Really? And why do you trust Matthew to be the definitive statement on salvation? No use for Paul? Or Peter? Or John? What if, hypothetically, I were to take the position that Matthew got it all wrong, and only Paul was right on this particular subject? Am I not a sovereign individual, empowered to pick and choose only those Scriptures that support my position? Selecta Scriptura, anyone?
Hi SR,
I asked earlier, how come non-Catholic Christians can
accept on faith something supernatural...the Incarnation
but say “no” to accepting on faith something else supernatural, Our Lord’s presence in the consecrated host?
It's a quote of God Himself. His statement covers all possibilities and the statement is logically consistent with every other relevant statement given on the matter. That includes those in John 6, which is the topic of this thread. Jesus' Spirit is the Holy Spirit. Those concepts and values of the Holy Spirit are common to every Person in The Trinity. Those concepts and values are the Spirit spoken of in John 6:63 and are what is to be eaten in community in the symbols of bread and wine. In order to make a rational decision, one must refer to their valued concepts and other valued truths before any decision can be made.
"What if, hypothetically, I were to take the position that Matthew got it all wrong, and only Paul was right on this particular subject?"
Logic is independent of the being presenting the claim or evidence. The rational analysis is to be done on the hypothesis, or what is claimed. In this case those statements that indicate salvation is based on belief in Jesus is but a subset of the set that contains all possibilities that can arise under Matt 12:7, or Matt 12:32, or MArk 3:29, or Luke 12:10, or Matt 25 31:46, or John 6:63.
"Am I not a sovereign individual, empowered to pick and choose only those Scriptures that support my position?
Logic requires that all evidence be examined. Honesty applies and is a concept that God values greatly. If one has faith in what the Church says and ignores John 6:63 as if it was a piece of non-evidence, then nibbling on imaginary fingers and toes, ect... one will gain salvation. If one ignores Ezekiel 18 and John 9, they can believe in original sin. If one ignores the list above starting with Matt 12:7, they can believe in sola fide.