Misled Fred gets a systematic bible and theology lesson from Art Sippo as Art picks apart the Protestant dichotomy of faith and works and the dispensationalist sham associated with it. Fred's comments are in purple. Art responds in blue.
The issue to address was simply whether or not Scripture speaks of justification by "faith alone." Nowhere was it suggested that what James wrote in his epistle about justification by works doesn't mean what it says. On the other hand, this particular Catholic was suggesting that what Paul wrote in his epistles about justification by faith apart from works doesn't mean what it says.
St. Paul NEVER says that justification is by the faith alone anywhere in his writings. Neither does any other biblical author. The only biblical author to address the "faith alone" question is St. James who clearly says justification is not by faith alone.
Many Protestants say that the concept of justification by faith alone (JBFA) is implied by St. Paul in different places. Historic Christianity has NEVER believed this. If you read men like St. Augustine, or St. Ambrose, or St. Thomas Aquinas or others from the pre-Reformation Church, you will never find anyone who holds or teaches the Protestant position on this question. The 16th Century Reformers were the first ones to "find" this doctrine in the Bible.
I would agree with my Catholic colleague that St. Paul does not teach JBFA. St. Paul actually uses several metaphors to describe the Christian's new relationship with God. The metaphor of justification is only one of many and is used primarily by St. Paul in his disputes with the Judaizers over the Jewish Law where the forensic metaphor of acquittal and judgment come more naturally. I would agree with Albert Schwieizer that the doctrine of justification is a subsidiary crater in the larger crater of Pauline theology, which is not even central to his thought. The concepts of adoptive sonship and the new life in Jesus the Jewish Messiah are far more important but usually ignored by Protestants.
You state: "If you really do believe that the Bible is inspired and inerrant, then you must accept what it says and not try to read into it the exact opposite of what it says." That is my belief, and that is what I always try to do. You seem too interested in the meaning of words, so may I challenge you to explain, by your standard as I just quoted, what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote the following Scripture:
"For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness," - Rom 4:2-5 (NAS)
Let's first state that this is a classic example of Protestant proof texting. You cannot explain an isolated text ripped from its context. In order to understand it you must take into account both what has gone before and what came after that section. Immediately preceding Romans 4 is the ending of Romans 3:
28 For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of their faith and the uncircumcised through their faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
This shows that the entire point of chapter 3 was that God does not favor the Jews over the Gentiles because of their keeping of the Mosaic Law. The issue then was not "works righteousness" per se but whether or not Gentile had to be circumcised and then keep the Mosaic law in order to be Christians.
Then St. Paul introduces Abraham who is the recognized progenitor of the Jews and makes the bold statement that Abraham was justified by not keeping the Law.
Romans 4: 1 What then shall we say about Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. 5 And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.
All the Rabbis knew that Abraham was a righteous man. Scripture said so in Genesis 15:6. But did he EARN his righteous status before God by being circumcised and following the Law of Moses? No! God chose Abraham 430 years before the Law was given at Sinai and 13 years before he was circumcised. Did he earn his righteousness the way the Judaizers wanted the Gentiles to earn theirs? No! He was considered righteous without keeping the Torah. St. Paul makes this clear in the following verses:
Romans 4: 9 Is this blessing pronounced only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? We say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received circumcision as a sign or seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, 12 and likewise the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but also follow the example of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 13 The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants -- not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations" -- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
St. Paul is saying that Abraham's righteousness was an act of God's grace independent of any prevenient merit. It was Abraham's faith at that moment that solely constituted his righteousness. This was such a radical act that it was the equivalent of giving life to the dead or creating something out of nothing. When St. Paul talks about God "justifying the ungodly" he is talking about an act of total transformation not merely an external imputation. This does not mean that Abraham was not righteous before Genesis 15:6. Look at what Abraham did in Genesis 12ff and the positive evaluation of those things in Hebrews 11:8ff. But the incident depicted in Genesis 15 was a crucial turning point in Abraham's relationship with God. Whatever his status before that moment, his faith at that specific instant was the basis of his righteousness. Had Abraham failed to believe in God's promise at that time, he would not have been considered righteous.
Specifically what was St. Paul referring to by Abraham's "faith"? I submit that in Romans, St. Paul uses a global understanding of faith as the totality of one's commitment to God through Christ. This is what is euphemistically called a "saving faith" and should not be reduced to mere assent or trust. He demonstrates this in the following verses:
Romans 4:18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations; as he had been told, "So shall your descendants be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
This is critical. The faith of Abraham was not merely assent to a proposition (assensus or Faith). It was also his trusting that what God had promised would come to pass (fiducia or Hope). But it also included his willful obedience in carrying out bodily acts of sexual intercourse with his supposedly barren wife upon which the fulfillment of God's promise depended (caritas or Charity). (It is important to remember that Charity is NOT an emotion but a disposition of the will to pursue the good for God's sake.)
I submit that St. Paul shows all of this quite nicely and that Abraham is the perfect model for the Catholic understanding of a "saving faith" as I explained it earlier. He believed what God said, trusted that it would come true, and then willed to act accordingly. Please note that the actual accomplishment of the work was not necessary for being considered righteous. At the time of Genesis 15:6 Abraham showed his willingness to do whatever God required of him in the future. When the time came, Abraham did not waver but performed his duty as a believer. This is what St. James was talking about with his reference to Genesis 22.
And then explain, by the same standard, what James meant when he wrote:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone." - James 2:21-24 (NAS)
You see, Abraham had a "saving faith" in Genesis 15:6 that included a willingness to do whatever God would ask of him. That is why he ALMOST sacrificed Isaac at the Akedah until God stopped him. It was the willingness of Abraham to obey God that completed his "saving faith." In hebraic thought, to will and to work were considered morally equivalent. Hence the 10 Commandments forbade not just stealing but coveting and Jesus said that merely planning adultery was as bad as doing it. That is also demonstrated by St. Paul's comment:
Phillipians 2: 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
The double statement "to will and to work" is a heychast in Hebrew idiom. Both words refer to the same thing.
And so St. Paul and St. James are in agreement. Abraham believed God with his whole heart (faith), soul (hope), and strength (charity) and remained a justified man from Genesis 15 through to Genesis 22 because he had heard the word of God, kept it, and continued to keep it.
I am also interested in reading your explanation, by the standard you advanced, as to why both of these statements are in the Bible. I'll respond in kind. They appear to be contradictory, but they can't be, since they are in God's Word. Our belief as to how God reconciles these statements determines our theology.
