A parable that often troubled me as a Protestant was that of the wise and foolish builders. The reason that this was so was because the parable clearly taught that doing something saved what was built from the onslaught of flood waters:
But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great (Luke 6:46-49).
Without copiously consulting commentaries and the fathers of the Church, I think we can agree about the following:
- The parable is meant to explain why those who simply say “Lord, Lord” are not saved during the judgement (Matt 7:21).
- “Building” in this parable is the hearing of Christ’s teachings and applying them (i.e. “good works.”)
- The “rock” in the parable is Jesus Christ.
- The “flood” is a metaphor for tribulations that try the faith of a Christian.
- The person who did build on the rock is the man whose “faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect” (James 2:22).
- The person who did not build on the rock is the man who “says he has faith but does not have works” and is therefore not saved (James 2:14).
While we Orthodox would agree with Protestants that one can be saved by faith alone with absolutely no works (like the thief on the cross), we would additionally emphasize that this faith is qualitatively different than mere intellectual adherence to Christianity. In Protestantism this is often called “saving faith” vis a vis “dead [i.e. not real] faith.” Orthodoxy has a similar idea, teaching that faith is a profound state of being, combining childlike dependence and trust in God with all due humility.
This humility must be Christlike, who:
Being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Phil 2:6-8).
Such humility includes a great love for God and a willingness to accept His will. Jesus Christ reigned as uncreated God and volunteered to become a human slave, sacrificing His own life for the guilty who hated Him. Christ’s unwavering obedience and unparalleled humility is what the Holy Spirit is sanctifying us for so that we may attain a mere fraction of it.
The thief on the cross had this mindset through faith without works. So did the Publican, which is why we do not fast for a week commemorating him.
The foolish builder did not have this sort of faith.
As Father Daniel Sysoev taught, “The Orthodox faith must work through love.”
And what is this “love?” “ By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16). Love is the selfless giving of oneself without regard for the cost.
Such a faith is radical as it requires an extreme Christlikeness. Saint Paul sincerely declared that he would be willing to go to Hell so that others could be saved (Rom 9:3)! The aforementioned repentant thief did not desire his own salvation, but rather simply to be remembered by Jesus Christ in paradise. Unless your faith has this sort of love, that of the canonized saints, your faith is not “perfect.” Such a faith cannot save you on the day of tribulation, where uneasy faith does not have the roots to survive (Matt 13:1-23).
“Wait a second,” you may say. “I’m doomed! I don’t have that sort of faith!”
Do not despair, because it is not a mystery how we may have “saving faith.” God has given us opportunities to love Him and our neighbor so “you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Works gives us a means to live out and make our faith real. As James teaches, “saving faith” is “faith…made perfect.” In other words, it has good works done for the sake of faith in God, like Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of Isaac or Samson’s destruction of the Philistine temple.
When we see such works, though I am sure ours are much more humble than the ones just listed, God is doing something real in changing us. He is perfecting our faith. This should give us confidence that God is saving us and is developing in us true faith and dependence upon Him.
Wait a second! Does this mean that now we are saved by “faith and works?” Yes and no. “Yes,” inasmuch as works are the means in which faith is perfected–and it needs to be perfected (in the process of becoming perfect, not perfect in of itself) in order to be salvific. “No,” inasmuch as works are not the basis of our salvation.
What proof do we have that this is the teaching of the Orthodox Church? The only Orthodox teachings with any sort of claim to universal authority on the subject of soteriology are Decrees 9 and 13 of the Council of Dositheus:
We believe that no one can be saved without faith. By faith we mean the right notion that is in us concerning God and divine things, which, working by love, that is to say, by [keeping] the Divine commandments, justifies us with Christ; and without this [faith] it is impossible to please God.
We believe a man to be not simply justified through faith alone, but through faith which works through love, that is to say, through faith and works. But [the idea] that faith can fulfill the function of a hand that lays hold on the righteousness which is in Christ, and can then apply it unto us for salvation, we know to be far from all Orthodoxy. For faith so understood would be possible in all, and so none could miss salvation, which is obviously false. But on the contrary, we rather believe that it is not the correlative of faith, but the faith which is in us, justifies through works, with Christ. But we regard works not as witnesses certifying our calling, but as being fruits in themselves, through which faith becomes efficacious, and as in themselves meriting, through the Divine promises {cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10} that each of the Faithful may receive what is done through his own body, whether it be good or bad.
As Decree 13 states in Protestant-unfriendly language, “the faith which is in us, justifies through works, with Christ.” Protestants misread this as “works justify,” but this is not what it says: “The faith which is in us justifies.” This occurs “through works,” which is a clear reiteration of James 2:22.
Jesus Christ in the parable is encouraging us to apply what He teaches, because this is the means in which we perfect our faith. Most of us hear about Jesus Christ are extremely happy to hear we are forgiven and then repent of our evil deeds. I am sure we all agree, proper repentance must be consistent with God’s revealed will. We do not get to choose what repentance is, after all.
