Salvation

I currently attend a Baptist church.

Baptists are known for their "once saved, always saved" doctrine.

Having grown up AG, it was emphasized how wrong Baptists are with this doctrine.  You can't say the "sinner's prayer" and then be safe from judgement, continuing on with a life of sinfulness.  The Baptists say that if you are truly saved, then you wouldn't anyway.  But, I have witnessed with my own eyes, people who were clearly saved, God loving, serving, honoring, spirit-filled who DECIDED to walk away from the faith.  They turned their back on God, renounced Christ's salvation, and became atheist or wiccan or what have you.

I'm still not entirely clear on how the Catholics view salvation.  I have heard many say, "salvation by faith, through grace in Christ Jesus."  He died on the cross for our sins so that if we believe on Him we are saved.  That's pretty much universal Christendom.  But, it seems a bit more complicated than that.

I was told Catholics don't believe in the assurance of Salvation.  Only the hope of it.

Catholics also do not believe in faith-alone salvation because the word faith means works.  My AG pastor put it like this:  faith=knowledge+belief+action.  I think Catholics would agree with that.  We can't "earn our way to heaven" with good works alone, but as Christians we ought not to skate through life, either.

One could reference the parable of the talents.  The dude who buried his talent and did nothing, God said, "depart from me, I never knew you."

So, I think AGer's and Catholics are more similar than they think concerning Salvation.

I believe we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross as an atonement for our sins.  I believe we must give our lives to Him through faith AND works.  (I can't just say I believe in God and live a hedonistic lifestyle, but I also believe we can't be good enough and earn our way through works alone).  I also believe we can "lose" our salvation, or that it isn't entirely ensured.  There is assurance, but also hope.  We can willfully give it up.  We can backslide and turn our backs on God.  I also believe only God can see our hearts and know for sure and decide for sure who enters into His rest and who does not.  I believe we would be surprised to see who is in Heaven and who is not.