Will they be saved who do not do good works? #2

I'm having a friendly discussion with Jesse, a Protestant who frequently comments here.  It's taking place between his blog at Rational Christian and my last article, Will they be saved who do not do good works?

Anyway, in his rebuttal, Jesse neglects to answer the question I asked.  Will they be saved who do not do good works?  But he moves on to another objection.  He quotes me: 

"It is Catholics who say, "I don't know if I'm saved. I've done my best, it is God who will judge me."

then says:

But how could we possibly live a life of joy and peace, if we are not able to have assurance of eternal life? 

I don't know.  Since the Catholic Church Teaches that we have assurance of salvation, we live a life of joy and peace when we give ourselves to Christ.

What the Catholic Church does not teach is the ABSOLUTE assurance of salvation.  We don't claim, as the Pharisee did, that we know that we are saved.  We, like the Apostle, say:

1 Corinthians 4:3 It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; 4 I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord. 

Furthermore, it is precisely this self-righteous, pompous attitude (which is ironic since you claim to be humble) that is utterly incompatible with the biblical gospel (Galatians 1:6-12). 

On the contrary, the biblical gospel condemns those who judge themselves saved:

1.  First of all, if you judge yourself saved, you judge yourself righteous.

Luke 18:  The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. 9 He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. ...

2.  But if you say, "I am saved because of the righteousness of Christ which He has credited to me."

Scripture doesn't say any such thing.  If you are not truly righteous, God will condemn you.  God does not acquit the wicked.  

Proverbs 17:15 Whoever acquits the wicked, whoever condemns the just—

    both are an abomination to the Lord.

Galatians 6:7 Make no mistake: God is not mocked, for a person will reap only what he sows,

Those who want to merit the kingdom of heaven absolutely need to recognize the vital spiritual truth that God demands perfect obedience, which is impossible since we have all sinned against Him.

That's another error passed on by Luther.  God forgives sins.

1 John 1:9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.

That is precisely why He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ into the world to make atonement for the sins of mankind.

That doesn't mean what you think it means.

1.  Jesus Christ died for the sins of all men.  But, only those who amend their lives and live in accordance to His instructions, will be saved.

Hebrews 5:9 and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,

2.  Those who continue to live wicked lives will not be saved no matter how many times they claim to believe in God:

Matthew 7:  The True Disciple.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you.[b] Depart from me, you evildoers.’

It is strictly by God's grace that we are saved,

No doubt.

not by our own efforts.

Also true.  But God will not pour out His grace on those who do not obey His will.

Matthew 7:21The True Disciple. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Our "work" is believing on the One whom He has sent (John 6:27-29).

Again, that doesn't mean what you think it means.  That doesn't say, "If you claim to believe in Jesus Christ, you will be saved.  Scripture is clear that those who do not do the righteous works of God, will be condemned to eternal punishment.

Romans 2:6 who will repay everyone according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, 8 but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. 9 Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. 10 But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. 11 There is no partiality with God.

Judgment by the Interior Law. 12 All who sin outside the law will also perish without reference to it, and all who sin under the law will be judged in accordance with it. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified.

He saves all who come to Him with a repentant heart through faith.

But not those who come with claims of a repentant heart through faith alone and no works to prove their faith.

James 2:17 So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  18 Indeed someone may say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. 19 You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble. 20 Do you want proof, you ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?

It is only by the blood of Jesus that we are saved from God's wrath and eternal condemnation (Hebrews 10:10-14).

This is true.  And where do you get this Blood?  We get it in the Holy Eucharist when we attend the Mass.  You reject this Sacrament.

Thus, Sola Fide simply gives all the credit to God alone.

On the contrary,  those who claim salvation by faith alone give themselves credit for salvation.  Essentially, judging themselves saved in the exclusion of God's judgment.

The fact of the matter is that the Council of Trent affirmed the heresy of semi-pelagianism."

Perfectly true.  But, also declared the heresy of faith alone.

