FAITH...SOLELY?

fhansen

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Are we saved by the simple act of faith, by the sheer brute fact of faith IOW, as if believing that Jesus is God and died for our sins is, by itself, enough to save us? Or do even demons believe that? I’d submit that we’re saved by faith-meaning via faith-that’s meant to actually produce authentic righteousness within us-necessarily-in order to be made truly righteous-or justified-in God’s eyes by first of all establishing communion with Him.

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.” Rom 2:5-8

Or…is righteousness/works just an inevitable and intrinsic by-product of faith? Either way, are we still obligated under the New Covenant to be actually righteous and certainly oriented in that direction, or would that be a case of still being “under the law, instead of “under grace”? Is strictly believing enough? There seems to be some confusion or conflict on this between people who claim to adhere to Sola Fide, with some at the extreme expressing what amounts to an antinomian stance for all practical purposes.

Either way, I’d submit that faith, in response to grace, is the first step in justice or righteousness for man, and that it orients us towards the true Good, towards God, but that it in no way guarantees that we’ll remain there let alone continue to walk in that way of justice or righteousness, which is expected to be owned more and more by ourselves as we do remain on that path, responding to God’s grace, working out our salvation with Him as time and opportunity allows with more expected from those given more (Luke 12:48). Thoughts, etc?
 

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We are justified by our sheer dependance upon Jesus. In our justification, we are forgiven all of our sins and we are credited with the righteousness of Christ and accepted by God as righteous. Our good works which flow from faith do not contribute to our justification.
 
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redleghunter

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First steps is an interesting concept where we discuss the entire walk in the Spirit.

I think what Catholics tend to miss is the fact that God can justify us merely by faith alone.

Yet this is what St Paul said before he enjoined the task of explaining what is meant by being saved from the power of sin (Romans 6-7). He stated bluntly we are saved from the penalty of sin.

Romans 5: NASB

1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of Godthrough Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
 
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BNR32FAN

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Are we saved by the simple act of faith, by the sheer brute fact of faith IOW, as if believing that Jesus is God and died for our sins is, by itself, enough to save us? Or do even demons believe that? I’d submit that we’re saved by faith-meaning via faith-that’s meant to actually produce authentic righteousness within us-necessarily-in order to be made truly righteous-or justified-in God’s eyes by first of all establishing communion with Him.

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.” Rom 2:5-8

Or…is righteousness/works just an inevitable and intrinsic by-product of faith? Either way, are we still obligated under the New Covenant to be actually righteous and certainly oriented in that direction, or would that be a case of still being “under the law, instead of “under grace”? Is strictly believing enough? There seems to be some confusion or conflict on this between people who claim to adhere to Sola Fide, with some at the extreme expressing what amounts to an antinomian stance for all practical purposes.

Either way, I’d submit that faith, in response to grace, is the first step in justice or righteousness for man, and that it orients us towards the true Good, towards God, but that it in no way guarantees that we’ll remain there let alone continue to walk in that way of justice or righteousness, which is expected to be owned more and more by ourselves as we do remain on that path, responding to God’s grace, working out our salvation with Him as time and opportunity allows with more expected from those given more (Luke 12:48). Thoughts, etc?

The definitions of the actual Greek words written in the scriptures that were translated to faith, believe, and believer all include faithfulness, trustworthiness, and fidelity. Personally I think a more accurate translation would probably be devotion.
 
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fhansen

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We are justified by our sheer dependance upon Jesus. In our justification, we are forgiven all of our sins and we are credited with the righteousness of Christ and accepted by God as righteous. Our good works which flow from faith do not contribute to our justification.
I don't disagree with this in the sense that forgiveness as well as being made new creations is all strictly gratuitous. But are we also made righteous as new creatures in that moment, as man was presumably originally intended to be anyway, or at least given the means to be so and either way expected to continue to be? Are we just snow-covered dung heaps or does God want more from and for us than that? How important is it for us to remain faithful, to go, and sin no more, to love God and neighbor and show it by how we live our lives? How obligated to righteousness are we, as per Rom 2:5-8, for example? Or does faith sort of "stand in" or replace that?
 
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Jonathan Mathews

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Are we saved by the simple act of faith, by the sheer brute fact of faith IOW, as if believing that Jesus is God and died for our sins is, by itself, enough to save us? Or do even demons believe that? I’d submit that we’re saved by faith-meaning via faith-that’s meant to actually produce authentic righteousness within us-necessarily-in order to be made truly righteous-or justified-in God’s eyes by first of all establishing communion with Him.

