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To: jkl1122
Ahh, but in acknowledging the sinlessness of Jesus (which we all, of course, affirm), you have allowed that there can be exception to the "proof text" that you cited. Of course we are all (Mary included) in need of a Savior. Mary, due to her singular role in salvation history as the Mother of God, was simply saved in a different manner from the rest of us. While we are saved out of our sins, (after the fact), she was saved from sin (before the fact).

Of course your argument that "we know from Scripture that Jesus did not sin" implies that Scripture is the singular rule of faith, a belief that is rather new in Christian history. But, cooperating with your insistence on adhering to Sola Scriptura (an unbiblical doctrine in and of itself, I might add), I would draw your attention to St. Luke's use of the Greek term kecharitomene as a description of Mary (Luke 1:28). Luke uses the word, which means roughly "filled to the brim with grace" is as a perfect passive participle nominative, used as a substantive. In other words, the archangel Gabriel's acknowledgment of Mary's state of being filled with grace was made in reference to a past event (the filling with grace) whose effects were still present at the time of his greeting. Secondly, he uses the description in a nominative fashion, in essence calling the young Virgin not Mary, but by the name "Full of Grace." In the cosmology of the time, one's name was intimately tied to their identity: to who they truly were and to the role that they played in life. That is why we are commanded throughout the New Testament to do things in the "name of Jesus," because in so doing, we do them in and through the Person of Jesus. If one is "full of grace," God's divine life, that person has no room, as it were, for sin. One cannot be completely filled with grace without being completely void of sin. And, since identities do not change, Mary's identification as "Full of Grace" at the very least implies that she was "Full of Grace" at all times.

So, there is biblical precedent for the historic Church's (East and West) shared belief in Mary's sinlessness.
32 posted on 12/13/2006 9:26:39 AM PST by DogwoodSouth ("Thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church..." (Mt 16:18))
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To: DogwoodSouth
But, cooperating with your insistence on adhering to Sola Scriptura (an unbiblical doctrine in and of itself, I might add),

Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

Therefore...if it is not in the scriptures...it is not so. Also known as sola scriptura.

Time for a tagline change.

208 posted on 12/14/2006 5:46:11 AM PST by DungeonMaster (Acts 17:11 also known as sola scriptura.)
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To: DogwoodSouth
a belief that is rather new in Christian history

As are universal literacy and vernacular scripture.

It seems implicit that, now that people can read God's holy Word, that he would speak to them through it.

675 posted on 12/16/2006 6:41:10 AM PST by Jim Noble (To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity)
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