St. James' view of faith in James 2 is more restrictive and refers to what we would call an "assent" to propositions. St. James was responding to a serious misunderstanding of St. Paul. St. Paul was not always consistent in his use of the word "faith" and some had erroneously construed his view to be that mere belief or trust was sufficient to save in the absence of any willingness to act upon one's beliefs. The Epistle of James was intended in part as a guide to the proper exegesis of Romans to oppose this early proto-protestant heresy. (See my response to Tim Kauffman for a more detailed explanation.)
I hope this clarifies my position. I would be interested in your response.
Acts 16:30, 31
Let's see what it says:
Acts 16: 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out and said, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Of course, as a Protestant, you forgot to quote the most important verses:
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, with all his family.
As it says earlier in Acts:
Acts 2: 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. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him."
Faith alone cannot save, but only that faith that leads immediately to Baptism into Christ.
I still don't see how you can say that Paul NEVER teaches justification is "by faith alone" anywhere in his epistles. By that I mean faith apart from works of any kind. True that Paul doesn't use those exact words, but he certainly uses other words and phrases that mean exactly the same thing.
Fred, you Protestants claim to be biblical: "Sola Scriptura"; "Where the Bible speaks, we speak, Where the Bible is silent, we are silent." And yet you clearly are using a phrase here for a "biblical' doctrine that is not only absent from the entire text of the Bible, but contradicts the very words of Scripture it self (James 2:24). I see this as a fatal contradiction. You are deliberately challenging the integrity of the Bible text itself in order to promulgate a doctrine that your systematic theology requires. This is not loyalty to the Bible. You are placing the Bible at the mercy of the mere opinions of men.
...[J]ustification is "by faith alone" ... By that I mean faith apart from works of any kind.
This is precisely the matter of contention. Your definition here is not exactly that of classical Protestant thinking (e.g., Luther's Commentary on Galatians). A more precise definition of the Protestant position called not merely for the absence of works but stated that all that was needed for salvation was a trusting faith unformed by charity. According to this theory, one was saved by a mere fiduciary faith that covered over all of one's sins and imputed the righteousness of Christ to the believer making good works unnecessary.
It is absolutely clear that St. Paul NEVER uses either your formulation or that of classical Protestantism. He specifically said in Romans and Galatians that it was faith apart from works of the JEWISH LAW with which he was concerned. Aside from that, he still instructed his Christian followers to do good and avoid evil. Please note the following:
Ephesians 5: 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
1Corinthians 6: 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Romans 13: 8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 Besides this you know what hour it is, how it is full time now for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; 12 the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
There is a common thread in all of the above quotes. If we are to be saved, we must avoid immoral activity and persevere only in the things of the Spirit. In fact St. Paul makes it clear in Galatians 5:14 and Romans 13:10 that love of neighbor fulfills the requirements of the Law of Moses just as Jesus had taught in Matthew 19:19, & 22:39. In Galatians 5:18, when St. Paul says that Christians living in the Spirit are not "under law" he clearly means that we are not under the condemnation of the Law of Moses. What St. Paul describes as "living in the Spirit" conforms to the moral requirements of the Mosaic Law. Therefore it is clear that St. Paul NEVER teaches blanket antinomianism. He still expects his Christian followers to be bound by moral obligations both positive and negative, all of which are motivated by faith in Jesus. The only works that he said were unnecessary for the believer in Christ are those motivated by obedience to the Law of Moses instead of the "obedience of faith" in Christ (Romans 1:5, 16:26). Please note:
Romans 3: 28 For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of their faith and the uncircumcised through their faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
St. Paul is often misquoted by isolating verse 28 from the whole context of this part of the epistle. The contradictory opposite to St. Paul's teaching in verse 28 is what is stated in verse 29. Justification by faith is opposed to a system of law that makes God the God of Jews only. This is the view of the Judaizers who required that Gentiles be circumcised and keep kosher in order to be Christians. The word "Law" in this context is clearly the MOSAIC LAW, not law in general.
According to St. Paul, justification for the Jewish Christian is grounded on faith in Christ so that their obedience to the Mosaic Law is their response to Christ and not to an abstract legal code. This required that they interpret the Mosaic law just as Christ did and separate the true provisions of God from the false traditions of mere men who try to make void the Spirit of the law while binding themselves merely to the letter of it:
Matthew 23: 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others."
Meanwhile, the Gentile Christian is saved through faith because he is not obligated by the covenant of circumcision to keep any part of the Mosaic Law. Rather, his obligations proceed from the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church independently from the Mosaic regulations although they do conform to the moral norms contained in the Mosaic regulations.
The problem we have in understanding this dichotomy is because we are so far removed from the world of St. Paul when the Jewish Temple and its priests still existed and it was still possible to keep the Mosaic Law in its entirety. After the destruction of Jerusalem, this was no longer possible. As such the primary motivation behind the writing of Romans and Galatians (i.e., opposition to the Judaizers) was an obsolete issue by the end of the 1st Century. Some of the themes in these letters did become important later on during the Pelagian controversy, but only peripherally. St. Paul was not concerned with either legalism or "works righteousness" per se. Protestants though have misinterpreted him in this regard fulfilling the words of Scripture:
2Peter 3: 14 Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Paul speaks of the believer being justified by faith, by God's grace, and by His blood. Not three different means of justification. Just three different aspects of the one method of justification. And the basis of our justification is the faith of Christ. To Paul, our faith IN Christ is based upon the faith OF Christ (see especially Gal. 2:16).
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
We trust in His fidelity and His ability to keep His promises. The One to whom our sins are imputed at Calvary possesses all the righteousness of God, and when we trust Him for salvation we are assured that all His righteousness is indeed imputed to us (2 Cor. 5:21).
You were doing fine until then. Let us see what the Bible REALLY says here.
2Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
There is nothing here about imputing anyone's righteousness to us. Verse 19 says that God would not count our sins against us. This uses the Greek word "logizomai" which has the meaning of "impute" within its semantic field but this does not support your views since it is talking about what is NOT imputed.
In verse 21, virtually all commentators admit that when St. Paul says that Christ was made to be "sin," he is using a rabbinical shorthand way of saying that Jesus was made to be our sin offering. St. Paul is playing with words to make a point. Just as Jesus became our "sin", we BECOME his righteousness. Note that this is NOT by imputation. Rather in accordance with verse 17, we are a New Creation in Christ. Our whole being is transformed. We are ONTOLOGICALLY changed into righteous people. In fact if you look very carefully, you will find NOT ONE SINGLE VERSE in the Bible that ever mentions the righteousness of Christ being "imputed" to the Christian. That is not a biblical doctrine but an assertion of Protestant systematic theology which lacks any scriptural foundation.
