I am thinking of becoming a Baptist..

[CarmelTherese]

Dear Nicole,

I left the church and went to the Baptist church, along with several other churches. You are right, the singing is lively and the fellowship is really great. They are truly convicted in what they believe and so the bible study is committed.

However, I always knew and felt in my heart that something was missing. I was in the Protestant church for 14 years and all that time had a nagging feeling that something just wasn’t right.

After several years of bouncing around from church to church trying to find that “something” that was missing, I finally came home to the Catholic Church because it was all I knew. But the minute I walked into the church I realized I was home and the Holy Mass and Holy Eucharist were the things I was missing. I wasn’t missing some thing I was missing Someone.

I will never stray again. I am home and I want to stay here. I hope you find what you are looking for, but I think it is right in your own backtyard.

Peace to you and your family,

Carmel

 

[Hisalone]

Hisalone is a fallen away Catholic. Be clear and honest about who you are Hisalone. You have a bone to pick because you loath the Catholic Church now. That is typical of your kind. I know. I used to be angry too. I’m back home now praying for peace in all of you.

I am not a fallen away, I made a conscious choice to follow God and He has taken me were I am.
That makes me a hater? I think not.

 

[nbtb1348]

I was brought up Southern Baptist. My problem with the Baptists is there Dogma once saved always said.
If you ask a baptist preacher , how many of you church members are saved, they will answer about half.
The word SAVED for them means living in a state of Grace.

on the debate with salvation security. I asked a preacher if Lucifer can fall from grace, then why can’t we.

Prayer over John 6

pax

Jesus didn’t die for Lucipher’s sins. He didn’t make Lucipher a member of His body, like your arm is a member of your body. When a person is born again, about 30 things happen immediately to them, and they become part of the actual body of Christ. Unfortunately, one of those approximately 30 things is NOT sinless perfection! So Christians sin, but they don’t enjoy it any more like they used to, and if they are really saved, their life is going to show a change in direction!

 

[nbtb1348]

Dear Nicole,

I left the church and went to the Baptist church, along with several other churches. You are right, the singing is lively and the fellowship is really great. They are truly convicted in what they believe and so the bible study is committed.

However, I always knew and felt in my heart that something was missing. I was in the Protestant church for 14 years and all that time had a nagging feeling that something just wasn’t right.

After several years of bouncing around from church to church trying to find that “something” that was missing, I finally came home to the Catholic Church because it was all I knew. But the minute I walked into the church I realized I was home and the Holy Mass and Holy Eucharist were the things I was missing. I wasn’t missing some thing I was missing Someone.

I will never stray again. I am home and I want to stay here. I hope you find what you are looking for, but I think it is right in your own backtyard.

Peace to you and your family,

Carmel

In all sincerity, you may want to check very carefully to see if the thing that was ‘missing’ was Jesus inside you. Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if you died tonight, you would go to heaven? Do you know for sure you have been saved by Him?

 

[mlz]

Since I discovered this forum I have been dismayed by the amount of protestants who are here, not because they want to learn about catholisim but because they believe that we are evil, we are heritics etc.

I haven’t noticed this. I am protestant but am respectful of my dear Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m also here to learn more about the Catholic faith.
mlz

 

[PatienceAndLove]

dear nicole-

my heart goes out to you, dear one. i was in an abusive relationship, as well, that also lead to the conception of a child. i know how hard it is to come back from that. i also know how hard it is to doubt what you were raised with, wrestle with one’s own guilt, and live by the rules Christ and His Bride, the Church, has given us.

i will pray for you, my friend and my sister, that you find the peace you crave, and for the strenth that you and your husband may live appropriately until your annulment is granted.
go to confession, dear heart, and live chastely to that you may again exprience the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ in the Real Presence. He loves you so.

as do all of the posters here. we love and worry for you. that is why some of what we say may sound harsh. the Truth cannot be sugar coated. it is a hard road we Catholic Christians walk. it is a narrow road. but the road to heaven is hard and narrow.

i know that it hurts to take the hands of Sorrow and Suffering, but they will help you come home. and the Shepherd is but a call away. continue to pray. give your whole heart to prayer. seek Him out in Adoration. remember, both you and your husband can commit an Act of Spiritual Communion when you are at Mass. don’t let not being able to recieve Him keep you away.

my daughter, victoria sends you a hug :hug1: and a prayer

 

[diggingdeeper]

michaelcollins;4729091:

Since I discovered this forum I have been dismayed by the amount of protestants who are here, not because they want to learn about catholisim but because they believe that we are evil, we are heritics etc.

