Greetings Rei!
First, let me tell you, I am not Catholic. Second, let me tell you that you seem to have not gotten the point of my question.
I asked "Did you received God's grace of salvation by good works?". Your answer is "Not quite" and "Catholics believe it comes with baptism. We don't call it salvation as that ultimately happens after death. We call it sanctifying grace, the grace of Christ.". In my understanding of what you say there, you are sanctified rather than saved, and that by baptism. In that case, that means that your answer to my question is NO. For according to your belief, you have received no salvation to begin with. And so, there is no salvation to lose.
You speak of a sanctifying grace, that is, the grace of Christ. Can you tell us what is that grace all about? Can you point to where that is found in the Bible? This way I can understand what it is you believe better.
You said, "There is a statement which defines salvation in terms that both parties agree on. Do u know it? I can find it if u want". Do so, so I could check it out.
You said "If u live a life of bad deeds the Catholics say that u can fall from grace.." Firstly, I like to make it clear that the issue I have here is not about whether one has to live a life of bad deeds or of good deeds. Of course, the Christian should live a life of good deeds. So, having said that, let me go lay down the issue. In my understanding so far of what grace you refer to is the love of Christ. It's just like you saying that works (bad) could separate you from the love of Christ. That is the issue. I had just given you what the chosen and divinely inspired Apostle Paul said and had written regarding that, and I quote again.
Romans 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Can you tell me what you understand Paul was saying there in Romans 8:38?
Tong
R0013