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Seamus
Guest
Austin, why would you want to leave the Church that was started by Jesus Christ in order to attend a church that was founded by a man?
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montanaman
Guest
Yeah, you messed up big-time. The lure of personal infalibility is strong, but ultimately, a sure-fire way to lose sight of the path.
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kamz
Guest
I left the church when I was 22 also, did some growing, found out that there is no place like home and no place like the church that Jesus started, why would I want to be in a man made church?
I came back 3 yrs later and have never been so happy or fulfilled.
I had to choose to get involved in my church, in my faith, I had to learn about the Catholic faith and when I did, I could not get enough… You are Very young and you are trying something new…but I’ll pray that your eyes will be open, I was just like you…thought I really had it figured out at that age
Thank you God for bringing me back to the Church your son established, why would I want to be anywhere else
I came back 3 yrs later and have never been so happy or fulfilled.
I had to choose to get involved in my church, in my faith, I had to learn about the Catholic faith and when I did, I could not get enough… You are Very young and you are trying something new…but I’ll pray that your eyes will be open, I was just like you…thought I really had it figured out at that age
Thank you God for bringing me back to the Church your son established, why would I want to be anywhere else
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Austin83
Guest
Well again I am amazed at the results. I can tell you that any debate is over, since I have officially joined the Evangel church I’ve been attending. Kamz I never tried to say I know everything, far from it, I have so much yet to learn. But this is as sure about something as I have ever been. Not only am I now attending mass pretty much on a weekly basis, I will be attending theri 6 a.m. prayer service tomorrow. If someone a year ago told me I would get up at 5 a.m. to make it in time for a prayer service, I would’ve laughed at you. But I am so passionate right now and I love God like I have never loved him before. I am truly a Son of God again, a title which a couple months ago I could not claim. I appreciate your concern and help but God has led me to the church he wants me to be in. Oh God is wonderful, praise him in all his name! I just love my church and the people there so much, and I love being so close to God. I thank you all again though for your help, but in the end I made the right decision.
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Tonks40
Guest
Like some have said to you before, your faith in God and in Jesus Christ is a journey. There is no denying that you have been renewed in your belief in our Lord, and I can tell he is working in you…but remember, this could be just the beginning of a very long journey. We all hope you don’t lose your faith, no matter what bumps and potholes you may encounter.
You know, if you’d had asked me a year ago if I would get up early myself to attend daily Mass at 6:00 am, I would have had the same reaction as you. But I did and have, and now with my son’s school schedule, I try to make a point to attend First Friday Masses for the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
But your greenest in the Catholic faith, the original Christian faith, does show. It is were the Mystery of the Mass is celebrated every single day, practically every minute of the day throughout the world. You probably never even considered going to Mass on a daily basis, have you?? Many on this board do. The Catholic Church is the only place you can truly be in the Presence of Christ in the Mass - you probably didn’t even realize this, either. No where else, not even your new church has this.
I wish you well on your journey. Continue to pray, to renew yourself in Christ, and when you come to the point where you feel the need to truly be in His presence, we will welcome you with open arms.
Peace.
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wjp984
Guest
well perhaps this is just what you need then. You weren’t finding God in the Catholic Church and flet alone or jsut dind’t have the social connections and such but now you have God through this new church you found. Based on what I have heard and seen, numerous people leave the Catholic Church for other chirstian denominations and return. So this may be just what you need. Goodluck on your spirtual journey and getting closer to God and when you are ready, if you ever look into what the Catholic Church is really about, perhaps you might be ready to return a much more spiritual person and will be ready to partake in the Eucharist and feel a part of the mass and the faith just as you now feel a part of your new christian church. You are certainly better off finding and being close to God in any christin religion than drifiting apart from God in the Catholic religion but I think you will want to one day return.
