How To Get To Heaven

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I read it in my head while I was reading the OP, so I think I should be saved. 😃
 
Did you notice that the modern “sinner’s prayer” bears very little resemblance to the actual sinner’s prayers found in the New Testament?

Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Luke 15:18 I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee: 19 I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son.

Though that last one is somewhat close.🤷
 
Yes, Church Militant, this is a good observation. Do you also notice that this prayer sounds more like payment for the saving ticket rather than a prayer? Maybe I read between the lines but to me it’s very much like especially after I compare it to these passage. It sound to me almost like this: Hey God, I would kinda like to go to heaven. You say it’s a nice place to spend the eternity and I like nice places. So, did you say that all I need to do is to believe in this and submit? Well, here we go! Says the prayer That’s it God, can I have my ticket now?

I might be wrong. 🤷
 
My thinking is the scriptural sinner’s prayers are really more heartfelt cries to God for undeserved mercy than the formulaic prayers that some people use, and they also are just like the very first steps toward salvation, like the response of the crowd on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2)

[37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”
[38] And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
xfrodobagginsx said:
ARE YOU 100% SURE …
You cannot get to heaven by being a good person, going to church, baptism

Mt 3:16 “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,”

…
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD FOR YOUR SINS? DO YOU ACCEPT WHAT HE DID FOR YOU TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS?
Yes, it’s Church teaching, and proclaimed at every Mass
  1. If you are willing to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior please pray this right now, from your heart to God,
    Catholics pray this at every Mass, if they are prayerfully attentive.
**“Dear LORD JESUS, I believe that YOU died on the Cross and Rose from the dead for my sins. I ask you to come into my heart and forgive me for my sins, take me to heaven when I die. I now receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. In Jesus holy name, Amen.” **

…
Now that you are on your way to heaven, you should attend a bible believing church and follow in baptism.
That’s what I do as a Catholic, thank you!
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xfrodobagginsx,
Code: 
  Glad to see you take your faith seriously, and are willing to share it with others and challenge others. Just a word of caution not to misrepresent what the Catholic Church truly teaches, which might be tempting and easy to do since we sinners often fail and need to throw ourselves on God's mercy and the blood of Christ. I also hope you have taken ownership of your arguements, and are not regurgitating other's apologetics without testing them yourself with Sacred Scripture and prayer.
 I like your prayer, it's a great start. Have you given due considerations to the following Scriptures (I notice the Roman road and the John verse you already mention):
Surely these Catholic Scriptures pertain to faith, and the relationship of faith and works, not faith alone.
Mt 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
See also Mt 10:38, Mk 8:34, Lk 14:27

Mt 3:10 “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
See also Mt 3:8, Mt 7:14, Jn 15:2, Ps 92:12-14

1 Tim 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

2 Tim 2:12 “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;

Titus 1:16 “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

2 Peter 2:1 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

So, there are “Christians” both “Catholic” and “Protestant” who live and teach based on faith alone:

Jude 1:4 “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

1 Tim 1:6-8 “For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,”

1 Cor 3:1:3 “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

James 2:17-20 “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

In Christ,

Michael
 
Gamera said:
Funny, that prayer isn’t in my Bible. Looks like it’s man-made.

I’ll stick with what the Bible actually says to do.
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So you stick with the Lord’s prayer, the Hail Mary, Scriptures… and stay away from man-made prayer, such as the prayer of St Francis, and other saints, etc?

Michael
 
Church_Militant said:
*Okay, but I like this one a lot better.
LINK
Gee… thanks for the assurance…🤷 Okay, I got that too. See, I’m a faithful Catholic and so I’m as “saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost” as you are or any other believer, and my Church teaches the Bible all the time. Here’s the text that we heard today.

Christ has died. Alleluia
Christ is risen. Alleluia
Christ will come again. Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen!
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I like this part of your post, very nice.

Michael
 
Mt_28_19_20 said:
So you stick with the Lord’s prayer, the Hail Mary, Scriptures… and stay away from man-made prayer, such as the prayer of St Francis, and other saints, etc?

Michael
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No, I mean the Bible doesn’t say that Frodo’s little prayer is the way to get to heaven. I think I’ll stick with what the Bible actually says about how to get to heaven.
 
Church_Militant said:
Now… where is your evidence to support the allegations that you made in this post. SPLIT: The Catholic Church thinks they are the true church, yet teaches so many heresies.

C’mon…man up XFBx…make your case if you really have one.

So far it looks like you’re a one trick pony…

You made that allegation against the Catholic Church, and I’m calling you on it.

This is not a platform for your evangelism, and if you think so you need to check that thinking against the Forum Rules and Banned Topics that you agreed to when you joined us here at CAF.
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CM,
Code: 
 Ya gonna kick the pony until it kicks back? Taunt him with "man up"? He knows were his reply to another poster was turned into an OP by the moderator, and apparently he has chosen not to play.  He does seem to reply in the threads were he actually initiated the OP himself, and seems to try to defend or explain his view there, though imperfectly.
M
 
Gamera said:
No, I mean the Bible doesn’t say that Frodo’s little prayer is the way to get to heaven. I think I’ll stick with what the Bible actually says about how to get to heaven.
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Actually, alot of what Frodo included is essential, and often neglected by individuals, to our Catholic faith. As Catholics we believe most of what that prayer included. It’s what is implicitly left out of the prayer that is of concern. In away, one might look at Frodo’s prayer as analogous to spiritual milk, not ready for the solid food of our faith…recognizing our daily cross to carry, and the danger of falling from the vine and withering without the fruit of our faith.