Ephesians 3:12 and Phillippians 3:9 confirm that it is Christ's faithfulness and not ours that counts with God when the subject is our salvation.
Ephesians 3: 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10 that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confidence of access by the faith of him.
Phillipians 3: 8 Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
In both quotations, it is clear that the faithfulness of Christ is the basis of our righteousness. In the Phillipians quote it is clear that this is not based upon obedience to the Mosaic Law. But neither quote says that we are absolved from all obligations. In fact the Phillipians quote states that we "may share his sufferings." In fact the Christian may even become a martyr "becoming like him in his death". Once again, there is nothing here about "faith alone."
It is by His obedience that we are made righteous (Romans 5:19).
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.
Please note that St. Paul says that we will be MADE righteous as the Catholic Church teaches, not imputed as righteous as the Protestants teach.
Since God is the justifier, His grace is the sole source of justification. We read that believers are "justified FREELY by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24). And in Titus 3:7, "that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
All of this is Catholic doctrine. Especially the part about being made heirs with the hope (not the certainty) of eternal life.
While God's grace is the source of justification, the blood of Christ is the RIGHTEOUS BASIS upon which God can justify the ungodly (Rom. 5:8-9).
Romans 5: 8 But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
This how the Council of Trent put it:
Session 6 CHAPTER VII
IN WHAT THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE SINNER CONSISTS, AND WHAT ARE ITS CAUSES
This disposition or preparation is followed by justification itself, which is not only a remission of sins but also the sanctification and renewal of the inward man through the voluntary reception of the grace and gifts whereby an unjust man becomes just and from being an enemy becomes a friend, that he may be an heir according to hope of life everlasting.[30] The causes of this justification are: the final cause is the glory of God and of Christ and life everlasting; the efficient cause is the merciful God who washes and sanctifies[31] gratuitously, signing and anointing with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance,[32] the meritorious cause is His most beloved only begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, who, when we were enemies,[33] for the exceeding charity wherewith he loved us,[34] merited for us justification by His most holy passion on the wood of the cross and made satisfaction for us to God the Father, the instrumental cause is the sacrament of baptism, which is the sacrament of faith,[35] without which no man was ever justified finally, the single formal cause is the justice of God, not that by which He Himself is just, but that by which He makes us just, that, namely, with which we being endowed by Him, are renewed in the spirit of our mind,[36] and not only are we reputed but we are truly called and are just, receiving justice within us, each one according to his own measure, which the Holy Ghost distributes to everyone as He wills,[37] and according to each one's disposition and cooperation. For though no one can be just except he to whom the merits of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ are communicated, yet this takes place in that justification of the sinner, when by the merit of the most holy passion, the charity of God is poured forth by the Holy Ghost in the hearts[38] of those who are justified and inheres in them; whence man through Jesus Christ, in whom he is ingrafted, receives in that justification, together with the remission of sins, all these infused at the same time, namely, faith, hope and charity. For faith, unless hope and charity be added to it, neither unites man perfectly with Christ nor makes him a living member of His body.[39] For which reason it is most truly said that faith without works is dead[40] and of no profit, and in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by charity.[41] This faith, conformably to Apostolic tradition, catechumens ask of the Church before the sacrament of baptism, when they ask for the faith that gives eternal life, which without hope and charity faith cannot give. Whence also they hear immediately the word of Christ: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.[42] Wherefore, when receiving true and Christian justice, they are commanded, immediately on being born again, to preserve it pure and spotless, as the first robe[43] given them through Christ Jesus in place of that which Adam by his disobedience lost for himself and for us, so that they may bear it before the tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ and may have life eternal.
30. Tit. 3:7. 31. See 1 Cor. 6:11. 32. Eph. 1:13f. 33. Rom. 5:10. 34. Eph. 2:4. 35. C.76, D.IV de cons. 36. Eph. 4:23. 37. See I Cor. 12:11. 38. Rom 5:5. 39. Cf. infra, chap. 10. 40. James 2:17, 20. 41. Gal 5:6, 6:15. 42. Matt. 19:17. 43. Luke 15:22; c.31, D.II de poenit.
We learn from Scripture that apart from the blood of Christ, every ungodly person must be condemned. Common sense tells us that a judge cannot justify the lawbreaker. However, in this case, it is Christ who is the judge, and it was the judge Himself who took upon Himself the condemnation. Through bearing the penalty of the broken law, which is death, He satisfied every claim of justice, so that He can now declare righteous all who believe on Him (Rom. 3:23-26).
Romans 3: 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; 26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.
I have a problem with what you said. Verse 21 makes it clear that righteousness is manifested apart from the Mosaic Law yet you insist on using the imagery of Jesus as a judge who acquits the sinner thereby justifying him. I do not question that Christ will judge us all. I just don't find any place in Scripture where this is declared to be the way we are justified before God. The whole scenario as you have described it above is a product of Protestant systematic theology and is not derived from Scripture.
Instead I follow the Council of Trent:
Session 6 CHAPTER II
THE DISPENSATION AND MYSTERY OF THE ADVENT OF CHRIST
Whence it came to pass that the heavenly Father, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,[9] when the blessed fullness of time was come,[10] sent to men Jesus Christ, His own Son, who had both before the law and during the time of the law been announced and promised to many of the holy fathers,[11] that he might redeem the Jews who were under the law,[12] and that the Gentiles who followed not after justice[13] might attain to justice, and that all men might receive the adoption of sons. Him has God proposed as a propitiator through faith in his blood [14] for our sins, and not for our sins only, but also for those of the whole world.[15] 9. See II Cor. 1:3. 10. Gal. 4:4. 11. Gen. 49:10, 18. 12. Gal. 4:5. 13. Rom. 9:30. 14. Ibid., 3:25; Dist. I De poenit., passim. 15. See 1 John 2:2.
CHAPTER III
WHO ARE JUSTIFIED THROUGH CHRIST
But though He died for all,[16] yet all do not receive the benefit of His death, but those only to whom the merit of His passion is communicated; because as truly as men would not be born unjust, if they were not born through propagation of the seed of Adam, since by that propagation they contract through him, when they are conceived, injustice as their own, so if they were not born again in Christ, they would never be justified, since in that new birth there is bestowed upon them, through the merit of His passion, the grace by which they are made just. For this benefit the Apostle exhorts us always to give thanks to the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light, and hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption and remission of sins.[17] 16. See II Cor. 5:15. 17. Col. 1:12-14.
