Comments for Catholic Revelation http://catholicrevelation.com Defending the Church: The Pillar and Bulwark of the Truth - 1 Timothy 3:15 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:46:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on The False Doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved by Dan http://catholicrevelation.com/2009/11/once-saved-always-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-112 Dan Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:46:40 +0000 http://catholicrevelation.com/?p=195#comment-112 Without God's grace, there would be no sacrifice in the first place. Without the sacrifice of Christ, there would be no object to place our faith in. Without faith, there is no justification in grace (Romans 3:24), faith (Romans 5:1) or the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9). We are justified by His grace and His blood (Christ's part) through faith (our part). It is by grace that we are saved through faith (Eph. 2:8). We have access by faith into this grace (Rom. 5:2). A living faith produces good works BECAUSE it's a living faith, not to become a living faith. The source of the life in the faith is not the works; rather, the life in the faith is the source of the works. In James 2:14, we read of one who "says he has faith" but has no works. This is not genuine faith, but a "bare profession of faith." So when James asks, "Can that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an "empty profession of faith." James gives us the test for genuine faith: like the faith of Abraham, it results in works. The faith that James is condemning is not the faith that Paul is commending. Good works are the fruit, by product and demonstrative evidence of genuine saving faith, not the means of our salvation. James DOES NOT teach that we are saved BY works. His concern is to SHOW the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith CLAIMED (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine. Show me your (alledged) faith without your works and I will SHOW you my (genuine) faith by my works (James 2:18). SHOW, not establish. We are saved by that kind of faith accompanied (confirmed, authenticated) by works. We are justified by faith but only by a true faith, a faith proved to be true if it is followed by good works. We are not doing good works to become saved, we are doing good works because we were already saved by an authentic faith in Jesus Christ which "trusts in Him alone for salvation." Man is saved through faith and not by works (Romans 4:1-3; Ephesians 2:8-9); yet faith, if it is genuine, will be substantiated and confirmed by good works (James 2:14-26). Having faith in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation means that you are believing (trusting) only in Jesus to save you. It means you are not placing your faith in anyone or anything else, not even in your own works, for your salvation. This does not mean that saving faith does not result in good works. Salvation through faith "apart from works" means "apart from the merit of works" and not "apart from the presence of works." Faith is the root and good works are the fruit of our salvation. Without God’s grace, there would be no sacrifice in the first place. Without the sacrifice of Christ, there would be no object to place our faith in. Without faith, there is no justification in grace (Romans 3:24), faith (Romans 5:1) or the blood of Christ (Romans 5:9). We are justified by His grace and His blood (Christ’s part) through faith (our part). It is by grace that we are saved through faith (Eph. 2:8). We have access by faith into this grace (Rom. 5:2). A living faith produces good works BECAUSE it’s a living faith, not to become a living faith. The source of the life in the faith is not the works; rather, the life in the faith is the source of the works. In James 2:14, we read of one who “says he has faith” but has no works. This is not genuine faith, but a “bare profession of faith.” So when James asks, “Can that faith save him?” he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an “empty profession of faith.” James gives us the test for genuine faith: like the faith of Abraham, it results in works. The faith that James is condemning is not the faith that Paul is commending. Good works are the fruit, by product and demonstrative evidence of genuine saving faith, not the means of our salvation. James DOES NOT teach that we are saved BY works. His concern is to SHOW the reality of the faith professed by the individual (James 2:18) and demonstrate that the faith CLAIMED (James 2:14) by the individual is genuine. Show me your (alledged) faith without your works and
I will SHOW you my (genuine) faith by my works (James 2:18). SHOW, not establish. We are saved by that kind of faith accompanied (confirmed, authenticated) by works. We are justified by faith but only by a true faith, a faith proved to be true if it is followed by good works. We are not doing good works to become saved, we are doing good works because we were already saved by an authentic faith in Jesus Christ which “trusts in Him alone for salvation.” Man is saved through faith and not by works (Romans 4:1-3; Ephesians 2:8-9); yet faith, if it is genuine, will be substantiated and confirmed by good works (James 2:14-26). Having faith in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation means that you are believing (trusting) only in Jesus to save you. It means you are not placing your faith in anyone or anything else, not even in your own works, for your salvation. This does not mean that saving faith does not result in good works. Salvation through faith “apart from works” means “apart from the merit of works” and not “apart from the presence of works.” Faith is the root and good works are the fruit of our salvation.

]]> Comment on The False Doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved by Dina McNulty http://catholicrevelation.com/2009/11/once-saved-always-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Dina McNulty Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:55:38 +0000 http://catholicrevelation.com/?p=195#comment-100 Yes. By Grace only. Catholics believe in 'Grace alone', which is different than 'faith alone'. For' it is but only by the Grace of God that we can live a holy life which includes a living faith and not a dead faith void of works. "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 3:14-17 Yes. By Grace only. Catholics believe in ‘Grace alone’, which is different than ‘faith alone’. For’ it is but only by the Grace of God that we can live a holy life which includes a living faith and not a dead faith void of works.

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 3:14-17

]]> Comment on The False Doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved by Rob Delisa http://catholicrevelation.com/2009/11/once-saved-always-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Rob Delisa Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:56:57 +0000 http://catholicrevelation.com/?p=195#comment-99 Yes. It is only by the Grace of God through Jesus Christ that we can be saved. But, what does it mean to <em>accept</em> God's grace? If by Sola Gracias you mean that God's Grace alone is sufficient then what is it that differentiates those who are saved from those who are not? Rob Yes. It is only by the Grace of God through Jesus Christ that we can be saved.
But, what does it mean to accept God’s grace? If by Sola Gracias you mean that God’s Grace alone is sufficient then what is it that differentiates those who are saved from those who are not?

Rob

]]> Comment on The False Doctrine of Once Saved, Always Saved by Michael http://catholicrevelation.com/2009/11/once-saved-always-saved/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Michael Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:57:46 +0000 http://catholicrevelation.com/?p=195#comment-71 By the grace of GOD only? <a href="http://home.inreach.com/bstanley/works.htm" rel="nofollow">Sola Gracias</a>? By the grace of GOD only? Sola Gracias?

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