NO FAITH ALONE IN EPH 2,8-9 AND ROM 10,9-10

 The Crucifixion of the Lord with The Virgin Mary and St. John the Apostle

Anonymous said...

father are all of us unworthy to enter the Throne of God? Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace are ye saved through faith it is the gift of God. Not by works lest any man should boast" and a follow up question: How do you explain Romans 10:9-10 which says "For if thou shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from death, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" Oo nga po pala, eto ang kadalasang minimisinterpret ng mga Evangelicals at mga Born Again. Tulungan nyo po akong iinterpret ito ng maigi 

May 15, 2011 10:03 PM  

 

Fr. Abe, CRS said... 

 

 

[father are all of us unworthy to enter the Throne of God?]





WE ARE ALL UNWORTHY ON OUR OWN MERIT AND ABILITY BUT SINCE CHRIST OUR HIGH PRIEST DIED AND MEDIATED FOR US THEN WE CAN “APPROACH” THE THRONE OF GOD. NOT “ENTER” THE THRONE OF GOD BECAUSE THE THRONE OF GOD IS ONLY FOR GOD AND THE LAMB [cf. Rev 22:1]. 



BY DYING FOR US JESUS GRANT US THE GRACE TO ENTER THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY BECAUSE HE SANCTIFIED HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE:



Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.



THIS GRACE ENABLES THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO ENTER THE HEAVEN:



Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus…



THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS OUR LORD AND KING AND GREAT HIGH PRIEST, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES THAT THE BAPTIZED CAN APPROACH THE THRONE OF DIVINE GRACE AND OF DIVINE MERCY:





Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 

 

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

 

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

 

 

[Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace are ye saved through faith it is the gift of God. Not by works lest any man should boast"]



WELL, LET ME CITE A RENOWN CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY FOR EXPLANATION OF THESE VERSES:



“I. By whom, and in what manner, it was brought about and effected. 1. Negatively: Not of yourselves, Eph_2:8. Our faith, our conversion, and our eternal salvation, are not the mere product of any natural abilities, nor of any merit of our own: Not of works, lest any man should boast, Eph_2:9. These things are not brought to pass by any thing done by us, and therefore all boasting is excluded; he who glories must not glory in himself, but in the Lord. There is no room for any man's boasting of his own abilities and power; or as though he had done any thing that might deserve such immense favours from God.” [Matthew Henry Commentary]



SALVATION IS THE WORK OF GOD. IT WAS GIVEN TO US BY GRACE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. IT IS NOT BY OURSELVES THAT WE ACQUIRED IT BECAUSE MAN IS NOTHING WITHOUT THE ONLY SAVIOR WHO IS JESUS. SO MAN CANNOT BOAST TO GOD. OF COURSE, BECAUSE MAN IS NOTHING IN COMPARISON WITH GOD. EVERYTHING IS GRACE.

HOWEVER, WE MUST BEAR IN MIND THAT THE TEXT DOES NOT TEACH THAT SALVATION OR JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH ALONE. IT IS STATED THERE THAT IT IS NOT BY WORKS BUT IT IS NOWHERE STATED THAT IT IS BY “FAITH ALONE.” NO, NO, NO…

SO, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES NOT TEACH THAT SALVATION OR JUSTIFICATION IS BY WORKS. NO, NO, NO… BUT “BY FAITH AND GOOD WORKS” AS EXPLAINED BY ST. JAMES IN HIS EPISTLE:

Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

 

Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.



Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.



SO, FAITH MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY WORKS. IT MUST NOT BE BY FAITH ALONE. THAT DOCTRINE IS A DEMONIC DOCTRINE INVENTED BY MARTIN LUTHER AND IS VERBATIM, WORD FOR WORD… SPECIFICALLY AND CATEGORICALLY REJECTED BY THE BIBLE: “NOT BY FAITH ALONE” OR “NOT BY FAITH ONLY” [James 2:24]. REGARDLESS OF THE BORN AGAIN’S THEOLOGICAL GOBLEDYGOOK THEY CANNOT DENY THE FACT THAT THEIR DOCTRINE IS CATEGORICALLY REJECTED AND CONDEMNED BY THE BIBLE WORD FOR WORD. 

