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Penance and the idea of "earning forgiveness"

P

Pilgrim of this Reality

Member
I noticed that many beliefs set up rules or penance that a "sinner" must follow in order to recieve forgiveness. God and Jesus alone has that power, and we can never earn that forgiveness (Mark 2:5-12,Romans 3, 9-26). So why do many beliefs teach that someone must do a good deed to make up for the "sin" and be accepted back into the fold if God's forgiveness is a grace? Especially since God is the one who adds to the church; we dont have any say in who isnt added or who is (Acts 2:47). Christians are called to forgive and freely so. Why must someone earn our forgiveness?

Penance and like teachings could also be a way of moral learning. But isnt the fact that the person is willing to do such an act show that they already know what they did is wrong? (speaking of honest feelings here)
 
No*s

No*s

Captain Obvious
Pilgrim of this Reality said:
I noticed that many beliefs set up rules or penance that a "sinner" must follow in order to recieve forgiveness. God and Jesus alone has that power, and we can never earn that forgiveness (Mark 2:5-12,Romans 3, 9-26). So why do many beliefs teach that someone must do a good deed to make up for the "sin" and be accepted back into the fold if God's forgiveness is a grace? Especially since God is the one who adds to the church; we dont have any say in who isnt added or who is (Acts 2:47). Christians are called to forgive and freely so. Why must someone earn our forgiveness?

Penance and like teachings could also be a way of moral learning. But isnt the fact that the person is willing to do such an act show that they already know what they did is wrong? (speaking of honest feelings here)
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Speaking for mine, penance isn't about the forgiveness of sins. It's about changing who we are. The forgiveness of sins isn't the problem. We suffer from the results of sins, and we need to have those changed for our own good. That's where penance comes in; it helps to transform us, not earn forgiveness.
 
michel

michel

Administrator Emeritus
Staff member
No*s said:
Speaking for mine, penance isn't about the forgiveness of sins. It's about changing who we are. The forgiveness of sins isn't the problem. We suffer from the results of sins, and we need to have those changed for our own good. That's where penance comes in; it helps to transform us, not earn forgiveness.
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That is so well put No*s that I can add nothing to it, well except for a............
fruball!:jiggy:
 
jewscout

jewscout

Religious Zionist
God and Jesus alone has that power, and we can never earn that forgiveness
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Maybe in christianity...but not in Judaism...through prayer and mitzvot one can gain forgiveness for sins...
 
No*s

No*s

Captain Obvious
jewscout said:
Maybe in christianity...but not in Judaism...through prayer and mitzvot one can gain forgiveness for sins...
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No, only in some aspects of Christianity. Forgiveness is made possible only by God and eternal forgiveness comes only from Him, but well, I can forgive someone, a priest can remit sins, and so on. Most of Christianity acknowledges these things.
 
jewscout

jewscout

Religious Zionist
No*s said:
No, only in some aspects of Christianity. Forgiveness is made possible only by God and eternal forgiveness comes only from Him, but well, I can forgive someone, a priest can remit sins, and so on. Most of Christianity acknowledges these things.
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thanks for the correction No*s

this is very similar to how forgiveness is handled when you transgress against another person in judaism...
 
No*s

No*s

Captain Obvious
jewscout said:
thanks for the correction No*s

this is very similar to how forgiveness is handled when you transgress against another person in judaism...
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Welcome JS :). I actually think there's more in common between the traditional forms of Christianity and Judaism than we often let on lol.
 
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