?? The OT "saints" were not baptized. ?? Thus the comparison of them with present-day unbaptized is a valid one.
I am a 100% against BOD. It should be called "justification by desire".
No it is not valid. The reason it is not valid is obvious, it is obvious because there was no sacrament of baptism in the OT. However the OT saints became justified, and whatever happened to them after they died and went to heaven is another discussion altogether.
We are discussing what Trent teaches on justification, so side tracking into the OT is useless unless you can find the OT saints being referenced or justified in Trent.
Ok, but a catechumen, who has rejected his previous pagan/false religions and has decided to take classes on learning Catholicism...such a one MAY have the required faith necessary. That's the whole point to limiting "justification by desire" to formal catechumens. They have made the decision to know, study and love the Church. Ergo, they would not have taken such a step had God not already given them *some* faith to desire Truth.
Where do you keep getting the idea of "justification by desire?" Not from Trent.
Yes, of course they have doe what is necessary and acquired some knowledge of the faith, but that is not in question either. The point of me pointing out the necessity of faith, is that the necessity of faith is non-existent in all BOD formulas, including your "justification by desire" idea.
Again, there are different types of justification. A pagan or a muslim can ask God for forgiveness of sins and be *naturally/imperfectly* justified. Similar to the OT. Natural/imperfect justification does not remove Original Sin, does not provide sanctifying grace, does not provide supernatural Faith, Hope or Charity. It does not save. But it can get one into Limbo, instead of Hell.
But Trent is talking about SACRAMENTAL justification, which can ONLY be had by water baptism, because only water baptism removes Original Sin and gives sanctifying grace.
Yes, Trent *is* talking about SACRAMENTAL justification
for the unbaptized, that is ALL Trent is talking about. I wish that is what you would limit this discussion to as well.
But instead, YOU keep bringing justification of those either already baptized or OT saints into the mix, which again, is an entirely different conversation.
You say
"A pagan or a muslim can ask God for forgiveness of sins and be *naturally/imperfectly* justified. Similar to the OT." No, he cannot. Where the heck are you coming up with this stuff? A pagan or muslim do not have the faith - they hate the faith with vengeance.
Even if one thought (contrary to Trent) that it were possible for them to be naturally/imperfectly(?) justified without the laver of regeneration, without the faith no man was ever justified - this is quoted from Trent.