I've Been Saved — The Blood of the Cross

Most of today's Catholic and non-Catholic Christians have accepted false philosophies of salvation.

I've Been Saved!

Teachings – The Cross – Salvation

Catholics often misinterpret or misunderstand:

the Mass
the teachings of the Church
what is expected of Catholics
the relationship of the Bible in regard to Church teachings
the Catholic teaching that everyone read the Bible
the need for involvement in discipleship
The witness of faith is deeds

Many non-Catholic Christians focus on:
Being Saved
Making an altar call
Saved by the Shed Blood of Jesus
Personal interpretation of the Bible
Faith alone
Speaking in Tongues
Bible alone

The thrust of the Mass is teachings of truth related to the Word of God. The Mass is also worship of God in which He is given praise, honor, and glory. The climax or highlight of the Mass is the consecration. The consecration, which brings the real presence of Jesus to us so that He can be worshiped and otherwise honored, takes place at Jesus' direction so that we may focus upon His teachings and miracles in order to know Him, and, through His word, be able to build a relationship with His Father.
"In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God." [Jn. 1:1]
It is the Word of God – the Word of God is truth – that leads to salvation and the benefit of the suffering and death of Jesus. Had Jesus merely arrived one day and said He was the Son of God and was immediately crucified, there would have been little reason for anyone to accept Him for who and what He was. Without His teachings which lead to the cross, His death would have, practically speaking, been meaningless. He would not have trained disciples to spread His teachings of salvation throughout creation. There would have been no ordained priests to celebrate the Mass and the sacraments. There would have been no hierarchical Church to bring order to the faith and proclaim the teachings of faith through the centuries.
Individual salvation is a process on the part of those who learn and gradually accept the truths taught by Jesus so that they can benefit from His final salvific act on the cross which took place at the command of His Father. The witness that He gave to a perfect act of obedience – that all men are to accept and follow – was the strongest possible statement that could be made to an informed people [at that moment and in the future] that what He taught and practiced were truths that must be given witness to in this life. His message was that salvation was not to be seen as something that was easy, but was to only be received by those who put forth the effort through faith and love [deeds].
Jesus' statement, "It is finished." reflected upon the culmination of His work of instruction and that He was now freely giving up His human life as an illustration of perfect obedience to His Father's will. [We have been taught, have been given example, and we are also expected to be obedient to the Father's will.] Jesus' death on the cross was climactic. The overall effect of His life and death was the forgiveness of sins for those who would adhere to His word and receive the benefit of His witness.
Keep in mind that Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, and other Old Testament figures were already in a state of bliss prior to Jesus' crucifixion – though it was less than perfect because of the absence of the Beatific Vision [The glorified presence of Jesus].
Full forgiveness of all sins is freely offered, but redemption through the final salvific act of Jesus on the cross is not received gratuitously. Salvation must be worked out with fear and trembling:
"So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling." [Philip. 2:12]
"But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. I shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to examine it. One of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed, enabling him to open the scroll with its seven seals."
Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders, a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the (seven) spirits of God sent out into the whole world. He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne." [Rev. 5:3-7]
Jesus Himself won the right to open the scroll through His perfection of obedience to God the Father. He was the spotless Lamb. He was the perfect witness to truth, justice, and obedience. It was through Him that all human beings were given the opportunity to be freed from the sin of Adam, and, from their own sins. It was through Jesus that mercy was granted to those who would open their minds and hearts to His word.
The crucifix is a symbol to keep our minds open and focused on the life, teachings, and sufferings of Jesus. The Holy Eucharist is the ultimate test of faith:
"The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you." [John 6:52-53]
"For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself." [1 Cor. 11:29]
Recent surveys indicate that only 70% of Catholics believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. These Catholics, who have the real opportunity to receive Jesus, do not benefit due to their lack of faith.
All sins must be forgiven. Without Jesus' culminating salvific act no one would ever have the opportunity to enter Heaven. Without His perfect act of obedience no one would ever be allowed to enter Heaven. Anyone with sin remaining on His soul or even has desires relating to sin is not allowed to enter Heaven. Such a person has not developed the proper love of God that is necessary for entry into the kingdom of Heaven. NOTE: A developed faith is a prerequisite to having proper love.
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." [Jn. 18:37]

