Mat 5:48
That sounds a little bit too scary for me, I think I'll just rest in knowing instead
Knowing what? That all you have to say "Lord, Lord" and you will be saved? You don't get it, do you? Most of Protestantism is easy. You keep saying that we are supposed to be Christ-like, but I really wonder if you have any clue what that means? Christ is nothing like any of of us.
For us to become Christ-like, everyithing that defines us must die, because neither you nor anyone of us eve comes close. So, I would worry, especially if I had deliusions of having been saved by a lucky draw.
"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (notice here the word "find it"; it should tell you that it was not decided before all ages).
And, remember that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." There's nothing easy about it! You've got to give a lot to reach theosis -- your whole life in fact!
Luther made it easy. That's why it spread like wild fire: no more fasts, no more confessions and, best of all, pecca fortiter (sin bodly), sin all you want...easy, just be yourself, you have been "elected" from before aeons, so "don't worry, be happy." What virtue! And all that made to look like theology.
We are to be like Christ, who was dead to sin. He led His life to God. We are to do the same, but infants and the severely mentally handicapped cannot, nor do they have capacity to "let sin reign" one way or the other
Hmmmm...."Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 18:3) and "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Mat 19:14)
Very good points. Many verses go right over their heads, such as :
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have CRUCIFIED their flesh with its passions and desires. Gal 5:24
Another one of those meaningless verses for those who travel the wide road to "salvation"...
The path to hell is paved with good intentions...
Luther made it easy. That's why it spread like wild fire: no more fasts, no more confessions and, best of all, pecca fortiter (sin bodly), sin all you want...easy, just be yourself, you have been "elected" from before aeons, so "don't worry, be happy." What virtue! And all that made to look like theology.
That was all gravy. People didn't care so much about theology. The Reformation spread because of greed. All they wanted was to grab a piece of the Church's wealth when Luther and the protesters left the Church. This was VERY prevalent in England, where the practice remained practically the same, without a Pope. It was basically a change of wealth from one hand to another, while killing all the priests who still held allegiance to the Catholic Church. And to think, Henry VIII was once called a "defender of the faith"...
Regards
Mat 5:48
Here it is (KJV):
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Well that sounds simple enough, ... I suppose. :) But perhaps you are interpreting "perfect" here the same way you did with Job? If so, then we have a problem, because you posited before the possibility that Job was sinless, and one of the extremely RARE examples of that in the Bible. Therefore, either no one is alive in Christ, or all believers are just like Job, and are uniquely sinless. Neither of these seems possible. I'll just throw out another alternative and say that "perfect" does not mean sinless in either case. Instead it means that one is right with God and loves God, even given his human status of sinner; a mature believer. Such a person is alive in Christ.
Most of Protestantism is easy. You keep saying that we are supposed to be Christ-like, but I really wonder if you have any clue what that means?
I will agree that resting in God's promises is EASIER than having no security and never knowing where you're going to spend eternity. I think God likes it when we rest in His promises:
Matt. 11:28-30 : 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
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"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (notice here the word "find it"; it should tell you that it was not decided before all ages).
It doesn't mean that, it just means that "few" will find it because only "few" are elected from before time.
Luther made it easy. That's why it spread like wild fire: no more fasts, no more confessions and, best of all, pecca fortiter (sin bodly), sin all you want...easy, just be yourself, you have been "elected" from before aeons, so "don't worry, be happy." What virtue! And all that made to look like theology.
Is this what you really, truly think? The Reformation spread because it stood for an out and out free for all in sin? LOL! Well, it took you seven and a half large in posts, but you finally figured us out. :)
[On infants not having the capacity to be like Christ or to "let sin reign"]...."Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mat 18:3)
Here is the passage with the verses right before and after:
Matt. 18:2-4 : 2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Infants cannot humble themselves, nor can they be called or stand, at least at the time you would Baptize them. Jesus is talking about childlike faith, which infants cannot possess.