Why is it that, in god's eyes, a man can commit a terrible sin, and redeem himself by confessing and apologizing to god? But a man who commits minor sins, and seeks redemption by doing far more good in their life than bad, is considered worse? Even if that person has clearly confessed and more than made it up to whomever was negatively affected by said sin?
Should a man be judged by what he says, rather than what he does?
Actions vs Words
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RickD
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Re: Actions vs Words
Could you tell me where you get this idea from? Biblically speaking, man can't "redeem himself".GlaciusTS wrote:
Why is it that, in god's eyes, a man can commit a terrible sin, and redeem himself by confessing and apologizing to god?
John 5:24
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
Re: Actions vs Words
You know what I mean, be forgiven, and get into heaven and all that jazz.RickD wrote:Could you tell me where you get this idea from? Biblically speaking, man can't "redeem himself".GlaciusTS wrote:
Why is it that, in god's eyes, a man can commit a terrible sin, and redeem himself by confessing and apologizing to god?
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RickD
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Re: Actions vs Words
Well, "in God's eyes" Christ redeemed man, because man can't redeem himself. So, Christ did the work on the cross. All man has to do is trust who Christ is, and what He did, to be redeemed.GlaciusTS wrote:You know what I mean, be forgiven, and get into heaven and all that jazz.RickD wrote:Could you tell me where you get this idea from? Biblically speaking, man can't "redeem himself".GlaciusTS wrote:
Why is it that, in god's eyes, a man can commit a terrible sin, and redeem himself by confessing and apologizing to god?
John 5:24
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
“A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”
-Edward R Murrow
St. Richard the Sarcastic--The Patron Saint of Irony
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The Protector
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Re: Actions vs Words
Elaborating on what Rick said...
Confession and contrition is not a means of redemption, it is part of a larger reorientation of the heart and mind toward God; it is the acknowledgment of one's falling woefully short of God's glory and perfection, and of one's desperate need for a savior; it is the acknowledgment that one CANNOT redeem oneself, no matter how many "good works" one performs to try to make amends. The "Good News" of the Gospels is not that God has provided an easy way to redeem oneself; the good news is that God has done the work of redemption already. It is not that God judges those who do good works more harshly than those who speak good words, it is that God does not judge those who accept his grace at all. Neither the words nor the works make any difference, for God knows our hearts and minds.
Confession and contrition is not a means of redemption, it is part of a larger reorientation of the heart and mind toward God; it is the acknowledgment of one's falling woefully short of God's glory and perfection, and of one's desperate need for a savior; it is the acknowledgment that one CANNOT redeem oneself, no matter how many "good works" one performs to try to make amends. The "Good News" of the Gospels is not that God has provided an easy way to redeem oneself; the good news is that God has done the work of redemption already. It is not that God judges those who do good works more harshly than those who speak good words, it is that God does not judge those who accept his grace at all. Neither the words nor the works make any difference, for God knows our hearts and minds.
Re: Actions vs Words
I'll just elaborate some more 
Although some sins are greater than others, (Exodus 32:21, John 19:11) the bible is clear that the wages of all sin is death. (James 2:10, Romans 6:23) Because all have sinned (Romans 3:10-12), all are condemned, an no amount of good works can justify sin. Say, if a person is judged by a court to be put in prison, no matter the amount of good works the person does, the sentence has to be served. The same goes for God's judgement. God is a fair judge (Psalm 7:11), and God doesn't just forget the penalty of sin. Someone has to take it, and that's why God came to us as a man and took it upon himself, so that if we simply accept the gift of forgiveness, and (at least to some degree) repent, the penalty is taken away from us, and we can have eternal life.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9)
GlaciusTS wrote:Why is it that, in god's eyes, a man can commit a terrible sin, and redeem himself by confessing and apologizing to god? But a man who commits minor sins, and seeks redemption by doing far more good in their life than bad, is considered worse?
Although some sins are greater than others, (Exodus 32:21, John 19:11) the bible is clear that the wages of all sin is death. (James 2:10, Romans 6:23) Because all have sinned (Romans 3:10-12), all are condemned, an no amount of good works can justify sin. Say, if a person is judged by a court to be put in prison, no matter the amount of good works the person does, the sentence has to be served. The same goes for God's judgement. God is a fair judge (Psalm 7:11), and God doesn't just forget the penalty of sin. Someone has to take it, and that's why God came to us as a man and took it upon himself, so that if we simply accept the gift of forgiveness, and (at least to some degree) repent, the penalty is taken away from us, and we can have eternal life.
All sin is ultimately against God (see Psalm 51:4 in the context of 2 Samuel 11), so the one you'll have to confess to and make up to, is God.GlaciusTS wrote:Even if that person has clearly confessed and more than made it up to whomever was negatively affected by said sin?
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9)