CHAPTER IV
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF THE SINNER AND ITS MODE IN THE STATE OF GRACE
In which words is given a brief description of the justification of the sinner, as being a translation from that state in which man is born a child of the first Adam, to the state of grace and of the adoption of the sons of God through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, our Savior. This translation however cannot, since promulgation of the Gospel, be effected except through the laver of regeneration or its desire, as it is written: Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.[18] 18. John 3:5.
The model of justification as that of the adoption of sons comes from St. Paul himself:
Galatians 4:1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; 2 but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. 3 So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir. 8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings that by nature are no gods; 9 but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits, whose slaves you want to be once more?
Romans 8: 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved...
Ephesians 5: 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not associate with them, 8 for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Phillipians 2: 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Hebrews 12: 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? -- "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
This theme is carried on in other parts of the NT as well:
1Peter 1: 13 Therefore gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; 16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.
1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure...
10 By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother...
4: 4 Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world...
5:1 Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
This should be enough to establish the biblical basis of the Catholic understanding of justification. There is no equivalent set of verses to establish your "acquittal" scenario. Once again as I have done many times before on this web page I stand with Scripture against the pretensions of men.
With God's grace as the source, and Christ's blood as the righteous basis, faith is the means by which justification is received by man (Rom. 5:1-2).
Romans 5: 1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.
Please note that St. Paul states that the grace of justification results also in hope and charity as well as faith through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which was "given to us." When was it given to us?
John 3: 3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.' 8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."
Acts 2: 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. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him."
Titus 3: 4 ...but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, 6 which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Romans 6: Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For he who has died is freed from sin. 8 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
All four of these quotations refer to the rite of water baptism. It is in the sacrament of Baptism that we receive the grace of justification, the forgiveness of sins, the adoption as sons, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
To this all four Gospels bear witness. All four of them contain an account of the Baptism of Jesus which incorporates all of these elements. Let us review Mark's account:
Mark 1: 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; 11 and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased."
When we receive the sacrament of water baptism, we imitate Christ. He received the baptism of John for the forgiveness of sins (verse 4). The Holy Spirit descended upon him (verse 8) and a voice from heaven declared him to be a beloved son (verse 11). In a variant reading for the account in Luke's Gospel (3:22), it reads:
"You are my son. Today I have begotten you."
This is a quotation of Psalm 2:7. Scholars believe that the variant reading crept in because it was used during early Christian baptismal liturgies to emphasize the adoption as a child of God received at the moment of baptism.
Although our Lord has paid the price for our justification, it is through our faith that He is received and His righteousness experienced and enjoyed (Rom. 3:25-30).
Indeed, we receive the righteousness of Christ through faith, but not by faith ALONE. It must be a faith that leads to baptism and results in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the fruits that flow therefrom
Faith is considered righteousness (Rom. 4:3,9) not as the work of man (Rom. 4:5) but as the gift and work of God (John 6:28,29; Phil. 1:29).
Catholic theology recognizes that faith is a supernatural gift of God that requires the prior action of God's grace before a man can possess it. It is not ours by right or by our own effort, but as a gift from God only.
Unfortunately, you seriously misrepresent Romans 4 at this point by leaving out verse 10 from your citation. Please note:
Romans 4: 3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. 5 And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David pronounces a blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin." 9 Is this blessing pronounced only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? We say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.
The work that St. Paul is excluding in verse 4 is the work of the Mosaic Law: in particular circumcision and all the obligations that flow from it. This is not a blanket denial of all works but of those works specific to the Judaizing controversy. While there is some condemnation of works righteous in general in the Pauline corpus, 95% of the time he is condemning "works of the Law (Torah)." As I have shown in other quotations above WHATEVER St. Paul may mean by "works of the law" he did not mean by this that Christians did not have to avoid sin or that they did not have to perform good works in order to be saved. Because of the evidence against antinomianism in St. Paul, I submit that the context of Scripture makes it impossible to assert the Protestant interpretation. St. Paul never equated good works with "works of the Law." The only law he ever spoke against was the Mosaic Law. He never attacked Roman Law or that of any other nation or polity. Therefore I don't think it is justified to extend his objections to law in general beyond a few passing references. (e.g., Gal. 3:21; Phil 3:9). I invite your comments and I would ask you to provide any counter examples to this thesis.
Now what about James? We see that the New Testament sometimes speaks of justification by works. James concluded that "a man is justified by works, and not by faith only" (James 2:24). Jesus spoke of justification (and condemnation) "by your words" (Matt. 13:27). And even Paul said, "the doers of the law will be justified" (Rom. 2:13).
These statements seem to conflict with Paul's many warnings that "by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight" (Rom. 3:20), and that the attempt to be justified through law is equivalent to being "alienated from Christ" and "fallen from grace" (Gal. 5:4).
Galatians 5: 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
All that this verse states is that those Gentiles who practice the Mosaic Law have fallen away from grace. It is completely consistent with all of the other statements in the NT that one is to obey lawfully constituted authority, practice the requirements of the Christian faith, and live a moral life.
So there is no conflict between St. Paul and the rest of the NT. The conflict is between the Bible and Protestant systematic theology. You have to chose between believing Luther, Calvin, et al or the Bible. Which will it be?
And I might add, Paul means attempting to be justified by any law, whether of Moses, or of a church: "....if there had been a law given that could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law" (Gal. 3:21).
Galatians 3: 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not; for if a law had been given which could make alive, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.
I am sorry but you are wrong. The law that St. Paul is excluding in this particular verse -- as in the vast majority of other references to the word "law" -- is the Mosaic Law specifically. St. Paul is talking about law in general in this verse, but all he is saying is that merely having a code of law does not give one the power to keep the law. Something more is needed. We Christians have that something more in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit:
John 14: 16 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.
Romans 8: 9 But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.
1Corinthians 3: 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
2Timothy 1: 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus; 14 guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.
So the problem of being unable to keep the law is something that the natural many has to worry about, not the Christian. St. Paul makes this clear in Romans 7&8:
Romans 7:1 Do you not know, brethren -- for I am speaking to those who know the law -- that the law is binding on a person only during his life? 2 Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. 4 Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit. 7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin. I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 8 But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died; 10 the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh -- 13 for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
The primary solution to this problem lies in the distinction between the gospel in the dispensation of Law and the gospel in the dispensation of Grace. This is where we see the importance of "rightly dividing the Word of truth." Those three passages of Scripture alluding to justification by works (or words) all speak to or about those who are under the law. Our Lord, His apostles, and James all proclaimed the gospel to Israel under the law. In that dispensation works availed only as the expression and evidence of faith, and indeed, that is what James clearly teaches.
