Originally Posted by patricius79
As complex as his mind and method is, he saw “the blood of His flesh” as having redeemed the human bodies from corruption, and he clearly saw the Eucharist as the efficient cause of bodily sanctity.
Yes, he rightly held that the "blood of His flesh" as having redeemed sinners including their human bodies. However, your spin on it is corrupt as is the Roman State Church's doctrine of transubstantiation. What Clement rightly held is that the "blood" of Christ, i.e., His vicarious substitutionary death on the cross was for the redemption of those for whom He died. (Rom 3:24; 8:23; 1Cor 1:30; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; Heb 9:15; Gal 4:4,5; Titus 2:14; Mk 10:45) Interestingly enough, there is not the slightest hint of salvation via Eucharist participation in any of the passages referenced. Redemption is always by faith alone in Christ alone and not by any work of any law; God's nor man's. There is thus no salvation in the participation of a sacrament but in Christ alone; Solus Christus.

All the writings of ALL men apart from the inspired written Word of God are subject to scrutiny. As I have pointed out to you elsewhere even in the days of the apostles there were false teachers, false prophets, heresies coming into the church. Both Paul and Peter forewarned of these things and John counseled believers to:

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1 John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

This applies to popes, bishops, elders, pastors, teachers and all individual who purport to speak in the name of God; yes myself included. I am forever thankful that Sola Scriptura is a biblical doctrine else I too would be subject to "every wind of doctrine". That error has been embraced for centuries should be of no surprise. The Jews fell into idolatrous teachings and practices for two millenia. wink

The Anvil of God's Word

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime:
Then looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

"How many anvils have you had," said I,
"To wear and batter all these hammers so?"
"Just one," said he, and then, with twinkling eye,
"The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."

And so, thought I, the anvil of God's Word,
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed . . . the hammers gone.

—Author unknown

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simul iustus et peccator

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