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wjp984
Guest
First of all this quote was not directed at me but to comment on Catholic schools. Do you have any idea how secular Catholic schols are now? I went to Catholic school and the amount of contradicting things I was taught by the differnt teachers with differnt and sometimes opposing to Catholic teaching opinions was insane. They would even say something like I am going to teach you this and this is my opinion. Next semester you will have so and so and they are going to teach you something contrary to me and the you can make up your own mind on what you believe. Catholic schools are just a cheap opportunity to go to a private school for a good education. I think our school was 60% Catholic maybe.
In reagards to Austin:
well perhaps this is just what you need then. You weren’t finding God in the Catholic Church and flet alone or jsut dind’t have the social connections and such but now you have God through this new church you found. Based on what I have heard and seen, numerous people leave the Catholic Church for other chirstian denominations and return. So this may be just what you need. Goodluck on your spirtual journey and getting closer to God and when you are ready, if you ever look into what the Catholic Church is really about, perhaps you might be ready to return a much more spiritual person and will be ready to partake in the Eucharist and feel a part of the mass and the faith just as you now feel a part of your new christian church. You are certainly better off finding and being close to God in any christin religion than drifiting apart from God in the Catholic religion but I think you will want to one day return.
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Mickey
Guest
**God is love. So he who wishes to define this tries with bleary eyes to measure the sand in the ocean. **
St. John Climacus
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kamz
Guest
Mass is Catholic, sorry, you are NOT attending mass my dear, you are going to a worship service but NOT MASS, you certainly do have much to learn
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mastda
Guest
Hey Austin83, I really am happy for you as you appear to be missing something that you just cannot find in the Catholic Church. At this point in your life no one of us will be able to convince you otherwise. How do I know? because I was there at the same point about 15 years ago. It did not matter who said what because the people, the music, the fire, the emotions that eminated from that evangelical church were just pulling me away from Catholicism. I totally relate and I hope the for you that the people, the music, the fire, the emotions dont extinguish over time.
I am not going to post on this topic any longer Austin83 so I wanted to say one last thing. I highlighted the last sentence of your last post because I believe you are setting up yourself for dissapointment and personal failure with your statement. You did not make the right decision, you merely made a decision. Now that you made this decision you will continue to make decisions based on this one decision. How you choose your spouse (if your not married), how you choose to raise your children, who your friends will be or wont be, where your money will go etc. If…If…If… a few years from now you discover that it was not the right decision, you will doubt all the other decisions you made as a result. This could lead to a some personal situations for you.
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Elzee
Guest
God bless you Austin! You’re always welcome here…and hope to see you back - regardless of the church you are attending. We can all learn a lot from each other.
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Church_Militant
Guest
, I will be attending theri 6 a.m. prayer service tomorrow. If someone a year ago told me I would get up at 5 a.m. to make it in time for a prayer service, I would’ve laughed at you. But I am so passionate right now and I love God like I have never loved him before. I am truly a Son of God again, a title which a couple months ago I could not claim. I appreciate your concern and help but God has led me to the church he wants me to be in. Oh God is wonderful, praise him in all his name! I just love my church and the people there so much, and I love being so close to God. I thank you all again though for your help, but in the end I made the right decision.It’s your loss Austin, as you will someday see with regrets, as have those of us who have been there…
BTW, you have no Mass as that implies that you share in the Eucharist which is not so. You have forfeited that spiritual reality and miracle for something less scriptural. But then you never considered that before you joned them did you?
Have you had a communion service yet? You’ll probably be lucky to have on once every 3 months, if that. But what does the Word of God really say about Communion and the Eucharist? 1st Cortinthians 11:23-30. "23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. 24 And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of me. 25 In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.
26 For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come. 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. 28 But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. 30 Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep. " Does that sound like they offered that only every now and then?
You messed up. But you’ll see. All in God’s time.
Pax tecum,
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CollegeKid
Guest
Still, if someone was Catholic their whole life I’d think they would know something like this.
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Church_Militant
Guest
I have to agree!
