Is "Personal Relationship with Jesus" Catholic?

[Neil_Anthony]

It’s Protestant lingo, but Catholics definitely have a personal relationship with their Savior!

Another example of similar Protestant lingo is “being saved.” You might even have Protestants ask you if you are saved. The Catholic way of expressing this is “in a state of grace.” Although certainly Catholics and Protestants have different ideas about maintaining that state of grace.

Thanks. I like the protestant lingo. Partly because I think its good to show them in their own language that we are christians too, in the way they mean it. I can say honestly that I’m saved because I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour. I don’t think that’s dishonest or uncatholic.

 

[marica_mandic]

We feel confused over how to go about it.
How do we get closer to the invisible God.
How do we hold a conversation with someone who doesnt audibly talk back ?
Our confusion begins with the word intimate.
The essence of intimate relationship, requires sharing.
If we read Gospels we will come away knowing the secrets of his heart.
The more we study the better we will understand him.
When we meditate on his parables we will discover his love, compassion and tenderness.
Our Living God can reach out from heaven and touch our life today.
Through reading Gods Word , our relationship with Jesus begins to take deeper significiance.
When we choose to tell him what ids hidden deep within us,it proves we trust him.
If we want the closest of relationship with Jesus , we have to risk opening our heart.
There is no other way.
The bond will grow stronger.
Life will make more sence.
Jesus never turn anyone who seeks for him.

 

[Della]

Thanks. I like the protestant lingo. Partly because I think its good to show them in their own language that we are christians too, in the way they mean it. I can say honestly that I’m saved because I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour. I don’t think that’s dishonest or uncatholic.

I agree. The only caveat is that they are either going to assume you mean what they do or they are going to think you don’t really know what they mean. Either way, saying you’re saved as they understand it will probably end the conversation. And if that’s what you want, that’s fine. If you want to help them understand what being a Catholic entails, though, you may want to explain that, for a Catholic, the phrase “accepting Jesus as one’s personal Lord and Savior” doesn’t mean that baptism is an empty gesture nor that we are assured of our salvation merely because we made a one time confession of faith in Christ. Now that will definitely start up a conversation.

 

[ctkrcia]

I agree. The only caveat is that they are either going to assume you mean what they do or they are going to think you don’t really know what they mean. Either way, saying you’re saved as they understand it will probably end the conversation. And if that’s what you want, that’s fine. If you want to help them understand what being a Catholic entails, though, you may want to explain that, for a Catholic, the phrase “accepting Jesus as one’s personal Lord and Savior” doesn’t mean that baptism is an empty gesture nor that we are assured of our salvation merely because we made a one time confession of faith in Christ. Now that will definitely start up a conversation.

I’m reminded of a story by an RCIA teacher. Some evangelical housewives were going door-to-door. He was home with his kids. When they came to his door they asked if he had accepted Christ. He looked back at them with a grin and asked, “Are you asking, am I saved?” They hesitated and responded, “Yes! Are you saved?”

He then LOUDLY exclaimed, “I was saved by the blood of the cross on Calvary! I am saved through the waters of my baptism! I will be saved when Jesus comes back in all His glory! Am I saved? I tell you, I was saved, I am saved, and I will be saved!”

Their response? “HIGH FIVE!” :extrahappy:

 

[Della]

I’m reminded of a story by an RCIA teacher. Some evangelical housewives were going door-to-door. He was home with his kids. When they came to his door they asked if he had accepted Christ. He looked back at them with a grin and asked, “Are you asking, am I saved?” They hesitated and responded, “Yes! Are you saved?”

He then LOUDLY exclaimed, “I was saved by the blood of the cross on Calvary! I am saved through the waters of my baptism! I will be saved when Jesus comes back in all His glory! Am I saved? I tell you, I was saved, I am saved, and I will be saved!”

Their response? “HIGH FIVE!” :extrahappy:

What a great response! Now that’s how a Catholic understands having a “personal relationship with Christ” all right.

 

[mcrow]

I think a personal relationship with Jesus is very much Catholic.

The problem is that ours is a more practical and grounded relationship than the often overly dramatized we see elsewhere. I think others tend to preach about their personal relationship with Jesus to put on an air of holyness to prop up a persona.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

Did you tell her she could talk to God same way your father did?

No, I didn’t say anything. I was younger then and in my family we never talked about our feelings or our relationship with Jesus. I was so surprised I didn’t know what to say or how to break out of that way of relating.

 

[Neil_Anthony]

I agree. The only caveat is that they are either going to assume you mean what they do or they are going to think you don’t really know what they mean. Either way, saying you’re saved as they understand it will probably end the conversation. And if that’s what you want, that’s fine.