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.” Rom 2:5-8

Or…is righteousness/works just an inevitable and intrinsic by-product of faith? Either way, are we still obligated under the New Covenant to be actually righteous and certainly oriented in that direction, or would that be a case of still being “under the law, instead of “under grace”? Is strictly believing enough? There seems to be some confusion or conflict on this between people who claim to adhere to Sola Fide, with some at the extreme expressing what amounts to an antinomian stance for all practical purposes.

Either way, I’d submit that faith, in response to grace, is the first step in justice or righteousness for man, and that it orients us towards the true Good, towards God, but that it in no way guarantees that we’ll remain there let alone continue to walk in that way of justice or righteousness, which is expected to be owned more and more by ourselves as we do remain on that path, responding to God’s grace, working out our salvation with Him as time and opportunity allows with more expected from those given more (Luke 12:48). Thoughts, etc?

Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things unseen. (Hebrews 11:1) Demons believe God exists, but they do not have Faith... they do not hope for the Righteousness of God, nor do they have it. They do no have the Evidence in themselves of God's Spirit. They have the knowledge of Good and Evil (God and Satan) in their minds, but not the SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE of God's Spirit in their souls. They tremble at God's presence, but they do no obey God's will. They know God's Word in their minds, but they do not have God's Word DWELLING in their soul.
 
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I don't disagree with this in the sense that forgiveness as well as being made new creations is all strictly gratuitous. But are we also made righteous as new creatures in that moment, as man was presumably originally intended to be anyway, or at least given the means to be so and either way expected to continue to be? Are we just snow-covered dung heaps or does God want more from and for us than that? How important is it for us to remain faithful, to go, and sin no more, to love God and neighbor and show it by how we live our lives? How obligated to righteousness are we, as per Rom 2:5-8, for example? Or does faith sort of "stand in" or replace that?

It is essential that we go on to live a life of holiness because God regenerates all those whom he justifies. We are called by God to be holy and so we are obligated to be holy.

But our justification is perfect and complete and does not depend on the level of holiness we attain in life. It depends on Christ's righteousness alone.
 
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fhansen

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Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things unseen. (Hebrews 11:1) Demons believe God exists, but they do not have Faith... they do not hope for the Righteousness of God, nor do they have it. They do no have the Evidence in themselves of God's Spirit. They have the knowledge of Good and Evil (God and Satan) in their minds, but not the SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE of God's Spirit in their souls. They tremble at God's presence, but they do no obey God's will. They know God's Word in their minds, but they do not have God's Word DWELLING in their soul.
I understand this. It depends on how one qualifies or defines faith in this instance. I'm not sure that James-or even Paul-would necessarily agree with you. Maybe
 
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fhansen

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It is essential that we go on to live a life of holiness because God regenerates all those whom he justifies. We are called by God to be holy and so we are obligated to be holy.

But our justification is perfect and complete and does not depend on the level of holiness we attain in life. It depends on Christ's righteousness alone.
Ok, your position then is that the faithful or elect are more or less assured of holiness such that it could never be compromised in any case?
 
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Mathetes66

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Here is how I answered it in another similar thread.

Is having Faith in the gospel a "work"?

I would agree with redleghunter in that people need to see salvation as a process of growth to maturity, from babes to mature people of the stature of Christ, being like Him & conformed to His image. So salvation has a past, present & future aspect to it.

At the moment of being saved through repentance & belief in the gospel, crying out to Jesus to save us, we are washed in regeneration by the Holy Spirit & born again from above by the Spirit. We pass out of spiritual death and into spiritual, eternal life. We are a new creation in Christ; old things passed away, the new has come. We now walk in newness of life, crucifying the old man with its evil desires DAILY. Paul said I die DAILY. Gal 2:20,21.

At that moment of being spiritually born again, the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to our account & we are saved from the penalty of sin.

Just as it happened to our father Abraham, when He believed.

Now the Holy Spirit indwells us, having baptized us into the body of Christ. We are now God's children & our new spiritual cry is: Abba!

God is real. I have a holy desire to obey God & not offend Him. I have a hunger for God's Word, as a newborn cries out for milk.

