Evangelism question

[Mt_28_19_20]

Incorrect or not, the point is whenever we answer in our own words we would fall short of the full Truth of the matter. Our intellect and pride would act as a barrier to what the Spirit would have said.

Then why would 1 Peter 3 instruct us to be ready to give an account. Does not the Spirit use us when we prayerfully dispose ourselves to God’s will? Sometimes it seems like people are fearful to express the nuts and bolts of what they personally believe. Perhaps they really don’t know?

Jesus is the Truth, the Light and the Way and it really is only through the grace of God that any Christian comes to know this as fact. Since Catholics are Christians first and foremost I would expect us to start from there. Yes, the nuts and bolts differ after that, however, depending upon how far away from the Church a particular denomination wandered.

God uses us to share the Gospel with others. He uses us as instruments. Why is Jesus the Way?

Protestant denominations don’t adhere to the seven sacraments. They don’t believe in Reconciliation so that takes it out of the ‘nuts and bolts’. And for the Eucharist they don’t believe in transubstantiation, so that too, takes it out of the ‘nuts and bolts’ realm.

In this thread, I really don’t care what Protestants disagree with. What they disagree with shouldn’t alter our being able to give an account for what WE believe. A simple nuts and bolts, “in a nutshell” account.

Also, they do believe in the forgiveness of sins.

We’d both begin with “by the grace of God”
The protestants would then present Scripture as their ‘nuts and bolts’.
Catholics would present the Real Presence as their ‘nuts and bolts’

So something like:
By the grace of God, Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, boday and blood, the unblemished Lamb.

Seems to have jumped over a few important “nuts and bolts”.

God bless,

Michael

 

[YinYangMom]

Then why would 1 Peter 3 instruct us to be ready to give an account. Does not the Spirit use us when we prayerfully dispose ourselves to God’s will? Sometimes it seems like people are fearful to express the nuts and bolts of what they personally believe. Perhaps they really don’t know?

You’ve answered your own question. When Peter instructs us to be ready to give an account, he’s still telling us to be ready to receive the Spirit’s inspiration toward that account. This involves daily prayer, fasting, and a conscious effort to remain Christlike in our thoughts and deeds. When we prepare ourselves to be ‘at the ready’ in that manner then yes, the Spirit is able to use us.

We aren’t afraid to express the inner workings of our faith. It’s just that as we share it with non-believers we do come off as ‘nuts’ with a few loose ‘bolts’. Thus the need for ‘grace’ being granted to the receiver of the news we have to share. Without that grace anything we say sounds insane. With the grace, what we say rings true.

God uses us to share the Gospel with others. He uses us as instruments. Why is Jesus the Way?

What is the Gospel? It’s Jesus. He is the Good News (literal translation of ‘gospel’) of which the apostles spoke and which is recorded in scripture. Without Jesus there is no Good News, we’d still be shut out from heaven and there would be no stories to tell of God made Flesh walking among us, dying, rising from the dead to walk and talk among the apostles and others, and then ascending into heaven until he comes again.

In this thread, I really don’t care what Protestants disagree with. What they disagree with shouldn’t alter our being able to give an account for what WE believe. A simple nuts and bolts, “in a nutshell” account. Also, they do believe in the forgiveness of sins.

They don’t believe in the sacrament of reconciliation. They may believe their sins are forgiven due to their belief in God’s mercy, but we Catholics believe in the outward signs of God’s grace absolving our sins as tangible evidence that Jesus is alive and among us today comforting us and healing our souls.

We Catholics cannot get away from our belief in the sacraments Jesus instituted through the apostles so that we may always know He is present among us. Now, while I consider that ‘nuts and bolts’ for Catholics, Protestants would not, so in our approach to them we would lose their interest if we focused on that in the ‘nuts and bolts’ phase. I’m not leaving it out because they don’t believe in it, I’m leaving it out because focusing on what they don’t believe will turn them off to anything else the Lord may wish to share with them through me. At the appropriate time, the Spirit will guide me to introduce the other stuff about our faith to non-believers.

So something like: By the grace of God, Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, body and blood, the unblemished Lamb.
Seems to have jumped over a few important “nuts and bolts”.

Ok, I see what you’re getting at, kinda. I wouldn’t word it as you did. Perhaps “By the grace of God I have come to know and experience Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist (body, blood, soul and divinity) through the Catholic church, which through Apostolic succession is able to bring His Presence to us via the Mass and other sacraments.”

I would disagree that we jumped over any nuts and bolts by limiting our response’s focus to the Eucharist since that really is the source and summit of our faith. His Real Presence is what guides us to live each day with Him.

For many years I lived knowing Jesus was in heaven and I was on earth trying to get myself to Him through following the Church. I related to Jesus as I do other loved ones who have passed away. Their bodies are buried, I cannot have physical contact with them and so I find comfort in their memory and in knowing they are ‘up there’ with Jesus watching over me. This relationship is one of distance and longing.

