Certain evangelicals place much of their confidence in a faith profession in Jesus as their chief saving act. However, the Scriptures define “saving faith” in terms of loving obedience. Faith must be made real, not simply in a moment of inspiration but in a lifetime of witness. Sanctifying grace comes along with faith and baptism but can be lost through mortal sin. A saving faith can sour. It is for this reason that the sacrament of penance is of paramount importance. But few seek out the priest’s absolution. Jesus has given his Church the benefit of his healing and mercy but too many shun the sacraments. What happens to a person obstinate in sin who takes his spiritual intransigence to the grave? As of this writing there are some 62 million Catholics in the United States. Lapsed or defecting Catholics who are likely never to return is assessed at about 41%. Not counting the possible number of non-Catholics who will be counted among the damned, this means that around 25 to 26 million will be convicted by Christ for deliberately forsaking his Church. Maybe they blame the scandals or maybe the world was better with its message of greed, lust and power? Warmongers make poor messengers of Christ’s peace. People who are angry with God have no room in their souls for grace. Those who hate, a political epidemic in our society, can know neither the love of neighbor nor of God. Disappointment in God and pointing the finger at others, while excusing ourselves of culpability, allows for no repentance and amendment of life. Those who delight in the excess of the senses, especially regarding lust, not only defile themselves but strip others of value and treat “persons” as “commodities.” Those who refuse to pray or worship God would not want any part of heaven’s constant adulation of the divine. Those who strip the innocent unborn of any right to life are enemies of the incarnate Christ Child— the God that comes to save.
Too many profess “Jesus” with their lips or claim incorporation in Catholicism like a club membership, while not walking the walk with our Lord. They live immodest lives of impurity. Their hearts are cold. They live like beasts, subject to the passions, but unmoved by the spirit. The idols of new age religion or confessions that reinvent Christ are given their loyalty. Some may literally worship the “almighty dollar.” All will have to render an account to the Lord (1 Peter 4:3-5). While we speak of the Lord as judge, we will each convict ourselves.
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