This is why in Protestant Gospel presentations, such as “The Way of the Master,” to the “non-Christians” we expound the good news of Christ and to the false converts we expound the necessity of worshiping God in church and repenting of sins.
So, Protestants already know we cannot be saved apart from repentance but they do not seem to know why. After all, if we were to be saved simply by “laying hold of the righteousness of Christ” by mere intellectual assent, then almost every nominal Christian would be saved.
However, we all know this not to be true. So, the mystery to the Protestant is whether his faith is “real” enough to save him. At best, one could look at their works and, if they look good, speculate they are saved through faith. Take heed, as the Pharisee’s spiritual accounting in Luke 18:9-14 proved to be wrong! There is no actual assurance in such a soteriology.
Orthodoxy correctly teaches that the reason intellectual assent cannot save is because faith must be something transformative in the heart of the believer. The wise builder listened and built his house properly. As a Christian, he applied Christ’s teachings thereby making Jesus Christ Himself his foundation, not merely paying lip service to Christ. So, there is no guess work in Orthodoxy whether we are saved. One’s salvation is experienced in real time as we continue to live by faith and abide in Christ. Prayer, fasting, worship, and sacraments are all part of this.
Conclusion. Ultimately, what is the application of the parable? Probably everyone reading this now does not have the radical saving faith of Saint Paul or the thief. But, that’s okay. God knows this and He loves us. Furthermore, He does not leave us where we are but gives us direction: apply My teachings.
By forgiving others, fasting, praying without hypocrisy, worshiping, partaking in sacraments of the Church, and applying the Scripture’s moral teachings we repent (i.e. turn) from our old way of doing things and move towards God, living our lives in the Christlike manner that God intends for us. Through this transformative process, God redeems us and prepares us for heaven. This is how our faith in Christ saves us.
So, do not despair, we are not earning our way to heaven. If we had to do enough good, we would all be lost, for our standard for good would have to meet the bar of God’s perfection. That’s why Orthodox Christians pray, “May my faith replace my deeds, O God, for thou will find no deeds to justify me.” So, take courage that we all start at different points and will end our journeys differently. We trust in the grace of God and His forgiveness to make right our imperfect repentance.
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Orthodox Christian Theology 
The Council of Trent makes it clear that faith is the root of all justification, and that none of the things which precede justification, faith or works, merit justification, which comes from God’s grace.
“CHAPTER VIII.
In what manner it is to be understood, that the impious is justified by faith, and gratuitously.
And whereas the Apostle saith, that man is justified by faith and freely, those words are to be understood in that sense which the perpetual consent of the Catholic Church hath held and expressed; to wit, that we are therefore said to be justified by faith, because faith is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation, and the root of all Justification; without which it is impossible to please God, and to come unto the fellowship of His sons: but we are therefore said to be justified freely, because that none of those things which precede justification-whether faith or works-merit the grace itself of justification. For, if it be a grace, it is not now by works, otherwise, as the same Apostle says, grace is no more grace.”
And so at this point the good thief is saved by his faith. His sins are forgiven through his faith.
Once justified by faith, the Christian has an obligation to bear fruit, good works, as James clearly spells out, otherwise his salvation is at stake.
The council of Trent continues:
“CHAPTER X.
On the increase of Justification received.
Having, therefore, been thus justified, and made the friends and domestics of God, advancing from virtue to virtue, they are renewed, as the Apostle says, day by day; that is, by mortifying the members of their own flesh, and by presenting them as instruments of justice unto sanctification, they, through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, faith co-operating with good works, increase in that justice which they have received through the grace of Christ, and are still further justified, as it is written; He that is just, let him be justified still; and again, Be not afraid to be justified even to death; and also, Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. And this increase of justification holy Church begs, when she prays, “Give unto us, O Lord, increase of faith, hope, and charity.”
ON JUSTIFICATION
CANONS
CANON I.-If any one saith, that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through the teaching of human nature, or that of the law, without the grace of God through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema.
CANON XXIV.-If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.
CANON XXXII.-If any one saith, that the good works of one that is justified are in such manner the gifts of God, as that they are not also the good merits of him that is justified; or, that the said justified, by the good works which he performs through the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly merit increase of grace, eternal life, and the attainment of that eternal life,-if so be, however, that he depart in grace,-and also an increase of glory; let him be anathema.”
Have you seen my article on the topic of the CCC and Protestant soteriology? I do not doubt that Trent (and the CCC) are describing what we see in the Council of Dositheus.
C.T. says, “Does this mean that now we are saved by “faith and works?” Yes and no.
Reply: The minute you say “yes”, you have destroyed the gospel, despite any further explanations. Because works do not have anything to say to the issue of our sin debt, we are not saved by them in any sense…AT ALL.
