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WhiteDove
Guest
Is the concept “Accepting Jesus into your heart” Biblical?
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Genesis315
Guest
I don’t know, but I do know that accepting Him into your stomach is spelled out nice and clear.
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Absalom
Guest
Nope.
Protestants might find the concept in John 6, since they don’t interpret Jesus’ words literally, but neveretheless, the formula that one must “accept Jesus Christ as one’s personal Lord and Savior” is simply not present in the Scriptures.
That does not, of course, mean that having a personal relationship with Christ and accepting the grace that He merited on our behalf isn’t a necessary part of the process of salvation.
Cheers!
Protestants might find the concept in John 6, since they don’t interpret Jesus’ words literally, but neveretheless, the formula that one must “accept Jesus Christ as one’s personal Lord and Savior” is simply not present in the Scriptures.
That does not, of course, mean that having a personal relationship with Christ and accepting the grace that He merited on our behalf isn’t a necessary part of the process of salvation.
Cheers!
W
Windmill
Guest
Isn’t it funny how Protestants may only be playing with half a deck (ie., no sacraments, no apostolic tradition, no apostolic succession, etc…), but they use every card wisely. Whereas, Catholics may have the fullness of revealed truth, but we oftentimes don’t utilize those graces.
Protestants usually have incredible, life-giving relationships with Our Lord. We could learn a lot from them.
Then, after we get to know them, convert them so that their zeal will infect our parishes.
Protestants usually have incredible, life-giving relationships with Our Lord. We could learn a lot from them.
Then, after we get to know them, convert them so that their zeal will infect our parishes.
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Absalom
Guest
I agree totally.Isn’t it funny how Protestants may only be playing with half a deck (ie., no sacraments, no apostolic tradition, no apostolic succession, etc…), but they use every card wisely. Whereas, Catholics may have the fullness of revealed truth, but we oftentimes don’t utilize those graces.
Protestants usually have incredible, life-giving relationships with Our Lord. We could learn a lot from them.
Then, after we get to know them, convert them so that their zeal will infect our parishes.
P
Pug
Guest
The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit come and dwell with us, and Jesus is in our heart through faith. We must abide in him (Jesus). Depending on what is meant by the phrase, it is hardly unbiblical in concept.
Jesus is right here in our hearts! I say, who cares about their terminology? I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they mean something biblical. Here is a phrase, although I already alluded to three passages above:
NAB 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Amen to that.
Jesus is right here in our hearts! I say, who cares about their terminology? I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they mean something biblical. Here is a phrase, although I already alluded to three passages above:
NAB 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Amen to that.
C
carol_marie
Guest
Rev 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door *(of your heart) *and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…
That’s the verse I’ve most often heard to support asking Jesus into your heart. I just looked it up in my Bible though so I could copy it correctly and get this - when used in this way, the verse always ends there but now as I’m reading it in my Bible I see that’s not the end! It continues…
… I will come in AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.
Hmm… eating. That hardly sounds like "symbolically coming into your heart?
That’s the verse I’ve most often heard to support asking Jesus into your heart. I just looked it up in my Bible though so I could copy it correctly and get this - when used in this way, the verse always ends there but now as I’m reading it in my Bible I see that’s not the end! It continues…
… I will come in AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.
Hmm… eating. That hardly sounds like "symbolically coming into your heart?
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Annunciata
Guest
carol marie:
CaroleMarie! This has just opened my eyes! :clapping:
Rev 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door *(of your heart) *and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…
That’s the verse I’ve most often heard to support asking Jesus into your heart. I just looked it up in my Bible though so I could copy it correctly and get this - when used in this way, the verse always ends there but now as I’m reading it in my Bible I see that’s not the end! It continues…
… I will come in AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.
Hmm… eating. That hardly sounds like "symbolically coming into your heart?
CaroleMarie! This has just opened my eyes! :clapping:
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WhiteDove
Guest
Annunciata said:
Yes, very nice reference.