Ah, the Dispensationalism fraud! I am disappointed. You seemed too savvy to fall for this error, Fred. As you probably know most of your Protestant confreres will not accept this as a solution. In fact real hard shell Calvinists are the biggest critics of this viewpoint. Puritan and Reformed Publishers have several titles dealing with the problems inherent in this viewpoint including one that praise the text of the Catholic New American Bible for properly avoiding incorrect or ambiguous translations that help to spread this error.
It was St. Paul's intention in Romans and Galatians to show that there is no difference in the means of salvation between Jews and Gentiles either before or after Christ. It was always based upon "faith working through love." That was what the example of Abraham was supposed to show. It was the Judaizers and some radical elements among the Jews who wanted to elevate the works of the Law to a strict requirement for salvation before God. There is no mention of any new "dispensation" anywhere in the NT where the rules of righteousness from the OT are contradicted in the NT.
You are trying to isolate certain parts of St. Paul's epistles from the rest of the NT and then declare them to be the REAL 'Gospel.' (Shades of the ancient heretic Marcion! Adolph Harnack would be proud of you!) To paraphrase George Orwell from his book Animal Farm, you are saying, "All the books of the Bible are inspired, but some books are more inspired than others." By doing this you get to ignore Jesus as a teacher but you get to keep him as a religious object, a talisman or "good luck charm" that can take away your sins but has little or nothing of any value to teach you. You actually are claiming that the "Gospel" is not in the four gospels.
Forget it! In the words of St. Paul, "Every Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, and equipped for every good work." 2Tim 3:16-17). You can't just throw out the parts you don't like. St. James' Epistle was specifically written (in part) to guide us in a proper understanding of Romans. The Book of Revelation makes it clear that judgment will be according to our works (20:12ff). The epistles of St. John also make this clear (1John 4:17), as does St. Paul in numerous places(e.g., 2Cor 5:10).
Then we have the problem of the words of Jesus. As a catholic, I do not approach the Bible with a mind to ignore the teachings of Christ. I consider that blasphemous. The Second Vatican Council stated our belief in this very well:
Dei Verbum (The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation).
18. It is common knowledge that among all the Scriptures, even those of the New Testament, the Gospels have a special preeminence, and rightly so, for they are the principal witness for the life and teaching of the incarnate Word, our Savior....
20. Besides the four Gospels, the canon of the New Testament also contains the epistles of St. Paul and other apostolic writings, composed under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by which, according to the wise plan of God, those matters which concern Christ the Lord are confirmed; his true teaching is more and more fully stated; the saving power of the divine work of Christ is preached; the story is told of the beginnings of the Church and its marvelous growth; and its glorious fulfillment is foretold. For the Lord Jesus was with his apostles as he had promised (cf. Mt 28:20) and sent them the advocate Spirit who would lead them into the fullness of truth (cf. Jn 16:13).
In other words, the Gospels are the foundation of the NT. Everything written afterwards is merely an exposition (or commentary) on what the Gospels contain. It is therefore part of our Catholic faith that everything Jesus taught was meant for his Church and that any interpretation that conflicts with the clear teaching of Jesus in the Gospels is FALSE.
I personally consider the "Dispensationalism" excuse to be a serious demonic deception. It was first proposed by Luther in the 16th Century as a way of getting around problematic texts like James 2:24. What it has allowed Protestants to do is to severe all ties to Jesus as teacher and that is a very serious problem:
Matthew 23:10 Neither be called teachers, for you have one teacher, the Christ.
In the Romans 2:13 citation, Paul is saying that the law is of no advantage if those who are subject to it do not obey it. The Jew had an advantage over the Gentile because he had the law, but when he broke the law, that advantage turned into a disadvantage. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Note that the apostle doesn't say that any man CAN obey the law; he is simply stating what would happen if he did.
Let's see what St. Paul actually says:
Romans 2: 5 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. 6 For he will render to every man according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality. 12 All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Verse 7 doesn't sound at all theoretical to me. Neither does verse 14. Once again I think you are reading INTO the text. Clearly St. Paul states that the gentiles will be judged according to their consciences and he implies that SOME of them will be found righteous. Whether he is talking about Christians or Pagans is another question.
James wrote that "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). And in Galatians 3:10 Paul quotes Moses:
"Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." After demonstrating that those who place themselves under the law are unable to live up to its standards, Paul then concludes: "....they (Jew and Gentile) are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no not one ....by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:9-20).
You are WAY off base. St. Paul had already declared the Gentiles to be "under sin" in Chapters 1 & 2. In Chapter 3, he gets started on the Jews.
Romans 3: 9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all; for I have already charged that all men, both Jews and Gentiles, are under the power of sin, 10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;...
This last verse quotes Psalm 14, which I reproduce in full:
Psalm 14: 1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any that act wisely, that seek after God. 3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt; there is none that does good, no, not one. 4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the LORD? 5 There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the assembly of the righteous. 6 You would confound the plans of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge. 7 O that deliverance for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.
Please note verse 5. The Psalmist says that God will be with the "righteous" people who were victims of the wicked. Doesn't that contradict verse 3? No, because verse 3 is hyperbolic and the sentiment in it can be likened to that in:
1Kings 19: 13 ...And behold, there came a voice to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14 He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." 15 And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; 16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And him who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."
Living among a corrupt people, Elijah couldn't find even one who had not turned away from God. But God had preserved for himself 7000 Israelites who had not turned away from Him. They were just so few and far between that they were hard to find.
What is important is that the situation in Psalm 14 is like that depicted in other Psalms (e.g. 12 & 53) where there is a breakdown of the moral order EVEN IN ISRAEL! Some righteous people do exist, but they are in a minority and are under persecution. One of those righteous people is the one composing the Psalm. St. Paul is trying to emphasize that not even the Jews are exempt from condemnation and that they should not be so smug towards the Gentiles. In fact verse 19 clinches this:
Romans 3: 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
Who is under the law? THE JEWS are; not the Gentiles! The SPECIFIC intention of the quotations in verses 9-18 is to indict the JEWS with all of those charges. That the Gentiles do these things as well goes without saying, but once we realize the "sitz im leben" of Psalm 14, we see that it does NOT teach total depravity. It specifically shows that the Jewish Community is itself morally corrupt as its own Scripture says. This Psalm and its literary form are compatible with the existence of a faithful remnant.
James was writing to Messianic believers who were saved under the law.
No. It was written to Christians who were under the law of liberty:
James 1: 25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.
2:1 My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory...
