Do you believe you can follow God by devoting to the Catholic faith?

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Kliska said:
Yes, if there is a person who needs conversion. I think God guides us individually to where we need to be to give us the best chance, for us as individuals, to grow in depth of faith and change and our lives.
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Hi again, I’d fallen behind wrt this thread. I’m glad that it’s moved on from the whole does someone who has conversion of heart have conversion of heart discussion. I think we were beating a sick horse.

Anyhow, not to put too fine a point on it, but when you say that God calls one person to the Catholic Communion, and his neighbor to the Protestant communion … does that mean that if two people ask God “Should I become Catholic or should I become Protestant?” then God might answer Catholic to one person and Protestant to the other?
 
Peter_J said:
Anyhow, not to put too fine a point on it, but when you say that God calls one person to the Catholic Communion, and his neighbor to the Protestant communion … does that mean that if two people ask God “Should I become Catholic or should I become Protestant?” then God might answer Catholic to one person and Protestant to the other?
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If I may jump in…

I certainly think that God may call one person to be Catholic and another to be Protestant. God calls us to go where He wants. We may not understand why until much later or maybe not until we enter Eternity. God may have a specific purpose for someone at the Catholic Church and a specific purpose for someone else at a Protestant church. God may be calling someone to Ministry that can best be carried out at one church or the other. As a Christian I think we need to seek the Lord on all things and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I also think it is possible for God to calls us somewhere where we are not in 100% doctrinal agreement with what is being taught. Maybe to challenge us or maybe to change us or maybe to make us grow spiritually in ways we never would have considered or maybe to reach someone who has no faith. The important thing is to be submissive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and His call on our life. No matter where it takes us. It will all work out for good.🙂
 
lanman87 said:
If I may jump in…

I certainly think that God may call one person to be Catholic and another to be Protestant. God calls us to go where He wants. We may not understand why until much later or maybe not until we enter Eternity. God may have a specific purpose for someone at the Catholic Church and a specific purpose for someone else at a Protestant church. God may be calling someone to Ministry that can best be carried out at one church or the other. As a Christian I think we need to seek the Lord on all things and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I also think it is possible for God to calls us somewhere where we are not in 100% doctrinal agreement with what is being taught. Maybe to challenge us or maybe to change us or maybe to make us grow spiritually in ways we never would have considered or maybe to reach someone who has no faith. The important thing is to be submissive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and His call on our life. No matter where it takes us. It will all work out for good.🙂
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I disagree when it comes to the Lord’s Supper and membership of a Communion.

However, I agree that God uses non-Catholic Communities to spread tenants of the Catholic (universal and true) faith to those who hear and see. These genuine churches can and do accept and preach truths of the Gospel of Jesus to the world and faithful! And I do say amen to that!

I am actually participating in a recovery group at a non-denominational church. I have no issues with that. And God has led me to this good group to be strengthened and hopefully strengthen others.

But I do not believe God is calling me to join their Communion, or that he is not calling them to the Catholic Communion. I believe this on a principle that Communion in His body and blood does not lead to, or is the result of, any doctrinal disputes. His body and blood puts settlement to division.

Now you may say, “but some doctrinal disagreements dont mean a division from communion” but that is a doctrine in itself. And the reality, is many denominations are founded because of these differences. And yet you may say, “but differently founded denominations does not divide a common Eucharist”. But then why such division? Why not allow your Communion of His Body and Blood (however you perceive it) bring settlement over division of doctrine? I think because it cannot. And I think it cannot because it is not a True Communion of His Eucharist.

Yet there is a real and true communion of belief and fellowship that varies with all valid, Christian denominations. And that has some strength. We give strength to His Eucharist, so the rest will be settled (so long as we have love).
 
Peter_J said:
Anyhow, not to put too fine a point on it, but when you say that God calls one person to the Catholic Communion, and his neighbor to the Protestant communion … does that mean that if two people ask God “Should I become Catholic or should I become Protestant?” then God might answer Catholic to one person and Protestant to the other?
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Well, I don’t think that’s how God speaks to us… it’s usually not that direct, is it? Let me ask a question; do you think that there may be some, say, Atheists that have a personality that would make it more likely that they would come to believe in God by attending a Catholic Mass? How about an Atheist that has a personality that might be reached at a Billy Graham revival, or by a Baptist sermon? Do I think God would take the opportunity to grab either one and try to get their attention? Absolutely.

Now, I’ve said this repeatedly and it seems to get passed over; do I think God desires unity? Absolutely. Do I think someone who enters the faith at the certain place or point is going to stay there? No, not necessarily. Do I believe one can follow God and be devoted to Him by practicing the Catholic faith? Yes. Do I believe one can follow God and be devoted to Him by practicing the Baptist faith? Yes. It’s the Catholic stand that we were saved, are saved, and are being saved. It’s a journey, it’s a race, and sometimes “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Do I think if we were immortal here on this earth we practicing Christians might all wind up in the same spot? Sure, it is a possibility if we’d get our pride out of the way with God’s help. However, as I said, I believe God’s aim is to get us the Heaven so we can be united there at the very “least,” which isn’t least at all.
 
