tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post962466065716011740..comments2023-10-05T08:25:13.232-04:00Comments on Biblical Evidence for Catholicism: Grace Alone ("Sola Gratia"): Perfectly Acceptable Biblical and Catholic Teaching (Rightly Understood)Dave Armstronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07771661758539438173noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post-89792502285464050602013-08-18T17:39:25.045-04:002013-08-18T17:39:25.045-04:00As a protestant (and apparently a heretic by what ...As a protestant (and apparently a heretic by what you have here - but thankfully, final judgment is not based on your estimation), I would merely emphasize that one of the distinguishing differences is the permanence of salvation - that is, once one believes - in the biblical sense - is it possible to "lose" one's salvation. My understanding of Roman Catholic theology says that if you die in mortal sin, you go to hell - even if you had/have genuine faith. As a protestant, I believe the Bible teaches that one HAS eternal life when one believes (trusts, has faith in) Jesus. It is true that genuine faith will result in good works - for how can one not change and grow with the very Spirit of God indwelling the believer. Good works are the inevitable outgrowth of true eternal life, but they are not a part or the whole of justification. Thus, eternal life begins with and is never terminated following genuine belief and trust in Christ. This is not to say that there are not those who appear to have faith but later show themselves during trials or drifting over time to have never had saving faith ("if they go out from us, they were never part of us"). To be saved by faith+works is "another gospel" which is condemned by Galatians, and is no true Gospel.Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03677300264577869472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post-1884381278279716272012-10-26T14:25:26.447-04:002012-10-26T14:25:26.447-04:00Okay.Okay.Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12099711908112674211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post-46763652881518699052012-10-24T22:27:27.511-04:002012-10-24T22:27:27.511-04:00I use the phrase because sola gratia is a phrase t...I use the phrase because <i>sola gratia</i> is a phrase that comes from Protestantism. So I'm saying that we agree with it in the respects I deal with.<br /><br />When you're trying to show agreement with another view, you use their phraseology. It's just a smart rhetorical tactic.Dave Armstronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07771661758539438173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post-80327186704274066112012-10-24T21:37:45.045-04:002012-10-24T21:37:45.045-04:00P.S. none of the 4 quotes from Pope Benedict says ...P.S. none of the 4 quotes from Pope Benedict says we are "saved" by grace alone. he says Paul's initial conversion was due to grace alone, and that grace alone is responsible for what we are as Christians.Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12099711908112674211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6422857.post-5230810369502830742012-10-24T21:29:26.767-04:002012-10-24T21:29:26.767-04:00the word "alone" seems to inherently imp...the word "alone" seems to inherently imply "by itself" because that's what you are when you are alone. for that reason it seems unnecessarily confusing to state that we are saved by grace "alone" since you yourself would admit that the grace cannot be "by itself;" it must be accompanied by faith and works (both of which are enabled by grace, of course). i don't understand what you're gaining by stating it that way. neither Scripture nor the Catechism (to my knowledge) use the word "alone" after the word grace, so again, i just don't understand why you would state it that way when it would be just as accurate to say "we are saved by grace" without adding the word "alone." Seanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12099711908112674211noreply@blogger.com