But I must GROW UP INTO THE SALVATION God has given to me as a gift. It is not of myself & growth into it is a cooperative effort between God & myself now. This is the second present aspect of salvation: being saved from the power of sin OVER MY LIFE. I am no longer a slave to sin but now a slave to the Lord. My desire is to please Him now. I must learn how to die daily, bearing my cross & allowing the life of Jesus to manifest in my mortal flesh. The Holy Spirit will empower me to live righteously, as I submit my will to do Christ's will.

2 Cor 3:3-6,17,18
It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4Such confidence before God is ours through Christ. 5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God. 6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

That is individual and there is also that which is communal, the fellowship in the body of Christ.

Eph 4:4-16 There is one body & one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God & Father of all, who is over all & through all & in all. 7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives He gave gifts to men...”
11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ--

13until we all attain to the unity of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to & fro by the waves & carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined & held together by every joint with which it is equipped, WHEN EACH PART IS WORKING PROPERLY, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We see ourselves in the body of Christ, demonstrating daily the Spirit's power to overcome the power of the law of sin & death. Thus we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit & people see a change in us! We don't stay stagnant but continue to grow by grace through faith, now being GOD'S WORKMANSHIP created unto good works which He calls us to accomplish. Faith is not alone but is demonstrated by a changed life & fulfilling the good deeds Christ gives to each one of us to accomplish by His grace & power in the Spirit.

There is a third aspect of salvation & that is being saved from the presence of sin in our lives. Once we pass from this earth, we go into the presence of the Lord where no sin is & rest from our labors. We are clothed with white linen. Hallelujah!

Thus we were saved from the penalty of sin & justified before God by faith in Christ & His substitutionary death; we are learning & maturing in our being saved from the power of sin over our lives in practical & progressive obedience and then we will be saved from the presence of sin in our lives upon glorification in the presence of the Lord.
 
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I understand this. It depends on how one qualifies or defines faith in this instance. I'm not sure that James-or even Paul-would necessarily agree with you. Maybe

This is the definition of Faith: It is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for and the EVIDENCE of things unseen. The Faith I am proclaiming is the Faith of both Paul and James. I agree with both of them. Do you see a contradiction in my Teaching from that of either Paul or James?
 
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Ok, your position then is that the faithful or elect are more or less assured of holiness such that it could never be compromised in any case?

Their status in the eyes of God will always be "righteous" because of the finished work of Christ imputed to their account.
 
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HTacianas

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Are we saved by the simple act of faith, by the sheer brute fact of faith IOW, as if believing that Jesus is God and died for our sins is, by itself, enough to save us? Or do even demons believe that? I’d submit that we’re saved by faith-meaning via faith-that’s meant to actually produce authentic righteousness within us-necessarily-in order to be made truly righteous-or justified-in God’s eyes by first of all establishing communion with Him.

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.” Rom 2:5-8

Or…is righteousness/works just an inevitable and intrinsic by-product of faith? Either way, are we still obligated under the New Covenant to be actually righteous and certainly oriented in that direction, or would that be a case of still being “under the law, instead of “under grace”? Is strictly believing enough? There seems to be some confusion or conflict on this between people who claim to adhere to Sola Fide, with some at the extreme expressing what amounts to an antinomian stance for all practical purposes.

Either way, I’d submit that faith, in response to grace, is the first step in justice or righteousness for man, and that it orients us towards the true Good, towards God, but that it in no way guarantees that we’ll remain there let alone continue to walk in that way of justice or righteousness, which is expected to be owned more and more by ourselves as we do remain on that path, responding to God’s grace, working out our salvation with Him as time and opportunity allows with more expected from those given more (Luke 12:48). Thoughts, etc?

We enter into salvation by grace through faith in Christ. It is not a reward for anything we may have done previously, see Ephesians 2:1-9. After entering into salvation we are to cooperate with grace through both our good works and obedience to the commandments of Christ, see John 15:10. It is through that obedience and our good works that we are justified and not by faith only, see James 2:24, also I Clement 30:3.
 
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fhansen

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First steps is an interesting concept where we discuss the entire walk in the Spirit.

I think what Catholics tend to miss is the fact that God can justify us merely by faith alone.

Yet this is what St Paul said before he enjoined the task of explaining what is meant by being saved from the power of sin (Romans 6-7). He stated bluntly we are saved from the penalty of sin.