C.T. “Yes,” in as much as works are the means in which faith is perfected–and it needs to be perfected (in the process of becoming perfect, not perfect in of itself) [but] in order to be salvific. “No,” inasmuch as works are not the basis of our salvation.
Reply: To say on the one hand, that works are needed “IN ORDER TO BE SALVIFIC”…..and on the other hand say, “works are not the basis of our salvation”, is completely contradictory. Now while it’s true that Abraham’s giving up of Isaac was an example of his works which validated his faith was real, we must tightly grip the truth we are strictly told that Abe was NOT saved by works!
Catholics and Ortho continue to speed down the “Good Works” Highway, smashing through the guardrails of faith alone, and driving over the cliffs into the sea of a grace-produced-works-salvation and the ocean depths of a false gospel.
“The minute you say “yes”, you have destroyed the gospel, despite any further explanations. Because works do not have anything to say to the issue of our sin debt, we are not saved by them in any sense…AT ALL.”
With all due respect, this is extreme. Read James 2:24 in your Bible. Did a Satanist translate it? Though I take issue with its translation, there is a way to interpret that verse without forswearing the fact that salvation is entirely by grace through faith, and not of works. So, this is not a contradiction. Reformers like John Calvin said, “We are saved by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone.” Works are necessry for true faith and they are needed for sanctification. If you do not concede this, you have turned your back on all the Reformers, the Scriptures, and all respectable Christian thinking on the subject for 20 centuries.
“To say on the one hand, that works are needed “IN ORDER TO BE SALVIFIC”…..and on the other hand say, “works are not the basis of our salvation”, is completely contradictory.”
Was Calvin contradicting himself? Is James contradicting himself? I think you need to show how this is a contradiction. My logic is that works are needed for truth faith and that this faith creates works which sanctify the believer…sanctificationn, as John Piper admits, is the experience of salvation.
“Now while it’s true that Abraham’s giving up of Isaac was an example of his works which validated his faith was real, we must tightly grip the truth we are strictly told that Abe was NOT saved by works!”
No one is arguing that he was.
“Catholics and Ortho continue to speed down the “Good Works” Highway, smashing through the guardrails of faith alone, and driving over the cliffs into the sea of a grace-produced-works-salvation and the ocean depths of a false gospel.”
A lot of exaggeration here, but little actual interaction with the Scriptures cited by the article.
God bless,
Craig
C.T. No one is arguing [that Abraham was saved by works, as Scripture says].
Trump: In PRACTICE, however, since 99% of all religions on the planet cannot get it out of their minds that they are saved TO SOME DEGREE, by works, then there are MULTITUDES (not “no one”) who are just downright inconsistent, as are you. For, out of one side of your mouth, you proclaim we are not saved by works, but out of the other side, we hear, “works are needed in order to be salvific”. I will press your hypocrisy further in a moment.
C.T. Did a Satanist translate [James 2:24]? Though I take issue with its translation, there is a way to interpret that verse without forswearing the fact that salvation is entirely by grace through faith, and not of works.
Trump: I would agree 100% that the the correct interpretation is as you say, and thus there is nothing objectionable to say we saved by faith alone (which of course, is a phrase Catholics despise). However, there are millions of Catholics and Ortho who do NOT see it that way because they are always quoting J-2 in an attempt to show we are saved by faith and works and “that’s that”. The following 3 minute video does an excellent job of showing just exactly what their fate will be on that final day…https://vimeo.com/274328409
Moving right along, previously I told you, “To say on the one hand, that works are needed “IN ORDER TO BE SALVIFIC”…..and on the other hand say, “works are not the basis of our salvation”, is completely contradictory.”
C.T. Was Calvin contradicting himself [when he said, “We are saved by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone”]. I think you need to show how this is a contradiction.
Trump: Gladly. Mr. C wasn’t contradicting himself but YOU ARE. My objection still stands to your, “Even though works are not the basis of our salvation, works are needed in order to be salvific”. Again, IT IS A CONTRADICTION, plain and simple,and not at all on the same level as Calvin, whose ideology is perfectly biblical. We can agree that God wants us to do good works, and at the end of the day, he will reward us for them. However, you will note that in Matt 25, the sheep and the goats were ALREADY classified as such and separated BEFORE their works were addressed. The sheep were saved by faith alone in the OBJECT of their salvation, and now the general character of their works were being judged. You may have heard it a 100 times, but it’s true: Their works were the FRUIT of their justification, not the ROOT. Calvin is saying that the exclusive merits of Christ alone are salvific, and that this blood-bought faith USUALLY, TYPICALLY and IDEALLY is accompanied by good works– (but these works are NOT salvific! How COULD they be? Since when does a coin dropped in the collection plate have any power to deal with our sin debt?). Again, it is a heart issue, and only God can read the heart. If you close your eyes in death and wake up at the Judgment Seat having divided your trust between Christ’s merits and the merit of your good works, you will receive a passport to hell, just as the 5 foolish virgins did, and just like those self-proclaiming Christians in Matt 7 did, and just like the man in the temple did who “thanked God” for the grace working within to make himself such a fine fellow. The Text reads that man did NOT go to his house justified, regardless of the grace of God working within!
