Don't you think protestants are following Jesus Christ?

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One last question before I go. Is the Nicene Creed actually meant to read…one holy, Roman Catholic Church in communion with Rome, apostolic…?
No, yet it does not imply separation at all
 
In a loving and kind manner I am asking how you see yourself as a brother to all Christians.
the Church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church

Why was the expression “subsists in” adopted instead of the simple word “is”?

RESPONSE

The use of this expression, which indicates the full identity of the Church of Christ with the Catholic Church, does not change the doctrine on the Church. Rather, it comes from and brings out more clearly the fact that there are “numerous elements of sanctification and of truth” which are found outside her structure, but which “as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ, impel towards Catholic Unity”.[11]

“It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic Church

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070629_responsa-quaestiones_en.html
 
One last question before I go. Is the Nicene Creed actually meant to read…one holy, Roman Catholic Church in communion with Rome, apostolic…?
No, and not for the reasons you may think. 🙂 It doesn’t say Roman because the Roman rite/expression of the Catholic faith isn’t the only one. There are Eastern rites and other rites and associated ones (the name for which I can’t recall, I’m afraid). All these rites are in union with Rome and look to the pope as the head of the Church, but they have their own rites and practices within the catholic, that is, universal Church established by Christ and share the same baptism and sacraments.
 
Well Catholics, what does the Church say about this? A protestant asked me this when I told him “I feel God has called me to follow Jesus Christ into the Catholic Church.” 🙂

What is a good catholic response to this question?
God is our Creator

Life is NOT about what We like, wish, desire; NO, it’s about what GOD wants, wishes and desires.{Life is the GOD TEST]

Isaiah 43: 7 & 21
[7] every one who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."

[21] the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise

The NT teaches is many places that GOD desired exactly what GOD accomplished:

One God
One Faith [nothing else is possible EVEN for GOD
Through One Church [historically and biblically provable]

Eph. 4: 1-7 is but example of this evidence

"1] I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called, [2] With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity. [3] Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [4] One body= JUST ONE CHURCH AND INE SET OF FAITH BELIEFS] and one Spirit;[AGAIN JUST ONE SET OF FAITH BELIEFS] as you are called in one hope of your calling. [5] One Lord, **one faith, [AGAIN JUST ONE SET OF FAITH BELIEFS] **one baptism.[6] One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all. [7] But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ. WHICH EXPLAINS WHY SO MANU ARE UNABLE TO GRASP THIS REALITY OF GOD’S DESIRE.

God Bless you and thanks for asking
Patrick
 
Of course! Some of the best Christians I know are Protestant. But, a partial truth is still only a partial truth. Some of them want to get us Catholics “saved” because they sincerely believe that we don’t have the whole truth. Others, just don’t see an intellectual reason to believe Catholic Christianity.
 
Some are some aren’t, but most of the time I’m just trying to deal with the ones who tell me that I’m not because I’m a Catholic.:rotfl:
 
Well Catholics, what does the Church say about this? A protestant asked me this when I told him “I feel God has called me to follow Jesus Christ into the Catholic Church.” 🙂

What is a good catholic response to this question?
Just reply “Yes, of course. I trust in the Holy Spirit to find us all and lead us home.”
 
The Church doesn’t say that people outside the RCC aren’t following Christ, and even acknowledges that good things come from non Christian religions. However, Christ’s ultimate call is to Catholic Unity (CCC 819).

Of course, the only Christian journey I can be sure of is my own. If Christians concentrated more on following Christ themselves rather than evaluating if everyone else is, things might be so much better 🙂
👍 🙂
 
Couldn’t a lot of this apply to some Catholics too, though? Those who simply believe but do little else about their faith, those who use the Mass and rituals in an almost talismanic way, those who have their own version of Christ who agrees with their own prejudices?
You are absolutely right and your candor and honesty are appreciated and respected.
 
Well Catholics, what does the Church say about this? A protestant asked me this when I told him “I feel God has called me to follow Jesus Christ into the Catholic Church.” 🙂

What is a good catholic response to this question?
This is a very common perception people have where they can only think in 0’s and 1’s. (Or if you like solas). There is no room for “Both And” there can only seemingly be “or”. eg Peter “or” his faith.

If I say I like pepperoni pizza, the interpretation is that I have valued pepperoni by devaluing any other pizza, even though I have never mentioned anything about any other pizza.

Expressing something as better does not automatically nullify anything else as if it is on a see-saw. “Fullness” of the Faith does not negate protestant.

(I also notice this with the orthodox reaction to the Bishop of Rome. By placing value in the Papacy, it gets interpreted as decreasing the value of any other Bishop. Even though the orthodox Bishops are highly honored and respected in their roles).
 
While I agree that I should not be regarded as an authoritative mouthpiece of the whole Church, I did provide an appropriate section of the Catechism that supports the concept that Jesus does not lead us into a Christian Community that is not in full Communion with the Church (Bishop) of Rome. So I am not asserting anything of my own, just what I plainly see in the Catholic faith.

Do you see something different?

Btw, I am specifically NOT saying that Jesus does not gather people to Himself through these communities.
Looking this all over it seems to me that your last sentence here contradicts the first sentence you gave in post #13? .
 
Yeah, maybe but I didn’t get very far!
JK. 😃

But seriously, regardless of the particular topic, it seems to me that when I say
Just be sure that you understand that he’s one person, not the whole church.
and you respond with,
So the whole Church would say God does not lead anyone to be on the Protestant side of the Great Commission?
that seems a little nuts, doesn’t it?
 
JK. 😃

But seriously, regardless of the particular topic, it seems to me that when I say

and you respond with,

that seems a little nuts, doesn’t it?
I did not understand in #35 how you thought I meant rc was the whole church. I still don’t connect it. I thought you meant “do not put to much stock in what that priest said because he is just one man not the whole church” so I was clarifing that the whole church officially would disagree with the priest.
 
I did not understand in #35 how you thought I meant rc was the whole church.
Just a rhetorical flourish (though maybe I muddied the waters, sorry).

But let me instead try this approach: imagine …

Me: Franklin Graham said Blank is true.
You: Keep in mind FG is only one Protestant.
Me: Oh. So Protestantism as a whole says that Blank is false?
 
Peter J

If its any consolation I got the grasp of what you were saying, there were no muddied waters.

Speaking of waters, protestantism is a great stepping stone through the Tiber.

That might sound like a plug, but it addresses my understanding of the situation.
 
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