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nMbR1BaRlOwGiRl
Guest
Austin,
I just wanted you to know that I’m praying for you. I will ask as many people as I can to pray for you, and I truely hope you give the Catholic faith more of a chance. I have found true happiness in my faith, and please do not think I don’t know what you are feeling. I went through something like you are. I go to a Catholic church, but I often go to a non-denominational youth group with my friend because it truely can be amazing.I even seriously considered leaving the Catholic faith. I was getting all ready to be confirmed in Catholicism, but then I experienced what you did in my friend’s church. I didn’t want to be confirmed into my faith because I didn’t understand it. And yes, sadly there are a lot of Catholics that just go to church, and leave. But look at all of these Catholics that are talking to you right now. Do you really think these people just say they’re Catholic but don’t really take their faith seriously? Do you think these are the people that just go to church, and say the prayers you’re supposed to say because they have to? Do you really think that they are just saying all of these things to you because they want to get on God’s good side??? I can tell you right here and now that they love their faith, and there’s truely a beauty in Catholicism that is indescribable. I can tell you that it’s definately hard to find, because being a christian is NOT easy, and it’s not supposed to be. We are going to suffer. If you aren’t suffering right now in your faith, maybe you aren’t living your faith out enough. God Himself told us we are going to suffer. But don’t just give up because you saw the wrong kind of Catholics!!! We may be suffering now, especially when we see Catholics not take their faith seriously, and just don’t really care. This is probably what you saw, and it’s sad that those were the only Catholics you were exposed to. But look what you found!!! You searched, and found this amazing site filled with true Catholics!!! This is the place to find out what Catholicism truely is!!! Maybe God doesn’t want you to leave the Catholic faith, and that’s why He’s sending all of these people here to talk to you. I know you may have found this amazing thing at your church and everything seems to have fallen into place, but it won’t stay that way. Please, I beg you to believe me, I went through all of this too. I still go to my friend’s youth group today because sometimes I just need a break, but I couldn’t leave Catholicism. It’s what God wants for me and obviously you. Why else would He have led you to this site, and inspired all of these people to pour their hearts out to you? God is working through them to talk to you. The reason I stayed in Catholicism is NOT because I understand my faith completely. It’s entirely God’s will. How do I know this? Not because I agree with more things than non-denominational churches, NOT even because it was a decision I made myself. I couldn’t have made the right decision without God. I PRAYED. And you probably have prayed about it too. But give God more time. Maybe you already gave Him pleanty of time, but please give Him more. With God, it can sometimes take longer than we would think it would.
I also strongly suggest you read up on these two people that strongly inspired me: Tim Staples and Mathew Kelly. They are the two most amazing Catholics! They’re not the kind of Catholics that just go to church to go to church. They believe strongly in their religion, and study very hard in it. They would definately be the Catholic version of your pastor. Just please check it out. Don’t leave the Catholic faith just yet. (No, don’t say you’ve already left. You were baptized Catholic, and your family [us Catholics] aren’t going to let you go that easy. We love you, and know exactly what you’d be missing if you left, and we couldn’t live with that) Keep searching and searching. You haven’t reached the end of the questions yet, and there are always more answers to find. Whatever you do, don’t stop praying. If you ever reconsider, don’t go back to the way you were as a Catholic. Get involved like the people on this site!! There’s a lot more to Catholicism if you work towards it. When you really commit yourself to it, you will be amazed at what you find. We will all be praying for you. Remember that the Catholic church will always welcome you back with open arms.
