God does not grade on a curve

De Maria,

Apparently, you don’t know that you are saved. At least you’re being consistent with Roman teaching. 

The Catholic Church is consistent with Biblical Teaching:

1 Corinthians 4:3But 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.

But I tell you that you can know you are saved and that God wants you to know if you are saved. 

That's true.  But Scripture qualifies that statement with a very important fact:

1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

So, if we keep His Commandments, we can be sure that we will go to heaven.  Do you keep His Commandments?  Yes or no.

But that would mean trusting in Christ alone and not in a church that cannot save you. 

And yet, Scripture instructs you to trust in the Church:

1 Timothy 3:15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Otherwise, Scripture would not call the Church, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth.

If you can participate in the mass daily and still end up in hell, the sacraments are doing absolutely nothing for you.

There's no difference there from the Protestant who claims to have faith but ends up in hell.  There are many, Scripture says, who will have faith in vain.

1 Timothy 1:19Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

Hebrews 6:4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,  5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Throwing out a random verse from Romans 14 that is not dealing with justification proves nothing. You should actually try and make an argument from a verse that is pertinent to the situation.

All the verses I've provided are pertinent to the situation, you just don't want to hear it.  You're living in denial of the truth.

Actually, I don’t feel good about myself. I am confident in my salvation not because I am faithful but because the Judge became incarnate and gave His life for me, and, believing in His resurrection I am saved. Before God’s bar of justice, I am not faithful. He doesn’t grade on a curve, y’know.

Several points here:

1.  You call God your Judge but you deny that He will judge you.  Thus, you are making yourself the judge of your salvation.

2.  You declare yourself unfaithful, yet you claim that God will allow you into heaven, even though you acknowledge that He does not grade on a curve.  Thus, damning yourself, because you are right.  God does not lie, God does not fudge.  You are either worthy of salvation or not.  God alone judges that fact.

1 Corinthians 6:8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.  9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

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God is Judge

 

2. RT May 25, 2013 at 6:30 am

   ….If I’m a Muslim or Buddhist who does good and “feels” close to God, I’m going to end up in heaven anyway…..

   Nope. The Catholic Church teaches that God is our judge. Your opinion about yourself has nothing to do with whether you will wind up in heaven.

   For example:
   As a Protestant, you claim that you are saved because you consider yourself faithful. You feel good about yourself.

   The Catholic Church says that it doesn’t matter how faithful you claim to be. You are not the Judge. God is the one who decides whether you will be in heaven or not.

   In the same way, God will judge the Catholic, Muslim, Hindu and pagan of every sort, including also, the atheists:
   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.

   Sincerely,

   De Maria

The Catholic position on Redemption

DeMaria,
Thanks for trying to answer, but I don’t think those verses really applied to what I was asking. I was hoping someone could explain from the Catholic position how we are all objectively redeemed (the price has been paid and satisfaction has been made) and what that entails, how it differs from subjectively applied redemption, and how satisfaction has been made but somehow not all men are under that satisfaction. As well as if the distinction between sufficient and efficacious grace plays into this.

I think Jason has hit the nail on the head. I gave you the Catholic position but you didn’t recognize it because you are looking at it from a Protestant perspective.

Christ died in order that all mankind might be redeemed. But some men rejected their redemption. Only those who cooperated with the grace of God have applied the grace of redemption to their souls and will be saved.

2 Cor 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

Christ died for all so that some might be saved. Those who are saved are those who obey God, those who keep the Commandments.

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

Sincerely,

De Maria

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Salvation and grace

DE MARIA May 24, 2013 at 11:16 am

TIE May 23, 2013 at 8:13 pm
How is it that Christ suffered so that the human race might be freed from sin by making satisfaction for all the crimes of mankind and winning sufficient grace for the salvation of all men, but then God is not satisfied with a large portion of mankind who aren’t saved in the end?

It has to do with free will. God only approves of those men who do what He commands:
Exodus 20:6
King James Version (KJV)
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

How can we claim Christ made satisfaction to the Father but then the Father still not be satisfied, as some men are not saved?

Because some men have rejected the gift of salvation:
Hebrews 2:2-4
King James Version (KJV)
2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

How can Catholics say that all men are actually redeemed and their sins paid for, but also say that not all of mankind is saved? (I know there’s a difference between redemption objectively accomplished by the passion and subjectively applied through the sacraments; but I still don’t understand what that difference means in reality and how even being objectively redeemed doesn’t imply salvation).

If I understand you correctly, you have left out the requirement of our voluntary submission to God’s will:
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Does this have to do with the distinction between sufficient and efficacious grace?

To my understanding, it has to do with free will.