And in your statement we see the fundamental error of Rome: the confusion of the law and the Gospel.
The rich young ruler was under the mistaken impression that he had fulfilled the law. What we see Christ doing in this passage is taking the law and cranking it up to the nth degree, to the point where the rich young ruler realized he could not keep the law.
The Apostles got it clear when they asked Christ who then can be saved. Christ answered with the obvious: With god all things are possible. We can't save ourselves, only God can.
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There is a Catholic Church that I pass by ocassionally, that features a large banner posted on the building outside. It's message reads:
If that isn't "confusing the law and the Gospel", I don't know what is.
This is a very convoluted interpretation, which also presents a Christ Who would not give a straight answer to a heartfelt and vitally important question, "what do I need to do to be saved?". There is nothing in the context that suggests it; in fact, one of the gospels that relate the episode also mentions that Christ said all that to the young man "loving him", yet He allowed him to walk away.
Further, it is by far not an isolated passage exhorting men to good works, -- in fact, the gospels are filled with such.
G: And in your statement we see the fundamental error of Rome: the confusion of the law and the Gospel.
Amen!
Matt.7:21 Not everyone who says to Me,'Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
What is the will of the Father?
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom he sent."
It is not complicated and it is not a system of works it is belief.
1John 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Any works follow justification they don't cause it, or maintain it.
“We can’t save ourselves, only God can.”
Thank you.
Yes, indeed.
ALL facets of our Salvation, including our sanctification (the process by which we are made Holy) and our glorification, the eternal state in eternal heaven with Jesus Christ where we will glorify Jesus Christ together forever (ah, won’t that be wonderful!), are from God who works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. Yes we are to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”, knowing that it is God who is transforming us from within, who cleanses us from all sin as we confess our sins TO HIM, who renews our minds as we dwell on His Word, who conforms us to the image of His dear Son.
We walk by faith - meaning - we trust in the One who called us, who saved us, who is sanctifying us, who will glorify us - trusting in HIS FINISHED WORK on the Cross and in His Resurrection, trusting that when He says that when we are Born Again by the Holy Spirit, that we are, therefore, NEW CREATURES, walking in the power of the Resurrection Life He died to bring us.....He means it. We can believe Him. We walk by faith in what GOD SAYS (and Jesus Christ is GOD, the living Word).
Paul said this before there was a Roman Catholic church.
Sorry to jump in here so late - having to catch up on this thread.
I regret there is quite a bit of slinging vituperative remarks back and forth......but, then, I’ve not been on many of these types of threads - preferring to avoid the “debates” and concentrate on what unites us.
Sadly, our unChristian words to each other matter a great deal because we,who both claim to be Christians, belonging to Jesus Christ, are “discussing Christianity” before a watching world.
Later would like to retell a story upon which (perhaps) we can together rejoice - as those who belong to Jesus Christ! and who long to carry out Jesus’ command to take the Gospel to all the world, baptizing them and making disciples of all nations!