Froggy seems to think that Romans 3 10-13 disqualifies man to be actually righteous. I think he misunderstands the passage.
Hi Froggy well I can't sanctify Adam your right. But Jesus Christ can and did and that is why he is the New Adam who does sanctify. There is a ton of exegetical problems here for you if you take that passage to be absolute. Non-Catholics generally make this mistake not only on this passage but also in Rom 3:23 and Rom 3:28 by absolutizing it and taking out of context to fit with their own reformers theological understanding. And I am afraid Froggy here has performed a bit of eisgesis by absolutizing this one passage to the extent of all the other biblical passages that teach otherwise that man by Gods grace can be righteous. What one must do is look to the scripture as a whole to interpret the passage and there are plenty of passages the need to be rectified with this one to actually see what Paul is saying.
For example Joseph is a "righteous man"(Matt 1:19), John the Baptist is a "righteous and Holy(sanctified) Man"(Mark 6:20). Simeon is "righteous and devout"(LK 2:22). Lot is "righteous Lot"( 2 Pet 2:7-8). The Priest Zechariah and Elizebeth his wife descended from Aaron and they were "righteous before the Lord walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly"(Lk 1:5-6). Job was blameless and righteous because he feared God and shunned evil(Job 1:1) St. James tell us the prayer of the righteous man avail much(James 5:16). Christ our Lord himself tell us that our own righteousness must exceed that of the scribes ands Pharisees or we will not be able to enter heaven (Matt 5:20). Hence we must be able to really become righteous(not just covered over) to actually enter heaven. This can only be done by Christ justifying us initially as we cannot ever merit initial justification/sanctification as St. Paul describes in Eph 2:1-10, Titius 3:5-7). But once we have received initial justification/sanctification through baptism (1 Cor 6:11) we can and must work out our salvation because it is God and his grace that is in us to both will and do(Phil 2:12-13).
Prophets and righteous men are found in (Matt 13:17). Abel was righteous(Matt 23:35). Another important verse speaks of the resurrection of the righteous(Lk 14:14, Acts 24:15). St. John makes a solid point showing real infusion and cleansing from unrighteousness and not just a mere covering over or legal imputation.
but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.( 1 Jn 1:7-9).
In fact We can walk in the light because he has cleansed us really and not just covered us and he has made us righteous as John shows. And even when we do sin and loose our justification and Gods grace if we repent and confess he will cleanse us again and make us righteous!
He is the one that makes us righteous and with his righteousness we can do righteous deeds
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that every one who does right is born of him( 1 Jn 2:29).
"Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:22-24).
Indeed Baptism Christ transforms us and makes us righteous and actually Holy without any blemish sharing in his Holiness and righteousness. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.(Eph 5:25-27)
So you can do right because you have been born again or regenerated by him who is righteous.
He who does right is righteous, as he[Christ] is righteous.( 1 Jn 3: 7)
So man can do righteous deeds because he is born again and regenerated in Gods grace and shares in Christ righteousness and holiness as John says he is righteous as Christ is.
And those deeds He will reward with eternal life.
"But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury" ( Rom 2:5-8).
"Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith"(Gal 6:7-10).
"Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ"(Col 3:23-24).
Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done.( Rev 22:12)
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment(Jn 5:28-30).
The key to understanding the Catholic view of justification is simple. Scripture shows us that apart from Christ we can do nothing(Jn 15:5) but with the grace of Christ regenerating us and infusing us making us really sanctified ( 1 cor 6:11,Titus 3:5-7)we can do all things(Phil 4:13), which includes meriting eternal life. For it is the grace of Christ within us that enables us to work for Gods pleasure(Phil 2:12-13) and He has promised to reward our good works us with eternal life if we are faithfully obedient to Him(Matt 16:27, Matt 25:31-46)
So what does this say of Pauls passage? Two things, 1). If we take LK 1:6 at face value and see that these people were righteous because they actually walked in the commandments blamelessly by Gods grace. Paul is correct that everyone is unrighteous prior to Gods grace and repentance (which is prompted by his grace). Again Paul doesnt have a problem with a man being sanctified wholly and he even prays for it in his epistles. Justification/sanctification is not a one time event it is a process. Paul shows that and talks about those who are being saved( 1 Cor 1:18) and those who have been justified by the sacrament of baptism( 1 cor 6:11). Abraham was justified by faith in Genesis but later his works according to James would justify him again. Justification is a process. Initial justification is unmerited and is a free gift of God but final justification/salvation is dependant upon our works done in grace through faith in Christ.
The protestant here denies that justification is infused within the individual making them actually righteous and justified, sanctified. Man is just imputed or covered over merely legally and not actually made righteous, man is still poop in reality yet the scripture shows us differently that by Gods grace man can be righteous and actually Holy(like John the Baptist) and even do acts that please God(like Zechariah and Elizabeth who actually walked blamelessly in Gods ways). Folks thats the whole Catholic understanding of infusion!! God doesnt reside in poop he transforms and regenerates poop into roses by justifying them which sanctifies them( 1 Cor 6:11, Titus 3:5-7).
So the protestants deny that man can please God and merit anything even if its Gods own grace that man is able to do it in because man is not really righteous he just is declared righteous in there understanding. But scripture tell us differently. St. Paul shows that Man can please God by his actions ( 1 Thess 4:1, Col 1:10). Man can please God because man actually is regenerated in justification and is Holy and can do things by Gods grace to please him and God will reward that action based on his promise to us.
Sin is actually blotted out( acts 3:19) not just covered over and people are actually regenerated and justified and sanctified at baptism( 1 cor 6:11, Titus 3:5-7, Act 16:22, Eph 5:25-27) not just merely legally covered over. At baptism initial justification is given which is unmerited. Final justification does have a legal aspect but it still proves the Catholci point of infusion as we will be judged by our works done in his grace that made us righteous. Initial justification is seen as a loving Parental family insitution that serves personally to unite to God the Father and make us his real sons by regeneration/infusion.