C.T. [There was] little actual interaction with the Scriptures cited by the article.
Trump: I can’t get to every detail, but I have just given you 3 examples of self-proclaiming religious zealots who THOUGHT they were worshipping the God of the Bible, but were in fact, LOST. Suffice to say that there was something very wrong going on in their HEARTS , and it is this very thing I have every reason to suspect amounts to a misguided trust in something else other than or in addition to Christ. But there is still yet another example which refutes your theory that “works are needed in order to be salvific”. We are given the example of a not-so-good Christian in 1 Tim 3, whose works were apparently done without an eye to the glory of God, but perhaps only to be seen of men. Note that, upon examination, all of his works were BURNT UP right before his eyes, yet God, who can read the heart, KNEW that this guy REALLY did trust in Christ, and thus, the man was ushered into heaven despite having nothing to show for it except his faith! This is proof positive that while we are GENERALLY, TYPICALLY and IDEALLY, saved by “faith alone but not by a faith that IS alone”…1 Tim 3 cuts to the HEART of the matter and shows it is indeed… a HEART issue! Genuine faith will save a soul despite how little or how many works one does. That man’s faith alone saved him, period, end of story. Others I perceive as being in the same category would be TV preachers like Kenneth Copeland and Jesse Duplantis, whom I despise for trying to raise millions so they can fly around the world in their jets. They appear to REALLY believe, and God may conclude that they really do, but if their heart is always set on money, their works will be burnt up and count for nothing, yet they themselves will be saved. Thus, in these cases, along with the not-so-good Christian from 1 Tim 3, theirs was a faith that ***WAS*** alone, void of any good works to go along with it, and contrary to you, they were NOT needed “in order to be salvific”. This doesn’t mean Calvin was wrong–because he shows a faith that is NOT ALONE, is generally, typically and ideally, the protocol of every child of God. Calvin’s statement may be likened to the O.T. admonition to not commit adultery. Adultery is wrong, but Jesus goes further and cuts to the heart of the matter by saying the real problem is in your thinking. Hence, what Calvin says is true, but the example given in 1 Tim 3 goes further and cuts to the HEART of the matter, and tells us that while saving faith is generally, typically and ideally not alone and will always be accompanied by good works, THOSE WORKS DO NOT HAVE ANY POWER TO SAVE. Therefore, 1 Tim 3 is the antidote which everyone like yourself should, like a tonic, DRINK. It demolishes any idea that works ultimately have any salvific efficacy whatsoever, as 99% of all religions on Earth teach (except Biblical Christianity!) which is why the road to heaven is narrow and the way to hell is broad.
I think I will repeat, there is little interactions with the actual arguments in the article, but more so attacks on me being Orthodox. You need to understand what the Scriptures are saying so you can then evaluate if the Orthodox position is false. As I said, in Orthodoxy works are part of the substance of faith (as I quoted Calvin saying) and part of sanctification, which is necessary for salvation (as I cited Piper saying). Orthodoxy is not teaching anything different than “Faith alone’s” most popular teachers already preach.
C.T. You need to understand what the Scriptures are saying so you can then evaluate if the Orthodox position is false.
Trump: I did. Scripture says we are not saved by any works of righteousness, period, end of story. Ortho add to the gospel as the Judaizers were trying to do in Galatians and Paul threw a fit. Ortho teach…
“According to Christ, Orthodox Christians throughout their lives receive salvation and renewal through faith, works, and the sacraments of the Church….According to St. Paul, not only loving deeds but also the sacraments of Baptism (Rom 6:1-11) and the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:16-22; 11:23-32) are decisive to salvation.
https://www.goarch.org/-/how-are-we-saved-
THAT, sir, is a false gospel.
C.T. “But [the idea] that faith can fulfill the function of a hand that lays hold on the righteousness which is in Christ, and can then apply it unto us for salvation, we know to be far from all Orthodoxy.”
Trump: Wrong. That statement is just as wrong as the Council of Trent where they state that if anyone thinks that by trusting in the mercy God has shown us in the face of Jesus Christ is all that it takes, let them be anathema! On the contrary, that is INDEED, “all it takes”. As to the error of your statement, Faith DOES fulfill the function of a hand that lays hold on the righteousness of Christ. Why? Because that thought is in perfect harmony with merely LOOKING at the brazen serpent held up on a pole, which cured the people who had been bitten by vipers. I trust you know the OT verse and Jesus’ reference to it in the New? ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS “LOOK”.
CT: Orthodoxy works are part of… sanctification, which is necessary for salvation.