Hmm, I was thining more along the lines of helping them see and understand that Catholics are real Christians too. They may have heard somewhere that our theology is totally different, and that we don’t emphasize the personal relationship with Jesus. By making them see that this essential part of the faith is there, I was hoping that would open their hearts and minds a bit more to learning about Catholicism. Instead of emphasizing a difference which may cause them to block out further information.

 

[Della]

Hmm, I was thining more along the lines of helping them see and understand that Catholics are real Christians too. They may have heard somewhere that our theology is totally different, and that we don’t emphasize the personal relationship with Jesus. By making them see that this essential part of the faith is there, I was hoping that would open their hearts and minds a bit more to learning about Catholicism. Instead of emphasizing a difference which may cause them to block out further information.

As you may wish to note, I that wasn’t all I wrote. Of course it can be an opening for evangelization. That was my point in the second part of my post. What I’m driving at is that what they mean by those words and what a Catholic means by them are quite different. It’s almost as hard as talking to a Mormon about the Trinity. They use the same words, but they don’t believe what we do, at all. At least with an Evangelical there’s more common ground, but there’s also a lot of misinformation for them to overcome to even listen to a Catholic who says he has a “personal relationship” with Christ. Once a Catholic starts to talk about sacraments, the Evangelical’s ears close because they regard sacraments as man made barriers between us and God.

Sadly, there are hurdles to overcome that merely agreeing on semantics can’t fix. I know when I was a Pentecostal I thought Catholics were pretty much lost due to their “rules and regs”. I wouldn’t have bought they could have a personal relationship with Christ without either ridding themselves of the “rules and regs” (sacraments and practices) or if they were willing to ignore them. I expected they would eventually find out how wrong the Catholic Church was and leave it behind.

Does this mean we shouldn’t try to help them understand our Faith? No, of course not, I’m just saying it’s not all that easy. First they have to be willing to acknowledge that Catholicism doesn’t hinder a Catholic’s ability to have a personal relationship with Christ and given that they believe baptism isn’t necessary and a one time confession of faith is enough to save, that’s not easy. A Catholic has to go into such a discussion knowing what he’s up against, or he will find himself arguing in circles and getting nowhere.

 

[Ruth_Catherine]

It seems to me that “personal relationship with Jesus” describes what Catholics should get out of a deep prayer life and frequenty prayerful reception of the sacraments and living a life of virtue.

But so many Catholics seem to think their faith is about following a list of rules, and seem to be missing that. Is emphasizing a “personal relationship with Jesus” a possible solution to that problem?

How much closer of a personal relationship can you get to our Lord than prayer, receiving the sacraments and living a life of virtue and yes following the rules of the Church. We follow the rules because of our relationship with Jesus, because we know it is Jesus, who we are in relationship with, gave us those rules. Because of our relationship with Him, we don’t want to break those rules, though at times we do.

I heard a priest once say that we are not just to have a personal relationship with Jesus that reaches up but Catholics believe our relationships are to reach out to others, also.

When you reach out to others and up to Jesus you form a cross.

That way it’s not just a me and Jesus kind of thing.

 

[puzzleannie]

This is something I haven’t heard much during Catholic sermons. But our evangelical brothers seem to say it a lot. Is this Catholic, and if so, why don’t we hear this phrase more?

we use the phrase “being in the state of sanctifying grace” to signify precisely the same thing

 

[RosaryFan]

we use the phrase “being in the state of sanctifying grace” to signify precisely the same thing

Exactly. I also like to say that I’m head-over-heels in love with our Lord!

 

[TrueLight]

It seems to me that “personal relationship with Jesus” describes what Catholics should get out of a deep prayer life and frequenty prayerful reception of the sacraments and living a life of virtue.

But so many Catholics seem to think their faith is about following a list of rules, and seem to be missing that. Is emphasizing a “personal relationship with Jesus” a possible solution to that problem?

Good point. If the only time we encounter Jesus is when we walk into a church, then the relationship will not be as full as it can be.

Deep private prayer and study, I believe builds an understanding of who God is and also makes it easier for us to be in tune with the Holy Spirit.

 

[Califman831]

A problem that can occur with a “personal” relationship with Jesus is that people think they can have “designer” Jesus. This where a person’s set of beliefs override what Jesus actually taught and which his holy Catholic Church teaches. This problem occurs very frequently with the heretical faiths.

