I just wanted you to see this statement by itself. :)
Do you think Catholics believe that if they go to Communion (eat Christ's Body) that they are guaranteed heaven? That is what your interpretation of John 6 would tell us...
I don't believe Catholics think anything in the Bible guarantees them heaven. :) If you are referring to the passage I think you are in John 6, then I see that as another way of putting what He already said earlier in the chapter, that whoever believes on Him will have eternal life.
So when Jesus tells us to be awake, to persevere, He really is talking to the Father? I disagree.
No, He is talking to us. He is telling us to not succumb to the remnant, to trust in Him for perseverance, etc.
A baby has his "ticket punched" as a result of infant baptism because he has no stain of sin remaining. He has received sanctifying grace, and has no personal sin. What would keep him out of heaven, FK?
But to carry the analogy, you also believe that the baby, when he grows up, can "unpunch" his own ticket. That means it was never punched in the first place, and in fact, never is during life. If the analogy had to do with a ringing bell, you would say it makes perfect sense that it can be "unrung"!
A guarantee doesn't guarantee the problem will not reoccur. It means that IF it DOES, they will fix it for free! How can a human shop owner "guarantee" that a car will not break?
The shop owner guarantees that his work was sound and that the problem will not occur again outside of normal wear and tear. He promises to fix the car if it breaks down because of some error in his work. He doesn't guarantee anything if something else breaks down. However, God's guarantees are much grander. He guarantees that none of His sheep will ever be lost for good. If the sheep were cars, God guarantees that He will fix the car whenever it breaks down again for any reason (perseverance, sanctification). God fixes all parts of the car for any reason.
Just like the shop owner, God doesn't promise us that we will never sin again, but God does promise to fix us. You deny this and say that in some cases, God refuses the repair when the customer doesn't bring the car back in, even when it's broken. I believe that God happens to keep good records and knows where all the cars are. He loves us so much that He even comes out to the house to make repairs, even if we don't know that something is wrong.
FK: "Man is sinful, making him wholly unfit for heaven. All men. A price must be paid in atonement. This is God's way as we see throughout the OT. Man does not have the required price, only God does."
So who does God pay?
Even in our system of jurisprudence we recognize that when a payment of justice is made, there does not necessarily have to be a direct beneficiary of the payment. When a convicted killer is executed, and "pays" with his life, who is the direct beneficiary? That's one way to look at it. Another would be that God pays "Himself", in order to satisfy His requirement for perfect justice. We also see that in our justice system. When a governmental agency is held guilty of a crime and must pay a fine, who does it pay it to? Another governmental agency. That satisfies justice, even though all the money stays within the "government".
If you have a driver's license, you have the legal status of being able to drive. When you lose the license, your status changes - but does the driver's license? "Eternal life" conveys a status upon the believer until that status is lost. "Eternal life" remains eternal life for those who have it. As long as we are in this world, we can lose it, according to the Scriptures.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 1 John 5:11-12
Don't feel bad. I have recently discovered this myself while studying John more thoroughly. It cleared up a few issues within the Johninne Corpus.
If you are referring to the passage I think you are in John 6, then I see that as another way of putting what He already said earlier in the chapter, that whoever believes on Him will have eternal life.
Believing and chewing something with your teeth is not the same thing...
No, He is talking to us. He is telling us to not succumb to the remnant, to trust in Him for perseverance, etc.
Now why would God tell us to persevere if we can do nothing?
But to carry the analogy, you also believe that the baby, when he grows up, can "unpunch" his own ticket. That means it was never punched in the first place, and in fact, never is during life. If the analogy had to do with a ringing bell, you would say it makes perfect sense that it can be "unrung"!
I don't follow this "never was punched in the first place". It happened. You can't deny it. We are regenerated upon Baptism, our sins are remitted. Spiritually, this is a real event. But post-Baptismal sins can undo some of the work of Baptism.
When you get sick - then are healed, does that mean you never were sick in the first place? Does that mean you will never get sick again? Really, now. What is so hard about this?
However, God's guarantees are much grander. He guarantees that none of His sheep will ever be lost for good
This was NEVER an issue between us. I have never said the elect are not guaranteed heaven. The question is "who is the elect?" We HOPE we are of the elect. We don't presume to be. God doesn't give us absolute knowledge, since we ALL sin.
God doesn't promise us that we will never sin again, but God does promise to fix us.
That is not entirely true. God only promises to fix those who turn to Him. I have quoted Ezekiel a number of times - and he states that the righteous who turn to evil will DIE! Don't be so sure that you will not turn to evil in the end. Who can say what will happen in 20 years? That is why Catholics say that the grace of FINAL perseverance CANNOT be merited!
God doesn't "repair" those who remain in sin. You should know better. The wrath of God consists in leaving men in their sin. LEAVING THEM!
Even in our system of jurisprudence we recognize that when a payment of justice is made, there does not necessarily have to be a direct beneficiary of the payment.
In all of your examples, another person or entity's desire for justice is satisfied. So are you saying that God allowed His Son to die to satisfy His own sense of justice? If so, I would consider this a secondary reason for the crucifixion. Love is the primary reason, pure and simple. I believe over-emphasis on atonement tends to move our paradigm of Whom God is towards a revengeful bloodthirsty God, rather than a God who is Love.
Regards