{"id":26010,"date":"2018-11-10T18:50:36","date_gmt":"2018-11-10T22:50:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=26010"},"modified":"2018-11-10T18:50:36","modified_gmt":"2018-11-10T22:50:36","slug":"jesus-associates-works-merit-heroic-sacrifice-w-salvation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2018\/11\/jesus-associates-works-merit-heroic-sacrifice-w-salvation.html","title":{"rendered":"Jesus Associates Works, Merit, & Heroic Sacrifice w Salvation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve already noted how He did this in the case of the rich young ruler: which passage appears immediately before the one we will shortly examine:<\/p>\n

Jesus vs. \u201cFaith Alone\u201d (Rich Young Ruler)<\/a><\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n
Dialogue: Rich Young Ruler & Good Works<\/a><\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n
Now here is what our Lord and Savior and His disciples say after that famous incident:<\/div>\n
\n
Luke 18:26-30<\/strong> (RSV) Those who heard it said, \u201cThen who can be saved?\u201d\u00a0[27] But he said, \u201cWhat is impossible with men is possible with God.\u201d\u00a0[28] And Peter said, \u201cLo, we have left our homes and followed you.\u201d\u00a0[29] And he said to them, \u201cTruly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,\u00a0[30] who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
This is also biblical evidence in favor of the evangelical counsels, and the heroic sacrifices of priests, monks, and nuns, and any individual who voluntarily renounces anything good in and of itself, for the sake of the kingdom. St. Paul teaches: \u201cThe unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord;\u00a0but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife\u201d (1 Cor 7:32b-33) and says that the single state would secure an \u201cundivided devotion to the Lord\u201d (1 Cor 7:35).<\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n
The most striking thing in the passage above (one of many) is how the acts are directly tied to salvation<\/em> itself.\u00a0 It starts with an inquiry about salvation and how to attain it, and ends with a proclamation that those who do the things mentioned will receive eternal life. But it\u2019s not a denial<\/em> of the importance of accompanying faith (I hasten to add). I would contend that faith is clearly implied in the act or forsaking things in order to follow Jesus as a disciple (i.e., in the context of His three-year ministry).<\/div>\n
*
\nThat said, what is specifically mentioned<\/em> is leaving things<\/em> in order to follow Jesus (house, wife, brothers, parents, children) and \u201cfor the sake of the kingdom of God\u201d. These are, of course, good works, but of a particular kind: penance or renunciation or voluntarily suffering for the kingdom. And they are meritorious: with rewards not only in heaven but also \u201cmanifold more in this time.\u201d\n

All of this is very Catholic indeed<\/em>, over against Protestant teaching, which renounces merit, good works as directly tied to justification and salvation (in grace and with faith), and also the notion of penance and redemptive suffering. But there it is in Scripture, and it is not an uncommon<\/em> theme at all, as I have shown in several other related papers:<\/p>\n

Paul vs. Calvin: \u201cDoers of the Law\u201d Will be Justified\u00a0<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

*<\/div>\n
Final Judgment &\u00a0Works<\/em>\u00a0(Not Faith): 50 Passages<\/a><\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n
\u201cWorking Out\u201d Salvation & Protestant Soteriology<\/a><\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n
\n
Reply to James White\u2019s Exegesis of James 2 in Chapter 20 of His Book,\u00a0The God Who Justifies<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n
Final Judgment Always Has to Do with Works and Never with \u201cFaith Alone\u201d<\/a><\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Reply to a Calvinist on Faith Alone and Works [of God Only?]<\/a>
\n*<\/div>\n
Catholics and Protestants Agree on Grace Alone and the Necessity of the Presence of Good Works in Regenerate and Ultimately Saved Persons; Disagree on Faith Alone<\/a><\/div>\n
*<\/div>\n
Debate with a Lutheran Pastor on Faith and Works<\/a><\/div>\n

Armstrong vs. Collins & Walls #8: Heretical Tobit? (Alms & Salvation)<\/a><\/p>\n

St. Paul on Grace, Faith, & Works (50 Passages)<\/a><\/p>\n

Grace, Faith, Works,\u00a0& Judgment: A Scriptural Exposition<\/a><\/p>\n

Bible on Participation in Our Own Salvation<\/a>\u00a0(Always Enabled by God\u2019s Grace)<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bible on the Nature of Saving Faith (Including Assent, Trust, Hope, Works, Obedience, and Sanctification)<\/a><\/p>\n

Justification:\u00a0Not<\/em>\u00a0by Faith Alone, & Ongoing<\/a>\u00a0(Romans 4, James 2, and Abraham\u2019s Multiple Justifications)<\/a><\/p>\n

St. Paul\u2019s Use of the Term \u201cGift\u201d & Infused Justification<\/a><\/p>\n

New Testament Epistles on Bringing About Further Sanctification and Even Salvation By Our Own Actions<\/a><\/p>\n

Philippians 2:12 & \u201cWork[ing] Out\u201d One\u2019s Salvation<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves\u201d<\/a>\u00a0[National Catholic Register<\/em>]<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Photo credit:<\/strong>\u00a0Calling of the Apostles<\/i> (1481), by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-1494)<\/span> [public domain \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a>]<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve already noted how He did this in the case of the rich young ruler: which passage appears immediately before the one we will shortly examine: Jesus vs. \u201cFaith Alone\u201d (Rich Young Ruler) * Dialogue: Rich Young Ruler & Good Works * Now here is what our Lord and Savior and His disciples say after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":26013,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[4326,2342,2346,2344,1210,1895,1070,200,1117,6924,1116,1118,6918,1071,2343,6921],"class_list":["post-26010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-salvation-justification","tag-evangelical-counsels","tag-faith-alone","tag-faith-and-works","tag-justification","tag-merit","tag-mortification","tag-pelagianism","tag-penance","tag-protestant-soteriology","tag-renunciation","tag-rich-young-ruler","tag-sanctification","tag-self-sacrifice","tag-semi-pelagianism","tag-sola-fide","tag-voluntary-suffering"],"yoast_head":"\nJesus Associates Works, Merit, & Heroic Sacrifice w Salvation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jesus directly associates acts and good works (leaving houses, wives, brothers, parents, or children) 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Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. 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