Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, Works

8/13/2019 Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, Works

1/13

Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, WorksJustification (Part 1)

Justification is the merciful and freely-given act of God whichtakes away our sins and makes us just and holy in our wholebeing. It is the restoration of sinners to friendship with God sothat he may adopt them into His divine life.

The justification of the sinner is a greater work than the creationof heaven and earth (St. Augustine)

CCC 1992Justification has been merited for us by the Passion ofChrist who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holyand pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the

instrument of atonement for the sins of all men. Justification isconferred in Baptism

It contains four elements

1. infusion of grace

2. forgiveness of sins

3. turning away from evil

4. turning toward goodCatholic Justification -- brought about by means of the grace ofthe Holy Spirit (i.e. sanctifying grace) which has been merited forus by the Passion of Christ and is given to us in Baptism.

Martin Luthers Justificationwe are justified and made holy onthe outside but we are still full of sin and evil on the inside. Godchooses to look at us as if we were holy though we are not, e.g.

snow which covers dung.

St. Pauls Conversion on

the Road to Damascus.

After this event, he was

baptized.


2/13

Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, Works

Justification (Part 2)

-The sin is NOT merely overlooked, but is truly and entirely blotted out.

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts3:19).

-Justification also entails transformation of the whole human person,

accomplished by the grace of the Holy Spirit received at baptism. (we

become sons and daughters of God)

-Freedom and Justification go hand in hand- cooperate freely with Gods grace.

For justification a sinner must undergo a free conversion of heart which turns

him or her away from sin and toward God.

-Therefore, the invitation of forgiveness and grace can be rejected.

-Justification can be lost. Just as God does not justify us against His will, Hedoes not prevent us from turning against Him after Baptism.

-St. Paul tells us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling. (Phil. 2:12).

-We must enter through the narrow gate to eternal life.


3/13

Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, WorksJOINT DECLARATION

ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION

by the Lutheran World Federationand the Catholic Church

Justification (Part 3)15.In faith we together hold the conviction that justification is the work of thetriune God. The Father sent his Son into the world to save sinners. Thefoundation and presupposition of justification is the incarnation, death, andresurrection of Christ. Justification thus means that Christ himself is ourrighteousness, in which we share through the Holy Spirit in accord with the will

of the Father. Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ's savingwork and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God andreceive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling usto good works.

Lutherans, Methodist, Roman Catholics, and most other Christians, agree that:--Individuals are initially hopelessly lost in sin and separated from God.

--Separation between God and man is overcome through Justification"the free and unmerited assistance or favor or energy or saving presence ofGod in his dealings with humanity...").

--Justification is brought about through God's grace.--Justification is in no way earned by the individual.


4/13


Faith Alone (Part 1)

Faith Alone? No

Neither should you say: Faith alone in OurLord Jesus Christ can save me By itself faithaccomplishes nothing, For even the devilsbelieve and shudder. No faith must be joinedto an active love of God, which is expressed in

good works. The charitable man isdistinguished by sincere and long-sufferingservice to his fellow man: it also means usingthings aright. Saint Maximus, the Confessor,

Abbot 400-461AD--Liturgy of the Hours- 7

th

SundayOrdinary Time.

-At the time of Martin Luther and John Calvin in the16thcentury, Protestants believed that the CatholicChurch taught that a person could earn his or her wayto heaven by good works. Protestants combat thissupposed teaching by their doctrine faith alone.


5/13


Faith Alone (Part 2)

Faith Alone Contradicts ScriptureSt. James What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not

works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or a sister is ill-clad and in lack of dailyfood, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled without givingthem the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has noworks, is dead. But some will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me yourfaith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you faith. You believe God isone; you do well. Even the demons believeand shuddera man is justified by worksand not by faith alone For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, sofaith apart

from works is dead. James 2:14-19, 24, 26Martin Luther at one time took the Book of James out of the bible, because it didnt fit his doctrine.


6/13


WORKS (Part 1)

Some passages in Scripture suggest works are not necessary. But if it isby grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no

longer be grace (Rom. 11:6)These passages suggest that Gods favor & forgiveness of our sinsour

justificationhas nothing to do with our own efforts, but is it is theresult of Gods grace. And this is a correct understanding of thesepassages, because if God did not initiate the process of conversion, thennone of us would choose to love Him.

-We cannot earn Gods favor. But, we must have faith in God and trustHim with our lives. Good works are not a way to earn Gods favor.

Works Necessary for Salvation? YES

CCC 2006: The fatherly action of God is first on His own initiative,and then follows mans free acting through his collaboration, so

that the merit of good works is to be attributed in the first placeto the grace of God, then to the faithful. Mans merit, moreover,

itself is due to God..


7/13

Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, WorksWORKS (Part 2)

-We cannot work our way to heaven. No human workscan replace the necessity of Gods initial gift of grace

through faith in Jesus Christ.-However, good works are an essential part of Christianlife.