Then I finally grasped the concept of the Real Presence of Jesus and it is exhilirating. Jesus isn’t far away. I can feel his flesh in the palm of my hand. I can sit by his side and feel his arms around me. I can hear him speak to me in reconciliation as my sins are absolved. Through the liturgy of the eucharist the angels became present and tangible to me through Jesus’ presence at that altar. This relationship is one of love and joy.

Growing up I remember wondering if I would have followed Jesus if I had lived when he walked the earth. There must have been a radiance of love eminating from the man which drew many to Him. I’ve met such people in my life since then.

Once I understood the Real Presence I realized that same radiance of love the apostles felt is in every tabernacle in every Catholic church. Without the Church, without the priests, we would not have Jesus’ Real Presence at our fingertips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That is the reality which keeps me Catholic.

But as you can see, that is not a concise response one can give to any non-believer. Even the Creed is not concise enough to satisfy your quest for a ‘simple’ nuts and bolts response.

 

[Mt_28_19_20]

…We aren’t afraid to express the inner workings of our faith. It’s just that as we share it with non-believers we do come off as ‘nuts’ with a few loose ‘bolts’. Thus the need for ‘grace’ being granted to the receiver of the news we have to share. Without that grace anything we say sounds insane. With the grace, what we say rings true.

What is the Gospel? It’s Jesus. He is the Good News (literal translation of ‘gospel’) of which the apostles spoke and which is recorded in scripture. Without Jesus there is no Good News, we’d still be shut out from heaven and there would be no stories to tell of God made Flesh walking among us, dying, rising from the dead to walk and talk among the apostles and others, and then ascending into heaven until he comes again.

They don’t believe in the sacrament of reconciliation. They may believe their sins are forgiven due to their belief in God’s mercy, but we Catholics believe in the outward signs of God’s grace absolving our sins as tangible evidence that Jesus is alive and among us today comforting us and healing our souls.

We Catholics cannot get away from our belief in the sacraments Jesus instituted through the apostles so that we may always know He is present among us. Now, while I consider that ‘nuts and bolts’ for Catholics, Protestants would not, so in our approach to them we would lose their interest if we focused on that in the ‘nuts and bolts’ phase. I’m not leaving it out because they don’t believe in it, I’m leaving it out because focusing on what they don’t believe will turn them off to anything else the Lord may wish to share with them through me. At the appropriate time, the Spirit will guide me to introduce the other stuff about our faith to non-believers.

Ok, I see what you’re getting at, kinda. I wouldn’t word it as you did. Perhaps “By the grace of God I have come to know and experience Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist (body, blood, soul and divinity) through the Catholic church, which through Apostolic succession is able to bring His Presence to us via the Mass and other sacraments.”

I would disagree that we jumped over any nuts and bolts by limiting our response’s focus to the Eucharist since that really is the source and summit of our faith. His Real Presence is what guides us to live each day with Him.

For many years I lived knowing Jesus was in heaven and I was on earth trying to get myself to Him through following the Church. I related to Jesus as I do other loved ones who have passed away. Their bodies are buried, I cannot have physical contact with them and so I find comfort in their memory and in knowing they are ‘up there’ with Jesus watching over me. This relationship is one of distance and longing.

Then I finally grasped the concept of the Real Presence of Jesus and it is exhilirating. Jesus isn’t far away. I can feel his flesh in the palm of my hand. I can sit by his side and feel his arms around me. I can hear him speak to me in reconciliation as my sins are absolved. Through the liturgy of the eucharist the angels became present and tangible to me through Jesus’ presence at that altar. This relationship is one of love and joy.

Growing up I remember wondering if I would have followed Jesus if I had lived when he walked the earth. There must have been a radiance of love eminating from the man which drew many to Him. I’ve met such people in my life since then.

Once I understood the Real Presence I realized that same radiance of love the apostles felt is in every tabernacle in every Catholic church. Without the Church, without the priests, we would not have Jesus’ Real Presence at our fingertips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That is the reality which keeps me Catholic.

But as you can see, that is not a concise response one can give to any non-believer. Even the Creed is not concise enough to satisfy your quest for a ‘simple’ nuts and bolts response.

Thank you for your response and patience. I do hear your understanding the the Real Presence, and that that is what keeps you Catholic. I guess we have different views on the nuts and bolts, regardless of how well it is expressed from person to person. In my opinion, focusing on the Eucharist is a blessing, if it is grounded in the nuts and bolts of why Jesus died on the cross. “Jumping” over that to the Eucharist, the succession of Popes, Church authority, is not, in my opinion, the nuts and bolts. Some Protestants will consider us a cult or nonChristian if they can’t see some understanding of the nuts and bolts in the individual. And who knows, perhaps God gives the same consideration.

I hope you have a blessed weekend,

Michael