How is one regenerated?

[elvisman]

Elvisman, I’m changing nothing. You need to let the author of Hebrews speak like a laywer making his case. They were fence sitters, they had been given the full knowledge of the Gospel but had not come to Christ. While under the direct pursecution from other Jews they were falling back into the old system.

I’m sorry you don’t like it, but that is what the Epsitle holds for us. There is a real conversion that takes place in the hearts of a real believers. Maybe what your lacking is the understanding of the invitation.

“But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

**Your failure to understand what Epignosis means is what is confusing you, my friend. **Epignosis is a “full, experiential kowledge”. It is not simply a knowlegde of “accepting an invitation” to believe, as you say.
Do you undesrtand what that means? Apparently, you don’t. YOUR statement:
"They had been given all the grace and full knowledge as you say to accept the invitation. But full experiential knowledge doesn’t make one a Christian."

A full, experiential knowledge of Christ most certainly DOES mean that they were Christians who were falling away - back into their former selves.

Strong’s Greek Concordance defines the word as "real", “exact” and "true" knowledge. "Experiential" means having experienced something - in this case, Christ.

The SAME words are used in 2 Pet. 2:20-21 when speaking about those who fall away from God after being regenerated:
*For if they, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge (epgnosis) of (our) Lord and savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition is worse than their first. *
For it would have been better for them not to have known (epiginosko) the way of righteousness than after knowing (epiginosko) it to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them."

Sorry, pal - you cannot change the meaning of Scripture whan it doesn’t fit your idea of what YOU think it should be.

 

[Rocket_Man]

Your failure to understand what Epignosis means is what is confusing you, my friend. Epignosis is a “full, experiential kowledge”. It is not simply a knowlegde of “accepting an invitation” to believe, as you say.
Do you undesrtand what that means? Apparently, you don’t. YOUR statement:
"They had been given all the grace and full knowledge as you say to accept the invitation. But full experiential knowledge doesn’t make one a Christian."

A full, experiential knowledge of Christ most certainly DOES mean that they were Christians who were falling away - back into their former selves.

Strong’s Greek Concordance defines the word as "real", “exact” and "true" knowledge. "Experiential" means having experienced something - in this case, Christ.

The SAME words are used in 2 Pet. 2:20-21 when speaking about those who fall away from God after being regenerated:
For if they, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge (epgnosis) of (our) Lord and savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition is worse than their first.
For it would have been better for them not to have known (epiginosko) the way of righteousness than after knowing (epiginosko) it to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them."

Sorry, pal - you cannot change the meaning of Scripture whan it doesn’t fit your idea of what YOU think it should be.

Once again, these individuals had been given the necessary graces to where there was complete enlightenment to understand not just in their mind but more so in their hearts the real gift and having known all things walked away from the invitation or fell from grace. It is the ultimate sin because having doing so, having received full enlightenment through grace the eternal gift of life offered through Jesus Christ, there is nothing else that God can do but through justice carry out His wrath for them having rejected His mercy.

When I began to read God’s word and learn of Him and before I accepted the invitation I had to understand that the one making the invitation was real and true before I could accept the gift He offered. The understanding developed as Him being real and true by testing Him. Their were experiences in daily living that confirmed in the heart that that He was all that the Word claimed Him to be. Yet, at this point I had not yet fell to my knees in repentance and accepted Him. He was proving Himself to me. If after knowing the full enlightenment of Him through grace that He was real and true, had I walked away, and returned to my vomit without accepting the gift, oh how fiery that wrath would have fell.

 

[elvisman]

Once again, these individuals had been given the necessary graces to where there was complete enlightenment to understand not just in their mind but more so in their hearts the real gift and having known all things walked away from the invitation or fell from grace. It is the ultimate sin because having doing so, having received full enlightenment through grace the eternal gift of life offered through Jesus Christ, there is nothing else that God can do but through justice carry out His wrath for them having rejected His mercy.

