GunnSmokeer
Senior Member
The other day I was listening to a famous and popular conservative Baptist preacher talk about the death and resurrection of Christ as AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY for salvation, and NOT just because God said so or because that's a rule he made, but that it HAD to be that way, it was always that way, it could never possibly be any other way. God CANNOT forgive sins just because HE is kind and generous or forgiving, but ONLY though his Son's sacrifice is it even possible. There ARE things God can't do, and one is to overlook sin, and sin can only be paid for one way.
So, that immediately had me wondering about the righteous prophets of the Old Testament, and even the contrite thief on the cross, who Jesus said would "this day" go to heaven with Him.
Or the paralyzed man that had to be lowered through the roof of a house to get close to Jesus. The Lord publicly announced his sins were forgiven and that he would be healed. Some of the witnesses thought to themselves, "how can this man forgive sin? Only God can do that!"
So, it doesn't seem "impossible" for a Holy God to forgive sin at times before Jesus came to Earth, or before Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sins.
So, that immediately had me wondering about the righteous prophets of the Old Testament, and even the contrite thief on the cross, who Jesus said would "this day" go to heaven with Him.
Or the paralyzed man that had to be lowered through the roof of a house to get close to Jesus. The Lord publicly announced his sins were forgiven and that he would be healed. Some of the witnesses thought to themselves, "how can this man forgive sin? Only God can do that!"
So, it doesn't seem "impossible" for a Holy God to forgive sin at times before Jesus came to Earth, or before Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sins.
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