Anti-Catholic said:
It seems you are implying that Protestants would say Abraham's faith did not include hope,
I would say that is true. Hope is against the Protestant mindset since they believe they are saved:
Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
According to that Scripture, Protestants are hopeless (pun intended). They see themselves saved, therefore they do not hope for salvation.
wasn't growing strong, and was passive rather than active.
You're talking about faith here, correct?
Then my answer would be, "No".
Protestants believe that justification is a one time event. Not a process. Therefore, they claim, the moment one believes in God, faith is born and one is saved. From that moment, faith may grow stronger, but that would only go towards one's crowns or rewards. No longer towards one's justification or salvation, since, according to them, that was done when they came to faith.
That's nothing but a straw man. I'm fairly confident any Reformed Christian would say Abraham's faith had all those things, but they would qualify it by saying that it is the work of Spirit of God through regeneration that produces the hopeful, strong, and active faith.
And I agree with that statement. But in so saying, Protestants contradict their stated doctrines of justification and salvation by faith alone.
Sincerely,
De Maria
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