Michael
 
xfrodobagginsx said:
Yes it is and it’s a corrupt one.
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No, the Catholic Church is not a denomination, God’s Church preceded the Reformation, and Luther and others split from the Church, dividing into denominations. History is clear in this regard. Let’s not get carried away. Don’t forget, Mt 12:36 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” Don’t want to be carelessly giving false witness, atleast not knowingly.

Ah, as far as corrupt… do you mean to say there are sinners in the Catholic Church? In that regard, you would be correct. And of course that is true for Christian denominations, and non-denominationals, a bunch of sinners believing in Jesus Christ by the grace of God. The foundations of Christian faith are safeguarded by the Catholic Church.

Michael
 
Mt_28_19_20 said:
Actually, alot of what Frodo included is essential, and often neglected by individuals, to our Catholic faith. As Catholics we believe most of what that prayer included. It’s what is implicitly left out of the prayer that is of concern. In away, one might look at Frodo’s prayer as analogous to spiritual milk, not ready for the solid food of our faith…recognizing our daily cross to carry, and the danger of falling from the vine and withering without the fruit of our faith.

Michael
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Well said 👍 🙂​

It’s ridiculous to tear it apart for not addressing or implying every single issue relating to salvation. It cannot be blamed for not dotting the Is & crossing the Ts of obscure & hard things like predestination & human freedom; a prayer is not a lecture in the niceties of dogmatic theology. What St. Paul says to the jailer in Acts 16 is as objectionable (& direct) as anything in this prayer.

If God does not reject it, what business is it of anybody else ?
 
Gottle_of_Geer said:

Well said 👍 🙂​

It’s ridiculous to tear it apart for not addressing or implying every single issue relating to salvation. It cannot be blamed for not dotting the I
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s & crossing the Ts of obscure & hard things like predestination & human freedom; a prayer is not a lecture in the niceties of dogmatic theology. What St. Paul says to the jailer in Acts 16 is as objectionable (& direct) as anything in this prayer.

If God does not reject it, what business is it of anybody else ?And by that same token, neither should n-Cs hassle Catholics for not using something that they like, right?
 
Elliott said:
Where does it say this in the Bible?
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As I said before MANY but NOT ALL catholics preach another gospel. Here is what the bible says about that.

Ga 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. {with him: or, with me}

Ga 1:6 ¶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
 
Where in Scripture does Jesus say to write down everything He said and did?

Please don’t show me Matt.28 with your eisegesis.
 
GandalfTheWhite said:
Hey Frodo, one more question:

But let me ask you a question. Prayer this prayer is works. If you must pray this prayer than how can you claim that we are Saved by Faith Alone? Either it’s Sola Fide and I don’t need to pray that prayer to be saved it’s Faith **and **Works!
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You don’t have to pray “the prayer” to be saved, but what it does it sum up what the bible says regarding salvation.

Ro 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,

Can’t you do this through prayer?

and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,

As I have said before, the prayer must be genuine. What does it say in the prayer? I believe that you died on the cross and rose from the dead. What does the above verse say again?

thou shalt be saved.

So, we can conclude based upon the bible that we can and will be saved if we pray that sincere prayer from our heart.

Ro 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How do we call upon the name of the Lord? Not through baptism. By talking to Him. We call that prayer.

Lu 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

This guy called upon the Lord and was saved. What does the bible say about this man?

Lu 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

His heart was right with God when He prayed as well.

The thief on the cross merely called on the Lord BTW he wasn’t baptized and he was still saved because baptism doesnt save.

Lu 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

All these are examples of people calling upon the Lord for salvation. Don’t try to tell me that you aren’t saved if you do that. The bible proves you wrong.

When the soldier ask them how to be saved, what did they say to him? Be baptized? No BELIEVE ON THE LORD, that means to place your faith in Him for salvation.

Ac 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

AFTER He placed His faith in Jesus He was saved. Then He was baptized as an outward sign of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.

The problem is that you are mis-interpreting a select few verses to mean that WATER baptism saves. Did you know that there is more than one kind of baptism?
 
xfrodobagginsx said:
As I said before MANY but NOT ALL catholics preach another gospel. Here is what the bible says about that.

Ga 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. {with him: or, with me}

Ga 1:6 ¶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
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??? And how does this pertain to the Catholic Church???
All these claims you make…with no meat…
 
I said that I have prayed the prayer because most of the prayer can be expressed when someone prays the Mass. A part of your prayer is found in the Creed, and as far as asking Christ to come into our hearts, that is done by many as they go to Communion.

For me, there is no greater act of welcoming the Lord into my heart than receiving him in the form of the Eucharist.
 
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