You’re in my prayers,
~Jaclyn~
I just wanted you to know that I’m praying for you. I will ask as many people as I can to pray for you, and I truely hope you give the Catholic faith more of a chance. I have found true happiness in my faith, and please do not think I don’t know what you are feeling. I went through something like you are. I go to a Catholic church, but I often go to a non-denominational youth group with my friend because it truely can be amazing.I even seriously considered leaving the Catholic faith. I was getting all ready to be confirmed in Catholicism, but then I experienced what you did in my friend’s church. I didn’t want to be confirmed into my faith because I didn’t understand it. And yes, sadly there are a lot of Catholics that just go to church, and leave. But look at all of these Catholics that are talking to you right now. Do you really think these people just say they’re Catholic but don’t really take their faith seriously? Do you think these are the people that just go to church, and say the prayers you’re supposed to say because they have to? Do you really think that they are just saying all of these things to you because they want to get on God’s good side??? I can tell you right here and now that they love their faith, and there’s truely a beauty in Catholicism that is indescribable. I can tell you that it’s definately hard to find, because being a christian is NOT easy, and it’s not supposed to be. We are going to suffer. If you aren’t suffering right now in your faith, maybe you aren’t living your faith out enough. God Himself told us we are going to suffer. But don’t just give up because you saw the wrong kind of Catholics!!! We may be suffering now, especially when we see Catholics not take their faith seriously, and just don’t really care. This is probably what you saw, and it’s sad that those were the only Catholics you were exposed to. But look what you found!!! You searched, and found this amazing site filled with true Catholics!!! This is the place to find out what Catholicism truely is!!! Maybe God doesn’t want you to leave the Catholic faith, and that’s why He’s sending all of these people here to talk to you. I know you may have found this amazing thing at your church and everything seems to have fallen into place, but it won’t stay that way. Please, I beg you to believe me, I went through all of this too. I still go to my friend’s youth group today because sometimes I just need a break, but I couldn’t leave Catholicism. It’s what God wants for me and obviously you. Why else would He have led you to this site, and inspired all of these people to pour their hearts out to you? God is working through them to talk to you. The reason I stayed in Catholicism is NOT because I understand my faith completely. It’s entirely God’s will. How do I know this? Not because I agree with more things than non-denominational churches, NOT even because it was a decision I made myself. I couldn’t have made the right decision without God. I PRAYED. And you probably have prayed about it too. But give God more time. Maybe you already gave Him pleanty of time, but please give Him more. With God, it can sometimes take longer than we would think it would.
I also strongly suggest you read up on these two people that strongly inspired me: Tim Staples and Mathew Kelly. They are the two most amazing Catholics! They’re not the kind of Catholics that just go to church to go to church. They believe strongly in their religion, and study very hard in it. They would definately be the Catholic version of your pastor. Just please check it out. Don’t leave the Catholic faith just yet. (No, don’t say you’ve already left. You were baptized Catholic, and your family [us Catholics] aren’t going to let you go that easy. We love you, and know exactly what you’d be missing if you left, and we couldn’t live with that) Keep searching and searching. You haven’t reached the end of the questions yet, and there are always more answers to find. Whatever you do, don’t stop praying. If you ever reconsider, don’t go back to the way you were as a Catholic. Get involved like the people on this site!! There’s a lot more to Catholicism if you work towards it. When you really commit yourself to it, you will be amazed at what you find. We will all be praying for you. Remember that the Catholic church will always welcome you back with open arms.
You’re in my prayers,
~Jaclyn~
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alekzander
Guest
The eucharist is not just going up and taking the bread and wine…if you have sinned since the last time you took the eucharist you should go to confession before you receive it again that way you don’t bring judgement on yourself…in Evangelical circles when they do have what they call eucharist it is so irreverent and just a symbol-they make a mockery of it.The best anology I can make is if you knew Jesus would come visit you next week wouldn’t you stop sinning and try to get of all impure thoughts or would you continue to live your sinful life and carry on as always…I would hope you would clean up your act! That’s how we treat the Eucharist that we are welcoming Jesus and we want him to live within us…You don’t have that in protestant churches and you cannot experience that in any other church except for the catholic church…why would you want to give that up?
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Celia
Guest
You are not attending a Mass. You are attending a protestant worship service. There is a difference. A big one.
I think you are making a big mistake and will probably realize that someday. I also think that if you really read everyone’s responses and took them to heart, your last post would have been very different.
Oh well. Like someone else said, all in God’s time. Good luck with your Evangelism. God bless.
I think you are making a big mistake and will probably realize that someday. I also think that if you really read everyone’s responses and took them to heart, your last post would have been very different.
