The question asked of Jesus and by us today is: "Lord, will only a few be saved?" (Lk 13: 23) The issue of justification is obviously one which has been relevant to spiritual people from the beginning. The next question, for Christians today, may be: "How are people saved - by faith or by works?" This issue, sadly, has caused division among Christians since the time of Martin Luther when he, it is said, nailed the 95 Theses to the cathedral door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517. The good news is that on October 31, 1999, a Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification was signed between the Holy See and the Worldwide Lutheran Federation. This agreement, in short, ended one of the fundamental differences between Christians in the West. It led to a new era of cooperation and dialogue which continues today. Effectively it is the end of the Protestant Reformation and, therefore, the Catholic Counter Reformation. All Christians need to accept that we have more in common than we have that divides us. Sure, there is still work to be done. We still do not have full communion but the days of hostility and even hatred have ended. Let us walk together in faith with our fellow Christians and continue the process of mutual understanding and shared faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. One thing is certain - we should not commit the sin of presumption in thinking that because God is loving we will be saved regardless of our actions: "Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' But the Lord will say, 'I do not know where you come from; go away from me, you evildoers!' " (Lk 13: 26-27)
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