romishpopishorganist
Well-known member
"If any one saith, that the good works of one that is justified are in such manner the gifts of God, as that they are not also the good merits of him that is justified; or, that the said justified, by the good works which he performs through the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly MERIT INCREASE of grace, eternal life, and the attainment of that eternal life,-if so be, however, that he depart in grace,-and also an increase of glory; let him be anathema.From Trent 32:
Sorry, but your church does teach that the good works one does once one is saved do indeed help that person to keep on meriting grace and eternal life.
We do understand that being made a new creation in Christ Jesus leads to rejecting sin and wanting to do acts of love--but done in salvation, not for salvation."
Wow. You can quote Trent. I am so impressed.
Bonnie, anyone can quote stuff. Quoting stuff doesn't mean you understand it.
Now my question: with WHAT do you think the Christian is meriting salvation if not Grace, in the mind of Trent? Grace perfects Grace. What the good works do is increase our capacity for Grace. That is what Trent is talking about. The Grace is there. It is just that the more our Faith works in love, the greater our capacity for God to continue to pour His life into our souls.