Oh well. Like someone else said, all in God’s time. Good luck with your Evangelism. God bless.
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TobyLue
Guest
Something bothers me in regard to this thread. It was 3 pages long yet how many posts did Austin83 have. It seems like he already had his mind made up before he came here . He said
There were all sorts of posts that should have awaken austin83 if he was really serious but I personally feel he wasn’t. Not once did he posts what his objections where other then to say
“many of the inaccuracies between what the scripture teaches us and what the Catholic church teaches us” How many times have we seen those allegations?
Austin83 was not interested in revealing any of the “many… inaccuracies”. Why? I would guess that he was afraid to find the truth. Jesus isn’t going to like that. I honestly do not think that Austin83 even read any of the responses or that he was even serious. He was corrected in his use of the word “mass”, yet on his last post he still referred to attending mass at his newfound evangelical church.
Again if Austin83 is still reading this WHAT WERE YOU AFRAID OF? WHY DIDN’T YOU PUT ALL THE CARDS ON THE TABLE AND TELL US WHAT INACCURICIES SO THAT YOU CAN ENLIGHTEN US? HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY WERE “INACCURICIES” SINCE BY YOUR OWN ADMISSION YOU ARE NOT THAT WELL VERSED IN SCRIPTURE? Many people are ignorant about the Catholic Faith through no fault of their own. Say for example Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, people in jungles areas who have never heard the teaching of the Church. But, when and if they are presented with the Truths and/or simply do not want to know them that cannot be considered ignorant. That can be considered downright refusal!
I know that some allegations were made that this thread was all a set up. It could have been (and I could be wrong) because of the lack of posting. To me it seems like a troll from an anti-catholic website sent here to post and see what reactions were. Why do I say that? Because when those allegations were made austin83 not once refute them. And again, if anybody had decided to leave the Catholic Church and was concerned about what parents would say, should one not go and ask people from the other church who had left and denounced Catholicism and get their advise? Hmmm, I wonder if “thou shall not bear false witness” is ever preached at his church.
If austin83 is still here I would like to ask him this: Austin83 how did you participate in this “debate”? Debate consists of stating your position, explaining your understanding of that position, listening to others post and explain their positions, then try to counter or refute their position etc, etc.”
There were all sorts of posts that should have awaken austin83 if he was really serious but I personally feel he wasn’t. Not once did he posts what his objections where other then to say
“many of the inaccuracies between what the scripture teaches us and what the Catholic church teaches us” How many times have we seen those allegations?
Austin83 was not interested in revealing any of the “many… inaccuracies”. Why? I would guess that he was afraid to find the truth. Jesus isn’t going to like that. I honestly do not think that Austin83 even read any of the responses or that he was even serious. He was corrected in his use of the word “mass”, yet on his last post he still referred to attending mass at his newfound evangelical church.
What do you mean pretty much on a weekly basis. Is this something new you learned at your new church that you can go “pretty much” on a weekly basis? Do you mean that some weeks you still don’t go? Whatever happened to keeping holy the Sabbath or did God say keep holy the Sabbath “pretty much” (meaning like every now and then?) basis.
What do you mean by “again”? Is this how little you know about baptism? Have you become a son of God only because you spoke some words to be “born again”? And is “being a son of God” only a title?
Code:
No, you made a decision but not the “right” decision. How was that decision made? And sorry to tell you this but it is not the end! It is only the beginning. You are still very young and we all pray that this, your decision to walk away from the Church that Jesus founded, will not haunt you at the end.I know that some allegations were made that this thread was all a set up. It could have been (and I could be wrong) because of the lack of posting. To me it seems like a troll from an anti-catholic website sent here to post and see what reactions were. Why do I say that? Because when those allegations were made austin83 not once refute them. And again, if anybody had decided to leave the Catholic Church and was concerned about what parents would say, should one not go and ask people from the other church who had left and denounced Catholicism and get their advise? Hmmm, I wonder if “thou shall not bear false witness” is ever preached at his church.
