Jesuit magazine: Sin is unimportant – the main thing is an open heart

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Sin is not at all decisive when it comes to the question of whether a person can be saved or perish. A minor matter, downright unimportant, is the message from a Jesuit magazine.

Sin? Oh what!

Do not concern yourself with sin, but see to it that you open your heart. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you sin, as long as your heart is open. The Jesuit magazine “America – The Jesuit Review” conveys this message to its readers. (Source). All of this is wrapped up in camaraderie, charity and a touch of common good.

The Imperfect Disciples

The author describes quite correctly that the disciples chosen by Jesus Christ formed a “motley bunch”. Fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, a doctor. The twelve successors covered a wide spectrum of society. The authors of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) did not even try to hide the incompetence that sometimes came to light when they wrote them.

The author highlights Simon, who was called “Peter” by Jesus Christ. The word from Greek means “rock”. This is fitting for someone who was “confident and reliable” but also “completely insecure and unstable.” He was a walking contradiction.

Small but subtle difference

There is already a problem at the point around Peter, and it is huge. In Greek, the word “petros” stands for Peter. But that doesn’t describe a rock, but a stone, at best a boulder. In Greek, the word “petra” stands for the word rock. Thus, Jesus Christ did not equate his follower Simon Peter with a rock, but with a stone. Peter cannot be the rock on which the church is built, but rather Jesus Christ himself.

Some proponents of the erroneous thesis that Peter is the rock may simply see a play on words between “petros” and “petra”. But the distinction is entirely justified and makes sense. Peter himself is part of the church that is founded on the rock, i.e. Jesus Christ. Anyone who throws a stone cannot rename it a rock according to a play on words. This just made the narrator of this event unbelievable. Like the authors who cling to the presumptuous thesis of the Roman Church.

A “colorful group” as Jesus’ companions

All of the companions chosen by Jesus Christ had their individual flaws. Matthäus, the “customs officer”, was even a real “unsympathic” within this group. A professional group that was extremely unpopular with taxpayers at the time. They were known for collecting more taxes than necessary in order to enrich themselves. At this point the author emphasizes, how could it be otherwise, that the taxpayer did not have the “common good” at heart.

Of course, the description of the imperfection of the disciples and ultimately traitor Judas cannot be omitted. The author describes Judas’ inability to overcome “his deep cynicism and hopelessness” despite his personal friendship with Jesus and numerous “life-changing encounters.”

“We don’t have to be perfect”

Many preachers and commentators highlight the weaknesses and sins of the apostles during Jesus’ public ministry and suffering, the author said. In this way the sins are understandable. This gives us a feeling of comfort because “we know” that the acceptance and appreciation of Jesus does not depend on moral perfection. This is a comfort to us because this compassionate fellowship shows that “we don’t have to be perfect” because the apostles were not perfect.

When reading the Gospels, the focus should be on Jesus and less on the apostles. Concentrating on the disciples’ weaknesses can unconsciously lead to “our ego” being prevented from deeper conversion. The danger is to fall into the belief that the common human experience of imperfection and sin is an inevitable and unchanging reality. Here faith in God’s mercy and forgiveness could be lost. This is “ironically a universal constant.”

Sin? Doesn’t matter! Open your heart, that’s all!

“Jesus isn’t afraid of our death or our sin. He waits just outside the closed door of our hearts, that door that only opens from within, that we lock with a double bolt whenever we think God could never forgive us.”, is the quote used by the author from the book about Lazarus, by the Jesuit James Martin. We are all sinners, like the apostles. There were liars, fraudsters and traitors. “There is a meaningful consolation in this solidarity,” said the author.

“The true challenge of discipleship is not to avoid sin, but to never tire of opening the door of our own hearts.”

Misleading par excellence

The message of this author in this Jesuit magazine is: show solidarity with other sinners. Just open your heart. Your sins don’t matter. A deeply Jesuit, Catholic theology. A teaching that directly opposes the Word of God. This is not surprising, because the institution represented by the Jesuits is in a bitter but completely hopeless battle against Jesus Christ (Info).

If sin were in principle irrelevant if only the heart was open (according to the author, open for what?), then the problem could have been solved after the first fall in the Garden of Eden. “Whatever, don’t worry about it. Just open your heart, Adam!” is God’s possible answer according to the author’s logic. But as we all know, that’s not the case and that’s why the world looks the way it does today.

The opposite is the truth

The author tells the exact opposite of what the Gospel says and why Jesus Christ came into this world as a human being. What is required is not understanding for sinners, or even solidarity with sinners, but only overcoming sin. Why did Jesus Christ (Jesus = God saves) come into this world? Matthew 9:13 gives the answer:
“For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.“

Jesus Christ came into this world to call sinners to repentance. But the author of the Jesuit magazine suggests that sin is not that important.

Tolerance even for imperfection?

The claim that man does not have to be perfect, just as the apostles were not perfect, can be refuted with a stroke of the hand. In fact, the apostles were not without sin or even close to perfectionism, however one might define that. They didn’t even understand that Jesus Christ would die and rise again on the third day, even though Jesus announced this three times. However, the author fails to mention the knowledge the apostles gained after Jesus’ resurrection and especially the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). One verse refutes the author’s “crooked thesis,” Matthew 5:48:
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect“

This does not mean perfection in omniscience and omnipotence, but rather the essence, the character of God. Man should strive for what Adam and Eve were once created. As the image of God. This also includes the rigorous rejection and avoidance of any sin.

Sin must be overcome

Overcoming sin is the primary, even automatic, goal for every serious believer. Sin, specifically the violation of God’s law (1 John 3:4), cannot be justified by anything. Therefore, the sin can in no way be comprehensible, as the author tried to make it seem. This would amount to justification. Jesus Christ conquered this world. He remained sinless. And Jesus Christ urged us to follow Him in overcoming Revelation 3:21:
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.“

John made it clear what sin means, its origins, and what its consequences will be:

1 John 3:5:
“And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

1 John 3:8-9:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.“

Open your heart to the Holy Spirit

People will not be able to overcome this on their own. If one wants to follow the words of this author in the Jesuit magazine about the open heart, then only for the opening of the heart to let the Holy Spirit work. Only through true faith in the true Gospel and prayer in truth can man and his sinful nature overcome due to the action of the Holy Spirit (Info).

Jesus Christ sacrificed himself on the cross to save people, even though they are all sinners. Actually sentenced to death. But with the death of Jesus Christ, the creator of humanity, the sins were paid for and He thereby acquired the right to be able to forgive a sinner with all justice without consequences. This is exactly what grace comes from faith.

Anyone who claims that sin is basically irrelevant and that no special importance should be attached to it is about to send other people straight to destruction, Romans 6:23:
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.“

Actual role repeatedly confirmed

The author’s position is very clear evidence that the Roman Catholic Church, with the Jesuit order as the “secret service” active military spearhead, are the great opponents of Jesus Christ. The spiritual war is in full swing. The dragon is angry and now attacks the remnant who obey God’s commandments and bear the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 12:17). Turning down the gospel and listening to your own heart, which is open to whatever, leads – if you will – to the “devil’s kitchen” (Info).

Bible verses from King James Version