Jesus came into the world to bring truth, but most people are like Pilate who said, "What is truth?" The teachings of Jesus (truth) bring the benefit of His final act. His final act was salvific in that it made grace [via forgiveness of sins] available to repentant sinners so that they would be enabled to enter into Heaven. The ultimate testimony that Jesus could give to truth was His sacrificial suffering and death.
Jesus' death on the cross was necessary in order to make peace with God the Father – through perfect obedience to prove Himself worthy to open the scroll of the saved – not only for the sin of Adam but for each individual who would ever sin. The act and the facts speak for themselves. But, Jesus also lived and taught that we might believe and benefit from the act and facts.
Jesus gave the whole of His life because of our sins, not just a part of it. Had Jesus not shed His blood on the cross He would have been proven unworthy to open the scroll of those who would be allowed to enter into Heaven. His death on the cross was absolutely necessary. But, His teachings of truth, His development of ministry was also necessary to give meaning to His death on the cross. For Jesus to have privately shed blood would not have accomplished the goal of developing the content of faith that was necessary to bring about the change from a covenant of law to a covenant of faith based upon a fuller understanding of truth [light].
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather,
he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light." [Lk. 8:16]
It is unarguable that Jesus life, death, and resurrection were gratuitous. He did not have to come into this life. He did not have to teach or perform miracles. He did not have to suffer and die and resurrect. He did these things through exercising His free will, by free choice. But, if He did not do these things He would not have been Lord and Master. He would not have had perfected beings created in God's image and likeness with whom He would be able to share eternal life in union with God the Father.
"Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest. The reaper is already receiving his payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together." [Jn. 4:34-36]
Jesus is the sower of the seeds of truth necessary for the reaper to have a harvest. There can be no harvest based upon lies, deceit, and humanism.
"I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice [the voice of truth], and there will be one flock, one shepherd." [Jn. 10:14-16]
"but the world must know [be taught truth] that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me. Get up, let us go.
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke [the word, that was truth, was to be spoken] to you." [Jn. 14:31-15:3]
"My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments [commandments must be known, taught]. Whoever says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived." [1 John 2:1-6]
"For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45

Jesus served:

through His teachings
by setting good example
through miracles
by giving His life for those who would be saved.
The giving of His life was not exclusive of His service.

"Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
"This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me."" [Luke 22:19]
The remembrance of Jesus cannot be understood to be exclusive of His teachings. It must be kept in mind that at the Last Supper the final act of giving His life had not yet taken place.
"They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.
"I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me." [John 17:16-23]
Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Cor. 5:7-8
"I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you." John 8:37
"Since you have purified yourselves by obedience to the truth for sincere mutual love, love one another intensely from a (pure) heart." [1 Peter 1:22]
"Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!"" [God's will must be made known in order for it to be done.] [Mt. 26:42]
"Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." [1 Cor. 5:7-8]
"I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you." [John 8:37]
"Since you have purified yourselves by obedience to the truth for sincere mutual love, love one another intensely from a (pure) heart." [1 Peter 1:22]
Bearing our sins on the cross was a necessary part of what Jesus did and it was known before the incarnation that He would do so. However, His primary reason for coming was to teach a more complete understanding of the will of God the Father. To teach the New Covenant of faith to replace the Old Covenant of law. His greatest teaching was the testimony He gave, to the truths He taught, on the cross. We are also expected to give testimony according to the gifts we have individually been given.
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."" [Matthew 16:24]
"He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. [we are enabled to be forgiven]" [1 Peter 2:24]
Unlike those living in Old Testament times we do not live under the burden of having to wait for the sin of Adam or the effect of our own sins to be remitted. However, we cannot claim salvation until we have achieved a fullness of faith. Like Saint Paul we must not prematurely claim the perfect maturity of faith. We must continue our pursuit of it in the hope of one day possessing the worthy goal of perfect faith.
"More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and (the) sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
"It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have indeed been taken possession of by Christ (Jesus). Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, [Paul was continually instructing, teachings the truths Jesus wanted us to know] the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Let us, then, who are "perfectly mature" adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you. Only, with regard to what we have attained, continue on the same course." [Philip. 3:8-16]

