Catholics do not believe we are saved by our own efforts, but we do believe that we are made in the image of God, and our nature was not so corrupted by sin that our inborn gifts have no efficacy. As to assurance, I am not quite sure how to reconcile the confident attitude of modern evangelicals with that of, say , say the Puritans who kept spiritual journals so they might discern whether they were among the Elect or not. You all seem to have more in common with John Wesley and his methodism than Calvin.
"And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years. and BEGAT a son IN HIS OWN LIKENESS, AFTER HIS IMAGE: and called his name Seth."
Why is this important? Because Adam was created in God's image, without sin, until he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and sin entered into him. THIS is where we get our sin nature, from the fallen Adam. We are begotten of Adam, fallen Adam, and our nature is of Adam, corrupted by sin. All of us. Until the second Adam, Jesus Christ took our sins.
It could be you place too much stock in “labels”?
‘You all seem to have more in common with John Wesley and his methodism than Calvin.’
Bless you.
That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long time
will