Convert of 13 years with questions

[lindalout49]

recently i have had many questions come to mind. such as, when i came to know the Lord in 1989, i knew i belonged to the Lord and nothing could change that. but then i hear Catholic literature speaking about how “once saved, always saved” is not true according to catholics. I seem to be questioning my Catholic faith a little these days. would really like to hear some (name removed by moderator)ut on this. thank you and God Bless

 

[marley333]

recently i have had many questions come to mind. such as, when i came to know the Lord in 1989, i knew i belonged to the Lord and nothing could change that. but then i hear Catholic literature speaking about how “once saved, always saved” is not true according to catholics. I seem to be questioning my Catholic faith a little these days. would really like to hear some (name removed by moderator)ut on this. thank you and God Bless

I would believe it to be true in that God will forgive all sins no matter how severe, if you are truly sorry that is. I would interpret the statement to mean that you are saved when received in to the church, if you sin you have lost your way, but by going to Confession you are saved once again. Perhaps I am simplifying things too much, that’s just me.

I should know all about being saved. I commited a really bad sin and worried for a long time before feeling overwhelmed with emotion and guilt- I see this as God’s way of saving me from an eternity spent in sin. In that respect he saved me again.

Sorry i waffled on a bit there.

 

[redrosetea]

recently i have had many questions come to mind. such as, when i came to know the Lord in 1989, i knew i belonged to the Lord and nothing could change that. but then i hear Catholic literature speaking about how “once saved, always saved” is not true according to catholics. I seem to be questioning my Catholic faith a little these days. would really like to hear some (name removed by moderator)ut on this. thank you and God Bless

Salvation can be lost if we choose sin over obedience…We must work at our faith and not take it forgranted. We must use the sacrament of reconcillation and attend mass regularly

We must do spiritual and corporal works of mercy, like feeding the hungry, and spread the gospel as best we can, by giving good example

 

[PeliganPelican]

The “Once saved always saved” doctrine is also not held by all Protestants either. The doctrine is born out of the “Reformed - Calvinist” movement which has a basic denial of free will and claims that a person is regenerated before exercising faith. In simplistic terms given life by God prior to conversion in order to enable conversion to happen. The arguement is that as God does all for the salvation of an individual then he will also keep them as well. The extremes of this position result in some who beleive that you can come to Christ then later fall away and die in rebellion and yet still be saved.

The reality is that scripture teaches that you can fall away as did the Galations who fell from grace. This would result in a denial of Christ.

I view it like this…is it possible for a man to jump out of a hot air ballon’s basket at 500 feet without a parachute?

The answer is YES.

The next question is how many would actually do it… not many if any

So a person can deny Christ and fall away but any reasonable person who truly believes and knows the results would be more than just a fool to do so.

The very fact that a person feels condemnation and guilt is a clear indication that they are drawn to repentance and continued faith.

Blessings

 

[SenorSalsa]

recently i have had many questions come to mind. such as, when i came to know the Lord in 1989, i knew i belonged to the Lord and nothing could change that. but then i hear Catholic literature speaking about how “once saved, always saved” is not true according to catholics. I seem to be questioning my Catholic faith a little these days. would really like to hear some (name removed by moderator)ut on this. thank you and God Bless

In one sense, you are right to say “i belonged to the Lord and nothing could change that”, as long as you understand that statement properly. You are baptized, which changed your soul forever. You are now and forever identified as the daughter(son? its always tough to tell online:blush of the Father. That is not to say however, that you can just coast into Heaven. Just as you will always genetically be your parents child, but can in a practical sense disown them,so too can you disown your Heavenly Father by your actions. But as the story of the Prodigal Son tells us, if you come back, He will be waiting to welcome you home once more.

I hope that makes at least some sense

 

[lindalout49]

thank you everyone for your replies. if i had been a cradle catholic , i probably would think differently. in 1996 when i joined the church after being born again for 7 yr., i was in search of a church that taught as close to God’s Word as i could find. I had went to Methodist, Baptist, Non-Denominational,Christian and Assembly of God for extended periods of time. I found teachings and accepted practices at some of these churches that i did not believe were correct. Some i found to be really lacking in expressing importance of accepting Christ Jesus as your Savior.
you see when i came to know the Lord, it was not from joining a church, being brought up in a church or being baptised. it happened because i felt the Lord calling me to accept Him into my heart. after some hesitation for a time, i accepted His invitation and from that moment on my whole life changed. i knew i found the one who would guide me and lead me in the way i should live.
I too, as one of you stated, fell away from the Lord. But He never gave up on me, He spoke to my spirit non stop until i made my way back to Him. It was the hardest thing i have ever went through in my life.
I came to respect the Catholic church then because of confession, i could share all my sins and no one but the Priest and the Lord would know them. then i became very close to a nun, she counseled me in person and on the phone when ever i needed her. I also came to realise that a female that had came to me in a vision a few years before was Mary. This face came to me, did not speak a word. she had white light surrounding her face. The most awesome thing of all was that from her eyes i felt more love at that moment then i had ever felt in my entire life.
Sorry this posting was so long. Thanks again for your replies.