8 If you really fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," said also, "Do not kill." If you do not commit adultery but do kill, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy; yet mercy triumphs over judgment.
No where does St. James say that they should keep the Mosaic law. there is no mention hereof circumcision, feasts, moons, dietary laws, or other Jewish distinctives. Rather he is recommending "love of neighbor" as the "law of liberty." Sounds very Pauline to me. (See Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14.)
This was not a letter written to Jews of ANY kind. It was written to Christians to exhort them to be "doers of the word" (James 1:22) just as St. Paul recommended to the Gentiles in Romans 2:13.
James used Abraham as an example of justification by the works of faith because in the dispensation of Law faith and deeds were interlocked in the teachings of Moses and the prophets. Obedience to the commandments of the law were part and parcel of the gospel of the kingdom as proclaimed by Christ and the twelve apostles. The apostle Paul on the other hand uses Abraham as an example of justification by faith apart from works because according to the gospel of grace, in the dispensation of Grace, salvation is by grace through faith, apart from works.
This whole section is so muddled and confused it is difficult to set it straight. St. James referred to Abraham's actions in Genesis 22 to show that the righteous man from Genesis 15:6 ACTS righteously when the time comes. If you will "Righteous is as righteous does." St. Paul referred to Abraham in Genesis 15:6 because it was BEFORE Abraham was circumcised, yet Abraham could still be called righteous before God. (See Rom. 4:10ff.)
You mentioned that historic Christianity has never believed in the concept of justification by faith alone. If that were true it would be because, historically, the church has drifted from the truth of the gospel and succumbed to the errors of "another gospel" that Paul describes in his epistles.
Whoa! If in the ENTIRE history of the Church nobody believed what Luther invented in the 16th Century, then you say that LUTHER was right and that the entire pre-Reformation Church was in error for 1500 years? You can't be serious. This goes beyond arrogance and blasphemy to frank apostasy. You are saying that Jesus lied when he said:
John 16: 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
As I have shown, if ANYONE came preaching "another gospel" it was Luther and his minions, not the Historic Christian Church.
That another gospel attempts to mix law and grace. The early church, failing to recognize the distinctiveness of Paul's message and ministry, wrestled with the problem of reconciling his gospel with the gospel as proclaimed to the circumcision and ended up in confusion, which has been compounded over the centuries. The vast majority of Christendom followed their lead and departed from true Biblical Christianity as revealed to Paul in the gospel of the grace of God. But if one checks it out carefully, he will see the things that differ.
This is all a bunch of offensive nonsense. If you can believe that the Early Church apostatized from the Gospel, then you have effectively said that he gates of Hell prevailed against it almost immediately after Jesus left and that Jesus failed to preserve the Church from error. That means the NT was not properly preserved. The doctrines on Christ and the Trinity from the 4th -7th Century could not have been properly defined. The true Christian religion then ended in the 1st Century and we have all been wasting our time ever since. Christ was just some guy who made empty promises that no one understood and whose dead body disappeared under mysterious circumstances. There would be no reason to believe in Him if all the witnesses were corrupted immediate after he "left."
With regard to faith that leads to baptism, in the dispensation of Grace there is only one baptism by which believers are placed into Christ through faith. That is the baptism by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:4-6). Those who receive the Spirit are baptized by the Spirit, and a person can only receive the Spirit by the hearing of faith (Gal. 3:2; Rom. 10:17).
Absolutely NOT! St. Paul says:
1Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free -- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
Ephesians 4: 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.
There is ONLY one Baptism and that is by water. It is the washing that justifies and sanctifies. There are no other Baptisms. The Holy Spirit descends in conjunction with the water rite. That is what Jesus said (John 3:3ff). YOU had better believe it.
Hi Fred! It is good to hear from you. I have been waiting for your response.
Well, I see that your fingers were really busy trying to make a case for the Roman Catholic position against justification by faith alone. More that fifteen pages, single space, margin to margin. Again, a person will go to great lengths to discredit another point of view when it threatens his belief system. It took me a while to read through your message, but I'll try to keep my response short and to the point.
As I showed in my extended critique of your message, Protestants do not know Scripture. They misquote it, misinterpret it, and when they can't subvert its clear literal message they dismiss it as referring to a "previous dispensation." Also they delude themselves into thinking that their views derive from the Bible when in reality their religions are based upon the operative presuppositions from Protestant systematics, Nominalist philosophy, and accommodation to the current standards of the secular world. Such an inconsistent and contradictory mish-mash is no threat to the Historic Catholic Christian faith. In fact it is a sad parody at best. I honestly cannot understand how anyone can place the opinions of Luther, Calvin, et al in opposition to the clear teachings of my Lord and Savior.
The difference between us is that you get your gospel from the Roman Catholic church and I get mine from the apostle Paul, who got his gospel by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12).
No. I get my Gospels from the GOSPELS which contain the teachings of Jesus Himself and from the rest of the Bible and Tradition which flesh out his teachings. St. Paul claimed to have received his message from Jesus himself and not to have been taught it from men but he also acknowledged the teaching authority of the other Apostles and agreed with them on the content of the Gospel. That is why he went to Jerusalem:
Gal 2: 1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up by revelation; and I laid before them (but privately before those who were of repute) the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, lest somehow I should be running or had run in vain.
There is no reason to think that the preaching of St. Paul was any different than that of the other Apostles. The gospels were composed by these same Apostles or their disciples and in fact the Gospel of Luke was reputed to be written by St. Luke under the tutelage of St. Paul. If you are trying to oppose the teaching of St. Paul to the rest of the NT, you are doing violence to Scripture and trying to make void the word of God. I stand with the Catholic Tradition on the WHOLE witness of Scripture and not on any "canon within a canon," dispensational dismissal, or other form of equivocation.
His gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, was an advance of the gospel proclaimed by Christ to Israel and by the apostles at Pentecost.
There is no proof of this from either Scripture or Tradition. As I showed above, St. Paul's gospel was judged as orthodox by the Apostles in Jerusalem and was NO DIFFERENT that that taught by anyone else. St. Paul makes this point himself in 1Corinthians 1:
10 I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I am thankful that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius; 15 lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
St. Paul did not see any valid justification for division among Christians. In his confrontation with St. Peter over the situation in Antioch, he clearly thought that St. Peter was not acting in accordance with their COMMONLY held faith. e culminates his comments on this with the following:
Gal 3: 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
St. Paul is saying that there is no distinction between any ethnic group before God and that both Jews and Gentiles AS Jews and Gentiles stand before God as equal offspring and heirs to Abraham's promise. He does not tell Jews not to be Jews anymore (i.e. to abandon their customs). In fact St. Paul remained a practicing Jew all of his life right up to the end.