Romans 5: NASB

1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of Godthrough Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
But couldn't that reconciliation involve being made truly righteous ourselves, as we'd expect God to want for us anyway, taking nothing away from He who made that possible, and then being expected to walk in that righteousness, with the option of not doing so also a possibility? Isn't there a danger, in fact, in effectively separating righteousness from, well...righteousness? Did Paul really expect faith to provide a virtual means to escape from that obligation-or instead to actually be the means-the right way-of fulfilling it? Does "the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith" that he speaks of in Phil 3 not mean the righteousness that God always intended man to have, a righteousness that comes not from the Law (Phil 3:9) but comes directly from Him as per NC prophecies? Did God actually create us to be sinners? With the New Covenant, does God suddenly decide to ignore justice, or rather to restore it to His wayward creation as part and parcel of saving us?
 
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Halbhh

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We enter into salvation by grace through faith in Christ. It is not a reward for anything we may have done previously, see Ephesians 2:1-9. After entering into salvation we are to cooperate with grace through both our good works and obedience to the commandments of Christ, see John 15:10. It is through that obedience and our good works that we are justified and not by faith only, see James 2:24, also I Clement 30:3.
I'm not quite sure, but perhaps you are using the term "Justification" in a different way than the Catholic way (which I was reading some yesterday and today):

I. JUSTIFICATION

1987 The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and through Baptism:34

But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.35
1988 Through the power of the Holy Spirit we take part in Christ's Passion by dying to sin, and in his Resurrection by being born to a new life; we are members of his Body which is the Church, branches grafted onto the vine which is himself:36

[God] gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine nature. . . . For this reason, those in whom the Spirit dwells are divinized.37
1989 The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."38 Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.39

1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.

1991 Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness (or "justice") here means the rectitude of divine love. With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.

1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life:40

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.41
1993 Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the cooperation of charity with the prompting of the Holy Spirit who precedes and preserves his assent:

When God touches man's heart through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, man himself is not inactive while receiving that inspiration, since he could reject it; and yet, without God's grace, he cannot by his own free will move himself toward justice in God's sight.42
1994 Justification is the most excellent work of God's love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit. It is the opinion of St. Augustine that "the justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth," because "heaven and earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect . . . will not pass away."43 He holds also that the justification of sinners surpasses the creation of the angels in justice, in that it bears witness to a greater mercy.

1995 The Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life. By giving birth to the "inner man,"44 justification entails the sanctification of his whole being:

Just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification. . . . But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.45

II. GRACE


1996 Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us ...
(continues)
Catechism of the Catholic Church - Grace and justification
 
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Halbhh

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First steps is an interesting concept where we discuss the entire walk in the Spirit.

I think what Catholics tend to miss is the fact that God can justify us merely by faith alone.

Yet this is what St Paul said before he enjoined the task of explaining what is meant by being saved from the power of sin (Romans 6-7). He stated bluntly we are saved from the penalty of sin.

Romans 5: NASB

1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of Godthrough Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

It surprises to read the actual Catholic view on Justification. See just above in post #15.

I'll post the equally informative Grace section next, just below.
 
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The very interesting Catholic catechism section on Grace (see Justification section just above in post #15)

II. GRACE

1996 Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.46

1997 Grace is a participation in the life of God. It introduces us into the intimacy of Trinitarian life: by Baptism the Christian participates in the grace of Christ, the Head of his Body. As an "adopted son" he can henceforth call God "Father," in union with the only Son. He receives the life of the Spirit who breathes charity into him and who forms the Church.

1998 This vocation to eternal life is supernatural. It depends entirely on God's gratuitous initiative, for he alone can reveal and give himself. It surpasses the power of human intellect and will, as that of every other creature.47

1999 The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification:48



Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.49
2000 Sanctifying grace is an habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God, to act by his love. Habitual grace, the permanent disposition to live and act in keeping with God's call, is distinguished from actual graces which refer to God's interventions, whether at the beginning of conversion or in the course of the work of sanctification.

