Posted on 04/14/2005 12:00:51 PM PDT by Dean Baker
#1407 This is forever debated as to whether our sins are forgiven past, present, and future. Was the work finished on the cross? Not that this gives us licence to sin; however, our gratitude will lead us to good works.
Let me ask, after you are saved--is the confessing to acknowledges you acted against God and then repenting to turn away from sin and toward God? Is this what you are referring to in light of Holy Communion where we must come clean beofre God? This is much different than having to continually ask forgivenness to ensure we are still able to go to heaven.
See here ----> http://www.aomin.org/Epitetaute.html
Let's be crystal clear here. No Greek scholar in the entire world claims that the pronouns and verbs in verses 17-19 are not singular. No one! Not even James White. Only someone who had no clue about Greek would even say that any of the 2nd person pronouns in verses 17-19 are plural. No Greek scholar claims that in verses 17-19, Jesus is talking to anyone other than Peter.
The point of disagreement is not at all whether in vs. 17-19 Jesus is talking only to Peter. James White (and some other Protestant Greek scholars, though not all) disagree with with Catholics regarding the referent of [epi taute te petra] "upon this rock". Catholic scholars say that the referent of 'taute te petra' is Peter. Some Protestant scholars say that the referent of 'taute te petra' is either Peter's profession of Christ's identity or Peter's faith.
-A8
Touche' as to which person is indicated in the passage. For now, I'll take your word on that. However, you make my point that there are Greek scholars on both sides of the issue as to meaning of the passage.
Evangelicals and Protestants are not unified on the answer to this question. Answers would range from "all" to "some" to "none." The Arminian-Calvinist debate weighs on how this question is viewed.
The problem with a Catholic take on this is that it seems to be crossing its fingers behind its back on the promises of scripture. Will you or won't you live forever if you 'eat His flesh and drink His blood'? The Catholic can only say maybe. The Bible says yes.
Here is the passages in question: Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:53-54)
Every promise in Scripture has to be interpreted properly, in context and with the qualifications that are made elsewhere. For example, we are also told that if we believe, we shall be saved. But that does not mean that we can believe, then cease to believe, and still have eternal life. Elsie listed out some verses that deal with that here. Likewise, the fact that eating and drinking His body and blood gives us eternal life does not mean that faith isn't necessary, that perseverance isn't necessary, that baptism isn't necessary, that works are not necessary, etc. The Scripture teaches (in other places) that these are each necessary for salvation, ceteris paribus.
-A8
I know this gets a lot more complicated than Jesus intended it to be.
I think there are sins that one could commit even after being "saved", and I think those sins could probably keep us from heaven.
I also think that Holy Communion should be a frequently-offered opportunity to ask for forgiveness, and (hopefully, if we really mean it) to make sure that we are not separated from God should we die at that moment.
Of course, Holy Communion is not the only opportunity for that. But it surely was instituted by Christ himself, and surely seems like the time for one's soul to acknowledge what Christ did for us.
Amen!
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