Oh, come now. We’re not that thin skinned around here, are we? It’s not like I called you an “anti-Semite”.
As to a blessing, a blessing is something that God gives to us that may or may not be in reward for something we have done. Grace is wholly the unmerited favor of God upon us.
Seeing as you are a sola Scriptura person, can you give me those definitions from the Bible?
Scripture for “Blessing”?
I know how to use a concordance. I really was interested how you come to use “blessing” vs. “grace” wrt the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper without being arbitrary.
I answered your question Topcat. You wanted a Scriptural definition of blessing verses grace. I gave it to you. Now as to the nuance of blessing as specific to Lord’s Supper and Baptism, I refer you to my previous post. Regardless what the topic is, Grace is wholly unmerited, whereas a blessing may be bestowed with or without the good deeds of the individual. When David cries “I will bless the Lord!” He is sending praise towards Him for both WHO He is and for WHAT He does. If God had done nothing for us, simply by virtue of who He is, He is worthy of our praise, blessing, honor and glory.
In Baptism, we are obedient to Christ. In Lord’s Supper as well. In obedience, there is blessing. But God’s grace is wholly unmerited and He gives it to both saint and sinner alike as He wills. (Are not the heathen participants in His grace by simply being alive and in not cast into the fire at any given moment?)
Contrary to being thin-skinned, I’m just noting that you are starting a conversation as you always seem to start it off - with an insult. I try to get you to further clarify your statements as non-salvific (i.e., in the sense of Catholicism), and you smear my denomination. I am trying to be civil, and was trying to clarify what you were saying. On this particular issue, we are a lot closer together than far apart. I can set aside disagreements on other issues. Can you?