beth

I have a question, the Bible says that we must confess Christ with our mouth to be saved. Does this mean that those who cannot speak cannot be saved?

Darth Dane

No, it means that you have to think as Jesus did. Thus no words are required. It is metaphorical, I believe.




DD - Love Spliff

Talulah

Cool!

I never thought of that. It would SEEM to indicate that if you can't 'confess with the mouth' that you will not be able to fulfill that portion of requirement for salvation. Therefore you will continue to be lost. I guess you could mouth the words. That might work for some denominations.

Here is another thought. When I was a kid, I remember naively saying to my mother “isn’t it amazing that no one is allergic to grapes and bread.” She told me God wouldn't allow anyone to be allergic to what he had set aside for communing his death. Praise God and his foresight. I really thought this was proof of the hand of God.

I found out a few years later that there ARE people who are highly allergic to wheat products who are unable to participate in communion. I heard about this because of a news story about the Catholic Church refusing to administer different sacraments to a child who was allergic to wheat at their first communion. Not only did they refuse to make allowances for the disability, they also stated the child was seperated from God or something because of the inability to do the rite. I believe the child’s parents went to a Methodist or Episcopalian church that would give a substitute for the ritual. Later on, I heard of another case very similar to that, and then another case of a person allergic to grapes.

Darth Dane

Imagine, people using food as an excuse to cast children out of God's house.
Because you can't eat wheat, you must be of the devils spawn.

What is this belief, where is the Love?

I must be blind, since I cannot understand this.





DD - Love Spliff

Glass*Soul

How odd that they wouldn't make a substitution as there are wheat-free breads and grape-free wines available in ordinary grocery stores. I've read the New Testament through quite thoroughly and I don't recall Jesus giving any recipies for the sacraments.

******

"Thinking the way Jesus thought" is an interesting challenge. Most of his teachings were not designed to bring his listeners to a one particular conclusion but simply to challenge them to begin thinking in the first place.

Jesus was not complimenting people when he called them sheep. He referred to himself as "the gate" to the sheep pen in one story. (John 10) How many sermons have I heard in which his followers are pictured as huddling in the pen while Jesus guards the gate protecting them? If anything, I think Jesus was encouraging his listeners to stop huddling, to escape out of the pen, and to look to him as an example of someone who dared to think for himself.

Darth Dane

If anything, I think Jesus was encouraging his listeners to stop huddling, to escape out of the pen, and to look to him as an example of someone who dared to think for himself.

Yes, I believe.



DD - Love Spliff