But you have said that your walk CAN change our salvation, have you not?
Yes, our walk can affect our salvation but only in the sense of it matching proper behavior in line with loving obedience. It is not the act itself or the works fulfilling the particular act but the loving obedience that is either present or not in our complying with the discipline that is important. But you do not believe this so you cannot argue that as proof that discipline and doctrine are related especially when you do not understand the subtly of this issue.
I offer the following as a silly example to make the work appear separate form the issue of obedience and perhaps make it clearer to you.
If the Church tells me to stand on the right foot and I do it as a matter of discipline and loving obedience it can affect my salvation in the sense that I am obeying to those who watch over my soul as we are taught in scripture (Heb 13:17). If they change their mind and tell me now stand on the left foot I can affect my salvation by lovingly obeying or not. It was not the issue of discipline (which foot to stand on) but the loving obedience behind it that is important. of course you are free to disobey and not lose your salvation as long as you are not doing it just to thwart the Church or to pruposely not dothe will of God. Even then you can always repent if you later change oyur mind and are truly sorry.
The more important issues relating to salvation are not related at all to discipline but to doctrine as explained in scripture. Issues where specific works are directly linked to salvation (you know the verses I am talking about - I have quoted them to you repeatedly and you always ignore them).
Do you not see that our walk comes from the HEART not "disciplines?" Do you not see that our walk comes from the LOVE for God rather than rules and regulations?
The love behind the obedience comes from the heart but obedience has to be to something - so there has to be authorities, rules and regulations.
This is Jesus's WHOLE POINT to the Pharisees!
No Jesus whole point to the Pharisees was that they were focused on the details and letter of the law and neglecting the spirit of the law which is love.
Jesus said, "First clean the cup from the INSIDE and the outside will BECOME clean as well."
No once again by paraphrasing God'sword you have gotten it wrong. Here it is properly quoted in context.
Mat 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
The Pharisees did the discipline but ignored the easy act of loving (they though God desired sacrifice not mercy - which is of course backwards)
Mat 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Jesus is saying that their outsides were clean but it hid an inner filth.
Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Jesus is telling them worry about the love inside and then it will be easy to clean the outside. God desires mercy not sacrifice.
That is why earlier Jesus makes the point that they should focus on the weightier matters like mercy but still to do the tithe of mint and anise and cummin.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
If one only does the issues of discipline thinking they are meriting salvation they would be as the Pharisees but that is not what the Catholic Church teaches. That is how disciplines differ from doctrines. You must understand the doctrines and obey them as well for the disciplines to lead you in a proper walk.
Do you understand what he means? Once his love and forgiveness enters our hearts, HE HAS CLEANED THEM by washing away our sins, Michael. Because HE HAS CLEANED them, our outside will BECOME clean as well.
But that is not what scripture says else Jesus would have told the Pharisees not to worry about the tithe of mint and anise and cummin but He toldthem to do it to. We are responsible for our own cleaning once we have God's grace in us to cooperate with. It is called sanctification and it is part of the process of salvation.
