What? So, even faith no longer saves you?

DE MARIA February 10, 2015 at 12:19 pm

ROBERT February 10, 2015 at 11:55 amAre you being obtuse? I didn’t say that my love for Christ is what saves me. I said that Christ saves me and my love is the fruit of that. Heck, even faith is the fruit of that.

What? So, even faith no longer saves you?

James, are you justified by your love for Christ or not?

Are you being obtuse? How many times do we have to tell you that it is God who judges whether we love enough, have enough faith or have done enough to merit salvation?

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. 4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

God justifies those whom He judges worthy of justification.

Again, you’re being obtuse. When God offers his final justifying verdict on the last day, it will be because of Christ. Not because of my love for Christ. Not because of my works done in Christ’s name.

That goes against Scripture:

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

James, are you justified by your love for Christ or not?

The Catholic Church teaches that Christ is our Judge:

Romans 14:10
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

And once again, you ALL continue to miss the point. No one is denying that God’s love is poured in our hearts. No one denies that the saved have love for God. What we are denying is that our love for God is the reason why He justifies us.

John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Show me the verse that denies that one must love God in order to be justified.

Exodus 20:6
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

I notice that you simply can’t answer the question as to whether we are declared righteous because we love Christ or because of Christ.

The reason we can’t answer that question is because you have made a false dichotomy. God is love. Jesus is God, therefore Jesus is love.

If it’s because of Christ and only Christ, the answer is easy.

And Christ expects us to obey:
Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

What I’m asking is if anyone is saved in Scripture apart from special revelation. All of the examples that you give either spoke to Christ or heard the gospel. None of them were saved by the general revelation. Rome says otherwise. You can be saved by the actual grace given which motivates you to love God the best way you know how. Which means you can hate the God of the Bible and still make it to heaven.

You’re understanding our explanations with Protestant presuppositions.

1st. Whether anyone who hates God can be saved, is between God and them. The Catholic Church does not judge anyone outside the Church.

1 Cor 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

However, if you insist that the Catholic Church teaches that one can be saved who hates the God of the Bible, show me the teaching from an official Catholic Document.