D
dcana
Guest
This has probably been stated many times - I don’t know, I’m new here
If yes it bears restating, if no, I think it bears consideration. It is simply this: I think that the good majority of these scriptual disputes could be settled if people took a both/and approach to scripture rather than an either/or (which must be said to be much more common among Protestants).
Here’s an example: If Jesus says we must be baptised, must persevere to the end to be saved, must forgive others if we are to be forgiven, must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood to have life in us, must use the graces He gives us wisely, or else be “cut off from the vine and burned” if we don’t, and Paul says (that is, Jesus, the Word of God, through Paul, of course) we must have faith to be justified, must confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, must run the race so as to win, and will be judged by our works (a constant theme of the whole of scripture) who am I or who is anybody else to say “I can do this one and I a thereby doing God’s will and am assured of heaven,” or “I can do these to the exclusion of these others,” or even leave one out? People do not intentionally choose like this, but this is, in effect, what they are doing. If I lead an exemplary Christian life, but never forgave others their tresspasses against me as I pray God would mine, would I be saved? Of course not, according to Our Lord’s own words. Of course, this is just an extreme example to make a point; it is not at all likely, since a person striving to live his life in Christ and to do His will will in all likelihood be a forgiving person. But I hope it makes a point. What do you think, bretheren?
If yes it bears restating, if no, I think it bears consideration. It is simply this: I think that the good majority of these scriptual disputes could be settled if people took a both/and approach to scripture rather than an either/or (which must be said to be much more common among Protestants).Here’s an example: If Jesus says we must be baptised, must persevere to the end to be saved, must forgive others if we are to be forgiven, must eat His Flesh and drink His Blood to have life in us, must use the graces He gives us wisely, or else be “cut off from the vine and burned” if we don’t, and Paul says (that is, Jesus, the Word of God, through Paul, of course) we must have faith to be justified, must confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, must run the race so as to win, and will be judged by our works (a constant theme of the whole of scripture) who am I or who is anybody else to say “I can do this one and I a thereby doing God’s will and am assured of heaven,” or “I can do these to the exclusion of these others,” or even leave one out? People do not intentionally choose like this, but this is, in effect, what they are doing. If I lead an exemplary Christian life, but never forgave others their tresspasses against me as I pray God would mine, would I be saved? Of course not, according to Our Lord’s own words. Of course, this is just an extreme example to make a point; it is not at all likely, since a person striving to live his life in Christ and to do His will will in all likelihood be a forgiving person. But I hope it makes a point. What do you think, bretheren?