Live 4 The LORD

Church understands salvation as a process with both initial and ongoing aspects. While the initial gift of salvation is freely offered by God and received through faith, the ongoing aspect involves a continuous response to God's grace, which includes conversion, love, and obedience .

Initial vs. Ongoing Salvation

• Initial Salvation: This is the free gift of grace offered by God through Jesus Christ, received through faith and Baptism . It is not earned or merited but is a pure act of God's love .
• Ongoing Salvation: This involves living out the Christian life, which includes conversion, love, and obedience to God's will . It is a continuous response to God's grace and a process of becoming more like Christ .

Conditional vs. Unconditional

• Initial Salvation (Unconditional): God's initial offer of salvation is unconditional in the sense that it is offered to all people, regardless of their merits or worthiness . It is an expression of God's universal love and desire to save all people .
• Ongoing Salvation (Conditional): The ongoing aspect of salvation can be seen as conditional in the sense that it requires a continuous response to God's grace . This response includes:
  • Conversion: A continuous turning away from sin and towards God .
  • Love: Loving God and neighbor, expressed through acts of charity and service .
  • Obedience: Following God's commandments and the teachings of the Church .

Nuances

• Grace: The ability to respond to God's grace is itself a gift from God . We cannot achieve salvation through our own efforts alone, but only through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us .
• Falling Away: It is possible to fall away from grace through mortal sin, which is a grave offense against God that destroys the life of grace in the soul .
• Reconciliation: The Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) is the means by which those who have fallen from grace can be restored to a state of salvation .

In summary, while the initial offer of salvation is a free and unconditional gift from God, the ongoing process of salvation requires a continuous response of conversion, love, and obedience  . This response is not a means of earning salvation but rather a way of living out the new life we have received in Christ .