Jimmy August 25th, 2007

Isn't absolution all that is necessary to know God? How can an entire book be written about this? I can understand a book on following God's ways, but just on knowing God? Perhaps I should purchase the book and read it. But as long as my priest has absolved me of sin (Episcopal Church) I don't know if anything more is required.

Erik August 25th, 2007

Do you equate the forgiveness of sins with knowledge of God?

Jimmy August 25th, 2007

Knowledge of God is difficult to comprehend. I am not comfortable around people who talk like God is their best friend. This is pretense. Their God is too small if He can be known with their (and my) pea brain.
Intelligent, well-educated people who have attended graduate schools of religion continue to read, think, pray, etc after graduating. So if God is to be known, it is gradual and progressive apparently. God is vast – infinite. Can such a Supreme Being really be "known"? A little bit today and a little more tomorrow is the best for which we can hope.
But knowledge of my faults and failures is something I can comprehend well. It's real. It's sin. That's where absolution is necessary.

John August 25th, 2007

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No man, regardless his credentials (priest, pastor, bishop, pope) can "absolve" sin. Only God through his Son, Jesus, can do that. Mr 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? The Scribes were right.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Paul experienced "knowing" God in salvation yet desired to know Him more. Phillipians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Erik August 26th, 2007

John,

I think you misunderstand the office of a priest with regard to absolution. The priest doesn't declare people forgiven based on the priest's merit, but rather on the promises of God about the finished work of His Son.

Also, there are Scriptures like Matt 18:18, "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

And:

John 20:22-23, "And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Again, this forgiveness is based on the work of Jesus, not the person declaring the truth of the work.

At least that's how I understand it.

John August 31st, 2007

Pardon my side-stepping the deep convo. I just wanted to say I thought this was a good show. Just listened to the podcast. Thanks for representing those that "Want to want" and Want to want to want" to know God.