Yes I did and I thank you.
The flesh profiteth nothing.
Just as Jesus foretold the Eucharist when He spoke this to Satan, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”, what Jesus says about the flesh and the spirit does not diminish the value of His flesh in anyway. This directly relates to the true natures of Jesus and puts to rest any question as to whether He was truly man and truly God. For had Jesus been merely human, He would not then have been able to atone for humanity’s sins. It quite clearly is His way of solidifying the truth that He is present in the bread for without Him, God, we have no salvation.
As far as getting stuck on the physical, I think it is Protestants who do this and not Catholics. After all, we accept that though the physical appearance and taste of the bread and wine remain, they are in fact what Jesus claimed they are, His body and His blood.
The admonition sounds a little like Gnosticism or is it Manicheanism? I can never keep those two heresies straight.
Whatever, it was OUR flesh which profits us nothing. Jesus is saying, “What I am giving you is spirit and life, for through the spirit, (The Holy Spirit) we have His flesh and His blood which He told us we need to have life.
Do you not see the contradiction is saying that eating bread and drinking wine will not save anyone Christ saves, yet it is Christ under the guise of bread and wine which saves us. I agree that the bread and wine or grape juice consumed in Protestant services does in fact not save. I remind you once again of Jesus’ words, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
Jesus is the only Word breathed by God and the only one whose presence in the Eucharist can save us.
Whether Jesus is present in the Eucharist or not has no bearing on my salvation or yours as practiced by your earthly church.
Members of the heavenly Church instituted by the God of the Old and New Testament are saved by Jesus the Christ's blood having been sprinkled on the mercy seat in God's heavenly sanctuary one time for all.
Read Hebrews to understand the concept. There is no need for a New Testament earthly church as the Church of the Magisterium teaches.
That is why Jesus gave Peter, and us, keys to the kingdom of heaven. BVB
I'm a little confused by this. Are you saying that Jesus death on the cross wasn't necessary as long as you eat the bread and drink the wine? Or are you saying that it was both His death and your subsequent eating of bread/drinking of wine that save? If the latter, are you saying that Christ's death was not sufficient?
I'm not trying to be cantankerous here, I'm seriously asking.