I haven’t noticed this. I am protestant but am respectful of my dear Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m also here to learn more about the Catholic faith.
mlz

I try to be respectful of every PERSON. And I am respectful of every doctrine that follows Scripture. But we are in an invisible battle where Satan’s demons are deceiving billions of people (Jesus said on ly the ‘few’ would find the way of life) and we owe it to those people and to Christ, no matter WHAT church we belong to, to ruthlessly examine our teaching to see if it is man’s ideas or God’s. There is only one unchanging measuring stick, one plumbline, and that is the Word of God. Look at the woe’s that Jesus prounounced on those who lead little ones astray.

 

[Amen_Im_Alive]

Dear Nicole,

I began reading these posts, and I felt inclined to reach out to you and try to offer some support and by His grace, I hope a little clarification.

From what I can gather, you have suffered greatly in an abusive marriage, one that wasn’t your choice, and now with two young boys, have been rescued from a difficult situation. To make matters worse, it sounds as if (please correct me if I’m wrong) you feel a little rejected by your Church and maybe even a few fellow Catholics.

I am deeply sorry for all you have suffered, and I have been in a position similar to what you are in now. Things that should have been obvious to me, actually were not.

The sacraments you are denied seem harsh, however, those restrictions are put in place to protect you. For example in 1 Cor 11:27 *“Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.” * That is as serious as it sounds and once you understand this bible verse, you begin to understand how you are being shielded. The same thing with marriage and divorce. Jesus speaks on it and specifically warns against it.

The bottom line is, the scripture is there. The teaching of Jesus Christ is there. We can see and hopefully learn from it, or in our society of instant gratification, ignore the parts we don’t like and take off for … umm … greener pastures?

We all know doing the right thing is rarely the easiest thing. You personally can attest to that from the trials in your life before now. Please keep in mind, the Catholic Church is interested only in the salvation of your soul. It isn’t to make you suffer more or deny you from anything unnecessarily, although it may seem so now. You must ask yourself if the Catholic position is pleasing to God or pleasing to man.

I don’t know if you have had an opportunity to speak directly with your parish priest. If not, please make an appointment and talk directly to him.

Please know you will be in my prayers.

 

[eucharist04]

I went to a Baptist church on Sunday and had a great time with my husband and kids. They wewre all so welcoming and I had the best time ever! I loved bible study. the singing. and just everything. We are thinking of going there from now on. Is that a sin?? As long as we stilllove God and make Jesus a central figure in our life…I can’t imagine going to churhc on sundays, bible studys once a week, and living to serve others and still going to Hell…any resposes??
thx!

Stay Catholic, you can not go wrong.

 

[eucharisteo]

I am not a fallen away, I made a conscious choice to follow God and He has taken me were I am.
That makes me a hater? I think not.

Okay, I realize you don’t like the term “fallen away”. But that is the term used for Catholics that stopped being Catholic. I did this once too. I used to be a fallen away Catholic.

You are not being forthcoming about your past and that places struggling Catholic to falling prey [yes I use this term] to you lack of charity about the Catholic faith. I was baptized Catholic against my anit-Catholic mothers wishes. Since she raise me I never knew Catholicism. I only “became Catholic” when I moved with my dad, who was anti-Protestant I guess you could say. I didn’t get into CCD until I was 14 almost 15. I ran like the wind rite after the seminary and I got hurt. That is why I left the Catholic faith when I married my wife outside the bounds of the Church. So add another 17 years to my already 14 years and you have me practicing Catholicism for 16 years total. I was a bible only Christian most of my life. I know the scriptures pretty well. But only an honest person would say that they hardly know scripture, yet promote non-Catholic and anti-Catholic teachings that just aren’t reflective of the early Church. I made my way back home because of what scriptures says - not the Sacred Tradition. I’ve been around the block and on this subject with such determination to figure out what really happened.