When I began to read God’s word and learn of Him and before I accepted the invitation I had to understand that the one making the invitation was real and true before I could accept the gift He offered. The understanding developed as Him being real and true by testing Him. Their were experiences in daily living that confirmed in the heart that that He was all that the Word claimed Him to be. Yet, at this point I had not yet fell to my knees in repentance and accepted Him. He was proving Himself to me. If after knowing the full enlightenment of Him through grace that He was real and true, had I walked away, and returned to my vomit without accepting the gift, oh how fiery that wrath would have fell.

**First of all – you are operating on spiritual pride here. You have been shown the meaning of the word, Epignosis and you have rejected it because it doesn’t fit your salvation puzzle. The word IS what it is and there is nothing you can do to change the meaning. *Gnosis *is the word you are alluding to but the word used in the verses in question is EPIGNOSIS. **
**But, alas - you’re not the first Protestant who tried to mess with the Scriptures to “prove” your point.

---

Secondly – are you now saying that we can accept or reject God’s grace? You no longer believe that we are chosen before the foundations of the world to be God’s elect?
Is THAT what you’re saying? Because if it IS – you cannot have it both ways, my confused friend.

 

[Rocket_Man]

First of all – you are operating on spiritual pride here. You have been shown the meaning of the word, Epignosis and you have rejected it because it doesn’t fit your salvation puzzle. The word IS what it is and there is nothing you can do to change the meaning. *Gnosis *is the word you are alluding to but the word used in the verses in question is EPIGNOSIS.
**But, *alas ***- you’re not the first Protestant who tried to mess with the Scriptures to “prove” your point.

---

Secondly – are you now saying that we can accept or reject God’s grace? You no longer believe that we are chosen before the foundations of the world to be God’s elect?
Is THAT what you’re saying? Because if it IS – you cannot have it both ways, my confused friend.

You are changing the meaning of “Epignosis” as you reading the word through your stained glasses. The word means knowledge that has hit the mark. “BULLSEYE”.

 

[Rocket_Man]

Secondly – are you now saying that we can accept or reject God’s grace? You no longer believe that we are chosen before the foundations of the world to be God’s elect?

Is THAT what you’re saying? Because if it IS – you cannot have it both ways, my confused friend.

The mystery allow us to have it both ways. His grace can not be rejected for those He calls. When He commanded “Lazarus Come Forth!” Lazarus could not have rejected the call. The same with Israel in His promise made to Abraham be fulfilled. In that we have the election before the foundation of the world. But there is also the invitation, "The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” The inability for us to reconcile this mystery makes it no less true.

 

[elvisman]

The mystery allow us to have it both ways. His grace can not be rejected for those He calls. When He commanded “Lazarus Come Forth!” Lazarus could not have rejected the call. The same with Israel in His promise made to Abraham be fulfilled. In that we have the election before the foundation of the world. But there is also the invitation, "The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” The inability for us to reconcile this mystery makes it no less true.

You are ALL over the place on this self-refuting theology of yours.
First, you say that we cannot resist God’s grace.

THEN, you say that in Hebrews, Paul was speaking to “fence-sitters” because they received the call but refused. This stands in DIRECT opposition to irresistable grace.

NOW you’re saying that we cannot resist God’s grace but we CAN refuse his “invitation”. That is the biggest load of hogwash I have ever read. Make up your mind instead of making up theological positions.

You have changed your position because I exposed your use of the word “knowledge” in reference to Heb. 10:26-27 and 2 Pet. 2:20-21.
Unfortunately for you - the Greek word used in BOTH passages is "Epignosis" (full, experiential knowledge) as opposed to "Gnosis", which simply means “knowledge”.

---

Your convoluted logic and twisting of the Scriptures has been exposed . . .

 

[elvisman]

You are changing the meaning of “Epignosis” as you reading the word through your stained glasses. The word means knowledge that has hit the mark. “BULLSEYE”.