2001 The preparation of man for the reception of grace is already a work of grace. This latter is needed to arouse and sustain our collaboration in justification through faith, and in sanctification through charity. God brings to completion in us what he has begun, "since he who completes his work by cooperating with our will began by working so that we might will it:"50



Indeed we also work, but we are only collaborating with God who works, for his mercy has gone before us. It has gone before us so that we may be healed, and follows us so that once healed, we may be given life; it goes before us so that we may be called, and follows us so that we may be glorified; it goes before us so that we may live devoutly, and follows us so that we may always live with God: for without him we can do nothing.51
2002 God's free initiative demands man's free response, for God has created man in his image by conferring on him, along with freedom, the power to know him and love him. The soul only enters freely into the communion of love. God immediately touches and directly moves the heart of man. He has placed in man a longing for truth and goodness that only he can satisfy. The promises of "eternal life" respond, beyond all hope, to this desire:



If at the end of your very good works . . ., you rested on the seventh day, it was to foretell by the voice of your book that at the end of our works, which are indeed "very good" since you have given them to us, we shall also rest in you on the sabbath of eternal life.52
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit."53 Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.54

2004 Among the special graces ought to be mentioned the graces of state that accompany the exercise of the responsibilities of the Christian life and of the ministries within the Church:



Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.55
2005 Since it belongs to the supernatural order, grace escapes our experience and cannot be known except by faith. We cannot therefore rely on our feelings or our works to conclude that we are justified and saved.56 However, according to the Lord's words "Thus you will know them by their fruits"57 - reflection on God's blessings in our life and in the lives of the saints offers us a guarantee that grace is at work in us and spurs us on to an ever greater faith and an attitude of trustful poverty.



A pleasing illustration of this attitude is found in the reply of St. Joan of Arc to a question posed as a trap by her ecclesiastical judges: "Asked if she knew that she was in God's grace, she replied: 'If I am not, may it please God to put me in it; if I am, may it please God to keep me there.'"58

Catechism of the Catholic Church - Grace and justification
 
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HTacianas

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I'm not quite sure, but perhaps you are using the term "Justification" in a different way than the Catholic way (which I was reading some yesterday and today):

I. JUSTIFICATION

1987 The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and through Baptism:34

But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.35
1988 Through the power of the Holy Spirit we take part in Christ's Passion by dying to sin, and in his Resurrection by being born to a new life; we are members of his Body which is the Church, branches grafted onto the vine which is himself:36

[God] gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine nature. . . . For this reason, those in whom the Spirit dwells are divinized.37
1989 The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."38 Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.39

1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.

1991 Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness (or "justice") here means the rectitude of divine love. With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.

1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life:40

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.41
1993 Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the cooperation of charity with the prompting of the Holy Spirit who precedes and preserves his assent:

When God touches man's heart through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, man himself is not inactive while receiving that inspiration, since he could reject it; and yet, without God's grace, he cannot by his own free will move himself toward justice in God's sight.42
1994 Justification is the most excellent work of God's love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit. It is the opinion of St. Augustine that "the justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth," because "heaven and earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect . . . will not pass away."43 He holds also that the justification of sinners surpasses the creation of the angels in justice, in that it bears witness to a greater mercy.

1995 The Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life. By giving birth to the "inner man,"44 justification entails the sanctification of his whole being:

Just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification. . . . But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.45

II. GRACE


1996 Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us ...
(continues)
Catechism of the Catholic Church - Grace and justification

I cannot comment on the Roman catechism because I am not familiar enough with it. But your excerpts of that catechism on justification seem to describe the initial justification of baptism. I do not know if it continues on past that initial justification.
 
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fhansen

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I'm not quite sure, but perhaps you are using the term "Justification" in a different way than the Catholic way (which I was reading some yesterday and today):

I. JUSTIFICATION

1987 The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us "the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ" and through Baptism:34

But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.35
1988 Through the power of the Holy Spirit we take part in Christ's Passion by dying to sin, and in his Resurrection by being born to a new life; we are members of his Body which is the Church, branches grafted onto the vine which is himself:36

[God] gave himself to us through his Spirit. By the participation of the Spirit, we become communicants in the divine nature. . . . For this reason, those in whom the Spirit dwells are divinized.37
1989 The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."38 Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.39

1990 Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.

1991 Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness (or "justice") here means the rectitude of divine love. With justification, faith, hope, and charity are poured into our hearts, and obedience to the divine will is granted us.

