1. The two ways of salvation; the imperfect and the perfect.
St. Thomas of Aquinas differentiates the two in this way. Both the imperfect and the perfect consist in obedience to ALL the commandments of God, obedience which is rooted in Love of neighbours. This entire obedience to ALL the commands of God rooted on the love of neighbour is a description of Love of God. Love of God is obedience to all the commands of God rooted on love of neighbour.
Imperfect way of salvation is when the above mentioned obedience is done imperfectly. Perfect is when the above mentioned obedience is done perfectly.
A soul can know if he is in the imperfect or perfect way by knowing the perfect way that is supposed to be the goal of evangelisation. The words of evangelisation is ‘to teach ALL my commands and how to obey them.’ Well, basing it on these words we should know if we have obeyed all the commands and have obeyed them the way it should be obeyed. This should answer if we are treading the imperfect way or the perfect way.
2. The two ways described.
The first way described by St. Thomas as the ‘common way of salvation’ is for the majority who are desirous to be perfect but were unable to attain perfection. Due to their inability to reach perfection they have to pass purgatory before attaining eternal life in heaven. There are many reasons why this can happen even though the soul is aiming at perfection as the personages in the Gospel showed. They were all seeking perfection. But all didn’t make it. As hinted, they passed purgatory; which is salvation in that they would eventually enter heaven.
Lack of knowledge of the plan of salvation could be a reason for not being perfect. Weakness of the flesh. Unsurmountable temptations from the world, ignorant bishops and parish priests, being too wealthy….etc. There could be hundreds of reasons.
The perfect way brings the soul straight to heaven when he dies. The only reason he is able to reach his goal is the ‘grace of God.’
3. What is the perfect way that leads to eternal life.
There will be a time when purgatory will be closed. When? We do not know. So we must be prepared all the time. In fact, Christ instructed the young rich man to be perfect to attain eternal life. Because when Christ was born, that was described as the ‘fullness of time.’ Which means that purgatory could be closed down anytime. Purgatory is a purging place for the imperfect before they can go to heaven. If there is no purgatory, then there will be no place for purging for the imperfect. Therefore, those who die, if they should pass the judgment seat of God should be perfect.
Beginning in the New Testament, the message is to be ‘perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.’ That is the reason why Christ invited the young rich man to be perfect and not to be content with the ‘common way of salvation.’
How to be perfect and deserve eternal life.
First, you must know all the commands of God, both from the Old Testament and from the New Testament.
Secondly, you must learn the correct interpretation of those commands from the writings of the Fathers of the Church.
Thirdly, then you may start putting those commands into practice as interpreted by the Fathers.
Fourthly, you must make certain that when you put into practice a command your motive is love of God and neighbour.
Fifthly, when you have put into practice all the commands, seeing that your obedience is rooted in love of neighbour, you will notice that your love of neighbour is becoming perfect. There, you have obeyed the command that will make you perfect and deserving of eternal life.
What is perfect love of neighbour. It is the love Christ had for us. He said; ‘love one another as I have loved you.’ Let us not describe that now. St.Francis de Sales had a two inch book on ‘the treatise on the love of God.’ I could put an attachment here but it would be better for you to get a copy for yourself because that book is a treasure. You won’t need another book to learn how to love God and neighbour.
Imperfect love of neighbour is when you love your neighbour with no inconvenience on your part. Perfect love of neighbour is when you love your neighbour with great inconvenience on your part.
Imperfect love is when you give your small pennies to your neighbour, like to a beggar. Perfect love of neighbour is when you give your neighbour what ever you give to yourself. Herein comes the concept of community life as practiced by religious………in the year 600 AD….. but not now anymore. In community life, whatever I have, my neighbour also have. It is more complicated than this and we ill explain it at another opportunity. Let it be sufficient to say that community life is the most reliable sign of the true Church as enumerated in the Nicene Creed….ONE !!! Without community life there is no true Church.
4. Element of perfection
The most important element of perfection is perfect love of God; that is accompanied by contempt of self and everything in the world. This enable the soul to love God above all things. He ends up loving nothing else except God. This is a long arduous task consisting in a disciplined life which essentially consist, in what St. Paul writing to the Romans said; ‘do not be conformed to this world.’ This is the content of the entire second part of ‘veritatis splendor.’
After the Bishop’s Synod of 2015, the bishops, confused by the just finished discussions, went to Pope Benedict and asked what mistakes Pope Francis was introducing in the Synod. Without being specific, Pope Benedict mentioned all the encyclicals of Pope John Paul II; especially the erroneous concept of mercy and of salvation condemned in ‘veritatis splendor.’
It is a well published fact that Pope Francis, controlled by his public relation teams, is gathering worldwide popularity by pleasing the whole world in their worldly desires by conforming to the ways of the this world as condemned by ‘veritatis splendor.’ It is with good reason that we should rejoice that the Pope is very popular; but not for the wrong reasons, like being a champion of global warming or in welcoming migrants. That’s for politicians. We want the Pope to be popular because he has a deep knowledge of the Word of God.
To conform to the world is the sure way NOT to be perfect, thus NOT to attain eternal life. It also prevents anyone from attaining the ‘common way of salvation.’ In short, by conforming to the world is Satan’s most potent weapon in tempting the soul to perdition. It was Adam and Eve’s temptation; to have the knowledge of good and evil in conformity to the ways of the world, called the Pelagian way. Thus St. Paul wrote in Romans; ‘Do not be conformed to this world.’