These aren't either/or propositions. "Upon this rock I will build my church." Faith in Jesus and membership in Jesus's church go hand-in-hand.
You miss the point of the question. You can be a member of a church and not have faith in Christ. The membership doesn't save you. You can even be baptized and not be saved. The baptism doesn't save you. If you have faith in Christ you are a member of His church. It is the faith in Christ that saves you. Nothing else.
>Who is our Helper and Advocate? Holy Spirit or Mary? <
Advocate with a capital "A" is the Holy Spirit. We can all be intercessors (small "a" advocates) for one another. Mary is the intercessor par excellance.
Again, not the question I asked.
The Holy Spirit, as parakletos, acts as a legal advocate who make the right judgment call because He is close to the situation. In the NT is used in a legal capacity of an attorney, i.e someone giving evidence that stands up in court.
Thus, Mary cannot fill this role in spite of what the catholic church teaches. This is the purview of the Holy Spirit and Jesus as the term is applied to them both.
Catholic supposition that mary is the intercessor par excellence. No where do we have any Biblical support for the catholic position that Mary is doing this for us. It is the intent of the fifth marian dogma to replace the Holy Spirit in this role with Mary.
As we have seen above this is the role of the Holy Spirit and Jesus. For the catholic to attempt to elevate Mary to this position usurps the authority and place of the Holy Spirit and Jesus and if it's not blasphemy, it borders on blasphemy.
>Do we have complete forgiveness of our sins or is there something we must do to atone for those sins? Col 2:13-14 or indulgences? <
Forgiveness of sin and the temporary punishment for the sin are two different things. Ask David:
That was not the question. Though I do agree there are consequences of sin as David and Bathsheba experienced. However, there was nothing David could do to make up for his sin against the Lord. Atonement and consequence are two different things.
13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.” 2 Sam. 12:13-14
So again, I'll ask...do we have complete forgiveness of sin or is there something we must "do" to have the forgiveness of Christ?
Do you have other questions I can help you answer and understand?
I do appreciate you taking the time to attempt to answer the questions...though we still need an answer on one.
All true in a sense.
But one can have faith, become incorporated into Jesus Christ, yet not abide in Him through failure to be obedient to His commandments:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. . . . 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. . . . 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:1,2,5,6, 9-12
For a vivid illustration of failing to abide and being cast into the fire, see the "Goats" of Matt. 25:31ff
But one coming to believe in Jesus will understand that Jesus established His church to be the "pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Tim. 3:15) and consequently desire to be incorporated into that, as Christ's body, and partake of that which Jesus intended be received through it.
So I know what your question is trying to drive at, but I still say it proceeds off a flawed "either/or" premise that I don't accept. I still see no reason to force a division between Jesus and Jesus's church.
Thus, Mary cannot fill this role in spite of what the catholic church teaches.
Since the Catholic Church doesn't teach it, then there is no issue for me. Though I will have a difficult time dissuading you of that, as it seems you're determined to see it that way. You do. We don't. That should clue you in a bit; but I suspect it won't.
No where do we have any Biblical support for the catholic position that Mary is doing this for us.
And I can't offer you the type of explicit Biblical support you demand. We Catholics are not sola scriptura in the sense you are, so we don't need proof in that way.
It is the intent of the fifth marian dogma to replace the Holy Spirit in this role with Mary.
Nonsense. If the teaching is ever elevated to dogmatic level (it is already taught), it is just a development of the idea expressed by St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr, and disciple of the Apostle John through St. Polycarp of Mary as the "New Eve:"
4. In accordance with this design, Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey when as yet she was a virgin. And even as she, having indeed a husband, Adam, but being nevertheless as yet a virgin (for in Paradise “they were both naked, and were not ashamed,” Genesis 2:25 inasmuch as they, having been created a short time previously, had no understanding of the procreation of children: for it was necessary that they should first come to adult age, and then multiply from that time onward), having become disobedient, was made the cause of death, both to herself and to the entire human race; so also did Mary, having a man betrothed [to her], and being nevertheless a virgin, by yielding obedience, become the cause of salvation, both to herself and the whole human race. Against Heresies, III, 22, 4
Mary is seen in Scripture by antithesis to Eve: just as Eve participated in the Fall, Mary participated in the Redemption (co-redemptrix). This idea expressed by Ireneaeus is found throughout the early post-Apostolic world.
So again, I'll ask...do we have complete forgiveness of sin or is there something we must "do" to have the forgiveness of Christ?
I thought my answer clear, but in any case I'll rephrase: there is nothing beyond repentance and confession that we need to for forgiveness of the eternal punishment for sin; though there may be atonement we need make for the temporal punishment for sin.