I'm having a conversation with a catholic friend. I'm trying to understand justification from his view and the protestant view that I was raised in.
Ephesians 2:8 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
But then it also says: 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
So there is at least some sort of work that is mentioned. As I understand justification from the catholic teaching, we are saved by faith, and then by the grace of God we are able to produce the good works that is needed for our salvation.
James 2:14-26 go on to say: if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
Catholics are emphasising James quite a bit as I understand, while Luther considered if it should even be a part of the canon. What exactly does James mean? There seem to be some contradictions at the surface which is why there's different opinions I'm sure.
Romans 5 says: 1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, wea have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faithb into this grace in which we stand, and wec rejoiced in hope of the glory of God.
Another example that by faith we are justified. Paul goes on to say that faith is a gift.
Romans 6 goes on to say: 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
So Paul is talking about how we shouldn't continue in sin, that our baptism leads us to be Born Again, following Christ, being obedient, being in a relationship with Him. So this is some kind of works that is needed, but at the same time it's: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works?
My friend is pointing out this verse to me in Philippians 2:12: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
That we are to work out our salvation continually. I'm having a hard time understanding these "contradictions" or nuances of what faith really means. Is the catholic teahcing Luther was protesting the same in the 1500s as today? Is the catholic teaching and protestant much closer today?
I feel that by faith we are saved is very reassuring. I need the grace of God, otherwise I'm simply lost if I'm saved by works. But I naturally want to try, I want to follow Jesus, because I see how damaging sin is to my life and our society at large. I look up unto the divinity of God, His holiness, I'm longing for that to happen. I believe in love.
Does the dispute happen when Catholics is saying, that it's by faith we are saved and the works we are given by God's grace - Where the protestant want to say; it's by faith alone, and from that relationship good works should occur to some degree naturally if it's genuine, but isolated, works are dead and won't save you?
If you are able to help me out, thank you.
Sincerely, Mathias
Ephesians 2:8 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
But then it also says: 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
So there is at least some sort of work that is mentioned. As I understand justification from the catholic teaching, we are saved by faith, and then by the grace of God we are able to produce the good works that is needed for our salvation.
James 2:14-26 go on to say: if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
Catholics are emphasising James quite a bit as I understand, while Luther considered if it should even be a part of the canon. What exactly does James mean? There seem to be some contradictions at the surface which is why there's different opinions I'm sure.
Romans 5 says: 1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, wea have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faithb into this grace in which we stand, and wec rejoiced in hope of the glory of God.
Another example that by faith we are justified. Paul goes on to say that faith is a gift.
Romans 6 goes on to say: 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
So Paul is talking about how we shouldn't continue in sin, that our baptism leads us to be Born Again, following Christ, being obedient, being in a relationship with Him. So this is some kind of works that is needed, but at the same time it's: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works?
My friend is pointing out this verse to me in Philippians 2:12: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
That we are to work out our salvation continually. I'm having a hard time understanding these "contradictions" or nuances of what faith really means. Is the catholic teahcing Luther was protesting the same in the 1500s as today? Is the catholic teaching and protestant much closer today?
I feel that by faith we are saved is very reassuring. I need the grace of God, otherwise I'm simply lost if I'm saved by works. But I naturally want to try, I want to follow Jesus, because I see how damaging sin is to my life and our society at large. I look up unto the divinity of God, His holiness, I'm longing for that to happen. I believe in love.
Does the dispute happen when Catholics is saying, that it's by faith we are saved and the works we are given by God's grace - Where the protestant want to say; it's by faith alone, and from that relationship good works should occur to some degree naturally if it's genuine, but isolated, works are dead and won't save you?
If you are able to help me out, thank you.
Sincerely, Mathias