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Annunciata
Guest
This really is a nice thread WhiteDove…if only some would rememberYes, very nice reference.
to be a little kinder in their posts…
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Naphali
Guest
I brought this up once in a conversation with an anti-Catholic evangelical and the verse she pointed to was one which says ‘For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’
[it’s both in Romans 10:13 and Acts 2:21] – to support this whole notion of a pre-canned sinner’s prayer which is no where in the Bible – amazing – They’re happy to accept this, the Trinity, the Incarnation, and all manner of other things which aren’t supported by their ‘Sola Scriptura’ ways – and yet will condemn those of us who have all of church history behind us.
[it’s both in Romans 10:13 and Acts 2:21] – to support this whole notion of a pre-canned sinner’s prayer which is no where in the Bible – amazing – They’re happy to accept this, the Trinity, the Incarnation, and all manner of other things which aren’t supported by their ‘Sola Scriptura’ ways – and yet will condemn those of us who have all of church history behind us.
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Gene_C
Guest
Hi all,
Well, those exact words may not be there but I think the concept is, and it is a Catholic concept to boot.
Ephesians 3:
“14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
I would say, as Scripture and Church teaches us, we are baptized into Christ and enter the covenant family of God, His Church but it is then our obligation to make room in our hearts for Him to dwell (read abide, settle down) through faith.
This is conversion, which is both a crisis and a process. It doesn’t just happen once and that’s it, as in the Once-Saved-Always-Saved doctrine. It is a lifelong process, a journey. And we are helped along in this process by the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, through our response of faith to the Word of God in the Scripture readings and homily, through prayer, fasting and charity (penance), through meditation on Scripture and contemplative prayer (including the Rosary). Am I leaving anything out here?
What do you think?
Blessings,
Gene
Well, those exact words may not be there but I think the concept is, and it is a Catholic concept to boot.
Ephesians 3:
“14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
I would say, as Scripture and Church teaches us, we are baptized into Christ and enter the covenant family of God, His Church but it is then our obligation to make room in our hearts for Him to dwell (read abide, settle down) through faith.
This is conversion, which is both a crisis and a process. It doesn’t just happen once and that’s it, as in the Once-Saved-Always-Saved doctrine. It is a lifelong process, a journey. And we are helped along in this process by the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, through our response of faith to the Word of God in the Scripture readings and homily, through prayer, fasting and charity (penance), through meditation on Scripture and contemplative prayer (including the Rosary). Am I leaving anything out here?
What do you think?
Blessings,
Gene
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WhiteDove
Guest
Dear Gene,
Yes, I think your explanation makes perfect Catholic sense. Thanks for the Biblical reference.
Yes, I think your explanation makes perfect Catholic sense. Thanks for the Biblical reference.
J
JimO
Guest
Just my thouhts on the matter -
Part of the hang up, I think, is the use of the word “heart”, which is supposed to be a term used to refer to the whole person. In the sense of the Protestant idea of the “salvation experience” it is a non-physical union, which is supported biblically, as others have shown. Also, Paul says at one point, “It is no longer I that lives but Christ that lives within me.” Therefore, this transformation that we Christians are engaged in is a process, not a one-time event, that involves the whole person. However, can we exclude the physical body from the concept of the whole person? No. I was created with a body, mind and soul. All three make up who I am - my personhood. Thus, the Protestant “salvation experience” speaks to the mental (decision for Christ) and spiritual (indwelling of the Holy Spirit) elements of “accepting Christ into our hearts (whole persons).” But, what about the physical element?
As Carol Marie pointed out so beautifully, the passage in Revelation captures the union of the whole person with Christ. How did the disciples on the road to Emmaus come to know Jesus - mentally (Jesus opened the Scriptures to them), spiritually (their hearts burned within them) and physically (through the breaking of bread). It wasn’t until they met Christ in their whole persons - their whole hearts, that they recognized Him.
