How do you respond to the question

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EsclavoDeCristo

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Okay, this is the deal! I love Jesus and I love the Church.

Lately I have been running into our evangelical brothers and sisters on the streets as they evangelize and try to get people saved. This is very admirable to say the least. However, I want to respond honestly to their question but not turn it into a debate. They always aproach and say “if you were to die tonight do you know where you’d go?” I say “i hope I’d go to heaven but I dare not presume on the Lords mercy. however, I do pray everyday for the grace to continue following the Lord and beg he would help me not fall into sin” Sometimes this leads to a debate. Other times its okay.

How do you guys respond? How do you show love of your Christian brother/sister while at the same time not compromising your faith or getting into a big scene on the street?
 
I would just say, “Tonight, I would go to Heaven.” (If that’s true.) Alternatively, you could say, “Thanks for the reminder - I should go to Confession.” 🙂
 
jmcrae said:
I would just say, “Tonight, I would go to Heaven.” (If that’s true.) Alternatively, you could say, “Thanks for the reminder - I should go to Confession.” 🙂
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Ha, I was thinking of something along the same lines. I had gone to confession a couple hours earlier! Thanks for the suggestion. 👍
 
I’ve run into the same folks. Even before I was Catholic I didn’t seem to agree with them on the subject of salvation.
 
It seems like they hang out in the Walmart parking lot where I live.I don’t have the heart to say no, so I usually take their tracks and say “Have a blessed day”. Then there are those with buckets at the red light collecting money for one thing or another. Yep! I usually give them a couple of dollars. I keep thinking about something our priest said about Jesus could look like a begger, business man, whatever…and your kindness will be remembered.🤷
 
Careful that their teaching doesn’t go against Church teaching.
Otherwise, your dollars could be paying for the confusion of fellow Catholics.😛

But yes, I have a hard time saying no to anyone. That’s why I have a Copy of the *Great Controversy *on my bookshelf.:o I too, think about angels or Jesus in disguise when I see folks asking for charity.
 
Careful that their teaching doesn’t go against Church teaching.
Otherwise, your dollars could be paying for the confusion of fellow Catholics.😛

But yes, I have a hard time saying no to anyone. That’s why I have a Copy of the *Great Controversy *on my bookshelf.:o I too, think about angels or Jesus in disguise when I see folks asking for charity.
 
How about
“Do you reckon you could ask God for me?”
Haha
Thankfully, I haven’t been asked this question in a long time.
 
“If you were to die tonight, where would you go”

I’d answer “to be judged by my merciful God”. I would them show them the answer in Heb 9:27
"Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, "
 
This is how you respond…

“Are you saved?” asks the Fundamentalist. The Catholic should reply: “As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13).”

(So in a nut shell: We are saved; we are being saved; we will be saved. Salvation: Past, Present, Future… not a one time event.)

Courtesy of apologetics headquarters…

catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp

(For the more knowledgable Protestant, you are opening up a can of worms though. Oh, yes, but it’s one you should open.)

Also check out www.biblechristiansociety.com They offer free apologetics cds. For this issue get “Once Saved, Always Saved” and “Sola Fide”. All of the cd’s are excellent though! Consider giving them out to Evangelicals.)
 
I recently finished a book on my conversion from agnosticism, to Evangelical Protestantism, to Catholicism. It’s an interesting and supernatural journey, filled with comic-like illustrations. So far the feedback I’ve gotten is great. If you are interested in a free copy, please send me a private message and I will happily give you the simple instructions. It’s a great witnessing tool for skeptics and Protestants! I believe it will encourage and inspire…
 
EsclavoDeCristo said:
How do you guys respond? How do you show love of your Christian brother/sister while at the same time not compromising your faith or getting into a big scene on the street?
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I understand your concern about a big scene, I would be afraid of that, too. But, how powerful that would be if you caused a scene! All of them listening to you defend the Catholic faith!

I have to ditto a previous post and lead you here

I have been listening to John Martignoni for the last couple of weeks on CD in the car. I am finding that I need to be sitting with pen and paper taking notes when listening to them. I long to be able to whip out my bible and start jumping from verse to verse to perfectly defend the truth.
 
i simply say “i know not to judge, i leave that in the hands of my God.”
CRDAD
 
christcnection1 said:
“Are you saved?” asks the Fundamentalist. The Catholic should reply: “As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13).”

(So in a nut shell: We are saved; we are being saved; we will be saved. Salvation: Past, Present, Future… not a one time event.)