 

[SC_Peach]

May God Bless you, Linda.

I, too, have been to many different churches over the last 20 years. In that time, I never found something I was looking for but didn’t know what. I stopped trying…for a LONG time.

About a month ago, I ‘decided’ that I would stop cussing. After a week or so, I was able to not only not cuss, but not think of the word and choose to say something else. Because sometimes we still think it. To me that is just as sinful. I would say 2wks in, I gave my life back to God. I’ve still not stepped foot in a church. BUT, because of that, God spoke to my heart and led me to the Catholic church. I was raised Pentecostal/Church of God. (The longer version is in my post Earnestly searching).

Point is, you are not alone. Your story touched my heart this morning and I wanted to let you know that even though we all have different lives and stories to share, a lot of times there is someone out there who’s gone/going through something quite similar. Your story felt that way for me.

You are very Blessed to have Mary come to you. Treasure that in your heart.

May God Richly Bless You,

Kathy

 

[lindalout49]

Kathy,
I read your post “Ernestly Searching”. I think it was so wonderful that you heard the Lord speak to you concerning the Catholic Church. In my experience of hearing from the Lord, i usually question myself , thinking it might be my imagination. The Lord knows i am like that, so in a short time, He will confirm the message to me again. He uses other people often times to accomplish this. God is good all the time!
I will be following your journey, so glad to have met you.
God Bless you and yours,
Linda

 

[SC_Peach]

Linda,

I know exactly what you’re saying. When I began actually thinking about it was when I questioned myself. I KNEW in my heart though God was speaking to me. I also pray for confirmation as well and for Him to light my path.
So nice to have met you as well

God Bless!
Kathy

 

[hockeyfighter21]

St. Paul says to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. that doesnt sound like the once saved always saved doctrine to me. also that concept is relatively new in christian history, just the past few hundred years since the reformation. the whole concept of once saved always saved is completely flawed. i was a fundamentalist for 23 years before i became catholic and i got drunk regularly, committed fornication and all of that. i knew it was bad but there were no consequences because i thought i was still going to heaven. how incorrect i was

 

[hockeyfighter21]

if you are having doubts i would recommend the book “catholocism and fundamentalism” by karl keating. it lays alot of this stuff out

 

[lindalout49]

St. Paul says to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. that doesnt sound like the once saved always saved doctrine to me. also that concept is relatively new in christian history, just the past few hundred years since the reformation. the whole concept of once saved always saved is completely flawed. i was a fundamentalist for 23 years before i became catholic and i got drunk regularly, committed fornication and all of that. i knew it was bad but there were no consequences because i thought i was still going to heaven. how incorrect i was

The night 20 years ago when i finally decided to give my life to the Lord, there was much fear and trembling. I was shaking so badly on the inside that i thought sure it would be visible on the outside, but when looking at my hands, no shaking was evident. I had a fear and i don’t know why, of committing to the Lord. But my life changed for ever from that moment. I still had some serious stumblings, but i learned from them that being separated from the Lord due to sin, is an awful state. A place i never want to wander to again. Thank you for your posting. I so enjoy this site since i have found it.

 

[Godfollower]

Here’s the problem with the whole “Once saved, always saved” theory:

For if the firstfruit be holy, so is the lump also: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken, and thou, being a wild olive, art ingrafted in them, and art made partaker of the root, and of the fatness of the olive tree, Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then: The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well: because of unbelief they were broken off. But thou standest by faith: be not highminded, but fear.

For if God hath not spared the natural branches, fear lest perhaps he also spare not thee. See then the goodness and the severity of God: towards them indeed that are fallen, the severity; but towards thee, the goodness of God, if thou abide in goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the wild olive tree, which is natural to thee; and, contrary to nature, were grafted into the good olive tree; how much more shall they that are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, (lest you should be wise in your own conceits), that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in.

Romans 11:16-25.

St. Paul made it very clear that we can lose our salvation despite having been “grafted in” to the vine that is Christ. The “Once saved, always saved” doctrine directly defies Scripture and the long-standing Tradition of the Church.