I’m back home and my dear wife converted, pulling me back. I wanted to be Orthodox once I discovered the TRUTH about the ancient church. You may not realize it but you do come across anit-Catholic because you insist on hanging out here for one and always try to pull people your way.

 

[nbtb1348]

Okay, I realize you don’t like the term “fallen away”. But that is the term used for Catholics that stopped being Catholic. I did this once too. I used to be a fallen away Catholic.

You are not being forthcoming about your past and that places struggling Catholic to falling prey [yes I use this term] to you lack of charity about the Catholic faith. I was baptized Catholic against my anit-Catholic mothers wishes. Since she raise me I never knew Catholicism. I only “became Catholic” when I moved with my dad, who was anti-Protestant I guess you could say. I didn’t get into CCD until I was 14 almost 15. I ran like the wind rite after the seminary and I got hurt. That is why I left the Catholic faith when I married my wife outside the bounds of the Church. I’m back home and my dear wife converted, pulling me back. I wanted to be Orthodox once I discovered the TRUTH about the ancient church. You may not realize it but you do come across anit-Catholic because you insist on hanging out here for one and always try to pull people your way.

But you have to understand that for us, it is not about this church or that church. It is about the Body of Christ (“wherever two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst”). We know that there are people of every group (majorities, actually) who go to church but have never come to the place that John Newton the slavetrader did when he later wrote “I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see” We know that it is only by the new birth that ANYONE comes to that place, and we don’t care what the church label is. We are about people and salvation and eternity.

 

[Angels_Unaware]

In all sincerity, you may want to check very carefully to see if the thing that was ‘missing’ was Jesus inside you. Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if you died tonight, you would go to heaven? Do you know for sure you have been saved by Him?

A true life-long conversion of the heart and mind from living in the the flesh to living through the Spirit cannot be reduced to simplistic cliches. Conversion is accomplished by the grace of God alone, not by our own righteousness, but that does not mean it is not a process. We must see God through faith, and respond to God with our will (James 2:20).

Worship of God is perfectly represented in the solemnity of Mass. In Mass we participate with our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits. We respond in unison. In every Mass we hear the Old Testament, the New Testament epistles, the Gospel, the priests’ exhortation and teaching of the readings. In every Mass we stand, we sing, we kneel, and finally, we partake of the body and blood of Christ, a body and blood that is vibrantly alive with His Real Presence, in a Church where we are still One Body.

 

[nbtb1348]

A true life-long conversion of the heart and mind from living in the the flesh to living through the Spirit cannot be reduced to simplistic cliches. Conversion is accomplished by the grace of God alone, not by our own righteousness, but that does not mean it is not a process. We must see God through faith, and respond to God with our will (James 2:20).

Worship of God is perfectly represented in the solemnity of Mass. In Mass we participate with our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits. We respond in unison. In every Mass we hear the Old Testament, the New Testament epistles, the Gospel, the priests’ exhortation and teaching of the readings. In every Mass we stand, we sing, we kneel, and finally, we partake of the body and blood of Christ, a body and blood that is vibrantly alive with His Real Presence, in a Church where we are still One Body.

That sounds real devout and impressive until the light of God’s word shines on it. Why does the New Testament so often talk about “having been saved” as a point in time past tense event with lasting results? Do I need to cite the verses?

 

[diggingdeeper]

That sounds real devout and impressive until the light of God’s word shines on it. Why does the New Testament so often talk about “having been saved” as a point in time past tense event with lasting results? Do I need to cite the verses?

Brother, you are BRUTAL! But you are exactly correct. Thanks for being so forceful so the rest of us don’t have to be!

 

[Rachel_Malloy]

[SIGN]Remember your CHARITY
Thank you![/SIGN]

 

[Angels_Unaware]

That sounds real devout and impressive until the light of God’s word shines on it. Why does the New Testament so often talk about “having been saved” as a point in time past tense event with lasting results? Do I need to cite the verses?