-St. Paul states, He will render to every man according tohis works. There will be tribulation and distress for everyhuman being who does evil, but the glory and honor andpeace for everyone who does good.(Rom. 2:6-10)

-Even though good works dont save us, we are required

to do them as part of the Christian life.-Obedience to Jesus commandsgood worksisessential to our salvation. Any good thing done by abeliever, however, is not on his or own initiative but

through the power of Gods grace.


8/13

Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, WorksWORKS (Part 3)We Will Be Judged by Our Works

The Judgment of the Nations. Matt. 25:31-46

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will situpon his glorious throne, 32 and all the nations will be assembled before him. Andhe will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep fromthe goats. 33He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34Thenthe king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father.Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For Iwas hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a strangerand you welcomed me, 36naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, inprison and you visited me. 37Then the righteous*will answer him and say, Lord,when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 Whendid we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39When didwe see you ill or in prison, and visit you? 40 And the king will say to them in reply,Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, youdid for me. 41Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you accursed,into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry andyou gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43a stranger and yougave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and youdid not care for me. 44 Then they will answer and say, Lord, when did we see youhungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your

needs? 45He will answer them, Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one ofthese least ones, you did not do for me. 46 And these will go off to eternalpunishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

ifi i i i h l k
http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25/http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25/


9/13


WORKS (Part 4)

Works of Mercy

What must we do to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves?

We must keep the commandments of God and the Church and performspiritual and corporal works of mercy.

Corporal Works of Mercy Spiritual Works of Mercy

Feed the Hungry Admonish the Sinner

Give drink to the Thirsty Instruct the Ignorant -Teachers, CatechistsClothe the Naked Counsel the Doubtful- Help one in Faith

To visit the Imprisoned Comfort the Sorrowful

Shelter the Homeless Bear Wrongs Patiently

Visit the Sick Forgive All InjuriesBury the dead Pray for the Living and Dead

St. Paul If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives,He will receive a reward. 1 Cor. 3:12-14


10/13

Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, WorksMerit (Part 1)In general merit refers to the right of recompense for a gooddeed, but with regard to God, we of ourselves are not able tomerit anything since we receive everything freely from him

Yet, God does give us the possibility of acquiring merit throughunion with Christ. It is no longer I, but Christ living in me.

Thus, merit is to be attributed in the first place to the grace ofGod, and secondly to mans cooperation.

Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and forothers the graces needed for sanctification, for the attainment of

eternal life, and even for certain temporal needs, according toGods plan.

No one, however, can merit the initial grace which is at the originof conversion and justification .

Illustration of merit

1. a canal (us) which has water flowing through it (grace), themore the water flows the wider the canal (merit and ourcooperation with grace)

2. a house (us) to which is added a new addition (merit) so thatthe family has more room (an increase of Gods life with in us)


11/13


MERIT (Part 2)

After earths exile, I hope to go and enjoy

you in the fatherland, but I do not want tolay up merits for heaven. I want to work

for your love alone In the evening of this

life, I shall appear before you with empty

hands, for I do not ask you, Lord, to countmy works. All for justice is blemished in

your eyes. I wish, then, to be clothed in

your own justice and to receive from your

love the eternal possession of yourself.St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of A Soul, 1873-1897AD

J tifi ti M it G F ith Al W k


12/13

Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, WorksGrace (Part 1)Graceis first and foremost the gift of the Spirit.

Man, blinded and bowed, sits in darkness and cannot see the light ofheaven unless grace with justice comes to his aid (St. Bonaventure)

Grace and Freedom

Grace precedes, prepares and elicits our free response

It responds to the deep yearnings of human freedom, calls for ourcooperation and leads freedom toward its perfection

Sanctifying Graceis the free gift that God gives us to make usparticipants in his Trinitarian life and able to act by his love--Gods life living

within us.CCC 1996Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace isfavor, thefree and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to becomechildren of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternallife. CCC 1997Grace is aparticipation in the life of God.It introduces us intothe intimacy of Trinitarian life: by Baptism the Christian participates in thegrace of Christ, the Head of his Body. As an "adopted son" he can henceforthcall God "Father," in union with the only Son. He receives the life of the Spirit

who breathes charity into him and who forms the Church.

It sanctifies from within and divinizes us: You are in the Spirit, if the Spiritof God really dwells in you Rom 8:9

It is supernatural because it depends entirely on God and surpasses theabilities of the intellect and other powers of human the person

Illustration of Sanctifying Grace

1. the water (grace) which fills a pitcher (human person)2. a three person family (the Trinity) who live in a house (us)

J tifi ti M it G F ith Al W k


13/13


Grace (Part 2)

There are various other forms of grace

Actual gracegifts for specificactivities and circumstances in life

e.g. the ability to say the right thing atthe right time, or the strength to make

a difficult choice.Sacramental gracegifts proper toeach of the 7 sacraments

e.g. with the sacrament of marriage

comes the grace to live out fidelityCharismsgifts that are intended forthe common good of the Church

e.g. caring for the poor, teaching,

praying for the conversion of sinners St. Damien of Molokai

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Justification, Merit, Grace, Faith Alone, Works