Trump: NO! You use the words sanctification and justification interchangeably as does the RCC ( I read your other article on justification where you admit this). Therefore, when you say works are part of our sanctification which is necessary for salvation, you may as well be saying that works are a part of our JUSTIFICATION. NO! Kindly get it through your head that we are not justified by works! What part of Titus 3:5 or being saved “APART” from works, do you not understand?
Justification denotes “acquittal”. It does not demonstrate moral behavior that has earned the verdict. When O.J. Simpson was found not guilty, that sentence did not denote anything of his moral character whether he committed the dirty deed or not. Justification concerns status in the eyes of the law, not moral character. Now the law requires a perfect, exact, entire and comprehensive obedience which it just so happens that no one can provide. The law COULD save us if we could comply. But we can’t due to the flesh being weak. But when we “LOOK to the Son” as Jesus said, even as they LOOKED to the serpent on a pole, we are then justified before God by trusting exclusively in the “obedience of the One” (Rms 5:19) and HIS fulfilling of the law in our room and stead. Only then, do we proceed to our sanctifying good works (which Protestants properly SEPARATE into a non-salvific category so that our exclusive trust in the the SAVIOR’S law-keeping—as well as his taking the PENALTY for breaking it–stands supreme). Again, NONE of our good works have a rat’s tail to do with the verdict of God in the matter of our justification. Your sneaky use of phrases like “works are the substance of our faith” may be true for the Christian who does not TRUST in them, but for Ortho and papal pretenders who co-mingle them and think God justifies us BY them, even in part, is “another gospel”.
All it takes is a simple mental note to look upon that check you wrote to the homeless kitchen as storing up for yourself treasures in heaven, but NOT that those checks OPEN the gates of heaven. The difference between the two is the difference between heaven and hell.
You conclude: “we are not earning our way to heaven. If we had to do enough good, we would all be lost, for our standard for good would have to meet the bar of God’s perfection”.
However, I do not believe you are being consistent due to the excess baggage you bring in regarding works which cancels out your claim that you’re not trying to earn your way to heaven. I say the crop of evidence reveals that YOU ARE.
With all due respect, I honestly do not believe you are really taking into account all the Scriptures. You say, “Scripture says we are not saved by any works of righteousness.” Indeed. We are saved by grace through faith. However, this faith justifies through works. James writes, “faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” Just, what do you propose how faith “works together” with works? And, *how* do works perfect faith?
It is *because* faith is salvific that the role of works is important. They do not merit/earn salvation–no. They increase faith. I am sure you concede there is a difference in the faith between those whose faith is akin to “he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” and those who receive the word and then bear good fruit. I am postulating that the bearing of that fruit deepens that faith. This is why some bear fruit “a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.” We do not all bear equal fruit and thereby we do not all experience the same degree of sanctification. Works have a bearing on sanctification, not on the moment you are justified through faith in Christ for the first time. Their bearing is on sanctification after this point. This is how faith justifies through works, as we Orthodox do not consider justification and sanctification two different things–we have a difference in language.
“THAT, sir, is a false gospel.”
The GOArch statement, taken on the face of it, yes it is through your standard interpretative lens. Through the lens of the fathers and the council of dositheus, as I wrote about here, it is a true statement (albeit imprecisely worded.) You can affirm James 2:24 by reading it the right way. Likewise, I can interpret that statement the same way. The question, is why you hold James 2:24 to a different standard than any other statement on the subject.
“ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS “LOOK”.”
I think you are misunderstanding the point being made. Our righteousness is not a financial accounting (i.e. laying hold of Christ’s righteousness, apart from ours). Rather, our righteousness is an actual indwelling of Christ Himself.
“What part of Titus 3:5 or being saved “APART” from works, do you not understand?”
I understand this well, which is why the very article you are responding to makes clear we have saints saved by faith alone, and even those of us who persevere in faith with the attendant good works, it is still only that faith that is saving us. However, works definitionally are required in saving faith and they deepen that faith. Like the wise builder, those works protect that faith so it is not destroyed in the storm. Like the parable of the sower, those who do wickedness such as care for the world have thorns choke their faith. So, works are important because of their effect on faith.
“Justification denotes “acquittal””
Yes, and this is ultimately the problem with the Protestant interpretation in my honest opinion. Translate every usage of “justified” to “Acquited” and you get a minimalistic Gospel.
“The law COULD save us if we could comply.”
No–“If justification came through the Law, Christ died for nothing.” Christ would have to die, resurrect, and live a perfectly righteous life to even save the sinless (if there were such a thing). We are not merely being forgiven, but being prepared for an eternity with God in a resurrected human body. God had to be become man and conquer death to make this possible.
“All it takes is a simple mental note to look upon that check you wrote to the homeless kitchen as storing up for yourself treasures in heaven, but NOT that those checks OPEN the gates of heaven. ”
I actually don’t disagree with this. Because again, salvation is our eternal relationship with God. Faith enters us into this. Works merely improve what we already entered into (i.e. as you noted more heavenly rewards).
