 3:14) and warnings against not doing so.

Which having "an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God," (Heb. 3:12) drawing back unto perdition (Heb. 10:38,39) going back into bondage, making Christ of no effect, to no profit, (Gal. 5:1-4) is the only thing man can and must take proper credit for, and the blame for the dire consequences.

And yet God plays for keeps, and works to bring repentance, which can be even via severe chastisement, (1Co. 5:5) thus if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31-32)

Thanks be to God He has not given up on me yet!