Expert: J.M.J. West - 10/5/2008

Question
is salvation simple? is there simplicity in Christ? or am i expected to do great works to impress God,and lay the foundation for my road to heaven everyday of my life through my works. is Gods grace for as long as i live or does Gods grace have an expiration date? is he faithful when i am faithless? can i fall out of grace? i would also like to know if i can have a live chat with you or if you could recommend someone to me..live chat. im very appreciative of you response by the way. thanks for considering my questions.

Answer
Connor, thank you for your questions?

>>is salvation simple? is there simplicity in Christ?<<

Salvation is both sublimely simple and yet slightly complex for the sake of justice.  God wills that ALL should come to salvation, and being omnipotent, he gives the possibility to ALL, but salvation is a two way street and requires a response on our part to the grace he gives ALL.

>>am i expected to do great works to impress God,and lay the foundation for my road to heaven everyday of my life through my works.<<

There is a difference between salvation/justification and sanctification.  Salvation ultimately comes by placing faith in Christ (at least for those who have been presented the option; the scriptures are not actually clear on what will happen to those who seek God but are never presented with the truth).  Salvation is a free gift given by a God who is all loving and whose whole reason for creating us was simply that we could share in his love.  Salvation comes through the grace of God, which we accept through our faith, not through works.  BUT works are the manifestation of our faith, and if we are lacking them, we're probably lacking that real, life changing Faith in Love Himself.

James says "Faith without works is dead" (James 2), and Jesus says "Not all who say to me 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one who does the will of my Father," (Matt. 7:21).

We are expected to grow in our faith to the best of our ability (like the servants who invest the talents), and to share our faith with others (like the Samaritan who helped the wounded man, as all are wounded in sin).

In fact the very day of judgment will be a measure of the good we've done and the FRUIT we've BORNE.  "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall  receive a reward.  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. " (1 Cor 3)

>>is Gods grace for as long as i live or does Gods grace have an expiration date? is he faithful when i am faithless? can i fall out of grace?<<

St. Paul speaks explicitly of the ability to lose one's faith.  
"Otherwise you too will be cut off" (Rom. 11:22) he says, of those who do not persist in the grace of God.  Hebrews 6:6 that we can "fall away", and that those who do fall away are probably lost.  Paul himself speaks of his "pummeling and subduing" the body lest he be "DIS-qualified" (1 Cor 9:27).

St. John teaches that some sin is deadly ("Mortal sin") and can literally kill the grace of God in us (1 John 5); "all sin is wrong doing....but there is sin which is not deadly".

God is faithful even when we aren't, but salvation isn't entirely up to him.  It's a two way street, so again while he wills the salvation of all, it's simply not up to him.

I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13). (1, see this link)

>>i would also like to know if i can have a live chat with you or if you could recommend someone to me..live chat. im very appreciative of you response by the way. thanks for considering my questions.<<

If you have Gmail, you can send me your email address and we could perhaps chat that way, but honestly I prefer to correspond this way, because it gives me time to think about what you are asking and find exactly what I want to say.  A "chat" forces quicker, hastier and less prepared answers.

I hope that helps.  Feel free to ask any follow up questions you may have.

Peace of Christ,

-J.M.J. West

(1) http://www.catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp