This is a great question on behalf of your Evangelical reader Mr. Shea.
You provide a clear answer as well.
I’d like to add, if I may, that I think there is a difference in semantics when EP and Catholics use the term “assured of Salvation”. An EP tends to see that as meaning…“no matter what, if I believe in Him and confess that with my mouth…I AM going to Heaven”....EP’s see it as BELIEVING=SALVATION
Catholics see it as “BELIEVING=AVAILABILITY OF SALVATION
Yes, it is a GIFT, given freely for all in FAITH by Christ.
But if we receive a gift,nicely wrapped, beautiful, something we’ve always wanted, from a friend…we can “throw that gift away”, can we not?
The same is true for OUR GIFT OF SALVATION.
It is freely given…it is there for our taking.
But, we CAN throw it away (mortal sin/complete rejection of God’s ways/not repenting)
Some misunderstand this to mean that Catholics believe we are “earning our way to Heaven”. This is not so…it is more that we believe that the “caring for the gift and the KEEPING of the gift” is to be SHOWN through our ABIDING LIFE IN CHRIST…shown THROUGH our good works…not earned BY our good works.
Hope that helps and I am praying for this EP reader, that he/she will indeed find the FULLNESS of the TRUTH in the Catholic Faith! WELCOME, in advance, I hope!

If you think you have eternal security then you can’t lose it by becoming Catholic. But it is amazing how many evangelicals will suggest exactly that. I was in a Calvinist church and was told in the strongest possible terms that I was going to heaven for sure, for sure, for sure. Then I converted. Guess what many of the same people say now?

I think the bast statement of the Catholic “position” (if you will) is that while our salvation is not certain, our hope of it *is*.  As St. Thomas explains it: “hope tends to its end with certainty, since it participates in the certainty of faith.”

See this fascinating reflection on Catholic teaching on the “Assurance of Salvation”:

http://www.calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/st-thomas-aquinas-on-assurance-of-salvation/

I like to think of it as assurance of God’s working out our salvation, as St. Paul says in Philippians 2:12-13 “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation. For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will.” Our security is in God’s work, but we can refuse to co-operate.

I commend the inquirer (and writer) and always admire those non-Catholic (and Catholics) who have the courage and openness to discover (or rediscover) the Catholic Faith.  I am a “revert” (as some call it) myself; raised Catholic but then became agnostic, then protestant for some time.  Coming full circle back to my Catholic roots, I too struggled with this issue as “absolute assurance” vs. “moral assurance.” 
One Scripture passage in particular that really helped me is Romans 11:17-24.  In it, St. Paul is speaking to the Gentiles (non-Jews that he calls “wild olive shoots”).  And, he expresses that certain Jews (natural branches of the olive tree) may be broken off from the olive tree due to their unbelief and the Gentiles (wild olive shoot) be grafted in and share in the “richness of the olive tree”.  Further, he says (and this is the most important part) that though it is true that they (Jews) were broken off because of their unbelief, that these “wild olive shoots” (Gentiles) should not boast about this and should (20) “stand fast only through faith [and] not become proud, but stand in awe.  (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.  (23) Note then the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, PROVIDED YOU CONTINUE IN HIS KINDNESS; OTHERWISE YOU TOO WILL BE CUT OFF.”
It the part in caps that really helped me to see that we can choose to be “cut off” through our neglect of faith and failing to continue to exemplify charity (God’s Love…who is Love); and, surely there are a slew of scriptures that testify to how we should behave and one in particular is James 2:14-26 – which regarding this subject of assurance it is clear that not only is assurance is not dependent upon only faith but faith and works. 

God bless,

I commend the inquirer (and writer) and always admire those non-Catholic (and Catholics) who have the courage and openness to discover (or rediscover) the Catholic Faith.  I am a “revert” (as some call it) myself; raised Catholic but then became agnostic, then protestant for some time.  Coming full circle back to my Catholic roots, I too struggled with this issue as “absolute assurance” vs. “moral assurance.”  One Scripture passage in particular that really helped me is Romans 11:17-24.  In it, St. Paul is speaking to the Gentiles (non-Jews that he calls “wild olive shoots”).  And, he expresses that certain Jews (natural branches of the olive tree) may be broken off from the olive tree due to their unbelief and the Gentiles (wild olive shoot) be grafted in and share in the “richness of the olive tree”.  Further, he says (and this is the most important part) that though it is true that they (Jews) were broken off because of their unbelief, that these “wild olive shoots” (Gentiles) should not boast about this and should (20) “stand fast only through faith [and] not become proud, but stand in awe.  (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you.  (23) Note then the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, PROVIDED YOU CONTINUE IN HIS KINDNESS; OTHERWISE YOU TOO WILL BE CUT OFF.” It the part in caps that really helped me to see that we can choose to be “cut off” through our neglect of faith and failing to continue to exemplify charity (God’s Love…who is Love); and, surely there are a slew of scriptures that testify to how we should behave and one in particular is James 2:14-26 – which regarding this subject of assurance it is clear that not only is assurance is not dependent upon only faith but faith and works. God bless.

If I did not believe in assurance of salvation I would have to hire a priest to follow me around all day so I can make my confession for all my sinful thoughts and deeds.  The thought of losing my salvation because I forgot to confess one would make me go crazy.  As long as I have my sinful nature(Flesh) then I am doomed. What a wretch I am.

Catholics are joyful about life, despite our imperfections. Kevin, you need only learn more about your Catholic faith; then you can relax in trusting God, provided you truly respect Him. These thoughts might help. First check with yourself about whether you believe God is Good; if doubtful, work on any fear by pondering the crucifix. Next, learn from former President Carter’s possibly mistaken idea of temptation—which is not sin in itself unless you seek it. Carter, in 1976: “I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.”

God made the opposite sex attractive and so the mind can involuntarily have flash thoughts that do not rise to lust, which involves deliberate craving. Carter just might be over-reacting to Matt. 5:28. Address that problem by admitting such involuntary thoughts can occur without sinning unless we mentally consent to them or deliberately stay with them without recourse to other activity and brief mental prayer.

Sin is never mortal sin in the absence of complete consent; Jesus sets that barrier to spare us from “automatic-guilt” syndrome” (being overly scrupulous) which blocks the peace He wants us to have. Jesus wants those who trust Him to think healthily—not fearfully, meaning that we ARE worth to Him the price He paid on the cross. So, dump ‘wretch’ and enjoy Catholicism. In cases of self-certain mortal sin, a sincere “act of perfect contrition” for causing Jesus sorrow & said with resolve to get to confession ASAP, means you don’t lose your soul if you die before actually getting to confession. A genuine forgetting of a mortal sin in confession can be treated the same merciful way. God is SOOO Good.

Roman’s 8:31-35 basically says that Jesus intercedes on our behalf and asks who will condemn us.  That is his perfect gift of salvation.  who then does bring charges?

The answer to your question, Kevin, is “no one can be effective AGAINST the “elect”” whom God knows from the beginning by knowing every point on EVERY person’s complete timeline in this life, and without damning even one person, from his/her conception. Yes, along individual timelines, Good and Sovereign God may harden some hearts or abandon some sinners to the bodily and mental consequences of grave, repeated sin but such sinners first seriously degrade themselves or show unacceptable disrespect for God by refusing the available wedding garment when called by God.
As a priest homilist well said: “God creates us without our consent but won’t save us without our cooperation”. Hence “the chosen” play decisive roles in their being among the elect, though amount of glory will vary widely among the elect, in heaven. It is worthwhile to add to your Romans 8: 31-35, the lines 28-30, for those bring in the mystery of predestination which, critically thought out, does not diminish joy in Catholics. To see both God’s wisdom and caring, read this short explanation of “Elect”, especially the last full sentence.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05374a.htm

Critical thinking is especially vital in Catholic pro-life, for example, where a movement to define legal personhood from earliest biological starts is on the wrong track because immediate personhood is still an UNRESOLVED philosophical problem. But we CAN and SHOULD ask Americans to vote for an amendment to protect the earliest human organisms out of Respect for God and God’s Rights. Indeed the Gospel of Life, n9, states that “whoever attacks human life, in some way attacks God himself”.

I have a blog that also discusses Eternal Security.

I also have a story about it. Some of it is kind of grusome though. I am unsure how or if it should be published:

http://atheismvsfaith.blogspot.com/2010/03/to-least-of-these.html

If I wasn’t made perfect at the moment of conversion then all of the remaining I do in Christ is keeping myself saved. We cannot save ourselves, it is Christ in us that gives way to such service, service that does not come from fear but from joy of the fact that I am saved.

http://enochroute.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/the-great-8-who-are-the-sons-of-god/

Indeed we are made perfect by the grace of Christ in us at baptism.
However, we can only “remain” insofar as Christ’s grace remains in us.
When we reject or discard that grace through sin, then we are no longer “perfect”.
Thankfully, His forgiveness and renewal of our souls awaits us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation…however, the gift of our free will allows us to reclaim or reject the gift of our Salvation on a moment by moment basis.
God will not force us into heaven.
Christ did not die on the cross to take us there kicking and screaming.
The gift is free…yes.
The gift is for all…yes.
But the gift may also be “returned” or “rejected”.
We do not live in fear that we will be rejected by Him.
We live cautiously so that we do not reject HIS GIFT.