WRONG** again.**

---

Like I showed you before, according to Strong’s Greek Lexicon, which is used by Protestant and Catholic scholars alike, the word Epignosis means:
Precise and correct** knowledge
The knowledge of things ethical and divine.
Real knowledge. True knowledge.**

 

[OneAugustKnight]

How can a person who was baptized as an infant in the CC, confirmed through the laying of hands of the diocese bishop, received the communion sacrament, received eighteen years of catholic education, served continuously as an alter boy, and gone through the ritual of confession before a priest, not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Aren’t these graces of knowing Him to have been bestowed upon the person in the sacraments? (Absolutely zero regeneration in his lifestyle)… Yet, having lead a sinful lifestyle and in despair he picked up a “Romans Road” pamphlet and turned to night after night and day after day of bible reading and while doing so, understood the Gospel as it was interpreted to him in the heart through the reading and prayer that went along with it, that Jesus Christ was real and offered the promise of forgiveness and eternal life… and having acknowledged Christ as Savior with repentance and acceptance of the Gospel invitation made evident through a life style change followed with years of real regeneration. How can this person reconcile the CC teaching of regeneration through the sacrament he supposedly received in childhood with the real regeneration he experienced later as an adult? Don’t he have to throw one away which was a very deep and personal experience based on private reading of the Bible and exchange it for something that didn’t happen and ordained by traditions of men?

What a puzzle this is because he has experienced both the Catholic form of regeneration through infant baptism and also the sacrament of penance through a priest as a youth. But he has experienced real regeneration through real penance later in life without a priest. His youthful experiences were never sufficient to bend away from sin to coincide with the very reason Christ Jesus came into the world, to take away sin. Yet in the later case, the regeneration was evident, as the turning away from several sinful vices was manifested in his daily living.

That person is me!

I am sorry that the Church failed to give you the conversion experience you obtained from your pamphlet. I am not a theologian, but I hope you will reconsider the Catholic Church. I became Catholic as an adult, and though I desired the Sacraments, I didn’t feel regenerated until I actually received them and I continue to experience the joy of a new convert every time I receive Reconciliation and the Blessed Sacrament even now, more than 3 years later.

What do you wish the Catholic Church and school had done differently in your religious formation? What was it in the pamphlet that influenced you to give yourself to Christ? For me it was the knowledge that he gives himself to us totally in the Holy Eucharist.

 

[Rocket_Man]

WRONG** again.**

---

Like I showed you before, according to Strong’s Greek Lexicon, which is used by Protestant and Catholic scholars alike, the word Epignosis means:
Precise and correct** knowledge
The knowledge of things ethical and divine**.
Real knowledge. True knowledge.

Elvisman, the Strong’s Greek Lexicon is correct and I am also saying the same. Let me try a different way. Before you buy a car, as well as the necessary questions that need to be asked from the seller, you look under the hood, kick the tires a few times, take the car to be inspected by your mechanic, and test drive the car to get the feel on the road and how she handles. All of these processes are experiences that lead to true knowledge if the car is worth the price. In the same way, when I began to read the Word, I began by proving what was written and in a way test driving the car. I had read all the advertisements and claims that it was the only car that a man could have, and God through grace said "Here, take Him for a test drive and test Me to see if I’m not telling you the truth. After time I had gained an experiential knowledge and an inner acknowledgment that Jesus was all He claimed to be, the Son of the Living God.

 

[Rocket_Man]

You are ALL over the place on this self-refuting theology of yours.
First, you say that we cannot resist God’s grace.

THEN, you say that in Hebrews, Paul was speaking to “fence-sitters” because they received the call but refused. This stands in DIRECT opposition to irresistable grace.

NOW you’re saying that we cannot resist God’s grace but we CAN refuse his “invitation”. That is the biggest load of hogwash I have ever read. Make up your mind instead of making up theological positions.

You have changed your position because I exposed your use of the word “knowledge” in reference to Heb. 10:26-27 and 2 Pet. 2:20-21.
Unfortunately for you - the Greek word used in BOTH passages is "Epignosis" (full, experiential knowledge) as opposed to "Gnosis", which simply means “knowledge”.

---

Your convoluted logic and twisting of the Scriptures has been exposed . . .

Elvisman, you are asking me to make a choice on this and I cannot because the Scripture upholds both to be true. I refuse to trample over Romans 9 in exchange for the other. Practically we experience the invitation, yet He is sovereign to do what He wills with His creation.

