But on what do you base your statement that what Jesus instituted is different than what we see today in the Catholic Church? Do you have some source or is this just your opinion?
My source is the biblical account.
Belief necessary for baptism:
[Act 8:12 NASB] 12 But
when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.
[Act 8:36-38 NASB] 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 37 And Philip said,
“If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Sense of urgency:
[Act 22:16 NASB] 16 ‘
Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’
From my experience, the catholic church de-emphasizes belief as a prerequisite and there isn’t a focus on the urgency of baptism when so many people have to wait for Easter or parents wait to baptize their infants because they’re busy planning it as an event.
And where do you find that in the Bible? The Bible tells us that it is useful. It never says that it in itself is sufficient and includes everything necessary. Instead it directs you to the Church.
[2Ti 3:16-17 NASB] 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate,
equipped for every good work.
If you can be equipped for every good work, what else is there?
I know you’ve seen this scripture before, and mostly used to show how the bible is the only authority but I am using it now to show that it contains all that we actually need. At the time of this writing not all of the written word was complete, but it does specify ‘all scripture’ which would obviously include scripture to come.
Because your first premise fails, so does this. Penance is an act of repentance; a turning around of one’s life from a life of sin to a life of grace. It is the first step in conversion. Have you ever read in the Bible that we should repent of our sins? It is completely appropriate in that if we confess our sins and are truly sorry for those sins and are absolved from those sins that we make a real change in our lives as an acceptance of God’s grace. That is what penance affords us. It is the first step in true conversion.
Well, I just showed you how my first premise didn’t fail so here we are.
Which Church leadership would that be? If I start my own Church tomorrow would I have the authority to reject the unrepentant man? And how in the world are they going to reject the wicked unrepentant man unless they first know that he is a wicked, unrepentant man, i.e., unless he confesses his sins to someone in authority within the Church?
The bible shows us what is needed for a church to be established. There are examples of churches springing up in the new testament without an apostle personally establishing it. Titus and Timothy, for example, chose overseers. Though ordered by Paul for this work, they chose overseers based on criteria Paul gave them and did not merely act as a messenger for personal appointments by Paul.
Besides, the purpose of confession and penance is forgiveness, not condemnation. The wicked, unrepentant man is not longer wicked and unrepentant if he confesses his sins and carries out the penance assigned to him as a sign of the change in his life. Only the man or woman who refuses to the change the circumstances which led to their sin in the first place is denied absolution (such as two people living together outside of the bonds of marriage who have no intention of changing that situation).
I didn’t say that was the purpose of confession. I only mentioned something the leaders in a congregation are responsible for. Obviously it has to do with an unrepentant individual. I said that already.
And what about forgiveness of those sins? Or are you a OSAS Christian who feels no need to confess their sins?
I do not subscribe to “once saved always saved” because it is not biblical. I also said nothing against the forgiveness of sins, but mentioned another reason confessing to one another is helpful.
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