I will give you the last word.
God bless,
Craig
C.T. I do not doubt that Trent (and the CCC) are describing what we see in the Council of Dositheus.
Reply: Doubt it!
I’ll have a look.
Excellent article Craig,
I have taken out some extracts shown below which are pertinent to what we are discussing here, the things I like.
“True faith, cannot include unrepentant sin. So, those with unrepentant sin are faithless and are therefore not saved
Roman Catholicism teaches, “Since the initiative belongs to God in the order of grace, no one can merit the initial* grace of forgiveness and justification, at the beginning of conversion” (CCC 2010). In translation, one does not have faith by his own willing. “The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart. Conversion is first of all a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him” (CCC 1432). This conversion, according to Catholics, instantly makes one saved:
The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification…Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ…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 (CCC, 1989, 1991, 1992).
The fatherly action of God is first on his own initiative, and then follows man’s free acting through his collaboration, so that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first place to the grace of God, then to the faithful. Man’s merit, moreover, itself is due to God, for his good actions proceed in Christ, from the predispositions and assistance given by the Holy Spirit…The charity of Christ is the source in us of all our merits before God (CCC 2008, 2011).
If communing with God includes literally being like God (being transformed into His likeness and goodness starting in this life and going into the next) then good works are an essential part of being saved. Why? Because salvation is more than being accounted as good–it is being good because God is good and the good we do in this life has a proportional effect on how much “saving” God is going to do to you
But do Catholics believe that the “rewards” for our good works are “earned” by those good works? No more than Protestants believe the rewards we merit earn salvation.
According to the CCC, “With regard to God, there is no strict right to any merit on the part of man. Between God and us there is an immeasurable inequality, for we have received everything from him, our Creator” (2007).”
I thought you’d like that 🙂
Dear Water & Spirit…
At the end of the day, Catholicism attaches a salvific efficacy to good works (and I would say the same thing about Ortho despite this article) They therefore teach a false gospel. They attempt to sneak in good works through the back door by attributing these works to “the grace of God”.
CCC 1821 says Heaven is our eternal reward “for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ”.
These good works “performed with the grace of God” then merit eternal life (Canon XXXII).
NO!
Non-catholics emphatically reject this. Scripture does not make any exception about the poker game Catholics are playing trying to win heaven by using the “grace card” to get in. Rather, to “win Christ” as Paul says, we are to count all things as LOSS (Phil 3). A grace-produced-works-salvation is categorically unbiblical if for no other reason than Paul said he labored more abundantly than anyone else with “the grace of God” that was with him (1 Cor 15:10), and yet could still teach that we are NOT saved by any works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5) and that, one may safely assume, includes any works done with or WITHOUT the grace of God.
Consequently, it is a heart issue. For the true Christian, there must be an exclusive, heart-felt trust in the life and death merits of Christ alone for salvation (Romans 5:10). Only then, may we happily proceed to go about discovering the many good works he has ordained for us to do… “with his grace”… and can expect to be rewarded for such things, even down to a cup of water given in his name (Matt 10:42). But if we for even a moment trust in our hearts that these good works done… “with the grace of God”…. are ultimately SALVIFIC (essentially saying they have the same potency as the blood of Christ in dealing with our sins) we have FRUSTRATED the grace of God as it pertains to salvation (Gal 2:21) and are lost.
In light of the article, what is objectionable? I can cite other Orthodox writers and articles, but if we are to simply take me at my word, what is wrong with the article?
Waiting,
You do not have a good grasp of Catholic teaching.
You say: “we are NOT saved by any works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5) and that, one may safely assume, includes any works done with or WITHOUT the grace of God.”
Let’s be clear here, good works are not possible without the grace of God.
Secondly, we are saved by faith. Anything that precedes faith, be they good works or not, does not save us. But once we have faith, we have to persevere in faith till the end, and persevere in the practice love of neighbor (charity or good works).
Romans 2:6-7 “For God will render to every man according to his works: TO THOSE WHO BY PATIENCE IN WELL DOING (good works) SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOUR AND IMMORTALITY, HE WILL GIVE ETERNAL LIFE” – note “by patience in well doing….. he will give eternal life.” ETERNAL LIFE.
Rev 3:15 “15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.”
Rev 20:12 “the dead were judged from what was written in the books, as their deeds deserved.”
The first effect of a good work is to increase the faith and charity of the one who practices it, as it flows from God’s grace. This in itself builds up the Body of Christ, as the good of one member of the Body of Christ results in the good of the whole Body of Christ, just as the hurt felt by one member of the Body of Christ results in the hurt of the whole Body of Christ.
Some Christians do evil deeds, or fail to do good deeds, which is also evil.
Failing to do do good deeds will lose us our salvation:
Matt 25:41-43, 46 “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.42 For I was hungry and you never gave me food, I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, lacking clothes and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.”
