Michaael Arch

How do Roman Catholics view salvation; The Catholic position is this: we cannot be initially justified by any of the works of the Law. We are justified by God’s Grace received in Faith. God then gives use the ‘works we are to walk in’ as Saint Paul says. Paul also points out. “It is God who works in you even to will” Phil 2:13.

However, we retain free will so we need to co-operate with God’s Grace in the works he has prepared for us to walk in. If we fail to co-operate and commit post-baptismal sin we need to repent. Repentance is ‘ongoing’ during our life as a Christian. If the sin committed after baptism is very serious we can fall from Grace, as Paul explains in the New Testament.

Christians are required to work with God (2 Cor 6:1) after baptism. This is the theological concept of synergy. I quote Paul: “Working together (synergountes) with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the Grace of God in vain”.

Christians are not ‘robots’ who play no part in their own salvation. If we deny that we deny free will. Every good work (after justification) is prompted by God and achieved through Grace; but, we are required to freely co-operate with God’s Grace.

Every Christian commits sin after initial justification, so we need to repent on a regular basis. Repentance is not a ‘one off’ which is why we need the sacramental economy as a special means of Grace – otherwise, as Jesus says: ‘you have no life in you’.

January 19 2018 • Report