Christ's death on cross as forgiveness of sins

[Liemanova]

How can I respond to protestant question of Catholic faith… “Why is repentance and confession necessary? Was Jesus’ death on the cross not good enough to save you from your sins?”

I understand repenting is an ongoing theme throughout Sacred Scripture and I understand the Holy Spirit is working through priests to retain and forgive sins. I am still asked though, “why is this necessary when Jesus died on the cross to forgive all sins?” It is asked in a way as if Catholics are diminishing the sacrifice of our Saviour.

Thank you.

 

[edward_george]

The Paschal Mystery of Jesus’ Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection indeed once for all freed man from the bonds of death and sin. The grace of repentance and the Sacrament of Confession are the ways held out to us by God to participate in that Paschal Mystery and attain that forgiveness. Participating in these ways does not add to or take away from the gift held out to us, as though we were seeking forgiveness in something else by repenting and confessing and receiving absolution. To ask “Isn’t the Cross enough? Why must you repent and confess?” creates a false dichotomy; they are really two aspects of the same reality–one is the objective event that gained our salvation, the other is how we attain it. Christ’s Cross is the water, the desire for repentance is our thirst, participating in his Cross through the grace held out to us in the sacraments is our drinking of the water.

-ACEGC

 

[Ignatius]

How can I respond to protestant question of Catholic faith… “Why is repentance and confession necessary? Was Jesus’ death on the cross not good enough to save you from your sins?”.

Jesus said Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish*.* (Luke 13:3, 5)
I would ask him “Don’t you believe Jesus when he said that you must repent?”

Also, Jesus said that If you don’t forgive others, you will not be forgiven.
Jesus said that if you must be born again of water and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said if you eat his flesh and drink his blood He will raise you up on the last day.
Jesus said that you must do everything that He commanded.

Don’t you believe Jesus knew what he was saying when He command these things?

 

[Liemanova]

Makes sense to m, hopefully I am able to relay the message. Thank you for both of your responses.

 

[Duane1966]

So if I murder or commit adultery, your acquaintance is saying I should not repent, in fact go on doing it? Alright! Look out world, here I come!

 

[Liemanova]

So if I murder or commit adultery, your acquaintance is saying I should not repent, in fact go on doing it? Alright! Look out world, here I come!

His contention is that once one “accepts Christ as their Lord and Saviour” The true faithful (the elect) will live accordingly. ??? And that the sins they do commit (because everyone commits sins) are forgiven through Christ’s death and their acceptance of Him as their Saviour. I asked so if you “accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour” then you can live however you want? He said that because of his true faith, he will not fall from living faithfully in Christ. That those who truly “accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour” are children of God written in the Book of Life and cannot be blotted out and “wasn’t Christ’s death on the cross good enough for forgiveness of sins?” I don’t get it, just trying to figure out how to respond. He keeps coming back to “wasn’t Christ’s death on the cross good enough for forgiveness of sins?”.

I asked how you define whether you have truly accept Christ and have true faith but didn’t really get an answer. Except those are the ones that are predestined to persevere to the end.

I guess it goes sorta to the whole faith alone debate. and the belief that Christ only died for the chosen ones and that if you are chosen you will persevere and you know if you are chosen because you have faith and Christ died for the forgiveness of the sins of the chosen. Isn’t this Calvinism?

At least, that’s how he explained it. I was just stumped on the whole “wasn’t Christ’s death on the cross good enough for forgiveness of sins?” question

 

[Ignatius]

So if I murder or commit adultery, your acquaintance is saying I should not repent, in fact go on doing it? Alright! Look out world, here I come!

Calvinist and Evangelical theology teaches that Once he accepts Jesus Christ into his heart as his personal Lord and Savior, says the Sinners Prayer, and makes an alter call all of his sins, past, present and future are forgiven no matter what he does in the future. Once he is saved, he is always saved and nothing can change that.

That is why they feel that they can lie or trick Catholics to get them out of The Church. That is also why you cannot believe what they say.

 

[Liemanova]

I definitely do not believe it. This person studied at at college that taught this take on Christianity. He was raised Catholic (went to Catholic School) but he said the teaching was too much based on the Church as opposed to Christ, anyway he left because of this teaching in college, which is where he “accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour” I honestly believe he means well, but that is just his understanding. Claims he studied and studied this.

 

[TimothyH]

I definitely do not believe it. This person studied at at college that taught this take on Christianity. He was raised Catholic (went to Catholic School) but he said the teaching was too much based on the Church as opposed to Christ, anyway he left because of this teaching in college, which is where he “accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour” I honestly believe he means well, but that is just his understanding. Claims he studied and studied this.

People don’t learn the Catholic faith, “study and study”, go to Catholic School and then suddenly realize that it is wrong.

He has a problem with authority, what he calls “the Church” telling him what is right and what is wrong. I’ll bet he is holding in some past sin or some habitual sin. He wants all the forgiveness of the Cross without the need to address his past and those he may have hurt or without the need to change his behavior.

I wouldn’t play. I would change the topic. I would talk about healing and give my personal testimony about how I have found peace through confession, and ask him if he feels he needs that now. Beware that he may go dark on you and not speak to you for a while. That’s a sure sign that you are right on target.

-Tim-

 

[Erich]

To ask “Isn’t the Cross enough? Why must you repent and confess?” creates a false dichotomy

From this link:

********Yes, people must repent of their sin to go to Heaven. … But, it is also necessary for them to forgive others (Matthew 6); to do the Father’s will (Matthew 7); to keep the Commandments (Matthew 19); to feed the hungry and clothe the naked (Matthew 25); to love others (1 John); to care for their family (1 Tim 5); to strive for holiness (Hebrews 12:14); to do good works (Romans 2); to eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man (John 6); to be baptized (John 3 and 1 Peter 1:20-21), and so on. ********

When Jesus said “It is finished” in John 19:30, what does the 'it’ refer to?

We know that ‘it’ is NOT the completion of our redemption at that moment… because as St. Paul tells us, our redemption is not complete without Jesus being “raised for our justification” (Rom. 4:25) – and on Good Friday that was still a couple of days away.