1992 Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith. It conforms us to the righteousness of God, who makes us inwardly just by the power of his mercy. Its purpose is the glory of God and of Christ, and the gift of eternal life:40

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.41
1993 Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the cooperation of charity with the prompting of the Holy Spirit who precedes and preserves his assent:

When God touches man's heart through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, man himself is not inactive while receiving that inspiration, since he could reject it; and yet, without God's grace, he cannot by his own free will move himself toward justice in God's sight.42
1994 Justification is the most excellent work of God's love made manifest in Christ Jesus and granted by the Holy Spirit. It is the opinion of St. Augustine that "the justification of the wicked is a greater work than the creation of heaven and earth," because "heaven and earth will pass away but the salvation and justification of the elect . . . will not pass away."43 He holds also that the justification of sinners surpasses the creation of the angels in justice, in that it bears witness to a greater mercy.

1995 The Holy Spirit is the master of the interior life. By giving birth to the "inner man,"44 justification entails the sanctification of his whole being:

Just as you once yielded your members to impurity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification. . . . But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.45

II. GRACE


1996 Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us ...
(continues)
Catechism of the Catholic Church - Grace and justification
In Catholic theology, yes, grace is everything, whether providing the gift of faith, or providing the means to do works as per Eph 2:10. But either way the will of man is still involved, in however small a way, and then expected to be more involved as he works out his salvation with He who works in us. Consider the last quote from one of the Catechism paragraphs you listed:

1993 Justification establishes cooperation between God's grace and man's freedom. On man's part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the Word of God, which invites him to conversion, and in the cooperation of charity with the prompting of the Holy Spirit who precedes and preserves his assent:
When God touches man's heart through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, man himself is not inactive while receiving that inspiration, since he could reject it; and yet, without God's grace, he cannot by his own free will move himself toward justice in God's sight.42

Also:
1989 The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."38 Moved by grace, man turns toward God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high. "Justification is not only the remission of sins, but also the sanctification and renewal of the interior man.39
 
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Mathetes66

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"But couldn't that reconciliation involve being made truly righteous ourselves, as we'd expect God to want for us anyway, taking nothing away from He who made that possible, and then being expected to walk in that righteousness, with the option of not doing so also a possibility?"

No. Salvation is not OF OURSELVES. And yes it IS taking away from what Christ did on the cross & the resurrection! Salvation is not obtained BY works but we are saved unto good works, being Christ's workmanship now in the new creation. We are no longer the same! We have eternal life now, passing from spiritual death into eternal life.

I don't cry to Jesus to save me because I bring things of myself that will make me right before a holy God. Then I am not depending solely on Christ to save me. I call upon Him to do the saving! And He does seeing my faith & enables me by His grace.

Can I save myself after I first believe? No. I must CONTINUE to be saved by grace through faith! It doesn't change. The same PROCESS continues to occur! There is a synergy of cooperation as Philippians 2:12,13 & various other verses show (see my other thread where I show many verses on this). I am COMMANDED to work OUT the salvation God has given me, to grow up into that salvation to maturity in Christ, from a babe to a fully grown mature person. Do I save myself in doing this? No.

I cannot save myself. But when I do as Christ did while walking on this earth: submitting His will to doing the Father's will & relying upon the filling & empowering of the Holy Spirit (modeling what each believing human being must do in order to follow Him)--THEN I die to myself & Christ lives His life in and through me--working in me both to WILL & to DO, TO BE WORKING FOR HIS GOOD & PLEASURABLE WILL.

And the Spirit transforms us, going from one degree of glory to another, ever becoming more like Christ as He transforms us. Who does that? Christ does not me.

Here is the apostle Paul showing the hard effort & work He did was all manifested by His dependence on the grace of God!

I Cor 15:9-11 For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am & His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

'Yet not I, but Christ lives in me...'

'Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.'

And this is in direct contrast what Peter said, depending upon Himself & not Christ & His grace:

Mark 14:29 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away, yet I WILL NOT."

We will fall in the same manner of disobedience if we depend upon ourselves.

2 Cor 4:5-18 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7Now we have this treasure in jars of clay TO SHOW that this surpassingly great power is from God & NOT FROM US. 8We are pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

10We always carry around IN OUR BODY the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed IN OUR BODY. 11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that THE LIFE OF JESUS may also be revealed in our mortal bodies. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13And in keeping with what is written: “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same SPIRIT OF FAITH also believe & therefore speak, 14knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus & present us with you IN HIS PRESENCE.

15All this is for your benefit, so that THE GRACE that is extending to more & more people may OVERFLOW IN THANKSGIVING, TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

We surrender to Him & rely on His grace DAILY. He brings the growth! Its an amazing process! Hallelujah!
 
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