 

[Carlan]

Elvisman, the Strong’s Greek Lexicon is correct and I am also saying the same. Let me try a different way. Before you buy a car, as well as the necessary questions that need to be asked from the seller, you look under the hood, kick the tires a few times, take the car to be inspected by your mechanic, and test drive the car to get the feel on the road and how she handles. All of these processes are experiences that lead to true knowledge if the car is worth the price. In the same way, when I began to read the Word, I began by proving what was written and in a way test driving the car. I had read all the advertisements and claims that it was the only car that a man could have, and God through grace said "Here, take Him for a test drive and test Me to see if I’m not telling you the truth. After time I had gained an experiential knowledge and an inner acknowledgment that Jesus was all He claimed to be, the Son of the Living God.

I am thankfull Rock , that you finally did respond to the grace God offered you to be able to accept redemption when you did. I also think it it sad that you didn’t respond, when you were able growing up, and that your pride is still standing in the way of accepting responsibility for it, still blaming Mother Church.
Christ the Groom and His Bride the Church wants you back in the fold, they love you and want to nurture you through the sacraments of sanctifying grace. Peace, Carlan

 

[elvisman]

Elvisman, you are asking me to make a choice on this and I cannot because the Scripture upholds both to be true. I refuse to trample over Romans 9 in exchange for the other. Practically we experience the invitation, yet He is sovereign to do what He wills with His creation.

Sacred Scripture NEVER holds to two oppposing “truths”. Therefore ONE of your positions is wrong. That is the KEY problem with individual interpretation of Scripture - confusion. Everybody believes that THEIR interpretation is correct. Now, we have over 30,000 versions of the “truth”.

**The entire process of salvation (and it IS a process) depends on cooperation with God’s grace. We cooperate with the initial grace of salvation (the “invitation”). We cooperate by picking up our cross daily to follow him (Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34). ****That is the message of the Gospel - not irresistable grace. **

**Your 2 positions oppose each other. That cannot happen with a true interpretation of Scripture. One of your positions says that we must accept the invitation and the other says that we cannot resist the rest of the ride. One says that God hand-picked us and the other says that we picked him.
You cannot have it both ways no matter how hard you try.

 

[Rocket_Man]

I am thankfull Rock , that you finally did respond to the grace God offered you to be able to accept redemption when you did. I also think it it sad that you didn’t respond, when you were able growing up, and that your pride is still standing in the way of accepting responsibility for it, still blaming Mother Church.
Christ the Groom and His Bride the Church wants you back in the fold, they love you and want to nurture you through the sacraments of sanctifying grace. Peace, Carlan

Carlan, I said this elsewhere but I will repeat. I remember when I was younger my dad used to have two steel chairs on the patio. Every spring he would need to re-sand the rust that had worked through the paint on the chairs and then repaint them with a fresh coat. When anyone mentions the lack of being catechized as a possible reason I didn’t respond, then I remember that old steel chair that wouldn’t hold paint, not that they hadn’t been worked and reworked, but because the underlying steel was such that they continued to rust. In the same way, I was that chair, no matter how much my parents or the church would had sanded and painted, I wouldn’t had held the paint cause my nature was corrupted.

Yesterday, it was my birthday and my nephew came over to visit with his one year old son. Like any young child, he was a real tear getting into everything and the visit was often interrupted with a “No!” screamed from my nephew’s lips. After serving the birthday cake and ice cream on a plate to my nephew, he carefully laid the plate on the seat next to him, picked up his son into his lap and commanded him to lay still and go to sleep. Looking at the eyeballs of that child peering at the plate of cake lying next to him I just chuckled at my nephew having giving the boy such a order. Needless to say the infant had not the ability to follow the command of his father. Likewise, I was that child. I was taught the commandment in the church but had not the ability to follow them because I naturally desired the cake and ice cream.

Even today, the old man hangs his hat on my coat rack and I am overtaken. But fortunately, God threw out goodness as the measuring stick to get to heaven and opted for mercy instead.

 

[Rocket_Man]

**Sacred Scripture NEVER **holds to two oppposing “truths”. Therefore ONE of your positions is wrong. That is the KEY problem with individual interpretation of Scripture - confusion. Everybody believes that THEIR interpretation is correct. Now, we have over 30,000 versions of the “truth”.

The entire process of salvation (and it IS a process) depends on cooperation with God’s grace. We cooperate with the initial grace of salvation (the “invitation”). We cooperate by picking up our cross daily to follow him (Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34). **That is the message of the Gospel - not **irresistable grace.