Great discussion. I agree with “having to abide” opinion. For some information on Catholicism, please go here:

http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/catholic.htm

God bless you!

Thank you so much for posting this query and for your explanation, Mark, and for those who wrote such wise comments.  I was raised with an exceptionally fundamentalistic point of view in an Ana-Baptist church and home.  It was the home of my Grandparents, my mother having long since fallen away.  Later in my childhood I was raised by my mother, who continued to drop me off at the ana-baptist church, which for many years I loved.  It was when I was in a Baptist school when I was 12 years old and studying Luther and the “Reformation” that I began to think about becoming Catholic.  I was repulsed by Luther, and sad that he divided Christians.
As a Catholic, letting go of the “once saved, always saved” indoctrination has been a terrifying experience; Kevin explained it best.  The feeling is one of feeling you are secure in a boat (a leaking boat that cannot get everyone safely to port, but still…), and then being dropped in the ocean and told I cannot swim.  Add to all of that, faulty formation in the Church for my first 25 years, I was a mess. It was in 1997 that I even understood that the Holy Eucharist IS the Living Jesus Christ.  For about two years my prayer was, “Lord, if I am in the state of grace now, please take me so I do not mess this up”.  But I am learning, and learning and very grateful to be learning, and I have hope, too.  Not presumption, but hope.  I believe that God leads the sincere Catholic away from sin, teaches us to abhor sin, and that our Holy Triune God and the entire Heavenly Court help us to grow in virtue.
I believe, I do not presume, but I do, by the grace of God, hope.
And I understand the person who asked this question.  I was offered a fully paid opportunity to attend Bob Jones University, and at the last minute, I turned it down, because I thought “What if some day I become a Catholic?  I would be accepting this gift under false pretenses”.  That was really my only opportunity for a four year university because we were very poor.  But I never regretted that decision.

All my love in the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Joan
www.familycatechism.com

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I have never known any Catholic who thinks they are earning their salvation.  When people argue against their straw man version of Catholicism, it doesn’t get a toehold because that isn’t Catholicism.

I am a beloved daughter of God, since my baptism.  God loves me.  I’m doing my best to live up to the glorious call of being a beloved daughter of God.

When Paul, who did so much, fears that he might not persist until the end and win his salvation, how can I, who am so lax by comparison, think I should engage in OSAS laziness?

Jesus describes the judgment, and how he will cast away as evildoers those who believed in him, even worked wonders in his name, but didn’t do as he said.  Matthew 25

“Eternal security” is still focused on the self.  “Confidence in God” is focused on God.  I know I’m fickle but I don’t stake my faith on my fickleness; ergo, this sheep wanders and gets picked up again by the Shepherd.  The point is, I believe in the Shepherd.  I know his voice, and he knows me.

Paul speaks to believers about believers of those who will not inherit the kingdom of heaven, based on their behavior—their attachment to sin.  It includes fornicators.  I have a friend who is entrenched in that sin, and just got re-baptized in the AG church, but hasn’t turned from that sin.  Her baptism and faith won’t save her, according to Paul.  Fornicators won’t inherit the kingdom of heaven.  1 Cor 6:9-10

That’s the problem with OSAS.  I live in OSAS land and people excuse their own sin very casually, as if it doesn’t matter.  It’s more like OSASTIDMWID.  Once Saved, Always Saved, Therefore It Doesn’t Matter What I Do.

What theology do you want to remind your teen daughter and her boyfriend as they go out on an unchaperoned car date?  “Remember, honey, once saved always saved, so do whatever you want!” and wink at the boyfriend?  Ohhhh kayyyy.

If someone thinks that osas leads to a sinful life then then don’t understand it. The same thing could be said for a catholic who believes they can sin all they want because the priest will forgive them the next time they go to confession.

The Council of Trent infallibly said in the VII session in canon IV, “If any one saith, that the sacraments of the New Law are not necessary unto salvation, but superfluous; and that, without them, or without the desire thereof, men obtain of God, through faith alone, the grace of justification;-though all (the sacraments) are not indeed necessary for every individual; let him be anathema (excommunicated).” http://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/ct07.html
Scriptural proof: Confession: John 20:23 “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.” The apostles passed this gift on to today’s priests and bishop. “I forgive who he forgives.” We have apostolic succession to prove it. (Verses from the Douai-Rheims Public Domain Bible)