 

[_L]

Yes personal relationship with Jesus is a value in the Catholic faith, there is nothing more personal than receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. However we also embrace the personal prayer life with Jesus and seeing Him as an active and personal participator in our lives as our savior. Fellow Catholic unfamiliar with common and typically protestant jargon tilt their heads when they hear “personal relationship with Jesus” because this particular phrasing is not used, a relationship with Jesus is already assumed among Catholics I believe and sadly the personal aspect of that relationship is sometimes taken for granted by some Catholics. However I think a fundamental difference is (I don’t want to speak for everyone) that in regards to a relationship sense Protestants seem to see Jesus primarily as a close friend, whereas in Catholicism Jesus at least from my POV is seen first and foremost as being a King, and our relationship with Him is based more on solemn reverence than the emotional connection present when viewing Jesus as a close friend. I don’t think the two attitudes are mutually exclusive, because there is room for both since Jesus is both King, and the greatest friend we could possibly ever have.

With that said there is a danger present when the close friend view of Jesus is taken to the extreme, and someone starts to attribute sentiments and attitudes towards Jesus based on what they WANT in a friend rather than what Christ is all about.

 

[Califman831]

props to the previous poster

 

[tommytom]

informative string-- i believe you view personal relationship with performing as many sacrements as often as possible- now i did meet roman catholics that strove for a deeper realtionship when i was on a retreat- but in “normal” life most have a method of going to mass is part of a “job-duty” unless u are “retired” then – you can spend all your time on line

 

[danonwaveland]

The answer is, of course, yes. See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 2558, 2201, 299 and 796.

BTW, tommytom, welcome to the CAF boards. I’m amazed that you have been able to observe that “most have a method of going to mass is part of a ‘job-duty’.” I have been a Catholic for over sixty years and I haven’t been able to observe most Catholics. You’re quite efficient and observant! And we do not “perform” sacraments. Continue to read and learn about the Church.

God bless,
Dan

 

[scoobydoo6v92]

This is something I haven’t heard much during Catholic sermons. But our evangelical brothers seem to say it a lot. Is this Catholic, and if so, why don’t we hear this phrase more?

What do we hear during the homily?? How many times have you heard the word SIN or confession or how abortion is murder. . I hardly ever hear th at talked about in Mass and some places the RCIA is watered down. There is no fire any more. Yes we need a personal relationship with Jesus. Yes he wants youtobe on fire for him. Not lukewarm . There is a lot of cafeteriaism in the church. Hot or cold but lukewarm no!! We need to be on FIRE!!! show PASSION!! Yes absolutly you need a personal relationship with Christ and tell him the truth. If your are angry tell him!!! if you are thankful get on your knees and thank him. I am so tired of the boring uninspiring homlies that you hear. We need to be ON FIRE!!! for Christ. We need to be intoxicated with Christ Intoxicate me oh Lord

 

[Vouthon]

I think that the difference is that no Catholic is a solitary. We are never alone with the Alone. The Catholic is part of the Mystical Body of Christ, in communion with Christ and every other member of his Body spread throughout the world. He is baptised into Christ. The Blessed Trinity mutually indwells him through grace. In the Eucharist he becomes one with the very body, blood, life and being of Jesus.

Its not simply a “relationship”, like with a friend but a union with Christ so intimate so as to transcend language and at the same time it makes us one with the entire Church on earth and in heaven and even with those non-Christians in whom sanctifying grace is present invisibly.

I am therefore not fond of the phrase “personal relationship with Jesus” I do not think it even comes close to the true reality.

Holy Mother Church also tells us that “God does not make men holy and save them merely as individuals” as is implied in the oft-quoted Evangelical phrase “I have a personal relationship with Jesus”.

From Lumen Gentium, one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council, promulgated in 1964:

At all times and in every race God has given welcome to whosoever fears Him and does what is right. God, however, does not make men holy and save them merely as individuals, without bond or link between one another. Rather has it pleased Him to bring men together as one people, a people which acknowledges Him in truth and serves Him in holiness. He therefore chose the race of Israel as a people unto Himself. With it He set up a covenant. Step by step He taught and prepared this people, making known in its history both Himself and the decree of His will and making it holy unto Himself. All these things, however, were done by way of preparation and as a figure of that new and perfect covenant, which was to be ratified in Christ, and of that fuller revelation which was to be given through the Word of God Himself made flesh.

“Behold the days shall come saith the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel, and with the house of Judah … I will give my law in their bowels, and I will write it in their heart, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people … For all of them shall know Me, from the least of them even to the greatest, saith the Lord.” Christ instituted this new covenant, the new testament, that is to say, in His Blood, calling together a people made up of Jew and gentile, making them one, not according to the flesh but in the Spirit. This was to be the new People of God. For those who believe in Christ, who are reborn not from a perishable but from an imperishable seed through the word of the living God, not from the flesh but from water and the Holy Spirit, are finally established as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people … who in times past were not a people, but are now the people of God”.