Courtesy of apologetics headquarters…

catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp
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Excellent response! I’ll have to keep it in mind while on vacation in the Bible belt, and am posting to this thread so I’ll be able to reference this more easily.

Thanks! 🙂 :cool: 👍

~~ the phoenix
 
I have been listening to John Martignoni for the last couple of weeks on CD in the car. I am finding that I need to be sitting with pen and paper taking notes when listening to them. I long to be able to whip out my bible and start jumping from verse to verse to perfectly defend the truth.
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Martignoni is the man! 👍

Mos def check out that link!
 
Insofar as this is a variation on the classic “Have you been saved?” my reply would be a variation on “I have been justified; my salvation is being worked out.”

JSA
 
My friend asked me that once. She also included my family in the question.I didn’t know how to answer. I finally said…“I hope so” She then said “well I know that Iam and my family is becuase were saved”. My brother said that I should have told her that it is pretty presumptious of her to know what the Lord will do.
 
I respond this way.
1 John 5:11-13
11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

**These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.**NASU

Here is my answer to how can one know that he will go to heaven when they dies.
  1. *He who has the Son has the life * If one has the Son he has Life (eternal life).
**Do you have the Son by faith alone? **
  1. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life./
John wrote his book to tell people that when they believe in Jesus as their personal Savior they can KNOW for sure that they have eternal life. This is based on the promises in the Bible. He who believe has everlasting life, John 6:47; John 3:16.

The Bible clearly tells us that we can know for sure that when we die that we will be in heaven with God, John 3:16; 5:24; John 14:1-4. When a person thinks that salvation is based in part upon their own self effort instead of on the merits of Christ alone, it leads one to never know for sure that they have done enough to merit God justifying him. That is not what the Bible teaches. God says we can know for sure that when we die that we will be in heaven. Our assurance is based on the merits of another person for us. It is based on what Christ has done for us on the cross and nothing else. Trust what God tells us in the Bible and not on what man says or thinks. John 3:16; 10:28-29; Acts 16:31; Eph 2:8-9; 1 John 5:11-13; John 20:30-31 👍
 
EsclavoDeCristo said:
Okay, this is the deal! I love Jesus and I love the Church.

Lately I have been running into our evangelical brothers and sisters on the streets as they evangelize and try to get people saved. This is very admirable to say the least. However, I want to respond honestly to their question but not turn it into a debate. They always aproach and say “if you were to die tonight do you know where you’d go?” I say “i hope I’d go to heaven but I dare not presume on the Lords mercy. however, I do pray everyday for the grace to continue following the Lord and beg he would help me not fall into sin” Sometimes this leads to a debate. Other times its okay.

How do you guys respond? How do you show love of your Christian brother/sister while at the same time not compromising your faith or getting into a big scene on the street?
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When it comes to people witnessing on the streets I just tell them I have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and give them my blessings. If they want to get deeper then that, they need to buy me a cup of coffee at place were we can sit down and have plenty of time to run through the scriptures.

Apologetics on the streets tends to widen the gap with our separated brothers more then bring us to a closer understanding of each others beliefs. Many times those that witness on the street are Christians that are excited about Christ’s love, young in thier faith and/or not well formed in thier faith. That is something I did back in my days of early conversion as a protestant, many years(decades) before I came into full communion with the Catholic Church.

Getting into a “big scene” on the street may hurt Christ’s witness for both involved.
 
EsclavoDeCristo said:
Okay, this is the deal! I love Jesus and I love the Church.

Lately I have been running into our evangelical brothers and sisters on the streets as they evangelize and try to get people saved. This is very admirable to say the least. However, I want to respond honestly to their question but not turn it into a debate. They always aproach and say “if you were to die tonight do you know where you’d go?” I say “i hope I’d go to heaven but I dare not presume on the Lords mercy. however, I do pray everyday for the grace to continue following the Lord and beg he would help me not fall into sin” Sometimes this leads to a debate. Other times its okay.

How do you guys respond? How do you show love of your Christian brother/sister while at the same time not compromising your faith or getting into a big scene on the street?
Click to expand...
Tell them yes, you believe in the Lord Jesus as your savior and are a Christian. If they ask what ’ religion’ you are, tell them you worship and practice your faith in the structure of the Catholic Church. Then walk away. No need for debate. You won’t answer they way they want, they just want to preach.

Former non-denom, Now Catholic.
 
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