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space_ghost
Guest
…agreed…
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Christian4life
Guest
It’s not that we don’t have those things it’s just that we don’t think they are as important as other things.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.
Seriously the major reason I remain Protestant is I find more Catholics not to have that personal relationship at all. And it really does affect how you think and act.
Like for example my church doesn’t have a set pro-life doctrine but people are constantly raising awareness and getting volunteers/donations within the church for pro-life causes out of the goodness of their hearts. So yeah that is a huge difference. Catholics may do more, but only because they are told they must.
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Christian4life
Guest
Anyway what I have always been told about accepting Jesus into your heart is that it comes from this verse:
Revelation 3:20
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
There are other verses similar to that about Jesus coming and abiding with you as well, I believe. It’s all about the personal closeness with God. I’m not sure where that ideology came from, but I like it.
I think people get it wrong a lot of the time when they talk about being saved as one moment where you’re magically a Christian. It’s not that, it’s that in that moment you make a dedication (like in marriage) that you are going to spend the rest of your life living for Christ instead of yourself. For me that moment was baptism, but it doesn’t have to be. The prayer just seems to be what we usually do and I’m not sure why.
But that is just the beginning. You still have to make that affirmation every day that Yes, Lord I am still going to try and follow you and believe in you even when it isn’t easy.
Revelation 3:20
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
There are other verses similar to that about Jesus coming and abiding with you as well, I believe. It’s all about the personal closeness with God. I’m not sure where that ideology came from, but I like it.
I think people get it wrong a lot of the time when they talk about being saved as one moment where you’re magically a Christian. It’s not that, it’s that in that moment you make a dedication (like in marriage) that you are going to spend the rest of your life living for Christ instead of yourself. For me that moment was baptism, but it doesn’t have to be. The prayer just seems to be what we usually do and I’m not sure why.
But that is just the beginning. You still have to make that affirmation every day that Yes, Lord I am still going to try and follow you and believe in you even when it isn’t easy.
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Ignatius
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I answered no. It is not in the Bible, but it is a tradition that I love.
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MariaG
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It’s amazing what happens when you start to see though “Catholic” eyes.posted by Carol Marie
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?
Frequently, I run into non-Catholic kids or baptized Catholics who have not been raised in the Church, but have been to a “non-denominational” Vacation Bible School. I always explain it to them like this:
"Have you ever been to Bible School where they ask you if you want to accept Jesus into your heart? That is what we do each and every time we receive communion, only we not only receive him spiritually, but His Body and Blood actually into ours. "
I’ll now have to use that scripture to add to John 6 for those who may be more versed in Scripture.
Thank Carol Marie!
and an honorable mention to Genesis 3:15. I loved your answer!
God Bless,
Maria
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MariaG
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I reverted to the Catholic Church so I could help Catholics become truly “saved”. I found Christians with a deeply personal prayer life and relationship with Christ.
Catholics may do more, but only because they are told they must? Really. And you wonder why sometimes you get negative reactions? Are your preconceived notions so deeply held that you cannot see how deeply insulting and bigotted that comment is? It is wrong on so many theological levels, I won’t get into it here, but truly, do you think you are speaking truth when you make comments like that?
Catholics do not do more because we are told we must, but because if one truly has faith, it will be shown by our works.
Acutally, I guess maybe you are right. We *do, *do it because we are told we must.
:bible1: James 2:14 - 17 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be wamed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
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Genesis315
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So, your church says it’s ok to pick and choose whether or not to support abortion? That’s messed up. Your leaders should take a stand. Tell people like it is. It’s a good thing most people at your church seem to get it, but what about those who think it’s ok to have abortions? Your preacher should preach to them about that so they don’t kill someone thinking it’s ok.
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MariaG
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Yes:yup: Catholic Christians everywhere are agreeing with you on this. Sometimes the road gets rough, but that does not mean we do not have to continue on “lest we should perish”.
God Bless,
Maria
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JimO
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In my experience as a life-long Catholic and having many Protestant friends, I can say without hesitation that you are simply wrong here. Many Catholics have a contemplative spirituality that isn’t on display, but when you get to know them, you find that they have a deep relationship with Jesus. The problem is twofold. First, there are many people out there who, when asked what religion they are say, “I’m Catholic.” But, they don’t go to Mass or the Sacraments and they don’t have a relationship with Christ. To them it’s more of a cultural identity than a statement of faith. Second, we use different terminology. Catholics often don’t know what you mean when you ask, “Are you saved?” or “Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Savior?” Try asking a Catholic, “Are you confirmed?” You see, confirmation is the Sacrament that is the Catholic equivalent to “being saved”. It is the point at which a baptised Catholic makes his adult profession of faith in Jesus in front of the whole congregation. He is annointed with oil by the Bishop and receives the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. This Sacrament comes after a year of weekly instruction in the Faith. So, when a Catholic says, “I’m confirmed” that is what it means.
What many people don’t understand is that being Catholic is all about Jesus. We are baptised into His Body, the Church. We are confirmed (make a public profession of faith in Christ) and receive the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We go to confession to “confess our sins to one another” and to Him and be reconciled with the community, as He commanded. We go to Mass to celebrate and receive His Body and Blood at His command. We worship Jesus, pray to Jesus, proclaim Jesus and hear the words of Jesus every Sunday at Mass - and every day for some very blessed people who can go to daily Mass. Even when we pray to Mary or the Saints, we are simply asking for their intercession on our behalf to Jesus as members of the Body of Christ (which they do not lose membership in just because they are in heaven). It is ALL about Jesus. Any Catholic or Protestant who believes otherwise is simply misinformed.
