Repentance

[dgolvach]

Moreover, salvation is not my gift to God; it is His gift to me: "the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9, Romans 6:23).

I have never heard it put this way. But I believe this statement. Its what makes the Gospel different from some religious system. Actually, it kinda goes against the grain of human nature to think this way. Perhaps this is why so many do not accept it. " not my gift to God; it is his gift to me ". Very Good!

God Bless

Dan

[Pax]

Yes, the Bible calls us to confess our sins to one another. And I'm not talking about gossiping, but confession to a Priest. And yes, a person can overcome habitual sin, I am proof of this.

[Kansasdad]

Sorry it took this long to respond. I was at the lake for 3 days. Here is the question I still have then. At some point in my life I take Jesus as my savior, repent of my sins and I am on fire with the love of God. My Faith and my works show this to be true. I go many years solid in my faith to God. But then I slip, and I slip some more. and then I find I am committing some terrible things. Can you loose your salvation? If this is true then there is "Mortal Sin" (salvation jeopardizing sin). If it isn't true then once I have Gods grace, all sins don't matter, because they are already forgiven, I think when we are committing (salvation jeopardizing sin) we close the door to God. God didn't close it, we did! We bind ourselves in the guilt of sin and we walk away from God and his grace. We as humans have a very very difficult time forgiving ourselves. God knows how to forgive; we don't do it well especially to ourselves. It is at these times, when we are in salvation jeopardizing sin that we must confess our sins WITH another human being. Only then will we open the door and except Gods grace. Otherwise we keep the door shut.

(Quote from Convert)

[Christ's Free Servant]

Sorry it took this long to respond.  I was at the lake for 3 days.  Here is the question I still have then.  At some point in my life I take Jesus as my savior, repent of my sins and I am on fire with the love of God.  My Faith and my works show this to be true.  I go many years solid in my faith to God.  But then I slip, and I slip some more.  and then I find I am committing some terrible things.  Can you loose your salvation?  If this is true then there is "Mortal Sin"  (salvation jeopardizing sin).  If it isn't true then once I have Gods grace, all sins don't matter, because they are already forgiven,  I think when we are committing (salvation jeopardizing sin) we close the door to God.  God didn't close it, we did!  We bind ourselves in the guilt of sin and we walk away from God and his grace.  We as humans have a very very difficult time forgiving ourselves.  God knows how to forgive; we don't do it well especially to ourselves.  It is at these times, when we are in salvation jeopardizing sin that we must confess our sins WITH another human being.  Only then will we open the door and except Gods grace.  Otherwise we keep the door shut. 

(Quote from Convert)

[Kansasdad]

And a very nice Sermon it was!

Thanks:

Kansas Dad

[Christ's Free Servant]

And  a very nice Sermon it was!

Thanks:

Kansas Dad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are welcome!!

[Pax]

Kansasdad,

Read 1 John 5:16. The Bible does talk of sin as being either deadly or not deadly. The Catholic Church has defined this as Mortal (Deadly), or Venial (not deadly) sin. Three things have to be in place to have mortal sin.

1.) It has to be of serious matter. (Examples: Adultry, Fornication, Murder, Stealing, masterbation, many of them will be valiations of the 10 commandments.)

2.) One must have Full knowledge that it is a sin. You have to know it is a sin.

3.) Then we must have full consent to committing the sin. Someone forced into an act doesn't give full consent. A drunken person is incapable of giving full consent (although getting durnk is a grave sin). A young child is incapable of giving full consent. Ditto for someone asleep, comatose, senile, or held at gunpoint.

Yes, you can loose your salvation. If not why would people ever have to repent about anything. This notion of being saved and not losing ones salvation is a great tactic for the devil.

[nebula]

Yes, the Bible calls us to confess our sins to one another.  And I'm not talking about gossiping, but confession to a Priest. 

Errr . . . the scripture says to confess sins to one another.

Where do you see that it has to be a priest?

[Pax]

Nebula:

Read John 20:22-23 "And when He (Christ) had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Christ is clearly giving the apostles the power to hear confessions. They can either forgive sins, or retain sins. The Catholic Church teaches apostoloc succession, which means, there is an unbroken chain linked back to the apostles and Peter.

It also makes logical sense that a person would go to a Priest to confess there sins. A priest is someone you can trust, he will give you sound advice, and the Church teaches that the priest is working in Persona Christi, which means in the place of Christ. That is why it is not correct to say that the Priest is forgiving you of your sins, but the Holy Spirit is working through the priest. Also there is much psychological evidence that proves that man is much healthier when they can confess their sins to someone else. It is very unhealthy to keep sins bottled up inside of ourselves. By nature we want to tell someone. But for this to be a valid confession and for you to receive absolution, you must confess to a Priest or Bishop.

[nebula]

Pax -

Let's look at the verse in context.

James 5

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,

20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Notice that James said, "Confess your trespasses to one another," NOT "confess your trespasses to the priest."

Notice also how he mentions calling for the "elders of the church" to pray for you when you are sick, but he DOES NOT say to "confess your trespasses to the elders."

Did you catch this?

This concept of separating "sacred" from "secular" is a Hellinistic Greek concept, not a Biblical one.

The need for going to a priest for the "abolition" of your sins was done away with on the Cross. Read the book of Hebrews.

1 Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

You see, in the eyes of the Lord we are all ministers, servants, priests.

1Jo 5:16 - If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.

Likewise, you do not need another man between you and the Father!

1 John 2:1-2

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

You can pray to Jesus yourself for repentance and forgiveness!!

Yes, confessing to one another is important, and yes an ordained minister (or priest) will be trained in counselling and would more likely be able to give you useful advise.

However, this is not a command of God that you have to go to God through the priest.

This is bondage!