Catholic Verses - 95 Bibles Passages That Confound Protestants?
ST. PAUL'S PLEA: "WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION"
Page 73: Philippians 2:12-13: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Catholics assert that passages such as this one teach that God's free grace can be made "both to will and to work" in us. It is not self-generated by us; it is a gift of God. On the popular level, many Protestants accuse Catholics of falsely using this verse to assert a salvation by self-generated works, rather than merely acknowledging the necessary place of works, which are themselves entirely the cause and result of God's grace (as indicated in the verse above by the clause "God is at work in you").
Note: Christian conduct or works will be the evidence of our salvation to our adversaries.
Philippians 1:27-28 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
Note: In context, Saint Paul wants Christians to work out the evidence of our salvation to our adversaries through the help of God.
Pages 73-74: We do not claim that salvation is a half-and-half proposition. Catholics accept the plain meaning of this passage: we cooperate with God, but in the end, it is God who does all, since he is "at work" in us, "both to will and to work." Calvin is simply unable to grasp this biblical paradox. For him it is either/or: if God does all, man must do nothing. Conversely, if man does anything, then this is works-salvation and contrary to grace. But the Bible does not require this choice. Grace does all, and man also cooperates with it.
Note: This author ignores Scripture for his biased and heretical interpretations of Scripture.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.