Replies

“The text describes purification followed by salvation. Write your own epistle if you want to make a different point.”

No, you ignore it the text and substitute instead what your church has told you.

The text:

“For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials - gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.

If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.”

Nothing at all about purifying the builder or church. What the text says, in contrast to what you claim it says:

“But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.”

Reveal. Show. “Make manifest” in a more literal translation. “Make manifest [”readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent; plain]”

Not “purify”. “Manifest” - make it obvious.

That is the text you refuse to deal with, because your church has lied and said it is about purification instead of “reveal[ing] what kind of work each builder has done”. The text needs no interpretation, since it is explicit.

But since you will cling to your church’s catechism, and I will cling to the Word of God, what value is there in continuing?