I think God has told me to become a Protestant through John 5:24

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christianguy

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My faith was completely shaken a few days ago, when I was asking God to help me decide what I should do for a certain situation. In fact I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or a Protestant. So I decided to first say a quick prayer and open up a Bible when all of a sudden I opened it to John 5:24 “Truly I say to you: Whoever hears my word, and believes in him who sent me, lives of eternal life and there will be judgement no for him anymore because he has passed from death to life.” This is the Spanish translation of my Bible (it’s Catholic) so that you can understand how this has impacted me. This has impacted me because it sounds a lot like the sola fide doctrine defended by Protestants. Yes I have read other passages which defend the Catholic position against this doctrine but I feel that if God didn’t want me to become a Protestant I doubt he would have shown me that passage because as I said I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or Protestant.

However this has lead me to consider the possibility that there have probably been many people who when they have asked God if they should become Catholic or Protestant and opened up the Bible the first thing they read where passages defended by Protestants for their sola fide such as this one or Eph 2:8 or Romans 5:1 or Romans 3:28, Matt 7:22-23 etc. They probably where sincere and became Protestant instead of Catholic after that. I mean I’m sure many of you know of conversions from Protestantism to Catholic Christianity but I wonder if you know of any conversions going the other way around which were sincere and not based on lack of Catholic knowledge or of mistreatment by Catholics.

This has really made me shake but I have been taught to be faithful to the truth and follow it wherever it may lead me even if it leads me out of the Catholic Church (which I honestly don’t want to do). Please help me clear up my doubts so that I may stay here if God wills it. I would like to understand or know what God wanted to tell me through that passage.

I hope you guys may answer me

Sincerely, me, a seriously confused Catholic
 
I would encourage you to avoid taking one passage of scripture and using that to leave the faith. The Catholic Church compiled the Bible through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing in the Bible that contradicts the teachings of the Church. If one hears and believes in Jesus they will follow his commands. Jesus himself says that unless you eat his flesh and drink his blood you have no life in you. James admonishes us to be doers of the word, not merely hearers who deceive themselves. God bless you.
 
The Catholic church has one thing that all other religions do not. All other religions basically say that a prophet told them something from God. The Catholic religion defined by JESUS who is God.

Do you accept that the Eucharist IS the body and blood of Christ? If so, then how could you not be a Catholic? If you love Jesus, you must accept that the Eucharist IS the body and blood of Christ.

Fr Mike Schmitz did an excellent talk about this at the SEEK 2015 conference recently. Take a look a the link and listen to what he says. I guarantee you will be moved by it. You can skip the guy introducing Fr Mike (about the first 10 minutes).

religion.trendolizer.com/2015/01/seek-2015–father-mike-schmitz.html

PAX,

John
 
Thing is, what if you opened up the Bible again and read something else? Would you think that God was telling you to be a Catholic?
 
I think converting one way or the other should probably be done through prayerful discernment, as well as research. Research for the truth,etc. 🙂
 
christianguy said:
My faith was completely shaken a few days ago, when I was asking God to help me decide what I should do for a certain situation. In fact I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or a Protestant. So I decided to first say a quick prayer and open up a Bible when all of a sudden I opened it to John 5:24 “Truly I say to you: Whoever hears my word, and believes in him who sent me, lives of eternal life and there will be judgement no for him anymore because he has passed from death to life.” This is the Spanish translation of my Bible (it’s Catholic) so that you can understand how this has impacted me. This has impacted me because it sounds a lot like the sola fide doctrine defended by Protestants. Yes I have read other passages which defend the Catholic position against this doctrine but I feel that if God didn’t want me to become a Protestant I doubt he would have shown me that passage because as I said I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or Protestant.

However this has lead me to consider the possibility that there have probably been many people who when they have asked God if they should become Catholic or Protestant and opened up the Bible the first thing they read where passages defended by Protestants for their sola fide such as this one or Eph 2:8 or Romans 5:1 or Romans 3:28, Matt 7:22-23 etc. They probably where sincere and became Protestant instead of Catholic after that. I mean I’m sure many of you know of conversions from Protestantism to Catholic Christianity but I wonder if you know of any conversions going the other way around which were sincere and not based on lack of Catholic knowledge or of mistreatment by Catholics.

This has really made me shake but I have been taught to be faithful to the truth and follow it wherever it may lead me even if it leads me out of the Catholic Church (which I honestly don’t want to do). Please help me clear up my doubts so that I may stay here if God wills it. I would like to understand or know what God wanted to tell me through that passage.

I hope you guys may answer me

Sincerely, me, a seriously confused Catholic
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Don’t treat the Bible as a Ouija Board.

The Bible is not some sort of law book, or science book, or worse still some kind of fire insurance that will tell you what to do.

That attitude is part of the cancer that is “sola scriptura” (Bible alone). Luther was wrong about sola scriptura. The Bible never mentions “sola scriptura,” but does mention the “church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” (1Tim.3:15)

Go Catholic…get to Heaven.
 