Acts 21: 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James; and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed; they are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you but that you yourself live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity." 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself with them and went into the temple, to give notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for every one of them.
As far as St. Paul was concerned, there was no new "dispensation." He was both a practicing Christian and an observant Jew. If there were some dispensational difference, he would have given up one for the other.
There is indeed a difference between the gospel of the uncircumcision and the gospel of the circumcision; between the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the grace of God; and between our Lord's earthly ministry (to the nation of Israel) and His heavenly ministry (to the Jew and Gentile without distinction).
Absolutely not! If you want to claim this show me some Scripture to back it up. There is only ONE Gospel for all mankind and it is contained in the written Gospels and the rest of the NT equally. The Jews refused to accept the ONE Gospel BECAUSE it included the Gentiles. That was the real sticking point between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus taught that Samaritans could be good, Publicans could be justified and that a Roman Centurion could have more faith than any other man in Israel. Is that the Gospel to Israel and not to the nations? To which "dispensation" do you attribute THAT teaching? Don't be absurd. You are obliged to follow Jesus' teachings and anything that you find contradicting it you are to reject.
Matthew 5: 17 "Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
It seems that obedience to the Mosaic Law in some way determines one's place in the "Kingdom of heaven" not just the nation of Israel. The Catholic Tradition teaches that it is the moral requirements of the Law of which he is speaking since the ceremonial were fulfilled by the sacrificial death of Jesus and can no longer be fulfilled since the destruction of the Temple and the priesthood in 70 AD.
If you study the Scriptures objectively and dispensationally with a humble spirit you will see that these things are so.
Quite the contrary as I have shown the "dispensational" paradigm is just like Wellhausen's JEDP theory of the construction of the Pentateuch: artificial, non-scriptural, contradictory, and based upon ulterior motives, not exposition of Scripture. Do you realize that you must ADD dispensationalism to the Bible in order to assert it? By what authority do you do so? There is not ONE SINGLE verse in all Scripture that teaches this. You only need to have dispensationalism in order to ignore the parts of the NT that you don't like based upon your desire to follow the "systematic theologies" of Luther, Calvin, et al.
You have pretty much admitted that your views CONTRADICT the teachings of Jesus. Don't you see that you are no longer a Christian as a result and that you are now claiming that the teachings of Jesus have "passed away"? I stand with the words of my Lord and Savior against your views.
May I remind you that the epistles written by Paul ARE the teachings of Christ?
No they are not. They are St. Paul's teachings ABOUT Christ. If you ignore Christ's own words in the Gospels you are ignoring the teachings of CHRIST. If you interpret the teachings of St. Paul in a manner that contradicts the clear words of Jesus, you are no Christian and you have placed yourself above the Scriptures to pick and choose whatever seems right in your own eyes. If you are to be a Christian you must HARMONIZE the teachings of St. Paul with that of Jesus and your interpretation of St. Paul must give way to the clear words of Christ who is the very Word of God himself. No compromise.
We just don't try to allegorize, spiritualize, or synthesize Scripture to conform to some man-made tradition or doctrine.
You violate the clear words of Scripture for the sake of Protestant systematic theology. I would also remind you that in the areas of conflict between Catholics and Protestants, it is NEVER the Catholics who "allegorize, spiritualize, or synthesize Scripture" but ALWAYS the Protestants. For example: Matthew 5 to 7, 6:12-15, 16:16-20, 16:27, 18:18, 25:31ff, 26:26ff; Mark 14:22ff; Luke 22:19ff; John 3:5, 6:32ff, 20:23; Acts 2:38, 19:1ff, 22:16; Romans 2:1ff ( especially v.13), 6:3ff; 13:8-10, 15:15-16; Galatians 5:6, 5:14, 6:7-8; 1Corinthians 3:8, 11:24ff, 13:1ff; 2Corinthians 5:10; 2Timothy 3:14-15; 2Peter 1:20, 3:15ff; James 1:22, 2:24; Revelation 2:23, 20:12, 22:12.
Actually, the dispensational approach provides a compelling argument against the fraudulent claims of Roman Catholicism with regard to apostolic succession, papal supremacy, papal infallibility, and the Roman church as the visible kingdom of God on earth.
It provides you a dishonest EXCUSE to reject the clear teaching of Scripture for the mere opinions and traditions of heretics and apostates. What is very sad is that most of your own Protestant confreres do not accept "dispensationalism" and they have written numerous treatises against it. You should read a few of them.
We believe and live by the truth as expressed in Romans 6.
So you accept Baptismal regeneration? (Romans 6:3) Hardly.
Does that sound antinomian? I think not.
Yes. You claim to be "led by the Spirit" yet my Lord and Savior taught that you must "KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS" (e.g., Matthew 19:17; John 14:15, 15:10) as did St. Paul (1Timothy 1:8-11). Antinomianism is not keeping to any law code. If you refuse to accept the 10 Commandments and just act spontaneously on a whim, you are an antinomian. Oh, you may claim inconsistently to adhere to moral standards, but in doing so, you contradict your thesis that you act spontaneously in the spirit. This is self deception. It may not be obvious to you but it is clear to the rest of us.
On the other hand, what law does the Roman Catholic live by?
By every word that comes from the mouth of God. We follow Jesus and keep his commandments s he instructed us to. The curse of the law that St. Paul is talking about in Galatians 3:13 is not the law itself. The Law itself is Holy. It is the failure to KEEP the law that brings down a curse on people.
Besides at this point you are playing a silly semantic game. In your next sentence you enumerate a list of laws that you yourself hold to. Essentially, you are a hypocrite because you denounce us for having laws and then you admit that you have laws yourself. All the flowery quotations of St. Paul that you can piece together out of context do not absolve you from this. You also have laws by which you govern yourselves and in that you are no different than we are.
We Catholics do not hold to the entire Mosaic law but only those parts that are revealed for all God's people for all time just as Jesus said in Matthew 5. We are following Jesus when we do so. We also have a mandate from Jesus as to the making of laws and the binding of consciences.
Matthew 16: 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
This power to make binding rules on the Church was exercised by the Apostles during what you call "the dispensation of grace." Read Acts 15 for the whole story but please note verse 28: “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things...
So the laying of burdens on the Church has always been the prerogative of the Apostles and their successors. We are thoroughly Biblical when we legislate rules for the Universal Church. You on the other hand are in direct conflict with Scripture when you say that such legislation is not Christian.
