|
|
|
Truth > Bible Truth The Cross, Redemption, and Justification.
|
|
Truth: "Works of the Law"
In Brief on the Cross, Redemption, and Justification
by
Frederick Pogorzelski, Catholic Catechist
The stations of the cross from the Praetorium
to Golgotha and the tomb trace the way of Christ Jesus, who by his Holy Cross
has redeemed the world (John1:29) (1 Peter1:19) (Heb 10:10) (1 John 4:10).
Jesus won the victory (2 Timothy 1:3-11) (Rom.5:19-20). Redemption is made
available to all mankind and can be applied to us as individuals at Baptism.
We receive initial Baptismal grace free and unmerited, and we are then
justified (1 Peter 3:21) (Titus 3:5) (1 Cor. 6:11)
(Rom. 6:4). Justification detaches man from sin and reconciles man with God.
It sanctifies and renews us; we "put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27) using
our freedom to cooperate with God (Romans 3:22). To continue in
justification, we must do our part and accept the redemption in faith by
living the life of Christ. We must maintain and exercise habitual grace; a
lifestyle pleasing to God. The initial grace given at Baptism can be lost,
"...For there is no longer any sacrifice that will take away sins if we
purposely go on sinning after the truth has been made known to us. Instead,
all that is left is to wait in fear for the coming Judgment and the fierce
fire which will destroy those who oppose God!..."
(Hebrews 10:26-27). We must continue in faith and grace (Gal. 5:4-6) (Mt
7:21) (1 Peter 1:9) (Matthew 10:22). There is no absolute assurance of
salvation. We are free creatures and can reject the gift of grace,
redemption, and salvation (John 3:18) (John 12:48). God, in scripture, speaks
of a general plan of predestination or salvation. There is
an abundant number of scripture verses that warn against a rash presumption
of assurance of individual salvation. Here is a sample: (Matthew 7:21-23),
(Matthew 24:12-13), (Luke 8:13), (John 12:47-48), (John 15:6), (Acts
20:29-30), (Romans 11:20-22), (Romans 2:6), (Titus 1:16), (1 Corinthians
4:5), and (Hebrews 3:12-14). God in his mercy, knowing that we are not
perfect (we have a wounded nature – fallen man), gave us the Church and
the Seven Sacraments to help us be conformed to His son Jesus Christ. We must
decrease so that He can increase. "If anyone would come after me, he
must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke
9:23). "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example so that we
should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:21). We then should follow
Christ's example – "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32). God, in His love and mercy,
"wants all men be saved and come to a knowledge
of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4). Because of the
presence of the Church in the world, and in mysterious ways known only to
God, He may apply the grace of redemption to those individuals who because of
"invincible ignorance", or through no fault of their own, do not "hear"
the truth of Jesus Christ. Therefore, they also can be saved.
Bibliography:
English
translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for the United
States of America Copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conferences,
Inc.—Libreria Editrice
Vaticana. English translation of the: Cathechism of the Catholic Church Modifications
from the Editio Typica
copyright © 1997, United States Catholic Conferences, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
____________________________________________________________________________
Truth According to the Bible.
Truth is a Person -
Jesus Christ. "The Way" to Christ - The Cross.
1 Corinthians 13:6
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only, [Or the Only Begotten] who came from the
Father, full of grace and truth.
John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
John 18:37
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are
right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for
this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of
truth listens to me."
Matthew 18:18
"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be [Or have been]
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be [Or have been]
loosed in heaven."
Matthew 25:40
The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
1 Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have
sincere love for your brothers, love one another
deeply, from the heart.
1 Timothy 2:4
...God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 3:15
If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in
God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and
foundation of the truth.
Zechariah 8:3
This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in
Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain
of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain."
Truth: "Works of the Law"
|
