IN> the Heavenbound (was: Supererogatory)

[Chris Anthony]

At 12:20 PM 7/22/2006, Earl Wajenberg wrote:

>Erm, sort of.  That is, in the theory, you are predestined to have faith, 
>which is, I think, the more immediate agent of salvation.

As I understand it, that's a related but distinct philosophy.  The 
Puritans, at least, distinguished Faith and Works from Grace - only those 
with God's grace would be selected to enter Heaven - although the state of 
grace did predispose one to be faithful and do good works.  They did not 
draw the connection, however, between faith and the disposition of one's 
afterlife; one could be the most beatific person in the world, and do 
transcendent works, and yet not enter Heaven after death because one was 
not in possession of God's grace.

ObIN: it would be interesting to have a Holiest Person In The World 
scenario where the person in question believed himself to be *without* the 
grace of God, and destined to an eternity in Hell or limbo; and therefore 
was doing good works in order to ensure that the world would be a better 
place so that God might be encouraged to spread His grace to more people in 
the future.

(For that matter, what if he was right?  His destiny unreached, his fate 
fulfilled unknowingly as a youth...)

-EDG