With regard to faith, let me clear up any misconceptions you seem to have regarding what true Christianity teaches concerning the faith that saves, or the faith that justifies. I quote from A Dispensational Theology by Charles F. Baker. Saving faith is "....that faith in our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, which results in regeneration, the renewal of the inner man, and which imparts forgiveness of the penalty of sin and creates one anew as a child of God and a member of the Body of Christ. This kind of faith includes not only mental assent to the truth and emotional feeling, but also the volitional element, the activity of the will in surrendering self to God and appropriating Christ as Savior. It is a persuasion which results in trust and commitment."
There is much I would agree with in here and some that I would disagree with (especially the absence of any mention of Baptism), but Baker does not speak for all Protestants and there are several Protestants that I know who would condemn his views as heretical, especially people in the Lutheran camp for adding the will to faith and in the Calvinist camp for having regeneration proceed from faith instead of being the basis of faith. This is the problem of trying to have an intelligent conversation with a Protestant. No one among you speaks with authority for all of you. This is apparently an opinion that either you like of that you think should impress me. All it does is reinforce what I already know. Protestantism is what ever a particular Protestant wants it to be. If you are going to contradict Luther or Calvin you can do so with impunity because ultimately you invent your own religion for yourself and only hold to what you want to. If Luther did teach something hard to defend, deny it! There is never any need to defend anything you don't personally fancy and you can equivocate when the going gets rough. There is never any submission to the authority that Christ gave to his Church.
There is no reference whatever to justification by faith AND works in any of the Pauline revelation.
Now it is the Pauline REVELATION, separate and distinct from the revelation given by Jesus! Is Christ divided? Were you baptized into Paul? St. Paul has now become your "christ" and the real Christ is ignored because he doesn't say what you want to hear. Think about it.
But to the heart of your statement, the biblical concept of justification by faith (as I stated in my previous response and as Mr. Baker did in the quote you used) INCLUDES a good will and a good will inevitably means good works. As such good works are an INTEGRAL part of a saving faith, not something added on to it. As such, to judge a man's works IS the SAME as to judge his faith. That was the point St. James was making. To this St. Paul would agree. That is the CATHOLIC position and it is thoroughly Biblical. Let's see if St. Paul agrees:
Rom 2: 6 For he will render to every man according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are factious and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury... 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
Rom 13: 8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1Cor 4: 4 I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.
2Cor5: 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body.
Gal 6: 7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 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.
Add that to the teachings of the rest of the NT and you know what you have? AGREEMENT between Jesus, St. Paul, St. John, St. Peter, and St. John that faith without works is dead and cannot save.
My challenge to you: show me ONE verse where ANYONE in the NT says that we will be judged by Christ according to our faith ALONE without any reference to our works. I can give you at least a half dozen that say we will be judged according to our works and half of them are from St. Paul!
Please understand that the works which St. Paul excludes from justification are "works of the Torah" which were used by the Judaizers as boundary markers to separate the "righteous" Jew from Gentile "sinners." St. Paul does not exclude the necessity of keeping the moral law for the Christian believer:
Gal 5: 3 I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. 7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brethren, still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves! 13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you bite and devour one another take heed that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another.
The above quotation makes it clear that by loving our neighbor we are keeping the law and therefore have no need to hold to the letter of the Mosaic law. this is actually an allusion to the teaching of Jesus who said:
Matt 7: 12 So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
Matt 22: 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."
Luke 10: 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read?" 27 And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and you will live."
So it appears that St. Paul alludes favorably to the teaching of Jesus in what you consider to be the previous "dispensation." Hmm... Looks like St. Paul was NOT a dispensationalist, was he?
You accuse Protestants of "using a phrase for a biblical doctrine that is not only absent from the entire text of the Bible, but contradicts the very words of Scripture itself (James 2:24)."
Absolutely. I still do. You have not refuted me on this point at all. Protestantism is in direct contradiction of the very words of the Scriptures at this point and others.
Then you (Roman Catholics) try to read words into Paul's epsitles which are nowhere to be found.
I read NOTHING into St. Paul's epistles that he did not write there. The above quotations make it clear that St. Paul believed in the necessity of good works for salvation as did all of the rest of the NT authors and Jesus himself. The Bible has spoken. It reaffirms what the Catholic Church has taught. The matter is closed. You are wrong.
The whole issue between your persuasion and mine revolves around the biblical definitions of grace, faith, justification and works and how we understand Scripture.
No. Your definitions are not Biblical. They come from Protestant systematic theology. On the contrary, mine are derived from the Bible. The WHOLE Bible. Not just the parts that I want to include. The issue is the overarching harmony of all Scripture. As a dispensationalist, you exclude from consideration those parts of the Scripture that Protestant systematic theology has denounced as obsolete. It is not coincidental that this gives you almost the same effective biblical canon as the early heretic Marcion. The 19th Century Protestant scholar Adolph Harnack declared Marcion to be the first Protestant. (B. B. Warfield disagreed and said it should have been Tertullian.) Your position was one of the first major heresies condemned by the Christian Church. There is nothing new under the sun.
With regard to the works of the law, where in Scripture do you find the moral law separated from the Mosaic Law?
The moral law is not derived from the Mosaic law but from the nature of Creation coming from the hand of God. The Mosaic law bears witness to the moral law but it does not establish it. If you wanted to claim that morality was derived from the law of Moses, then you would be declaring that all law is positive law and that there are no things that are good in themselves. Nor could you say that there was anything which would be intrinsically evil. Even without the law of Moses the murder of Abel by Cain was known to be evil. the same can be said for theft, adultery, torture, and lying. The Jews recognized this and they derived the seven "Noahide Laws" from Genesis 9 as a result. These were the laws binding upon all human beings.
If the Mosaic law were abrogated, it would have no effect on moral norms. They would remain because God had decreed them when he created the world. The law of Moses bore witness to God's plan from creation but several of the ordinances contained therein were neither perpetual nor for those outside Israel. For a fascination and complex discussion of this see Scott Hahn's doctoral dissertation "Kinship by Covenant."
Everywhere in Scripture, the Law is considered one unit. James 2:10; Matt. 22:36-40; Gal. 3:10-14; etc., etc. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The only law the true Christian answers to in the dispensation of Grace is the law of the Spirit, of life in Christ Jesus. The effect of that law on the life of the believer is best described by Paul in Galatians 2:20,21 and 5:22,23.
The Catholic Church agrees with this and we indeed live by the law of the spirit because the Church's Magisterium is under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit.
2Pet 1: 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
St. Peter is defending his authority to teach and likening it to that of the OT prophets. It is precisely this which Jesus promised to