I recently viewed the History Channel’s two part story of the Crusades entitled “The Crusades: The Crescent and the Cross”.
As I watched the program I was astounded by the offer that Pope Urban II made to those soldiers who volunteered for the 1st Crusade. Said Urban in his rallying speech, “All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins.” Basically, Urban II was offering the forgiveness of sins in exchange for military service. This leads to an interesting question…
Did Pope Urban II have the authority to ‘sell’ the forgiveness of sins to the soldiers of the 1st Crusade?
According to the scriptures, Jesus Christ is already offering the remission of all sins to anyone who believes and trusts in Him. The forgiveness that Jesus is offering is FREE and offered as a GIFT. So, if it is already free, how on Earth could any Pope even attempt to attach a price to it, whether that is military service or money?
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.”
In the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul makes a point of saying that the forgiveness of sins is NOT like a wage at all. In fact, Paul makes it clear that the concepts of “gift” and “wage” are mutually exclusive. Here is what he said…
Romans 4:4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
The bible contains a wealth of other passages that teach that the forgiveness of all of our sins is being offered to us for free through faith in Jesus Christ.
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Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Acts 13:38 “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
Acts 26:17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Eph. 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Col. 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:12 I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
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In light of these passages it is clear that Pope Urban II was out of line to offer the remission of sins in exchange for military service.
But, how about you? Does your church teach you that the forgiveness of all of your sins is free or does it teach you that you have to earn forgiveness through some kind of service or good works?
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