Your 2 positions oppose each other. That cannot happen with a true interpretation of Scripture. One of your positions says that we *must *accept the invitation and the other says that we cannot resist the rest of the ride. One says that God hand-picked us and the other says that we picked him.
You cannot have it both ways no matter how hard you try.

In the gift of His Son and once the gift is opened, there is God’s spoken command to bring all His promises and all things including final preservation into being.

I was taught as a child that by keeping the commandments that I would go to heaven. But by trying to keep them in where I had absolutely not any ability, I found that in them was instead the sentence to death.

Romans 7:10
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

So, Elvisman, what about the Holy Commandments. Do they teach opposing truths?

 

[Carlan]

Carlan, I said this elsewhere but I will repeat. I remember when I was younger my dad used to have two steel chairs on the patio. Every spring he would need to re-sand the rust that had worked through the paint on the chairs and then repaint them with a fresh coat. When anyone mentions the lack of being catechized as a possible reason I didn’t respond, then I remember that old steel chair that wouldn’t hold paint, not that they hadn’t been worked and reworked, but because the underlying steel was such that they continued to rust. In the same way, I was that chair, no matter how much my parents or the church would had sanded and painted, I wouldn’t had held the paint cause my nature was corrupted.

Yesterday, it was my birthday and my nephew came over to visit with his one year old son. Like any young child, he was a real tear getting into everything and the visit was often interrupted with a “No!” screamed from my nephew’s lips. After serving the birthday cake and ice cream on a plate to my nephew, he carefully laid the plate on the seat next to him, picked up his son into his lap and commanded him to lay still and go to sleep. Looking at the eyeballs of that child peering at the plate of cake lying next to him I just chuckled at my nephew having giving the boy such a order. Needless to say the infant had not the ability to follow the command of his father. Likewise, I was that child. I was taught the commandment in the church but had not the ability to follow them because I naturally desired the cake and ice cream.

Even today, the old man hangs his hat on my coat rack and I am overtaken. But fortunately, God threw out goodness as the measuring stick to get to heaven and opted for mercy instead.

Trouble is you can’t have your cake and eat it too! I hate to say it , but I’m wondering if it isn’t time to shake the dust from the sandals. Anyway God bless you with the Power of His Light.
Fiat Voluntus Tua, sicut in Coelo et in terra.
Peace, Carlan

 

[elvisman]

In the gift of His Son and once the gift is opened, there is God’s spoken command to bring all His promises and all things including final preservation into being.

I was taught as a child that by keeping the commandments that I would go to heaven. But by trying to keep them in where I had absolutely not any ability, I found that in them was instead the sentence to death.

Romans 7:10
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

So, Elvisman, what about the Holy Commandments. Do they teach opposing truths?

Nope. Why would you ask that? Do you see any of the Commandments that contradict each other?
ALL** of the following verses speak of the necessity of keeping the commandments in order to have eternal life: Matt. 19:16-17, John 14:15, John 15:10, 1 John 2:3-4, Rev. 14:12, Rev. 22:14**.

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However – this DOESN’T mean that if we stumble God won’t forgive is. That is the problem with many who adhere to OSAS or other aberrant belief systems that are un-Biblical. We must continually come back to Christ for forgiveness when we fall. Repentance is NOT a one-time event. You should repent EVERY time you fall into sin.

---

Preservation takes cooperation with grace. Cooperation means repentance and asking for forgiveness and receiving it. Our sins are paid for - but we STILL have to ask - just like a child who asks his father for something. He knows his father will give it to him because he loves him - but he STILL needs to ask for it.

---

It’s as simple as that.

 

[Rocket_Man]

Nope. Why would you ask that? Do you see any of the Commandments that contradict each other?

Elvisman, I am speaking particular of this verse comprising the Commandment in purpose: Do the purposes oppose each other?

Romans 7:10
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

 

[elvisman]

Elvisman, I am speaking particular of this verse comprising the Commandment in purpose: Do the purposes oppose each other?

Romans 7:10
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

Once again, Rocket - you took it out of context (imagine that…).

