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Sanctification Versus Justification
Protestantism Versus True Catholicism of the East and West
(Sent to us anonymously)
The example that James gives concerning Abraham
offering Isaac was long after Abraham was already justified in Genesis. (Genesis
15:5,6)
Irrelevant to the point at hand. Furthermore, there are many who suggest that
James is wrong when he asks (rhetorically) "Was not Abraham our father justified
by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" (James 2:21)
They quote verses that have to do more with sanctification not salvation.
Not so! James uses the same word Paul does -- "saved" -- and not something like
"made holy." Sanctification is not something that can be treated apart from
salvation. The Catholic interpretation of Scripture treats faith and works --
justification and sanctification -- as interrelated requirements for salvation.
It is important to know the difference. The difference is not as simple as some people think. The result is a typical Protestant perspective.
In the Catholic perspective, faith and works are two sides of the same coin. "Right conduct" is how Catholics see the term "works" as used in Scripture, whereas some have gained the impression that Protestants define "works" much more narrowly, as "charitable actions done without interior love solely to merit entrance into heaven." This is a definition that's still fighting a war which ended over 400 years ago.
Justification is just keeping your rear end out of
hell. There's more to salvation than that; sanctification is the process by
which we achieve reunion with God in the Beatific Vision. The two go together,
but if one had to finger one as fundamental, it would be right conduct, or
"works" as James puts it. Right conduct is the foundation of sanctification,
without which Faith is dead.
It needs to be stated strongly that the cold, Augustinian "intellectual assent"
to Christ is not living faith and does not bring us to salvation. We have to
LIVE that faith, and live it fully, and always. Talking endlessly about Jesus
while we cut people off in traffic is not faith and will do nothing to bring us
closer to God.
+About Monastic Holy Orders: a basic
+Society of St. Jude Thaddeus (SSJt.)
+Orthodox Order of Friars Minor (OOFM)
+Servants (In Service) to Christ (SC)
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