That is devout. It is deep, rich, real, and perfectly secure in Christ.

I am afraid you are deeply mistaken about what the Bible says about being saved. A cursory study of the Scripture demonstrates that the evangelical concept of being saved as a one time event does not exist. I suggest you spend time on Revelation Chapter 3.

Unfortunately, it is concept that causes deep confusion for evangelicals. When they understand that sins are dealt with through reconciliation, and that their salvation is intrinsically linked to their sanctifcation, it is very illuminating.

Rev 3:11-13
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

 

[broski234]

That sounds real devout and impressive until the light of God’s word shines on it. Why does the New Testament so often talk about “having been saved” as a point in time past tense event with lasting results? Do I need to cite the verses?/QUOTE

Are you aware that there are verses that speak of salvation in a present and a future tense as well? Do I need to cite the verses?

 

[mdstanzel]

But you have to understand that for us, it is not about this church or that church. It is about the Body of Christ (“wherever two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst”). We know that there are people of every group (majorities, actually) who go to church but have never come to the place that John Newton the slavetrader did when he later wrote “I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind but now I see” We know that it is only by the new birth that ANYONE comes to that place, and we don’t care what the church label is. We are about people and salvation and eternity.

As a former Church of Christ member I was always looking for the “early church pattern”. That is how we justified our view on many of the doctrines believed in that faith. Baptism, one marriage for life, weekly communion, singing as part of worship, bible study, tithing, elders/bishps, deacons, etc. I find that so many people try to say that the early church did not look Catholic at all and that is just not academically honest. It looked Orthodox/Eastern Catholic. But I understand. If you don’t know that the evidence is out there then why would you take someone else’s word for it? The way it works for me is that I use the bible as a litmus test. But understanding the scripture requires a solid background… sorry, I’m rambling…

I didn’t see anything in your statement that jumps out at me. I believe the same things. I fell in love with Christ as a teen. As a child I wanted to please God, but I did not really know Him like I do now. I think that many of the Catholics on this website are very misguided…including priests and deacons. But that is not evidence to invalidate Catholicism.

 

[nbtb1348]

That is devout. It is deep, rich, real, and perfectly secure in Christ.

I am afraid you are deeply mistaken about what the Bible says about being saved. A cursory study of the Scripture demonstrates that the evangelical concept of being saved as a one time event does not exist. I suggest you spend time on Revelation Chapter 3.

Unfortunately, it is concept that causes deep confusion for evangelicals. When they understand that sins are dealt with through reconciliation, and that their salvation is intrinsically linked to their sanctifcation, it is very illuminating.

Rev 3:11-13
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

You say that because you have not yet experienced it, precious one. Here are some of the pearls that point to that marvelous salvation that happens the moment we truly believe…

John 1
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

I John 5:1,18-- Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him…… For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

I John 2-- If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

II Cor 1
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Eph 1- (All past tense—DONE!)
11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who** is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Eph 2—(notice past tense—DONE)
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Titus 3:5-- He saved us, (past tense) not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration (done) and renewing (done) by the Holy Spirit,

I Peter 1—
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade— kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

I Peter 2
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby**

 

[nbtb1348]

As a former Church of Christ member I was always looking for the “early church pattern”. That is how we justified our view on many of the doctrines believed in that faith. Baptism, one marriage for life, weekly communion, singing as part of worship, bible study, tithing, elders/bishps, deacons, etc. I find that so many people try to say that the early church did not look Catholic at all and that is just not academically honest. It looked Orthodox/Eastern Catholic. But I understand. If you don’t know that the evidence is out there then why would you take someone else’s word for it? The way it works for me is that I use the bible as a litmus test. But understanding the scripture requires a solid background… sorry, I’m rambling…

I didn’t see anything in your statement that jumps out at me. I believe the same things. I fell in love with Christ as a teen. As a child I wanted to please God, but I did not really know Him like I do now. I think that many of the Catholics on this website are very misguided…including priests and deacons. But that is not evidence to invalidate Catholicism.

And my goal is only to encourage people to make sure they have the Son inside them–that they have experienced that new birth He demands.

*** For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. --Eph 2:8,9***