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kalt
Guest
People talk about accepting Jesus as their personal lord and savior, but I haven’t seen that term defined.
How do you define “personal lord”?
How do you define “personal lord”?
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yellowbird
Guest
I guess it’s easier to tell you what it’s not… I know about George Washington. I’ve heard his story, and as an American it moves me and I’m thankful that he was our founding father. But I don’t really know him… not like I know my own parents or my children. For years that’s what Jesus was to me. A historical figure I believed in, much like I believe in George Washington. Was I a Christian? Yes… I was baptized… but I wasn’t walking with Him because I didn’t really know Him. I knew of Him. I guess that’s the difference.
When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, He became REAL to me… as real as my own Father. He loves me, and I love Him back - more than anything. It’s as if I went from head knowledge about Him, to heart knowledge. I believe this happened when I asked Him for faith. I prayed that He would reveal himself to me, and He did.
That’s what “personal” means to me.
When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, He became REAL to me… as real as my own Father. He loves me, and I love Him back - more than anything. It’s as if I went from head knowledge about Him, to heart knowledge. I believe this happened when I asked Him for faith. I prayed that He would reveal himself to me, and He did.
That’s what “personal” means to me.
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Genesis315
Guest
The question in the thread title is different than that in the OP. A “personal God” uses the philosophical meaning of person–it is contrasted with pantheism. God is a distinct entity, on which all other beings are contingent. It also implies an intelligence and purposeful will.
The phrase personal Lord and Savior is generally one used by Evangelicals, although the concept is found in Catholicism. What it means is that Christ should be the Lord of one’s person and who one should entrust the salvation of his person.
The phrase personal Lord and Savior is generally one used by Evangelicals, although the concept is found in Catholicism. What it means is that Christ should be the Lord of one’s person and who one should entrust the salvation of his person.
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crazzeto
Guest
Did you mean Protestants in this Post? By addressing “Christians” you include, of course, your fellow catholics. And as you know, it is not our theology that one must specifically “accept Jesus Christ into your heart as your very own personal Lord and Savior”.
Not that this isn’t a good sentament or anything.
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kalt
Guest
Hi. I meant everyone, because lately I’ve heard Catholics using it, too. I think the Catholic understanding is a little different.
Since I’ve never asked anyone what they mean by it, I’ve only been guessing. I figure it’s probably time on the forum, too, to actually define the term.
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kalt
Guest
Thank you.
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crazzeto
Guest
Then in a Catholic sense, it means accepting that Jesus died for the sins of the world, and that means your sins as well.Hi. I meant everyone, because lately I’ve heard Catholics using it, too. I think the Catholic understanding is a little different.
Since I’ve never asked anyone what they mean by it, I’ve only been guessing. I figure it’s probably time on the forum, too, to actually define the term.
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One_in_Christ_1
Guest
As a Protestant Christian, I would like to say that this idea of “accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and savior” is not a good thing.
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kalt
Guest
How do you define it? Why is it a bad thing?
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One_in_Christ_1
Guest
I believe this approach of conversion was invented by a man name Charles Finney in the 2nd great awakening in the United States… in which we have today’s altar calls and sinner’s prayers. Charles Finney was a converted lawyer and non seminary church leader. It’s not a good thing because it was invented by man and cannot be backed by Scripture nor tradition.
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crazzeto
Guest
Well we certainly agree on the subject of the sinners prayer anyway.
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One_in_Christ_1
Guest
If Catholics are starting to model this distinctively modern day Evangelical practice, then I think it’s not a good thing. Is it basically American Catholics who has this sentiment toward accepting Jesus into their hearts as their personal Lord and Savior?
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crazzeto
Guest
I think perhaps you misunderstood what I posted, we catholics agree with your post that the sinners prayer is an invention of man which negates the word of God. Catholic doctrine doesn’t change. That said, that doesn’t say that the sinners prayer could not possibly serve as a decent profession of faith, if the idea of finality wasn’t attached to it.
As far as accepting Jesus Christ in to your heart et al, there is something to this. Per St. James, even the daemons believe, the difference is we understand Jesus Christ is our saviour. Again, this realization doesn’t finalize our salvation, or does it make us born again, only Baptism can make you Born again, and per St. Paul, your salvation should never be considered to be “finalized”. At least until such time your “dead” and experienceing the beatific vision.
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Bluegoat
Guest
The term does not originate with the groups who talk about “accepting Jusus as your personal savior”. The personal God can be found in Judaism and in Islam, for example.
It should be contrasted with the kinds of gods one sees described by the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, or in some of the Eastern religions, or in deism or pantheism. In these worldviews god is not really anything like a personality, or a thing with a will, or even a thing which knows anything outside itself.
You certainly would never call it a him or her - or call it Father (or mother). More of an abstract* issness* - like a mathematical equation.
It should be contrasted with the kinds of gods one sees described by the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, or in some of the Eastern religions, or in deism or pantheism. In these worldviews god is not really anything like a personality, or a thing with a will, or even a thing which knows anything outside itself.
You certainly would never call it a him or her - or call it Father (or mother). More of an abstract* issness* - like a mathematical equation.
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yellowbird
Guest
My Priest talks about having a “personal” relationship with Jesus all the time. He said many people come to Church, some even faithfully but they never give God another thought outside that one hour. He said it’s as if going to church is checked off their list of must-dos and that’s that. He said while there is nothing necessarily wrong with that, God offers so much more. God wants to be the very center of our life… our Father, our best friend. He said God is always willing to have that sort of relationship with us, but He won’t force Himself on any us. Like all relationships, it’s a two way street.
I don’t think accepting Jesus as my personal Lord & Savior is a bad thing as someone suggested. I don’t care if some guy coined the phrase… I think the concept is very Biblical and therefore Catholic.
I don’t think accepting Jesus as my personal Lord & Savior is a bad thing as someone suggested. I don’t care if some guy coined the phrase… I think the concept is very Biblical and therefore Catholic.
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kalt
Guest
Has anyone asked your priest how he knows what people are thinking in Mass much less outside of Mass? I suppose it makes for a good homily, though.
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John7
Guest
I understand a ‘personal God’, and ‘Jesus in my heart’ through this verse:
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
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thirdn6
Guest
I think it came from the idea that protestant Christians belong to an invisible universal Church. Because it is an invisible Church they can’t really identify who belong to it. Therefore, the only way to convince themselves that they belong to it is to profess and affirm that they accepted Jesus personally as their Lord and Savior.
Yep… I think it is. Unlike the visible Catholic Church…
Yep… I think it is. Unlike the visible Catholic Church…
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One_in_Christ_1
Guest
I think the Catholic Church teaches that there are two churches too. One is visible, and one invisible (Church militant and church triumphant).
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thirdn6
Guest
Yep. Church triumphalists… the communion of Saints in heaven… the invisibles!
And we here on earth…Church militantes… who desire to become invisibles when persecution comes…oops, who desire to be martyred when persecution comes- sorry.
And protestant Christians who become visible at moments of persecution…
And we here on earth…Church militantes… who desire to become invisibles when persecution comes…oops, who desire to be martyred when persecution comes- sorry.
And protestant Christians who become visible at moments of persecution…
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