ST. PAUL AGREES WITH ST. JAMES. IN FACT, HE DIDN’T TEACH JUSTIFICATION OR SALVATION BY “FAITH ALONE”. INSTEAD, YOU MUST READ EPHESIANS 2:8-9 FURTHER. LOOK AT EPHESIANS 2:8-10. LET US LOOK AT IT:



Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

 

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 



* Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."



SO, WE CANNOT CLAIM TO BE THE SOURCE OF SALVATION BY OUR WORKS BUT THE GRACE OF GOD IS NOT FAITH ONLY. THE GRACE OF GOD LEADS US TO FAITH AND GOOD WORKS. SALVATION THEN IS BY GRACE THROURH FAITH BEARING FRUIT IN GOOD WORKS. 

[and a follow up question: How do you explain Romans 10:9-10 which says "For if thou shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from death, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" Oo nga po pala, eto ang kadalasang minimisinterpret ng mga Evangelicals at mga Born Again. Tulungan nyo po akong iinterpret ito ng maigi]



LET US READ AND EXAMINE THE VERSES PIECE BY PIECE:



Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 



SALVATION IS PROMISED BY GOD [“thou shalt be saved”]. HOW CAN WE RECEIVE THIS SALVATION? THERE ARE TWO REQUIREMENTS:



1. Confessing Jesus by mouth as Lord. 

THIS IS ACTION. THIS IS GOOD WORKS. THIS IS GIVING TESTIMONY TO JESUS BEFORE OTHER PEOPLE BY DOING CONCRETE ACTIONS SUCH AS SPEAKING OF JESUS TO OTHERS. ST. PAUL EXPLAINED IT WELL IN HIS EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY:

2 Tim 2:11-12 This is a true saying: "If we have died with him, we shall also live with him. If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.



IF WE DENY JESUS HE WILL DENY US. IF WE PROCLAIM JESUS TO OTHERS THEN HE WILL NOT DENY US… ST. PAUL IS CLEAR. THE ACT OF PROCLAIMING JESUS TO OTHERS IS NECESSARY FOR OUR SALVATION. EVEN THE THIEF OF THE CROSS DID THIS WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGED JESUS [AND BELIEVED IN JESUS] WHILE HE WAS HANGING ON THE CROSS:



Lk 23:40-43 The other one, however, rebuked him, saying, "Don't you fear God? You received the same sentence he did. Ours, however, is only right, because we are getting what we deserve for what we did; but he has done no wrong." And he said to Jesus, "Remember me, Jesus, when you come as King!" Jesus said to him, "I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me."



SEE, THE LORD JESUS DIDN’T DENY THE REPENTANT THIEF WHO ACKNOWLEDGED HIM BEFORE MEN. HE WAS SAVED BY CONFESSING JESUS AS LORD AND BY HIS FAITH IN JESUS.

THIS CONDITION IS ACTUALLY DEMANDED BY THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF FROM WHOM ST. PAUL HAD GOTTEN THE TEACHING CONCERNING SALVATION:

Mat 10:32 "Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven. 

 

Mat 10:33 But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.



THAT IS VERY CLEAR. 

2. Believing in the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.



THIS IS FAITH. FAITH IN THE RISEN CHRIST AND THAT CHRIST IS TRULY FROM GOD.


Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.



SO, IT IS CONFESSION BY MOUTH AND BELIEVING IN THE HEART. GOOD WORKS AND ACTION.

THIS IS NOT FAITH ALONE! NO, NO, NO…

I HOPE THIS IS CLEAR ENOUGH FOR YOU. 

May 16, 2011 9:51 AM