Here it is in context:
"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires. For apart from the law, sin is dead. And I was once alive apart from the law, but with the coming of the commandment sin became alive and I died. So I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life brought death! For sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it I died. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good."

This does not mean that the commandments bring death. The Law was purposely rigid. It was the precursor to Christ who is the fulfillment.

This is what Paul says about the Law in Col. 2:16-17:
"Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days – these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!!"

As I explained to you before - we cooperate with God’s grace when we come to him repentantly after sinning with contrition in our hearts and he forgives us. He takes the rigidity of the commandments and offers us mercy when we fall - IF we are willing to cooperate with his grace.**

It’s really very simple.

 

[Rocket_Man]

Once again, Rocket - you took it out of context (imagine that…).

Here it is in context:
"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires. For apart from the law, sin is dead. And I was once alive apart from the law, but with the coming of the commandment sin became alive and I died. So I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life brought death! For sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it I died. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good."

This does not mean that the commandments bring death. The Law was purposely rigid. It was the precursor to Christ who is the fulfillment.

This is what Paul says about the Law in Col. 2:16-17:
"Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days – these are only the shadow of the things to come, but the reality is Christ!!"

As I explained to you before - we cooperate with God’s grace when we come to him repentantly after sinning with contrition in our hearts and he forgives us. He takes the rigidity of the commandments and offers us mercy when we fall -* IF* we are willing to cooperate with his grace.

It’s really very simple.

In the world, the Commandment’s have always spoke of God’s perfect righteousness in that all men are guilty before Him. The commands to Israel in Leviticus 18:5 “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them” and by Jesus to the rich ruler "But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” is suppose to bring about through they’re rule over all mankind a dependence on God’s mercy knowing that all fall short. They were never meant as a “ladder to heaven” that in trying to do them even through as you say “cooperating with grace” a man could be Holy before a Righteous God.

So in the world we say “Do Them” and Jesus says “Do Them” in hope of one falling off the ladder into the loving arms of Jesus Christ. Elvisman, Jesus Christ is not a hand under your ladder that catches your foot when you miss one of the rings in your ladder. But Jesus Christ is the end of climbing the ladder for He is the ladder. In Him we live and have our whole being and through Him having already fulfilled all the rigid requirements of the law, we are solely and wholly depended on Him in all things. He is the representation of God’s mercy to all mankind and in that mercy we now live.

 

[The_GreyPilgrim]

In the world, the Commandment’s have always spoke of God’s perfect righteousness in that all men are guilty before Him. The commands to Israel in Leviticus 18:5 “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them” and by Jesus to the rich ruler "But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” is suppose to bring about through they’re rule over all mankind a dependence on God’s mercy knowing that all fall short. They were never meant as a “ladder to heaven” that in trying to do them even through as you say “cooperating with grace” a man could be Holy before a Righteous God.

So in the world we say “Do Them” and Jesus says “Do Them” in hope of one falling off the ladder into the loving arms of Jesus Christ. Elvisman, Jesus Christ is not a hand under your ladder that catches your foot when you miss one of the rings in your ladder. But Jesus Christ is the end of climbing the ladder for He is the ladder. In Him we live and have our whole being and through Him having already fulfilled all the rigid requirements of the law, we are solely and wholly depended on Him in all things. He is the representation of God’s mercy to all mankind and in that mercy we now live.

Your above statement ignores Jesus’ grace working in us. Catholics know that following the Commandments merely of our own power is fruitless and impossible. Jesus knew it was impossible which is why He gives us His sacraments, His priesthood, and His Church.

Jesus, being the Word of God, is the Commandments, hence He tells the rich man, “if you wish to have life, follow the Commandments.” Jesus did not scoff at the rich man and tell him, “there’s no way you can follow the Commandments, so just give up and accept me as your Lord and Savior.”

No, Jesus just led the man further appealing to what He knew the man least wanted to sacrifice, “sell all that you have to the poor, and then follow Me.”

Jesus is the ladder, and He is the hand under the ladder, and He is the one holding the top of the ladder. Jesus is the one above us pulling us up the ladder and the one below us pushing us up the ladder. Jesus by His grace He gives us in Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, sets us free from our sins to follow His commandments, and when we fall His love and mercy in confession sets us free from our shame when we fail.