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kamz
Guest
at this point all we can do is pray for him, I know when I was 22 I left the church for 3 yrs and you could not have talked me out of it, the thing is, my parents are wonderful, faithful Catholics who raised me with a strong Catholic faith and although I could run from it for awhile, I could not hide and the truth was around every corner and the thing that got me most… how could I be a member of a church that was man made? Jesus only established one church, just one…so any other church…is not the church of Jesus…so how could I go anywhere but where Jesus is.
But the fact that Austin keeps calling his service the mass when we all know the mass is CATHOLIC, shows how little he really knows and how young and naieve he is.
I was a member of the Lutheran church for 3 yrs and once said, that was a good mass when I was 22 and the minister corrected me right away and said, no dear, that was service, only Catholics have mass (ONLY CATHOLICS HAVE MASS) also, I have been to an evangelical church for a wedding and it was called a worship service…again, Austin…ONLY CATHOLICS HAVE MASS, when you give up the Catholic church you also have to give up the mass, you are no longer having mass, your just having a service.
I just can’t imagine anyone wanting to be where Jesus didn’t even establish the church, crazy, a man made church… yikes, but thats just me, I want to be in the only church Jesus himself established…so much for all that other stuff, I would rather be where Jesus wants us to be. :yup:
But the fact that Austin keeps calling his service the mass when we all know the mass is CATHOLIC, shows how little he really knows and how young and naieve he is.
I was a member of the Lutheran church for 3 yrs and once said, that was a good mass when I was 22 and the minister corrected me right away and said, no dear, that was service, only Catholics have mass (ONLY CATHOLICS HAVE MASS) also, I have been to an evangelical church for a wedding and it was called a worship service…again, Austin…ONLY CATHOLICS HAVE MASS, when you give up the Catholic church you also have to give up the mass, you are no longer having mass, your just having a service.
I just can’t imagine anyone wanting to be where Jesus didn’t even establish the church, crazy, a man made church… yikes, but thats just me, I want to be in the only church Jesus himself established…so much for all that other stuff, I would rather be where Jesus wants us to be. :yup:
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Vincent1560
Guest
Tantum ergo:
And Austin. God bless you! I am very happy that you have come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and I am very excited for you as you get to progress more and more in your knowledge of God. As for your parents, it is important to be kind, loving and respectful when you tell them. Also Pray for their understanding and live out Christ for them! Most importantly you must be obedient to Christ first, forsaking all else (Matt 19:29). It is also important to remember that your parents are Catholics and if genuine, they also love God and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is true that we believe that certain Catholic tenants they believe and practice will hinder their relationship with God and their understanding of His nature and the nature of salvation, but it is important to keep in mind that they are Christians which is a cause for great joy! Hopefully your changed life will be an inspiration to them.
As an evangelical I take issue with this. We believe that loving God with our entire will is the most important thing a person can do. And by experiencing God’s love and loving him we are in turn better able to love our neighbors. And if you read the New Testament closely it is very clear that believers are supposed to regard each other as brothers and sisters and love God both corporately and individually. “when two or more are gathered in my name I am with thee…” I also don’t believe it is possible to be able to truly love God without also having love for your neighbor. “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” 1John 4:21 Furthermore in loving man we actually are loving Jesus, (see Matt 25:40)
And Austin. God bless you! I am very happy that you have come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and I am very excited for you as you get to progress more and more in your knowledge of God. As for your parents, it is important to be kind, loving and respectful when you tell them. Also Pray for their understanding and live out Christ for them! Most importantly you must be obedient to Christ first, forsaking all else (Matt 19:29). It is also important to remember that your parents are Catholics and if genuine, they also love God and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is true that we believe that certain Catholic tenants they believe and practice will hinder their relationship with God and their understanding of His nature and the nature of salvation, but it is important to keep in mind that they are Christians which is a cause for great joy! Hopefully your changed life will be an inspiration to them.
- Status