this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2023
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Explain Like I'm Five

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ELI5: If you're a Christian, why do you have to be good if Jesus will forgive you no matter what? (self.explainlikeimfive)
submitted 1 year ago by minorninth to c/explainlikeimfive
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I grew up going to church but I'm not religious now and I never really understood this part.

Please, no answers along the lines of "aha, that's why Christianity is a sham" or "religions aren't logical". I don't want to debate whether it's right or wrong, I just want to understand the logic and reasoning that Christians use to explain this.

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[–] dragontamer 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

IIRC, Baptists believe in "Faith Alone" leads to salvation.

Catholics believe in forgiveness and mortal sins that must be wiped away through the sacrament of Confession. IE: You have to effectively promise to God you don't plan to do those evil deeds again.

Etc. etc. Different Christian groups have different beliefs. Its impossible to generalize. I think from the "Baptist" perspective, if you truly are a faithful practicing Christian, you don't need Confession because you know (and God knows) you're going to be doing the right thing anyway. So its not like its a get-out-of-jail-free card either, they just don't like the Catholic practice of Confession so they built their faith around a different structure than the explicit sacrament of asking God for forgiveness.