P.S.  On second thought, maybe I misunderstood what you intended to say.  If by that, you mean that the Church practices the heresy of semi-pelagianism, I'll remind you that it was the Catholic Church which condemned that heresy in the 5th century.

And, if that is what you meant to say, then it is obvious that you don't understand the meaning of the term, "semi-pelagianism".  It means that someone thinks that he can save himself without God's grace, but only by his own efforts.  Whereas, the existence of the Sacraments puts the lie to that idea. Because it is in the Sacraments that God pours out His saving grace upon those who obey His will.

Which leads us back to the same question which you refuse to answer.  Will God save those who do not do good works?  Yes or no.  

Will they be saved who do not do good works?

Galatians 4:30
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

From Jesse's blog:

Martin Luther's Commentary On Galatians 4:30

"And now they themselves do not defend their wicked life; nay, rather, they which are the best and the soundest of them all, do detest it; but they fight for the maintenance and defense of the doctrine of devils, for hypocrisy, and for the righteousness of works. Here they allege the authority of councils and the examples of holy fathers, whom they affirm to have been the authors of their holy orders and statutes. Therefore, we fight not against the manifest wickedness and abominations of the papacy, but against the greatest holiness and holiest saints thereof, which think they lead an angelic life, whilst they dream that they keep not only the commandments of God, but also the counsels of Christ, and do works of supererogation, and such as they are not bound to do. This, we say, is to labour in vain, except they take hold of that only and alone, which Christ saith is only necessary, and choose the good part with Mary, which shall not be taken from them.

Jesse quoted Luther, but simply quoted Luther's misunderstandings, or intentional twisting, of Catholic Doctrine.

First of all, as opposed to Luther's claim, the Catholic Church Teaches us not to judge ourselves.  This is from Scripture, which says:

1 Corinthians 4:3 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.

And, again, as opposed to what Luther said, the Catholic Church teaches to follow the examples of Holy men who precede us in the Faith.  That is to say, to follow the example of the Saints which Luther maligns above:

1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

And the Church Teaches us to labour for righteousness sake.  Whereas, Luther claims that all labour is fruitless, as we can see above:

Proverbs 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

This did Bernard, a man so godly, so holy, and so chaste, that he is to be commended and preferred above them all. 

Here we see that Luther contradicts himself, acknowledging the holiness of the man which Catholics call, St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

He being once grievously sick, and having no hope of life, put not his trust in his single life, wherein he had lived most chastely; not in his good works and deeds of charity, whereof he had done many; but removed them far out of his sight, and, receiving the benefit of Christ by faith, he said: "I have lived wickedly. But thou, Lord Jesus Christ, by double right dost possess the kingdom of heaven: first, because thou art the Son of God; secondly, because thou hast purchased it by thy death and passion. The first thou keepest for thyself, by thy birth-right. The second thou givest to me, not by the right of my works, but by the right of of grace." 

Here, St. Bernard acknowledges that salvation is from Jesus Christ.  This is Catholic Teaching.

He set not against the wrath of God his monkery, nor his angelic life; but he took hold of that one thing which was necessary, and so was saved. 

Luther acknowledges that this is what St. Bernard teaches.  That salvation is by grace.  But does St. Bernard teach that salvation by grace is extended to those who do not do good works and reject the Commandments?  I'll answer that at the end of the article.

I think that Hierome, Gregory, and many other of the fathers, were saved after the same sort. And it is not to be doubted but that also, in the Old Testament, many kings of Israel and other idolaters were saved in like manner, who, at the hour of death, casting away their vain trust which they had in idols, took hold of the promise of God, which was made unto the seed of Abraham, that is to say, Christ, in whom all nations should be blessed. 

Note that Luther here, extends salvation to idolaters by the criteria of his own opinion.  Notwithstanding, the Catholic Church Teaches that God alone judges salvation.

Hebrews 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

And if there be any of the papists which shall be saved, they must simply lean not to their own good deeds and deserts, but to the mercy of God offered unto us in Christ, and say with Paul: "I have not mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is by faith in Christ," (Phil. iii. 9.)" (Excerpt taken from "A commentary on Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians")