From a Catholic perspective, I affirm that
God’s justice is real, and that sin has eternal consequences. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1033–1037) teaches clearly about the reality of hell and the necessity of salvation. However, Catholic tradition offers a
holistic and sacramental understanding of salvation—one that is not limited to a single moment, but unfolds as a lifelong journey of grace, faith, and cooperation with God.
While I agree that salvation includes being saved from God’s just wrath, the Catholic Church teaches that salvation is
not merely a one-time event, but a
lifelong process that begins with baptism, is nourished through the sacraments, and is completed in final perseverance (cf. CCC 161, 1987–2029).
“By grace you have been saved through faith… not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8–9) is often cited to support the “one-off” view. But Catholics read this alongside verse 10: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…”—highlighting that faith and works are both essential, not as competing forces, but as cooperative responses to grace.
The Evangelical claim that the “born again do not lose their salvation” is rooted in a theology of
eternal security. Catholics, however, believe that while God is always faithful,
human freedom remains intact. One can fall from grace through mortal sin (cf. 1 Cor 10:12, Heb 6:4–6), which is why the Church calls us to ongoing conversion and reconciliation through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
This isn’t to instil fear, but to honour the
dignity of human cooperation with grace. As St. Paul says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12)—not because God is capricious, but because love demands fidelity.
Finally, while the Evangelical statements focus heavily on
God’s wrath, Catholic theology insists that
God’s justice is never separated from His mercy. Divine wrath is not arbitrary anger, but the expression of God’s holiness in the face of sin. Yet, as Thomas Aquinas wrote, “God’s mercy is not opposed to His justice, but is the interpretation of it.”
The Cross is not where God vents His wrath on Christ instead of us (a view more aligned with penal substitution), but where
Christ offers Himself in love, satisfying justice through mercy. As the Catechism puts it: “The sacrifice of Christ is unique; it completes and surpasses all other sacrifices” (CCC 614).
So, to my Evangelical brothers and sisters, I say warmly: yes, salvation delivers us from wrath—but it also
invites us into communion, into transformation, and into a life of grace that is lived out daily. It is not a transaction, but a relationship. Not a moment, but a pilgrimage.
And in that, we walk together—sometimes with different emphases, but always under the gaze of the same merciful Father.