Works plus faith

Please define "work". Is a "work" to participate in communion? Is it a "work" to "believe"? Is it a "work" to feed the hungry? Is it a "work" to cloth the naked? Is it a "work" to give alms? Please be specific?

JoeT
If done with the goal of salvation in mind, or as an aid to salvation, then they are useless works. There is only one way to be saved. By grace through faith! The motive behind the works are the determining factor. Those people in Matt 7 did great and marvelous works, but what did Jesus tell them? They mentioned their great works. They should have mentioned HIS great grace! For that is the only way for Him to know us, and for us to know Him. The Works we do AFTER salvation are simply done as our duty of service to God, for HIS glory. Not ours.
 
We don't know love of neighbor and love enemies, how so?

"False biographies"? What people? You're not making sense? Whose neighbor and whose enemies did we falsify?

Not exactly. If I do something willfully then merit or culpability is mine. If God or anyone else forces me to do something then to the degree of cooperation given merit or culpability is mine. That's the way free will works.

With regard to "pillar and foundation of truth and morals" and the dependency on works you asked for an explanation of the Church "that makes the bold claims list above needs to show the same", I asked the simple question what "works" you claim there is a dependency on "works." Just how do you define works? What is a "good work" and "what is a bad work" - assuming you classify them in this way.

Your OP essentially says there is no "works" and that Catholics are hypocrites. You claim that God makes us good. The flip side of that is by not making us do good "works" He leaves us in a "bad" state. Is your god condemning you for His works? If I do something then shouldn't I receive the merit or culpability? If we are to discuss your claims shouldn't we need specific "works" in order to respond?

At times "works" are difficult, exhaustive and sometimes expensive, I'd like to know where I can save my energies.

JoeT


Joe, you said " At times "works" are difficult, exhaustive and sometimes expensive, I'd like to know where I can save my energies." As a Roman Catholic, can't you "save your energies" by uniting your "works" with those that you believe have already been done by Jesus and Mary, in order to effect the resulting reward you are working and hoping for?
 
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