Protestants miss the physical element of “accepting Jesus into our hearts” even though John 6, the Gospels, and I Cor 11 speak clearly of a physical consummation of Jesus by the body. Clearly Jesus wants to transform us wholly - mind, soul and body. Reading His word works on the mind, prayer and penance work on the soul, and the Sacraments (visible or PHYSICAL signs of invisible realities) work on the body. Of course, these all work in concert to transform the whole person - there aren’t clear lines of distinction. That is why the Mass involves Scripture, prayer and Eucharist.
Protestants miss out on the physical union with Christ, but, sadly many Catholics miss out on the mental or spiritual union with Christ.
Part of the hang up, I think, is the use of the word “heart”, which is supposed to be a term used to refer to the whole person. In the sense of the Protestant idea of the “salvation experience” it is a non-physical union, which is supported biblically, as others have shown. Also, Paul says at one point, “It is no longer I that lives but Christ that lives within me.” Therefore, this transformation that we Christians are engaged in is a process, not a one-time event, that involves the whole person. However, can we exclude the physical body from the concept of the whole person? No. I was created with a body, mind and soul. All three make up who I am - my personhood. Thus, the Protestant “salvation experience” speaks to the mental (decision for Christ) and spiritual (indwelling of the Holy Spirit) elements of “accepting Christ into our hearts (whole persons).” But, what about the physical element?
As Carol Marie pointed out so beautifully, the passage in Revelation captures the union of the whole person with Christ. How did the disciples on the road to Emmaus come to know Jesus - mentally (Jesus opened the Scriptures to them), spiritually (their hearts burned within them) and physically (through the breaking of bread). It wasn’t until they met Christ in their whole persons - their whole hearts, that they recognized Him.
Protestants miss the physical element of “accepting Jesus into our hearts” even though John 6, the Gospels, and I Cor 11 speak clearly of a physical consummation of Jesus by the body. Clearly Jesus wants to transform us wholly - mind, soul and body. Reading His word works on the mind, prayer and penance work on the soul, and the Sacraments (visible or PHYSICAL signs of invisible realities) work on the body. Of course, these all work in concert to transform the whole person - there aren’t clear lines of distinction. That is why the Mass involves Scripture, prayer and Eucharist.
Protestants miss out on the physical union with Christ, but, sadly many Catholics miss out on the mental or spiritual union with Christ.
G
Genesis315
Guest
JimO, great post. I have often thought the same thing. Protestants accept the spirit of Jesus in to their spirit, which is a great, but us Catholics have the privilege of accepting His entire being into our entire being. 
By the way, besides acepting Him into our stomach, I think there was also a certain lady who accepted Him into her womb
By the way, besides acepting Him into our stomach, I think there was also a certain lady who accepted Him into her womb
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menno
Guest
carol marie:
It’s interesting to note the context-he talking with the Laodicean and perhaps all the churches-more of a call to return to him than an outright evangelistic call-though the “anyone” would seem to apply to all.
Hi!Rev 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door *(of your heart) *and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…
That’s the verse I’ve most often heard to support asking Jesus into your heart. I just looked it up in my Bible though so I could copy it correctly and get this - when used in this way, the verse always ends there but now as I’m reading it in my Bible I see that’s not the end! It continues…
… I will come in AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME.
Hmm… eating. That hardly sounds like "symbolically coming into your heart?
It’s interesting to note the context-he talking with the Laodicean and perhaps all the churches-more of a call to return to him than an outright evangelistic call-though the “anyone” would seem to apply to all.
L
LoneRanger
Guest
…now after you accept him into your heart, do those about you notice the difference…? Shouldn’t they… just looking for thoughts… sometimes in these forums, some proclaimed believers sometimes surprise me with the level of love they express given the level of love they claim to possess…
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WhiteDove
Guest
Very good point there.
J
JimO
Guest
Yeah, I know. It’s that darned fallen human nature thing that keeps gettin’ in the way. That’s why it’s a process.
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WhiteDove
Guest
Undeniable, Jim. It’s crystal clear to me. You posts are excellent.
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