Catholics have a chance of redemption. They can receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, what was once called Penance, whereby they go to a priest and confess their sins.
As far as eating meat on Fridays, at the time the rule was in place, eating meat was a sin and those who disobeyed committed the sin. It would be same as if you were a young teen and your parents told you to be home by 10 PM. You come home at 10:30 instead and you are punished. However, the following week, your parents ease the rule and say you can now stay out until 11. The fact is, this week staying out until 10:30 won’t get you into trouble, but last week it did.
At any time in your life if you are sincerely sorry for your sin(s) then you are forgiven. But one cannot commit a sin with the presupposition that it’s OK to commit the sin today because you will be forgiven tomorrow.
If they died before the Church changed its mind, what chance of redemption did they have?
Do you see my question? Who makes the rules, the Catholic Church or GOD?
And where is the scriptural basis for the rules that the Catholic Church sets?
I am not trying to be difficult, I am trying to understand.
You see, God reveals His Word to me. I need no Pope or Bishop to interpret what God gave to all. And God, well, he does not change the rules in the middle of the game. He is the same, past, present and future - he says as much in scripture.
And I too, have a chance at redemption. I have sins that are truly “grievous unto me” I have told no priest, just my Saviour, Jesus Christ. And I have received penance. The penance of conscience, of the drive to make ammends.
I know that God does not change His mind about sin (as man or institutions will do). If eating meat on Friday is a bibically stated sin on Monday, it will also be a bibically stated sin on Thursday.