Jesus is referred to as teacher 58 times in the Gospels. Even the Scribes and Pharisees referred to Him as teacher.
"As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi [teacher].' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers." [Matthew 23:8]
They posed this question to him, "Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is correct, and you show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. [Luke 20:21]
"to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been consecrated by faith in me.' [Acts 26:18]
"By this "will," we have been consecrated through the offering [the final act of shedding blood was the necessary climax of Jesus' teaching activities. It was the greatest lesson of all because it would forever give strength to His teachings. It was the perfect act of obedience that allowed entry into Heaven to those who had their sins forgiven (through His death) by learning and practicing His teachings of truth.] of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." [Heb. 10:10]
The single most important act of Jesus' ministry was accepting death on the cross at the will of His Father. This was something He absolutely did not want to do – [And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. Luke 22:43-44] – but did do out of obedience. Dying on the cross was one of the two necessary activities of His life on earth. The other being the consecrating of an authorized priesthood, that had personally been taught truths by Him, who would keep His memory present and active throughout the ages. The legitimate priesthood enabled the ultimate act of Jesus to be either accepted or rejected in every age as referred to in John 6:52-53.
"What more shall I say? I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they closed the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword; out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned back foreign invaders. Women received back their dead through resurrection. Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword's point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth."
"Yet all these, though approved because of their faith, did not receive what had been promised. God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect."
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart." [Heb. 11:32-12:3]
Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." [John was imprisoned and put to death because he spoke truth. Jesus was crucified because He proclaimed truth while knowing full well that it would lead to His suffering and death. No one should disparage the importance or presentation of truth.] [Mk. 6:17-18]

It was truth that brought about the deaths of so many prophets before him. It is truth that is not only important but is necessary for salvation. Jesus' death was the ultimate witness to the truths He taught. In a very real sense it can be said that Jesus' suffering and death was such a dramatic event that it would be remembered forever. In future times whenever anyone would look at a crucifix and ask its meaning, the full story of Jesus' life and teachings would be revealed and His death would be the climatic event that would cause His teachings and the fact that He was the Son of God to be accepted. It is the diminishing of truth in the world that has brought turmoil in the world.

Protestants focus on being saved. Mature Catholics focus on learning and putting into practice the truths that bring about salvation.

The Sacrifice of the cross only took place because of the truths Jesus taught.

"because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." [Jn. 1:17]
I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." [Jn. 1:31]
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken. [Jn. 2:22]
And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. [Jn. 3:19]
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever (an absolute need for ordained priests); and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." [Jn. 6:51]
Then Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind." [Jn. 9:39]
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again." [Jn. 12:27-28]

Two questions exist in relation to the Catholic altar Call:

Do you believe in the full material presence of Jesus in the Eucharist?

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us (his) flesh to eat?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. [Jn. 6:52-55]
Are you receiving the Lord Jesus in faith or unto condemnation?

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. [1 Cor. 11:27-29]

Links

Suffering in Hell Relating to God God is Love
Entry Page HOME Site Map E-MAIL:

Editor
Spam detection programs eliminate non-returnable E-mail
and those without a clearly stated and acceptable subject line.

This web site is produced and provided as a service by Life Enterprises Unlimited.
Contents may be reproduced ?unchanged? provided source, with link, is noted.
Operational expenses need to be covered. – For Credit Cards Click >>>

tax deductible

LIFE ENTERPRISES UNLIMITED
(A 501-c-3 Non-Profit Organization)
P. O. Box 850307
Mobile, AL 36685 U. S. A.