Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Who Makes Us Without Spot or Wrinkle? Christ or Indulgences?

It is Christ alone that presents us without spot or wrinkle not indulgences:
Ephesians 5
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Rome says in the papal document Indulgentiarum Doctrina,
The salutary institution of indulgences therefore contributes in its own way to bringing it about that the Church appear before Christ without blemish or defect, but holy and immaculate,45 admirably united with Christ in the supernatural bond of charity. Since in fact by means of indulgences members of the Church who are undergoing purification are united more speedily to those of the Church in heaven, the kingdom of Christ is through these same indulgences established more extensively and more speedily "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the deep knowledge of the Son of God, to perfect manhood, to the mature measure of the fullness of Christ."46
Is it Christ alone that presents us to the Father as "without blemish and defect" or is it indulgences?  Christ purged our sins at the Cross not through indulgences (see Hebrews 1:3).  It says He sat down at the right hand of God.  That is, His redemptive work and meritorious worth has been completed for His people through the Cross where He paid the spiritual debt in full.  Christians should add nothing to Christ and His matchless unified merit in the life of Christ (that earned salvation for us) and the death of Christ (that set us free concerning purification of deep sins).  Concerning chastening of the Father's fatherly displeasure, it adds to nothing to the unified merit of Christ alone in light of the Bible's teaching. 

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