Zoltan_Cobalt said:
Don’t treat the Bible as a Ouija Board.

The Bible is not some sort of law book, or science book, or worse still some kind of fire insurance that will tell you what to do.

That attitude is part of the cancer that is “sola scriptura” (Bible alone). Luther was wrong about sola scriptura. The Bible never mentions “sola scriptura,” but does mention the “church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” (1Tim.3:15)

Go Catholic…get to Heaven.
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Are you saying that being Catholic is the only way to Heaven?
 
“A divine inspiration cannot ask us to do something that contradicts what the Word of God teaches and asks of us. This means not the Word of God as compiled by each individual’s fantasy and interpretation, but Holy Scripture as transmitted and explained by the teaching authority of the Church. For example, a divine inspiration cannot ask me to commit acts that the Church considers immoral. In the same way, true inspirations always go in the direction of a spirit of obedience to the Church”

Fr. Jacques Philippe (an expert on such matters)
  • In the School of the Holy Spirit, p.47
 
christianguy said:
but I feel that if God didn’t want me to become a Protestant I doubt he would have shown me that passage
Click to expand...
“A divine inspiration cannot ask us to do something that contradicts what the Word of God teaches and asks of us. This means not the Word of God as compiled by each individual’s fantasy and interpretation, but Holy Scripture as transmitted and explained by the teaching authority of the Church. For example, a divine inspiration cannot ask me to commit acts that the Church considers immoral. In the same way, true inspirations always go in the direction of a spirit of obedience to the Church”

Fr. Jacques Philippe (an expert on such matters)
  • In the School of the Holy Spirit, p.47
 
Yes there have been Catholics that I know of who left the Catholic Church. Some have even become Protestant ministers. Guess what they are back in the Church. I met one lady in my “Small Faith” group many years ago. She was one of the most knowledgeable persons I know in biblical and in the traditions of the Catholic Church. You say you don’t want to become a Protestant. So don’t That is what is in your heart.
 
christianguy said:
My faith was completely shaken a few days ago, when I was asking God to help me decide what I should do for a certain situation. In fact I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or a Protestant. So I decided to first say a quick prayer and open up a Bible when all of a sudden I opened it to John 5:24 “Truly I say to you: Whoever hears my word, and believes in him who sent me, lives of eternal life and there will be judgement no for him anymore because he has passed from death to life.” This is the Spanish translation of my Bible (it’s Catholic) so that you can understand how this has impacted me. This has impacted me because it sounds a lot like the sola fide doctrine defended by Protestants. Yes I have read other passages which defend the Catholic position against this doctrine but I feel that if God didn’t want me to become a Protestant I doubt he would have shown me that passage because as I said I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or Protestant.

However this has lead me to consider the possibility that there have probably been many people who when they have asked God if they should become Catholic or Protestant and opened up the Bible the first thing they read where passages defended by Protestants for their sola fide such as this one or Eph 2:8 or Romans 5:1 or Romans 3:28, Matt 7:22-23 etc. They probably where sincere and became Protestant instead of Catholic after that. I mean I’m sure many of you know of conversions from Protestantism to Catholic Christianity but I wonder if you know of any conversions going the other way around which were sincere and not based on lack of Catholic knowledge or of mistreatment by Catholics.

This has really made me shake but I have been taught to be faithful to the truth and follow it wherever it may lead me even if it leads me out of the Catholic Church (which I honestly don’t want to do). Please help me clear up my doubts so that I may stay here if God wills it. I would like to understand or know what God wanted to tell me through that passage.

I hope you guys may answer me

Sincerely, me, a seriously confused Catholic
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Scott Hahn a famous theologian denounced using scripture passages without the Church’s Guidance, and advice of a Spiritual Director;

Eg in this story;

"There once was a man looking up guidance from God. He opened the bible randomly, and came upon Judas death; ‘Therein he went and hanged himself.’
He opened the Bible elsewhere and read the lines; ‘Go and do likewise’

The Holy Spirit will NEVER lead a person out of the Catholic Church.

This sounds like something satan would suggest. If satan cannot tempt someone to sin, he tempts them to do something that ‘appears’ holy but would do them great harm. In the Bible the devil even quoted scripture at Jesus to tempt Him!

To know Catholicism is the TRUE CHURCH set down by Jesus Christ Himself and to leave it deliberately is a mortal sin!
The Catholic Church is the only Church with the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist! Which is biblical; “I am the living bread come down from Heaven. My body is real food and my blood is real drink. Unless you eat and drink the body and blood of the Son of Man you do not have life in you!”
At this saying on the Eucharist the crowds left him,
Guess what chapter, paragraph and line from John that was?
6:6:6

Satan has brought MANY out of the True Faith, away from Jesus True Presence.

As Jesus said to the apostles after His eucharistic teaching He also says to you;
“Will you also go away?”

