Fundamentalist Christians, also referred to as Biblical Fundamentalists, believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible. They do not interpret the Bible within …show more content…
God explains that good works have no effect on salvation. The author supports this statement by quoting Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourself...it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast,” (KJV).
Instead of requiring good works to be saved, fundamentalists have to identify Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior to achieve salvation. This idea stems from Romans 10:9: “If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved,” (Jerusalem Bible). After professing their belief, fundamentalists are saved and can do nothing to become ‘unsaved’ or fall out of God’s graces. The certainty of salvation is an attractive aspect of Christian fundamentalism, unlike Catholicism, where salvation is a lifelong …show more content…
While accepting Jesus as the Lord is the first step on the road to salvation, it does not stop there. In order to achieve eternal life in heaven, one must also follow the rules that God has given, such as the commandments, and do good deeds. In John 8:31-32, Jesus says, “If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Catholics believe that Jesus is the only one who can grant salvation, but it is up to the individual to earn God’s salvation. Once earned, Catholics believes that salvation can be lost, just as Adam and Eve fell from God’s graces. The ability to lose God’s grace is shown in Romans 11:22, “Do not forget that God can be severe as well as kind: he is severe to those who fell, and he is kind to you, but only for as long as he chooses to be, otherwise you will find yourself cut off too”. The certainty of fundamentalists that they have achieved salvation is not shared by Catholics. St. Paul himself had doubts about his own salvation, as expressed in a letter to the Corinthians. “But I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected,” (1 Cor. 9:27). While Catholics do not live in constant terror of hell, they cannot have infallible certitude of their place in