DJ AMDG asks in a comment worth reading (at the bottom of this post) how I can think both (A) “We can do nothing apart from God’s grace. We can’t even turn to God to ask for His grace without first having His grace,” and (B) that there will be some who are damned and… Continue reading Once Saved, Always Saved?
Tag: justification
The Vine, the Branches, and Catholic Justification
Today’s Gospel is John 15:1-8: Jesus said to his disciples:“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to… Continue reading The Vine, the Branches, and Catholic Justification
What the Road to Damascus Taught St. Paul
It’s the year of St. Paul. – for those of you who aren’t aware or are not Catholic, the pope declared a year, from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009, to celebrate St. Paul’s unique contributions to the faith. There really is at least a year’s worth of discussion one could do just on… Continue reading What the Road to Damascus Taught St. Paul
Mea Maxima Culpa
A few apologies I felt were in order: Mea Culpa: I managed to write about papal infallibility with hardly a reference to the Early Church Fathers. The ECFs are probably the strongest support for the papacy, and papal infallibility. For example, St. Irenaeus, in his book Against Heresies (Book 3, Chapter 3, section 2) written… Continue reading Mea Maxima Culpa
Which Came First, James or Romans?
A friend of mine asked: You’ve frequently said that James was a commentary on people’s reception of Paul’s theology. It has always bothered me, and I was wondering what source material you base that on… the most common protestant view is that it was one of the earliest epistles written (c. 47, no later than 49). Considering that, I… Continue reading Which Came First, James or Romans?