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Barnabas's avatar

We disagree on this, but I am not intending to try to debate you on this. That would take a long time going point by point. And there is so much already written on these debates.

But I would like to say it is important for both sides not to misunderstand each other. In this case, it's helpful to note that protestants also believe in the importance of good works. Like James says, they are the evidence of true faith. We believe a true Christian WILL produce good works. If you are truly born again, you have a new heart and a new desire to live for God and obey him. True faith results in good fruit. It's just that we believe those good works do nothing at all to save us or to cooperate in saving us. They are completely only a result of our justification. But it would not be right for a Protestant to say, "you are only saved by right belief and therefore you can do whatever you want." If someone said "I am saved by grace so I can go out and sin and it doesn't matter" then I would gently encourage that person to question whether they really know Jesus, that a true born again person would not say that.

Also, protestants have not traditionally said it's only about intellectual assent to propositional beliefs. (Even the demons believe and shudder). It's more than intellectual belief, but acceptance, trust, and relationship with Jesus the savior which results in a transformed life in Christ.

Maybe you already thought this about Protestant views, but I couldn't tell for sure by what you wrote, so just wanted to make that point clear.

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Tulliola's avatar

My Greek is a bit rusty but I think the words faith, belief and trust can all be translations of the same Greek word. But in English we often take “belief” as meaning intellectual assent only. Faith is a bit stronger. Trust makes it clear that there is a relationship there - and that relationship with Jesus- and the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit - is transformational.

I prefer not to get into Catholics mistrusting whether Protestants are true believers (heresy!) or Protestants mistrusting Catholics (idolatry!)

I was brought up Catholic and I was just going through the motions. It was ann inherited identity, not my own belief. I actually started a relationship with Jesus through responding to a message in an evangelical C of E church. But for others - such as you - it is the conversion to Catholic Christianity that has resulted in rebirth. Let’s be glad that God in his grace has met with us in the way he chose and we responded to.

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