Just married a Catholic

[Horton]

God gives his grace freely to all who have admitted their sin, believed, and confessed him as Lord. I do believe that this is the only requirement to salvation. If you are saved, you are a part of that body of Christ. A non catholic or a Catholic believer receives the Holy Spirit and is promised eternal life.

This is not exactly what the Catholic Church teaches. The once saved, always saved belief is a fairly recent invention by Calvin. As Catholics we understand our salvation can be lost by our own actions. God will not take our salvation away, but if we turn away from God and turn to the evil one and do not repent before death it is possible to go to hell. One other thing we as Catholics never do is make the determination of another’s destination at the time of death. Only God knows and only he makes the judgement.

We are offered eternal life, but we must cooperate with God’s grace to receive it. It is not a one time deal, the cooperation goes on throughout our earthly life.

The body of Christ is not as it should be . It is broken and divided as is. I know that this may be contrary to what some or even most Catholics believe. However, this I believe is the truth.

The body of Christ has splintered. The Catholic Church remains true and whole, when the Protestant churches decide to return to the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church, the splintered will be gone. We can not change what Jesus Christ gave as the deposit of faith for His Church to suit any church invented by man. The Catholic Church has 2000 years of history and an unbroken line of succession from the 12 Apostles to prove it’s truth.

I am open minded to seeking truth but I have closed my mind around this fact because I believe it is what Jesus taught and makes sense of biblical teaching.

Considering the bible was complied and made canon by the Catholic Church in the 4th century, using it as the sole source of what Jesus taught doesn’t make sense. Read John 21:25.
For the very early years there wasn’t a “bible” to use to teach the people to be Christian. There was only oral tradition. The idea that the bible is the sole source of Christian teaching falls apart when the concept is looked at critically. Even the bible states it is not to be the only source of teaching the faith.

 

[GodSpawned]

I am in a similar-ish boat to yourself- I am a non Catholic Christian married to a Catholic. That said, everyone in my church has no issue with her being Catholic.

My advice is to focus on what unites us between our denominations rather than divides- we both believe in the trinitarian God, Jesus, the Resurrection etc.

The fact he is happy to go to your Bible studies and you go to mass is a great start in your journey together.

 

[Francis]

@jberens

I was wondering if anyone would catch that I referred to Catholics and non catholic Christians as the church. I know that this is a controversial thing to say on this particular forum. However, in seeking truth I have to be honest about what I believe.

Jesus established only one true Church on earthy Mt 16:16-18; 1Tim 3:15 -church is the pillar and; foundation of truth But what does the verse say I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. John15:4 Abide in me(Catholic Church Body of Christ ) as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you (Protestants ) unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me(body of Christ) is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.Acts 5: 38 So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin(Protestant Man Made Churchs ), it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you (protestants)may even be found fighting against God!” 2000 years Not at all, Jesus has elected St Peter as the head of the Catholic Church and the head of the Apostles no one as the authority to refute it. Matthew 7:26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.like 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”**

JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF started the Catholic Church,which will never fail or end Acts 5:39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!” and THE POPE who stands in the person of Christ. Matthew 16:16-18 7 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Psalm 12:6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure, silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

Jeremiah 3:15 ‘And I will give you shepherds =(The Pope successor of St Peter ) after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock( Mt16:18 Peter). 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.

 

[anon64350612]

Here is a good talk from a former protestant. Jeff Cavins explores and responds to some of the reasons why so many people have left the Catholic Church for evangelical Christianity. As he presents the story of his return to Catholicism, Cavins also builds a case for why the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ.

 

[Francis]

God gives his grace freely to all who have admitted their sin, believed, and confessed him as Lord. I do believe that this is the only requirement to salvation. If you are saved, you are a part of that body of Christ. A non catholic or a Catholic believer receives the Holy Spirit and is promised eternal life.
The body of Christ is not as it should be . It is broken and divided as is. I know that this may be contrary to what some or even most Catholics believe. However, this I believe is the truth.

Matthew 7:21[ Concerning Self-Deception ] “Not everyone who says to me, Lord , Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Jesus has given us seven SacramentsPhilippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

Mt 19:16-17 – to have life, keep my commandments

Jn 14:21 – he who keeps my commandments loves me

Rom 2:2-8 – eternal life by perseverance in good works

Gal 5:4-6 – nothing counts but faith working through love

Eph 2:8-10 – we are created in Christ Jesus for good works

Phil 2:12-13 – work out salvation with fear and trembling

Jam 2:14-24 – a man is justified by works & not faith alone

Judged According to Deeds

Rom 2:2-8 – eternal life by perseverance in good works

2Cor 5:10 – recompense accord to what did in body

2Cor 11:15 – their end will correspond to their deeds

1Pet 1:17 – God judges impartially according to one’s works

Rev 20:12-13 – dead judged according to their deeds

Col 3:24-25 – will receive due payment for whatever you do
Confession

Mt 9:2-8 Son of Man has authority to forgive sins

Jn 20:23 – whose sins you forgive/retain are forgiven/retained

Jn 20:22 – breathed on them, “receive Holy Spirit” [recall Gn 2:7]

2Cor 5:17-20 – given us the ministry of reconciliation

Jam 5:13-15 – confess your sins to one another

Mt 18:18 – whatever you bind & loose on earth, so it is in heaven