I have been having some conversations with people in my “Rationalize Some More” blog, and one comment recently made caught my attention and thought it needed a longer reply then for the comments section, so I am putting up as a blog. You may want to read “Rationalize Some More,” but either way you will get the gist.
The problem you will see is context in understanding the passages you are reading. The other is to diminish the death of Christ on the cross. This is a lack of understanding what happened there and what needed to happen for us to live eternally with God. It was the most horrible and beautiful thing in the history of the universe. It was horrible in what happened and beautiful that the God of the universe died for you and me, that we may have life forever.
My comments are in yellow after his comment regarding our conversation in the “Rationalize Some More” post.
Luke 5:17-26Jesus forgives the sins of the men who compassionately bring their friend to be healed, believing Christ has the power to do this. Jesus forgives their sins based on their faith. There is no mention of repentance, yet Jesus serves the paralytic. Also, as a side thing to ponder about atonement, this was before Christ's death and resurrection, yet sins were forgiven by Jesus without any sort of animal sacrifice. Maybe we put too much emphasis on Christ's death?
Actually that is not what the section says. It says Jesus forgave the man who was paralyzed, and says nothing of his friends. Christ was demonstrating His authority over sin itself and then proved what He said is true by instantly healing the paralytic. Forgiving His sins and that ability is what lead Him to death. If Christ had not died for our sins there would be no forgiveness as there would be no atonement, not to mention then His defeating death in the resurrection. If you do not believe Christ needed to die for your sins for forgiveness then you may not even be believing in the true Jesus in my opinion. You need to read 1 Corinthians 15 again. If Christ has not died and resurrected then we are still in our sins. Paul says what He passes on is of first importance, and that is the death of Christ, because if He did not die then He could not defeat death.
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Back to the point, there are many instances where Jesus heals and serves, invites people to follow him and such, without speaking of sin at all. Just looking through Luke right now, I see many examples. And look at Luke 7:36-50. The Pharisees didn't want the woman in the house, and certainly wouldn't let her touch them as she did to Jesus, because she was a sinner (as we all are). There is no mention of her asking for forgiveness, only loving and serving Christ, and he in turn uses her as an example, forgiving her by her actions. "Her many sins were forgiven- for she loved much."
You don’t think she knew her sin when she is standing there in tears pouring her most expensive perfume on Jesus. This perfume would take the average person nearly a year to save up for it. You don’t think by washing Jesus’ feet with her hair is not demonstrating her knowledge of forgiveness for sins? Why else do it? That is the point of the story, that this woman knows her sin and comes and seeks Christ, where Christ is dining with people who need to be forgiven as well, but they do not see their own sin. Jesus tells her that her sins are forgiven. Why would He do that if she was not seeking forgiveness? How is one forgiven without repenting of what they did? You also need to finish the section. It is not her love that saved her, and Jesus says it in verse 50:, “Then He said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.’” You are missing the point of the whole passage.
Repentance of our sins is the acknowledgment that we need a Savior that we cannot do it ourselves and faith in Christ is what saves us. Why put faith in Christ is there is nothing to be saved from?
In Luke 13, Jesus does say repent or perish, but makes sure those listening understood that people who had faced death recently in their culture were not any greater sinners than anyone else. Everyone faces the same punishment, not just those that are seen publicly as sinners.Luke 17:3-4 Jesus teaches to forgive without limit anyone who asks. If someone is sinning the same way 7 times in one day, that seems pretty habitual to me.
Just repentance does not save you. It is faith in Christ Jesus. Repentance is the Holy Spirit working to let you know that you are a sinner in need of a Savior who paid the price on the Cross by being the perfect sacrifice for once and all; who also defeated death in His resurrection.
You are confusing forgiveness with responsibility. You act as if there was not penalty for our sin. There was, and it was the shear torture that Christ went through before, during and on the cross for us. Our sin put Him there. If we do not accept Him as Savior then we will have eternal separation from Him in Hell, so there is an eternal damnation if we do not accept what He gives us through His death and resurrection. There are also temporal reactions for our sins. Yes we are to forgive others as Christ forgives us, but does not take away responsibility. Once the rapist says I am sorry, should we just put him back on the street? What about the child molester or murderer? Should we just turn the other cheek? Yes they are forgiven if they ask Christ for it and can have eternal life in Him, but it does not lessen their jail sentence for their crime. Again, you are comparing two different scenarios: temporal with eternal.
Let's look at Matthew 25, the sheep and the goats.Who are the ones on the left? The ones who didn't serve those around him. The ones who enter the kingdom are the ones who fed the hungry, gave a drink to the thirsty, housed the homeless, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, visited those in prison.This passage brings me back to my comment on who is more like Jesus in the other post. The one who serves or the one who casts others aside who sin?
This could be seen as describing the millennial reign of Christ and the judgment that happens right before it. Contextually this seems to be for only those who are alive at the time of Christ’s return. In shepherding the goats and sheep actually are together in the pastor, but when feeding and sleeping they are separated for various reasons. This is a separation of believers from unbelievers prior to the millennial reign. You also need to realize that in the context of the verse, Jesus is talking about the Christian brothers and sisters when it is talking about helping all those you have mentioned. Matthew 25:40, “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” “My brethren” being the key. Not saying we should not help others, but what I am saying is that if you are going to use verses makes sure you know the context of it.
The out working of our faith should be good works, but that is not the reason we are saved. It is by faith through repenting of our sins because we know we cannot save ourselves and accepting Christ as Savior, believing in Him.
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