How should I respond?

[Shana]

How should I respond to someone who says:

truly the way I like to see it is that we should look to emulate Christ’s ways and not look to establish a relationship directly with a church but instead with God. I believe that we shouldn’t put so much importance on religion, like I’m Catholic, Pentecostal, or Baptist, but more emphasis on being children and followers of Christ.

Scripture quotations would be appreciated as well.

 

[Spirithound]

You are Peter (Pierre, Pedro, Petros, Cephas, Kepha), and on this rock (pierre, piedra, petra, cephas, kepha) I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.

 

[CentralFLJames]

How should I respond to someone who says:

truly the way I like to see it is that we should look to emulate Christ’s ways and not look to establish a relationship directly with a church but instead with God. I believe that we shouldn’t put so much importance on religion, like I’m Catholic, Pentecostal, or Baptist, but more emphasis on being children and followers of Christ.

Scripture quotations would be appreciated as well.

The most direct come back is to agree with him but say that:

“But the way JESUS would like to see it is to be obedient to him and for us emulate His obedience to The Father. Did you not listen to Jesus’ statement that ‘if you love me, you will obey my commandments’ or ‘do this [Eucharist] in memory of me’”?

James

 

[steve_b]

How should I respond to someone who says:

truly the way I like to see it is that we should look to emulate Christ’s ways and not look to establish a relationship directly with a church but instead with God. I believe that we shouldn’t put so much importance on religion, like I’m Catholic, Pentecostal, or Baptist, but more emphasis on being children and followers of Christ.

Scripture quotations would be appreciated as well.

If we emulate Christ

• we do everything He commanded [Jn 14:15]
• A relationship with the Church Jesus builds is a relationship with Jesus [Acts 9:1-5]

This is being a child of God

 

[AdriannaJean]

For the Catholic a deeper relationship with Christ is brought only through the Church. This is because of Christ’s real, nor symbolic, presence in the Sacraments.

 

[Kay_Cee]

The Church is the very Body of Christ (see Colossions 1:24). So to say one should “not look to establish a relationship directly with a church but instead with God” makes no sense.

Since the Church is the Body of Christ, that’s saying one should not look to establish a relationship directly with the Body of Christ but instead with God. So one should not look to establish a relationship directly with God but instead with God.

As I said, that makes no sense.

If I were you, I would ask my friend to define “Church.” Then I would show him the Biblical definition in Colossions 1:24.

 

[Holly3278]

For the Catholic a deeper relationship with Christ is brought only through the Church. This is because of Christ’s real, nor symbolic, presence in the Sacraments.

Amen! Good post! I couldn’t have said it better myself! The sacraments are of immense importance to us as Catholics. I will be going to confession and Mass later on today. Praise God for the sacraments! :extrahappy: