The Catholic, like all Christians have a part to play in the salvation process.
And that is the fundamental error that separates Catholics and other works-based soteriologies from those who acknowledge man has no part in salvation in the salvific context.
Tell me this, how did you know you needed to be saved? Did you read the Bible and understand it in your condition which was natural, which Scripture denies can actually understand or receive the spiritual things of God?
You might think you did, but the truth is that God enlightened you to your condition. Your "acceptance" of His Gift was no more you performing something than a drowning man saving himself because he takes the hand of the one that pulls him from the water.
The error is viewing salvation as a singular teaching in Scripture and concluding it is a "process." Salvation itself is not a process, but an event in the life of one who is dead and separated from God, He quickens that individual through His indwelling, and at that point you are born again and in union with God.
The "process" you include in your view is that which takes place after one is saved. We call this progressive sanctification, not to be confused with positional sanctification.
Salvation is offered through Jesus Christ and the first step we must do is accept that salvation.
I look at it a little differently, Adonia: the first step is not to reject it.
Rejecting Christ is the only course available to man in regards to salvation. His nature is predisposed to reject, but, we have to make it clear that it is not until God reveals the truth to men that they are in a position to reject. We would have to see men seeking after God in their natural condition to make this otherwise, and Scripture is clear, no man seeks after God.
And again, this deals with conversion, not our daily conversation, the life we live after we are saved.
Once accepted, we then must strive to live a holy and sinless life that is pleasing to God.
This is true, and most who embrace Sola Fide recognize and teach this. But they don't confuse it with conversion. They don't confuse it with Regeneration.
Secondly, we have to realize that how well we do stands in direct relationship to that which we know and how well we understand that which we know.
Would you admit that at this stage in your walk with Christ you know more than when you were saved? Do you, as I do, see that we are held more accountable when we know and understand better? Now think about the babe in Christ: would they not, and do they not...commit sin that they do not realize is sin of grievous moment when they are first saved? I know I did. Still working on that murder issue, lol.
The fact is, faith and works are an integral part of the Christian life
This is true, and the thing to understand is that faith grows as we grow, but it does not mean we are more saved than we were when God gave us the gift of salvation.
And that is what separates the obedient child from the disobedient. But lest we forget, keep in mind that it is our Heavenly Father training us up in the way we should go, we are not left to grow on our own. God does not abandon His children, we are told that.
it's not one without the other but both combined.
Not when we are speaking about conversion. Only when you create a "process" mentality can you impose such a concept into salvation.
You, my friend, did not perform the first work that endeared you to God and earned yourself the gift of life. Not before salvation, nor after you were saved.
If you think you did, please tell me what it is that warranted God spiritually raising you from the dead. When you can tell me what it is you did that made God say, "Well, going to have to save that one, did you see what they just did?"
Romans 4
King James Version (KJV)
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
The point Paul is making is that it is either by grace, or it is reward.
He doesn't present a "process mentality."
Now, are you really saying that you are living a righteous life that makes God a debtor to you? Answer honestly.
We don't rely upon ourselves for salvation,
You do if you think that salvation is a process which can only be accomplished if you live holy and righteous (enough) for it to be brought to completion.
Here is what brings it to completion:
Hebrews 10:14
King James Version (KJV)
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
but just accepting the salvation offered by Christ and continuing on with your wayward ways will get you nowhere.
This assumes that God allows men to do that, lol.
What one who continues in sin will have happen is that they will lose their reward (not their salvation), and possibly their physical lives (i.e., Ananias and Sapphira, those who partake of Communion unworthily (1 Corinthians 11:29-30)).
I think that can happen to born again believers, and Scripture teaches us that it can, but, I can also understand the frailty of humanity, and how tragedy, for example, might lead one to make shipwreck of their faith. But this is the difference between faith that brings about salvation (which is in Christ alone), and our faith as Christians. Not all Christians are equally strong in their faith, and the primary reason, I believe, is related directly to their understanding of Scripture, which is directly related to their obedience to God in the first place.
You cannot live righteous and holy in your walk, Adonia, if you don't first know what is required of you. You cannot know, even if you do study, what the Word teaches unless God enlightens you to the truth of the Word.
Every aspect of our salvation, in both conversion as well as in our progressive sanctification...relies on God.
When we attribute righteousness to ourselves as a result of our works, we ignore the fact that we first rely on God to give us the ability to come into obedience.
Again, the primary error I see you making is failing to distinguish the difference between positional and progressive sanctification. We are set apart unto God by His grace through faith, and our works have nothing to do with that. We are set apart unto God and apart from the world in our lives when we come into obedience. Two entirely different issues, just as Paul's teaching concerning justification deals with the eternal perspective (and justification before God), and James speaks concerning justification before men, even so distinguishing the difference between positional and progressive sanctification is vital. James does not teach men are saved because of their works before men, he teaches that men are justified before other men by their works. Understanding that in its context makes a big difference.
God bless.
