“then doesn’t matter how many more sins you go on to commit,”
Where did you get the idea that “it doesn’t matter how many more sins you go on to commit” ??
I said: When you accept Jesus as your Savior the Holy Spirit comes into your “heart”. With the Holy Spirit’s guidance you will not want to sin. You may, in your human nature slip and commit a sin but are immediately aware and ask forgiveness. Conversely, if you don’t have the Holy Spirit as your guide you don’t worry or maybe even care that it’s a sin.
“Jesus called him a viper and told him to get away from Him”
Jesus wasn’t talking to Peter directly but the Spirit that was controlling Peters thoughts.
“No one with an unrepented sin on his soul will enter Heaven. It is a place of spiritual perfection.”
So, you are positive that you have repented of absolutely all your sins? Not forgotten even one? Maybe in grade school or something that God sees as a sin and you didn’t realize it? What if, for example, you did something without even knowing it and forgot? There is no way for you to know everything. If you accept Jesus as your Savior and admit that the only way you could possibly be worthy of Salvation is to accept the fact that His Sacrifice IN YOUR PLACE is the only way then you will be saved. You then ask for forgiveness for ALL of your sins both of commission and omission whether you remember them or not. God knows all. That is what admitting that Jesus paid the price and His Sacrifice is sufficient for your salvation. He was the perfect sacrifice. You, or whatever you do, will never be.
When you say “actions must follow” I agree. But I believe that a saved person WANTS his actions to please God so will search for the right way to do things. The person who thinks that actions are a demanded or required will have a tendency to think they are better then another person or will feel like they “have been good enough” to go to heaven.
Remember that Paul also said that even my best works are but as rags.
Hope I have explained things a little better.
Because Heaven is a place of spiritual perfection, we will go to Purgatory when we die to do penance for any sins we still are guilty of. Once we’ve paid to the last penny, we’ll be ready to be with the saints and God in Heaven.
I believe Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient for salvation; I am not assured that my faith is sufficient.
Clearly Judas believed in Jesus as the Messiah for a while. We know the devil entered him after he became an Apostle. It was all the way in Luke 22:3. So, at one time, he was “saved” but most scholars believe he probably lost his salvation through his later actions and loss of faith. According to your explanation, he was still “saved” because he had a conversion experience at one time... no matter what he did later.
The conversion moment is fleeting; a lifetime of faithful living from that moment on is what lasts and is worthy of eternity.
Your assertion that the person who thinks actions are required will have a tendency to think they are better than others is not accurate. In fact, those who think actions are also required are often teased about all their “Catholic guilt.”
I really think Christ was talking to Peter in Matthew 16: 23. He rebuked him and said he was a scandal to him because he cared more about his desires than God’s desire. Nowhere does he mention a spirit of any kind. He then tells Peter that if any man wants to follow Him, he must DENY himself (change his actions/stop sinning), take up his cross (again, an action) and follow Him. (More action.)
In Mark 8:33 it says Jesus threatened Peter and said the same thing. No spirit anywhere in that chapter.
Finally, St. Paul says in Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation. Work out your salvation. He was talking to believers. Why did they need to work anything out further for salvation? Because works/actions were a necessary component. Why with fear and trembling? Because nothing is assured.
This makes perfect sense to me.