There have been over 500 eucharistic miracles which turned into Jesus actual flesh and blood miraculously and remained incorrupt after 300 years. The Miracle of Laciano was tested on by scientists and proved to be blood type AB of a man, from the human heart, and alive, and matched with another eucharistic miracle 300 years later proved to be the blood of the same person! Blood type AB same bloodtype is on the Shroud of Turin which is proven to have pollen on it that places it present in Jerusalem 2015 years ago and used at a Jewish Funeral.

What about our hundreds of catholic saints and Marian Apparitions?
Lourdes, Fatima where thousands saw the Miracle of the Sun or saw Our Lady holding the Child Jesus, the Rosary and a Brown Scapular.
Padre Pio who had stigmata for 50 years, with gifts of reading souls, bilocation, could see his guardian angel,

By its fruits shall you know it.
 
I don’t think opening up any book and deciding something by reading one line is a very smart idea. Scared Scripture doesn’t contradict Church teaching.
 
OurLadysServant said:
Scott Hahn a famous theologian denounced using scripture passages without the Church’s Guidance, and advice of a Spiritual Director;

Eg in this story;

"There once was a man looking up guidance from God. He opened the bible randomly, and came upon Judas death; ‘Therein he went and hanged himself.’
He opened the Bible elsewhere and read the lines; ‘Go and do likewise’
Click to expand...
:bigyikes::rotfl:
 
christianguy said:
This has impacted me because it sounds a lot like the sola fide doctrine defended by Protestants.
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Forgive me for shouting, but why didn’t you KEEP READING?

Here is the full context, from the RSV-CE:
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
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25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, 27 and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
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Obviously, clearly, unambiguously, without doubt or question, this text does not teach sola Fide, and neither does anything else in the Bible.

But you know what does? Taking quotes in isolation from context, misinterpreting them, and absolutizing them to the exclusion of contrary texts.

Besides, haven’t you ever heard of the danger of treating Scripture as you did in this instance? as if it were, to use someone else’s analogy, a Ouija board?

There was a man who wanted to know what he should do about his life situation, and so he asked God, and randomly flipped open the Bible. His eyes landed on

“…and Judas went out and hung himself.”

The man was quite perplexed, so he asked God again for help, flipped the Bible open again and saw,

“Go thou and do likewise.”

“How on earth could this be?!” the man shouted.

He tried once more,

“What you are about to do, do quickly.”

This is precisely what you have been doing. Don’t play with Scripture like you have, but study it, IN CONTEXT. What if you HAD converted to Protestantism, remained one for years, and told this story to someone? What if THEY asked you if you had ever finished reading the very text you say led to your conversion? Would your faith, once again, be shaken?

Edit: Kudos to the person who likewise mentioned the story of the Judas passage. 😛
 
christianguy said:
My faith was completely shaken a few days ago, when I was asking God to help me decide what I should do for a certain situation. In fact I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or a Protestant. So I decided to first say a quick prayer and open up a Bible when all of a sudden I opened it to John 5:24 “Truly I say to you: Whoever hears my word, and believes in him who sent me, lives of eternal life and there will be judgement no for him anymore because he has passed from death to life.” This is the Spanish translation of my Bible (it’s Catholic) so that you can understand how this has impacted me. This has impacted me because it sounds a lot like the sola fide doctrine defended by Protestants. Yes I have read other passages which defend the Catholic position against this doctrine but I feel that if God didn’t want me to become a Protestant I doubt he would have shown me that passage because as I said I wasn’t even asking him if I should become a Catholic or Protestant.

However this has lead me to consider the possibility that there have probably been many people who when they have asked God if they should become Catholic or Protestant and opened up the Bible the first thing they read where passages defended by Protestants for their sola fide such as this one or Eph 2:8 or Romans 5:1 or Romans 3:28, Matt 7:22-23 etc. They probably where sincere and became Protestant instead of Catholic after that. I mean I’m sure many of you know of conversions from Protestantism to Catholic Christianity but I wonder if you know of any conversions going the other way around which were sincere and not based on lack of Catholic knowledge or of mistreatment by Catholics.

This has really made me shake but I have been taught to be faithful to the truth and follow it wherever it may lead me even if it leads me out of the Catholic Church (which I honestly don’t want to do). Please help me clear up my doubts so that I may stay here if God wills it. I would like to understand or know what God wanted to tell me through that passage.

I hope you guys may answer me

Sincerely, me, a seriously confused Catholic
Click to expand...
Did you ever consider the fact that God might have had you open the Bible to that specific chapter, in order to answer the question you were ACTUALLY asking about? 🤷
 
Bookcat said:
“A divine inspiration cannot ask us to do something that contradicts what the Word of God teaches and asks of us. This means not the Word of God as compiled by each individual’s fantasy and interpretation, but Holy Scripture as transmitted and explained by the teaching authority of the Church. For example, a divine inspiration cannot ask me to commit acts that the Church considers immoral. In the same way, true inspirations always go in the direction of a spirit of obedience to the Church”

Fr. Jacques Philippe (an expert on such matters)
  • In the School of the Holy Spirit, p.47
Click to expand...
 
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