“46* And they will go away into eternal punishment,”
Paul tells us that we are saved by faith working through love. Gal 5:6 “6* For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but “faith working through love.” Good works are prompted by love. They are not things that we do in our own strength, but God works through us to enable us to do the good works. We are his “co-workers” (1 Cor 3:9 “ 9* For we are God’s co-workers;
He has prepared good works for us if we co-operate with His grace. It is impossible for anyone to do a good work pleasing to God if God is not working through that person, otherwise it is done out of duty or philanthropy, but not out of love.
Paul tells us that we can have faith even to move mountains, but that if we have no love, we have nothing. Love is the engine of good works, without love they are empty dead shells. God’s grace, which you respond to, gives you your faith. God’s grace, which you respond to, produces good works. In neither case are you doing something in your own strength.
Phil 2:13 “13 It is God who, for his own generous purpose, puts into you both the will and the action.”
That is what is meant by good works, doing the works that God has prepared for you, through His grace, not in your own strength.
John 15:16 “16 You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name.”
John 15:2, 6 “2 Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away…. 6 These branches are collected and thrown on the fire and are burnt.”
John 15:6 “17 My command to you is to love one another.”
Repentance is a good work
Repentance is a good work. Good works are necessary for salvation. Salvation is not possible without repentance.
Acts 2:38 “38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
1 John1:8 “8 If we say, ‘We have no sin,’ we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth has no place in us;”
Forgiveness is a good work
Matt 6:15 “15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. Salvation is not possible if we are unforgiving.
Because David is forgiving and forgives Saul, God forgives David. If God had not forgiven David, Heaven would have been closed to him.
W&S… You do not have a good grasp of Catholic teaching.
Trump: That’s the typical comeback. Well, two can play that game. Watch me: You do not have a good grasp of the Bible.
W&S…Let’s be clear here, good works are not possible without the grace of God.
Trump: So what? Let ME be clear here. The catechism unambiguously asserts that good works done with the grace of God, open the floodgates of heaven (CCC 1821). Now as I told C.T. elsewhere on this page, the man who went to the temple “thanking God” for the grace given to make him such a star citizen, WAS LOST. Looking to the grace of God for all he gave him the power to do, sent that man straight to hell. It sent the 5 foolish virgins to hell. It sent the self-proclaiming Christians in Matt 7 to hell. And it will send YOU to hell likewise if you persist in playing the grace card in the poker game of salvation.
Now…this is not to besmirch the grace of God in the least. We are INDEED saved solely by the grace of God when it comes to him choosing the elect for his own good reasons, but Catholicism defines “grace” as some sort of metaphysical SUBSTANCE that God INFUSES into Catholics via the sacraments, essentially amounting to nothing but a “kick-in-the-pants” to push them running all over town doing good deeds which then MERIT eternal life (CCC 1821, 1983). THAT, is a false gospel.
W&S….We are saved by faith. Anything that precedes faith, be they good works or not, does not save us. But once we have faith, we have to persevere in faith till the end, and persevere in the practice of love of neighbor (charity or good works).
Trump: You are being disingenuous by saying we have to persevere. More to the point is that while the RCC may proclaim that we are saved INITIALLY by faith alone (for they MUST admit this in light of the God who clearly justifies the ungodly without works per Romans 4:5), they GO ON to say that good works done AFTER coming to the faith, ARE worthy of eternal life… (effectively nullifying your prior claim to being saved by faith). You speak out of both sides of your mouth as I elsewhere accused Mr. Truglia of doing. In any case, you seek to prove your contradicting theory by quoting
W&S….Romans 2:6-7 “For God will render to every man according to his works: TO THOSE WHO BY PATIENCE IN WELL DOING (good works) SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOUR AND IMMORTALITY, HE WILL GIVE ETERNAL LIFE” – note “by patience in well doing….. he will give eternal life.” ETERNAL LIFE.
Trump…. The “eternal life” spoken of here is simply looking at the big picture. True Christians know that their “well doing” will be rewarded as promised, but NOT based on our good works. True faith REALLY DOES WORK, but under no circumstances whatsoever can it be imagined that good works have a SAVIFIC quality (S.Q.) which is what Catholics are forever trying to sneak in through the back door, hoping God will not notice.
W&S: Rev 3:15: ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.”
Trump: That does not prove good works have an S.Q.
W&S….Rev 20:12 “the dead were judged from what was written in the books, as their deeds deserved.”
Trump: That does not prove that their works have an S.Q.
W&S: Failing to do good deeds will lose us our salvation: Matt 25:41-43, 46 “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food, I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink
Trump: NO! He was speaking to selfish unbelievers; hence, this again does NOT support the relentless Catholic rant that good deeds have an S.Q.
W&S…. God works through us to enable us to do the good works.
