Can faith alone save us?
(Part II)
Icited Biblical passages in my previous article on September 21 which prove that good works are a vital part of our salvation through active cooperation with God’s grace.
** * I continue to cite the following passages which Ms. Nelly Villafuerte in her column entitled “We cannot ‘edit’ our God” on August 13, 2017, failed to mention. St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, verse 2 writes: “I may have all the faith needed to move mountains — but if I have no love, I am nothing.” He concludes: “These three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.”
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Further, in Galatians 5:6, Paul writes: “The only thing that counts is faith ACTIVE in love (Galatians 6:6).
For his part, St. James: “What good is it for a man to say, ‘I have faith,’ if his actions do not prove it? Faith WITHOUT WORKS, is dead.” (Jas 2:14ff). ** *
Those who believe in “faith alone” overlook the numerous preponderant teachings of Christ Himself, and those of St. Paul and St. James. In effect, they are the ones who “edit” the Bible.
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The Catholic concept of justification is not based on any single text of Scriptures. Just as we give full attention to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans and that of the Ephesians, we give equal consideration to numerous others as cited above.
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To sum up: God has already done all the works to save us. He has already redeemed the world through His son Jesus. There is nothing left to be done.
But to think that one’s act of faith will save you is just as wrong as thinking that your act of charity will save you.
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We are saved by God’s grace, but also by our active cooperation. Hence, the Catechism of the Catholic Church declares: “Justification establishes cooperation between God’s grace and man’s freedom. On man’s part it is expressed by the assent of faith to the word of God, in the cooperation of charity with the prompting of the Holy Spirit.”
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For his part, BJ. Conway in his book What the Church Teaches says: “The Catholic doctrine not only bring tranquility of conscience in the certainty of forgiveness, but of God’s love for us… Furthermore, it offers that ardent incentive for good works and self-denial which can come only from awareness of love and confidence in our ability to return love in a manner acceptable to the One Loved.”
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ST. JUDE. Got a serious problem with money, studies, sickness or family relationship? Pray to St. Jude, known as the Saint of the Impossible.
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Today join our novena to St. Jude, Saint of the Impossible, at the Divine Word Shrine, Christ the King Seminary, on E. Rodriguez Boulevard, Quezon City, after the 6 p.m., mass.
A healing prayer and anointing of the sick will follow.