"Let us focus on the word "helpful" or "profitable". You and your author are reading it is as "essential"! Look up in your handy Greek Concordance Strong #5624, ophelimos. This word in GREEK is an adjective that means "useful", "helpful", "profitable". Used as a verb, it means "assistance" or "benefit". Nowhere in Vines or my Greek Concordance do I find opheleia or ophelimos used to mean "necessary" or "essential" or "alone". Thus, your author's argument rapidly deflates into nothingness."
He's right, FK. The words have absolutely no connotation of necessity or singularity. That made up translation does fit well with Protestant theology though.
Thanks for verifying. I was going to "carbon copy" you that post to verify, since I don't speak Greek, but I sent it before I put your name in the "to" line.
Brother in Christ