Trump: I already know that, and this is your fatal error. Repeat: your catechism teaches the hell-bent doctrine that “infused grace” given via the sacraments and enables you to do good deeds, is the key to open heaven’s gate. NO! True Christians emphatically reject this perverted twisting of the gospel. We are adamant that EVERY kind of work, in or OUT of the grace of God, is not to be contemplated in the justification of the elect. In the parable of the man obsessed with his own virtue, there stood on the opposite side of the room, a tax collector also obsessed….but with his own sins. He could only ask for mercy. THAT man went home justified; the other, trusting in the “grace of God” to propel him to do good deeds, was NOT justified. Face it: Rome thinks we are going to be judged on the basis of how good we can become through the help of God’s grace dispensed through the sacraments. Baloney!
Trent teaches that “if anyone says that justifying faith is nothing but confidence in divine mercy, let him be anathema.”
On the contrary, that man who did nothing but have confidence in the divine mercy, was JUSTIFIED; hence, the “infallible” Council of Trent FRUSTRATES the grace of God (Gal 2:21) and irrefutably embraces “another gospel” per 2 Cor 11:4.
Waiting,
You say: “True Christians know that their “well doing” will be rewarded as promised, but NOT based on our good works.”
Paul says in Romans 2:6-7 “For God will render to every man according to his works: TO THOSE WHO BY PATIENCE IN WELL DOING (good works) SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOUR AND IMMORTALITY, HE WILL GIVE ETERNAL LIFE” – note “by patience in well doing….. he will give eternal life.” ETERNAL LIFE.
I believe Paul.
W & S: “Paul says in Romans 2:6-7 “For God will render to every man according to his works: TO THOSE WHO BY PATIENCE IN WELL DOING (good works) SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOUR AND IMMORTALITY, HE WILL GIVE ETERNAL LIFE” – note “by patience in well doing….. he will give eternal life.” ETERNAL LIFE. I believe Paul”.
Trump: Your grievous error is that you fail to compare Scripture with Scripture (1 Cor 2:13). The record is relentless and emphatic that God has chosen to save us APART from any works of righteousness which we do —and so quoting Romans 2 to prove that good works bring eternal life, is ludicrous. You know DARN well there are a sling of verses which cast a black cloud over the belief that works are salvific,, but you repress them, you downplay them, and you suffocate them every chance you get, allowing your “drug addiction” to good works deceive you into thinking you have a ticket to heaven.
That being so, we are told that because people like you have not received a love for the exclusivity of the merits of Christ to save, God will send you strong delusion that you should believe a lie ( 2 Thess 2), and that lie is replacing the ROOT of our justification (which is Christ crucified) with the FRUIT of that justification, and thus, you are lost.
Since you were unable to interact with my previous response, there is nothing left to say except to remind you that true Christians know there is no difference between good works of law, good works done in faith, or good works done by the grace of God. All of them cannot add up to even one drop of Christ’s blood by which we have been justified. Consequently, it is beyond ridiculous to suppose that God saves us based on the FRUIT, otherwise known as the “patience we show in well doing” which you erroneously think DESERVES eternal life.
Waiting,
A lot of hot air. Obviously you do not go by scripture alone.
Not only Paul but James also assures that faith without works is useless.
James 2:14: “14 How does it help, my brothers, when someone who has never done a single good act claims to have faith? Will that faith bring salvation?”
Clearly James is saying that faith without works will not bring salvation.
You remind me of atheists. Their premise is that God does not exist, so whatever evidence you might bring to them is irrelevant because is goes against their fundamental premise. Similarly, you read into scripture that salvation is by faith alone, and that premise cannot be overcome by scriptural evidence to the contrary. It is in fact a form of idolatry.
\\o// What does it mean:’The Kingdom of Heaven’ is taken by force’- Matthew 11:12-15
Can someone explain what Jesus really meant by this statement ? Thank you,
baboi,
One interpretation I’ve seen of this:
“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence”, that is at the hands of the Pharisees and Herod, ” and men of violence are taking it by force”, this now referring to those who fight the enemies of their own soul, human weakness and concupiscence, and have a boldness to stand for the faith in that hostile environment they find themselves in, in the face of persecution, like John the Baptist himself, who told Herod to his face “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife”.
That interpretation makes sense to me.
Generally, it is taken to mean that people who want to go to heaven make very real sacrifices and exertions to do so. So, if there is no clear path of martyrdom or service that is clear to you, complete selflessness in prayer and habits (i.e. asceticism) is the way to go. In short, being a Christian is not supposed to be easy street. This is a modern, western view of Christianity since the Protestant Reformation. You cannot find anyone writing about now they are Christian, the time of struggles is over. Even Christ said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. THe life of asceticism is far more freeing than a life of sin…but it is still a yoke and burden due to the flesh.
Hand me a dunce cap. In my reply above, beginning with “CT: No one is arguing…”, I meant 1 Cor 3, not 1 Tim 3.