One act of faith

[BOBKAT]

Help please,

I have a debate going on with my SIL about the bible and I sent her some information from the Bible Christian Society about the one act of faith and salvation. She states that the Bible does say that whosoever believe in the Lord will be saved. I think my response would be that the Devil beleives in the Lord is he saved. I am wondering if any of you can help me with this debate. She is having a baby and I want this baby to be baptised just like the rest of her children she left the church after her marriage and the last child was baptised. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless
Kathleen

 

[Darrel]

BOBKAT:

Help please,

I have a debate going on with my SIL about the bible and I sent her some information from the Bible Christian Society about the one act of faith and salvation. She states that the Bible does say that whosoever believe in the Lord will be saved. I think my response would be that the Devil beleives in the Lord is he saved. I am wondering if any of you can help me with this debate. She is having a baby and I want this baby to be baptised just like the rest of her children she left the church after her marriage and the last child was baptised. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless
Kathleen

Maybe tell her that you understand her position at the moment about the Church. Then say that if there is even the slightest one in a million chance that she will return to it later and change her mind that it would be wise to have the baby baptised. Tell her God forbid something happens to the baby and she becomes Catholic again later. The baptism hurts nothing and is like protection for the baby just in case she is wrong. Maybe look at alternatives to the full blown service. Perhaps a priest would be willing to do it on Monday night in like five minutes with no ceremony at all?

-D

 

[BOBKAT]

Thanks,

That is a great idea, never thought of it that way.

Thank you
Kathleen

Darrel:

Maybe tell her that you understand her position at the moment about the Church. Then say that if there is even the slightest one in a million chance that she will return to it later and change her mind that it would be wise to have the baby baptised. Tell her God forbid something happens to the baby and she becomes Catholic again later. The baptism hurts nothing and is like protection for the baby just in case she is wrong. Maybe look at alternatives to the full blown service. Perhaps a priest would be willing to do it on Monday night in like five minutes with no ceremony at all?

-D

 

[RobNY]

Darrel:

Maybe tell her that you understand her position at the moment about the Church. Then say that if there is even the slightest one in a million chance that she will return to it later and change her mind that it would be wise to have the baby baptised. Tell her God forbid something happens to the baby and she becomes Catholic again later. The baptism hurts nothing and is like protection for the baby just in case she is wrong.

-D

You sly devil. Pascal would like you.

Does this Catholic Answers link help?

As Jesus himself tells us, “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 24:13; cf. 25:31–46).

“See then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off” (Rom. 11:22; see also Heb. 10:26–29, 2 Pet. 2:20–21).

‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord” shall enter the kingdom of heaven’ (Matt. 7:21)."

“I pummel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27).

Philippians 2:12 says, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, *work out your own salvation *with fear and trembling.

How about you attack it from two sides: first, the necessity of baptism, second, the failure of the idea to be ‘saved’ once (if you can fall away, you indeed aren’t just saved once).

“Baptism . . . now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21; cf. Acts 2:38, 22:16, Rom. 6:3–4, Col. 2:11–12).

Thus the early Church Fathers wrote in the Nicene Creed (A.D. 381), “We believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.”

You could probably do even better, though.

Maybe you should send her here . Maybe after such a traumatic experience she would decide it’s not worth it not to be Catholic.

God Bless,
Rob