Kliska said:
Well, I don’t think that’s how God speaks to us…
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Heh. I was thinking about saying in my next post “You’re probably not going to like this, but I don’t think that’s how God speaks to us” but I guess I would’ve been wrong. 😃

Frankly, I’m skeptical when someone says “God told me to leave Catholicism for Protestantism” and I’m skeptical when someone says “God told me to leave Protestantism for Catholicism”.
 
Being called to belief in Jesus and His Baptism does not necessarily mean going to the table of His body and blood Communion.

There are levels of culpability for not fulfilling that according to what a person knows.
 
Peter_J said:
Heh. I was thinking about saying in my next post “You’re probably not going to like this, but I don’t think that’s how God speaks to us” but I guess I would’ve been wrong. 😃

Frankly, I’m skeptical when someone says “God told me to leave Catholicism for Protestantism” and I’m skeptical when someone says “God told me to leave Protestantism for Catholicism”.
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😛

How do you think that God leads someone? Or does He not? What would be a legitimate reason for someone to swim the Tiber either way?
 
MichaelP3 said:
Yes. A wholeheartedly YES.
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That’s good to hear, and I believe you are sincere! Are you ready for the challenge question? 😃

Is a Catholic obeying Jesus, if they attend a non-Catholic service and refrain from Communion?
 
Kliska said:
😛

How do you think that God leads someone? Or does He not? What would be a legitimate reason for someone to swim the Tiber either way?
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Well as I say, I’m skeptical when someone says “God told me to leave Blank for Blank”, but that doesn’t mean that he never does that. I’m just saying that someone making such a claim doesn’t make it true.
 
rcwitness said:
That’s good to hear, and I believe you are sincere! Are you ready for the challenge question? 😃

Is a Catholic obeying Jesus, if they attend a non-Catholic service and refrain from Communion?
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It is a tough question because I feel I know the answer, but I also know the response. That just brings us back to what exactly is communion which has been discussed many times here on CAF.
 
MichaelP3 said:
It is a tough question because I feel I know the answer, but I also know the response. That just brings us back to what exactly is communion which has been discussed many times here on CAF.
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Yes. What do you believe Communion is, or what it means?

I think it means quite alot. It means that we, who believe in Jesus and profess to know Him, come to the same place in order to receive His nourishing sacrifice and participate in the life that He brings through His coming in the flesh.
 
rcwitness said:
Yes. What do you believe Communion is, or what it means?

I think it means quite alot. It means that we, who believe in Jesus and profess to know Him, come to the same place in order to receive His nourishing sacrifice and participate in the life that He brings through His coming in the flesh.
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Hi RC

I would prefer not to go into a debate on this. It has been debated many times and I am sure you know the “other” version just as I know the Catholic version. Just to note, it isn’t the Protestant side who prohibits the “other” side in this instance. (Maybe the weird ones but all mainstream ones don’t in circumstances that a Catholic would be allowed).

Regards
 
MichaelP3 said:
Hi RC

I would prefer not to go into a debate on this. It has been debated many times and I am sure you know the “other” version just as I know the Catholic version. Just to note, it isn’t the Protestant side who prohibits the “other” side in this instance. (Maybe the weird ones but all mainstream ones don’t in circumstances that a Catholic would be allowed).

Regards
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LCMS practices close communion. Weird ones?
 
JonNC said:
LCMS practices close communion. Weird ones?
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I would like apologise against anyone I may have committed an offence.It was not my intention although I would still disagree with the LCMS.
 
MichaelP3 said:
I would like apologise against anyone I may have committed an offence.It was not my intention although I would still disagree with the LCMS.
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Why would you?

St. Paul gives us the warning about Holy Communion.

The Didache says:
But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving (Eucharist), but they who have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, Give not that which is holy to the dogs. Matthew 7:6
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How are you supposed to know if they are a baptized believer if you don’t first at least have a meeting with them? I’ve been through the process in LCMS - very painless. Meeting took 10 minutes and was told I’m welcome at their table.

Been a practice to be cautious with Communion for 2,000 years.

I applaud LCMS on this.
 
To all the posters who believe that open-communion should be practiced, I ask why?

In the first century, after the Council of Jerusalem, a community popped up that came to be called the Ebionites. They were validly baptized Christians, who expressly rejected the decisions of the Apostles at that Council. They still practiced Christianity, the way they saw fit.

Does anyone think the Apostles would give them Holy Communion, even though they rejected the Apostles’ teachings?

I have read at least one early church father who said that the following verse was written expressly about the Ebionites,
19They went out from us, but they were not really of our number;* if they had been, they would have remained with us. Their desertion shows that none of them was of our number.
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rcwitness said:
Do you believe that if you faithfully devoted yourself to the Catholic faith, that you would be able to serve, worship, and obey Jesus?
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***Please return to topic or this thread will be closed. If you wish to discuss something else (open communion vs closed for instance) the please create another thread to do so.
 
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