Baptised Christians : free Pasport to Heaven?

Question

I understand that Protestants believe in only Heaven and Earth.

But based on the no. of sins we committed each day (no matter how small they are), thus it mean its a free passport to heaven as long as we continue to sin and ask for God's forgiveness?

Why are Protestants bashing Confession and purgatory which is so relevant to Church teaching?

thank u for all the answers and healthy discussion. upon baptism all our past sins are being forgiven once and forever and god will hold us no account on it. i baptised at age 31, thus anything before is pardoned. BUT anything i do that account to vernial and mortal sin i am accountable for. that is why confession is very important to RC, and penance are done to rectify the grief we set against god and our neighbours. purgatory is intended to pay for our sins we committed in our lifetime.

really. if u think about it, it really defeat the purpose as one can sin and ask for God forgivenes, and repeat this cycle again. Then what is the true meaning of being a christian when ultimately there is either heaven and hell only at judgement? that is why i raised this question.

Answer 1

No. Nothing is necessarily a free passport to Heaven. Even some who claim to believe on Christ Jesus will be "unrecognized" by Him when they stand before Him.
It is what we do with out belief on Him that is of import.

I don't know why so many people deny the value of confession before others and the truth of purgatory/hell.

Answer 2

I was under the impression that the reason Christians "bash" confession is because you are asking forgiveness from a priest, not God. Some Christians don't recognize pergatory because it's taught as symbolism in the Bible.

There is no "free" passport. All must confess in Christ, be baptized and witness. However, because we ALL sin, a Christian would recognize this sin and ask forgiveness.

There is a difference between intentional sin and unintentional. Intentional is when you plan on going out and getting drunk, stealing, etc.

Unintentional is like when you accidently judge someone without knowing. As long as it's recognized and then repented (or if it's a constant problem, to get help), Jesus will forgive every time.

If you're not sorry for the sin and don't repent, there may be dire consequences. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I don't know any that do. But Protestants don't use confession & or the concept of purgatory because they're not in the Bible. However, numerous Protestant religions believe in Heaven, Earth, and Hell. If you're a believer and a good person there is no need to be "cleansed" in Purgatory before entering the presence of God. However, non-believers and the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire forever.

Answer 4

Protestants do not only believe in heaven and earth; we believe there is a hell also. That is where the unsaved go for eternity. We do not believe in purgatory, and I have never seen purgatory mentioned in the Bible. Hell, yes; purgatory, no. Confession, whether done as the Catholics do or in another way, is a good thing, and I think it is biblical. We would all do well to spend time confessing our sins.

Answer 5

You are not correct in your assumption. First of all we do confess our sins to God, read 1 John 1:9. Second Jesus died on the cross ONCE for all sin. Christians believe that Christ's one time sacrifice was sufficient for the cleansing of sin, no work of man or act of man can repay our debt. If you read in the scriptures you will find the penalty for sin is DEATH, not an uncomfortable wait in purgatory. Purgatory is not in the scriptures because it actually works against the teachings of Christ. It is a man made product used for justification.

Jesus wants us to depend on Him not ourselves and not other men; the scriptures proclaim this truth. There is no need for purgatory and true Christians live according to Ephesians 2:8-10.

Answer 6

Baptism has nothing to do with access to Heaven. It's merely a public showing of faith in God and one's new birth in Christ.

I've also never heard a Christian bash confession (note the small 'c'). What non-Catholics do say is that Catholic confession is not scriptural. Repeating a bunch of sentences as part of confession or forgiveness for sin is never mentioned in the Bible, nor is confessing to a priest. A Christian has direct access to God through Christ, not man:

1Ti 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Answer 7

Baptism does not help, or stop you from getting to heaven. Heaven is obtained through Jesus Christs sacrifice ONLY. Simply calling on him will save you, and will entitle you to inheriting the kingdom of God. Thats right, inherit. Not just live there.. we will actually own all of this with God.

Nothing else. No traditions, no dancing, no helping people. Nothing will help you get to heaven but by calling upon the name of the Lord to be saved, and trusting in him. Thats it.

With Christ Jesus,

Dusty

PS: Purgatory is no where in the bible. Not even a definition. And to confess to priests is something that you do in vein if you do that. A priest cannot forgive you of sins. You are to repent to God, and God only. Catholics have their own cultist way of going about things. And it is NOT God's way. It is their own mans way.

Answer 8

Protestants don't believe in only "heaven and earth." Nor do they believe that by being baptised, you automatically get a pass and are saved.

Protestants should not "bash" confession and purgatory out of respect. But it is not bashing to disagree with someone. I disagree about confession because I follow what the Bible says about salvation, not what various other authors say.

In scripture, there is only one mediator and that is Jesus. No earthly priest can either forgive or intercede on your behalf. That's not bashing. That's what God's Word says.

Answer 9

"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved''...baptism won't get you to heaven without faith, but it has played a very important part in our salvation and our dying to sin and becoming alive in Christ since the earliest days in the Church. It's a shame that so many protestants take so lightly the traditions that the early church held so dear and believed to be real. I'm not protestant by the way, I'm Orthodox Christian.

Answer 10

Purgatory denies what the Bible teaches about the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice to pay for our sins. The idea that we go to a place of punishment where our sinful nature is "purged" from us is a concept that is alien to the sacred Scriptures.

Hebrews 10:11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

A Christian can slip into sin but if they are born again then they would have to fight against the ongoing conviction of the Holy Spirit to remain in a sinful lifestyle. The passage above goes on to give a stern warning about willful sin.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

One of the downsides of Roman Catholic doctrine is the notion that a sinner can confess to a Priest and do penance for their sins while on earth. That is also an unbiblical teaching that tempts weak willed believers into thinking that they can sin now and pay later by doing good works.

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.