Jason,
I agree wholeheartedly. My only question is, “how do you see that agape poured out?”
You said:
….when the source of that agape would be poured out upon the people of God and infused into their hearts (Gal. 4:1-6; Rom. 5:5).
Titus 3:5
King James Version (KJV)
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
King James Version (KJV)
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
My emphasis upon the Sacraments might lead some to believe that I think it is the only way by which God pours grace into the world. But that is far from true. I follow the Catholic Teaching:
1257 The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are “reborn of water and the Spirit.” God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments.
Therefore the Scripture teaches that the Spirit blows where it will (John 3:8).