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Ignatius
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C4L, That is exactly the Catholic perspective. After all, It isn’t like we aren’t told to persevere to the end and not grow weary in well doing, is it.
God Bless.
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Exporter
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As a 12 year old kid I heard that phrase,“Accept Jesus as your personal Savior”.
I thought then - What does it mean?
What is personal about one Savior saving billions of people?
Accepting Jesus into Your Heart? How do you do that? Wouldnt He get sent all ariung the entire body in the bloodstream? Just doesnt make ant sence.
I thought then - What does it mean?
What is personal about one Savior saving billions of people?
Accepting Jesus into Your Heart? How do you do that? Wouldnt He get sent all ariung the entire body in the bloodstream? Just doesnt make ant sence.
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carol_marie
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Great post JimO. I agree that it IS all about Jesus. It’s the most wonderful faith we have, isn’t it?! 
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mj330
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No, the phrase is not explicitly in the Bible. I think the obvious was overlooked, or assumed on some of these posts - the Protestant rejection of the Catholic Church and their beliefs is the basis for the term ‘accepting Jesus in your heart’. Protestants mistakingly assume that the means of salvation of man, for the Catholic, is through works (as if we have to earn our salvation :banghead: ), and not the grace of God. So in their efforts to teach their doctrine of salvation that necessarily must be different from the Catholic Church, they need to promote things like: the church doesn’t save you, good works don’t save you (again both misconceptions) and only a ‘personal relationship with Jesus Christ’ will (again, they assume Catholics don’t pray…but isn’t prayer a relationship with Jesus?).
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Gene_C
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Hi MJ,
In my 30-plus years in the Evangelical community, among different denominations, I learned that a lot of doctrine and practice is based on what the Catholic Church does or doesn’t believe or does or doesn’t practice.
Gene
In my 30-plus years in the Evangelical community, among different denominations, I learned that a lot of doctrine and practice is based on what the Catholic Church does or doesn’t believe or does or doesn’t practice.
Gene
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MariaG
Guest
In my experience in the Evangelical community and then in the Catholic community, a lot of doctrine and practice is based on what a denomination THINKS the Catholic Church does or doesn’t believe and practice.
Every single time someone in the Evangelical church said to me when they knew I was going back to the Catholic Church, everything they told me Catholics did or believed is not something that Catholics are supposed to do or believe.
God Bless,
Maria
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Timothy888
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Thank you and God bless you.
I’ve written in the quote, it’s in green.
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Timothy888
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Code:
Posted by MariaG
Every single time someone in the Evangelical church said to me when they knew I was going back to the Catholic Church, everything they told me Catholics did or believed is not something that Catholics are supposed to do or believe.
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Zooey
Guest
To me, the phrase means that you have to love God. You have to love Jesus Christ for dying on the cross, so that people could go to Heaven.
Your “heart” means the center of yourself, but also it means love .
Accepting Jesus is the opposite of rebelling against Him, which is sin. You really, actually, as an individual with a will of your own, choose to love & serve God instead of your own self.
Your “heart” means the center of yourself, but also it means love .
Accepting Jesus is the opposite of rebelling against Him, which is sin. You really, actually, as an individual with a will of your own, choose to love & serve God instead of your own self.
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savone
Guest
The phrase “Accepting Jesus into your Heart” is, I believe, indicated and quite biblical, as some previous posts have stated.
One passage that comes to mind is a passage from Isaiah 29:13: “The Lord said: Since this people draws near with words only and honors me with their lips alone, though their hearts are far from me…” These words have come to more than once when
confessing “I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grevious fault.” Yes, I say Jesus is Lord, but is my heart far from the Lord?
Another is “The Prayer of Jesus,” Chapter 17 of John. Jesus prays that the disciples “may all be one, as You, Father, are in me and I in You, that they also may be in us.” This oneness, unity, is by God’s grace as the Lord has found a place to “abide” in our hearts, not just honor Him with our lips.
To me, accepting Jesus into my heart is not a once-and-for-all, but a life’s journey.
“A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45).
One passage that comes to mind is a passage from Isaiah 29:13: “The Lord said: Since this people draws near with words only and honors me with their lips alone, though their hearts are far from me…” These words have come to more than once when
confessing “I have sinned in thought, word, and deed by my fault, by my own fault, by my own most grevious fault.” Yes, I say Jesus is Lord, but is my heart far from the Lord?
Another is “The Prayer of Jesus,” Chapter 17 of John. Jesus prays that the disciples “may all be one, as You, Father, are in me and I in You, that they also may be in us.” This oneness, unity, is by God’s grace as the Lord has found a place to “abide” in our hearts, not just honor Him with our lips.
To me, accepting Jesus into my heart is not a once-and-for-all, but a life’s journey.
“A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45).
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slinky1882
Guest
Ultimately, Jesus Christ must become welcomed into our heart through Grace. As the Holy Spirit dwells within the heart, we can live out a vocation of Love through Mercy and Justice. Thanks and God Bless.
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