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IGotQuestions
Guest
What is the history of the expression “personal Lord and Savior”?
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phil19034
Guest
I’m not 100% sure, however, my GUESS is that the word “personal” was added by Sola Scriptura protestants to emphasise personal relationship vs communal relationship.
Catholics typically say “Our Lord and Savior” vs “My…”
That’s not to imply that that Catholics do not believe that Jesus Christ is our personal Lord and Savior, but Catholics believe that we are supposed to help others get to Heaven too. Jesus died for all of our sins, not just mine. We are all part of the Body of Christ and hence we are all connected.
So in conclusion: while the phrase “Personal Lord and Savior” is theologically fine for Catholics, I believe it was created to emphasise the Protestant belief that you don’t need the Church, just simply accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and you can be saved.
I pray this helps.
God Bless!
Catholics typically say “Our Lord and Savior” vs “My…”
That’s not to imply that that Catholics do not believe that Jesus Christ is our personal Lord and Savior, but Catholics believe that we are supposed to help others get to Heaven too. Jesus died for all of our sins, not just mine. We are all part of the Body of Christ and hence we are all connected.
So in conclusion: while the phrase “Personal Lord and Savior” is theologically fine for Catholics, I believe it was created to emphasise the Protestant belief that you don’t need the Church, just simply accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and you can be saved.
I pray this helps.
God Bless!
W
wmscott
Guest
So while I will agree with your statements in general but not sure it applies to all non-Catholics, the only thing I would like to say is that for me as a Catholic experiencing Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist is experiencing Him to the furthest extent as Personal Lord and Savior.
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Dorothy
Guest
Yes! One cannot get any more personal than receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ!
May we grow to appreciate this awesome gift to the maximum.
J
JustaServant
Guest
The evangelical concept of a ‘personal relationship’ with Jesus, is modern Western, individualistic terminology unknown to the writers of Scripture and the early Church.
Our relationship with Jesus is intensely personal. That is true, but it is not exclusive.
Paul said ‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory’.
In the Greek that Paul used it is plural, not singular.
It should read ‘Christ in YOU ALL, the hope of Glory.’ The Church is not made up of isolated individuals, but members of the mystical body of Christ Himself. Paul said we are “members one to another”.
Jesus said: ‘where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.’ In the company of other Christians, we lay hold of the Lord and His abiding presence. It is in corporate worship that this is seen the greatest.
The phrase itself is a 20th century concoction. But the philosophy does go back about that far. ‘Making a decision’ for salvation was unheard of until the 1820’s when Charles Finney (1792-1875) introduced this method. Billy Graham is his spiritual descendant.
Reformed denominations have always rejected it.
Our relationship with Jesus is intensely personal. That is true, but it is not exclusive.
Paul said ‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory’.
In the Greek that Paul used it is plural, not singular.
It should read ‘Christ in YOU ALL, the hope of Glory.’ The Church is not made up of isolated individuals, but members of the mystical body of Christ Himself. Paul said we are “members one to another”.
Jesus said: ‘where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.’ In the company of other Christians, we lay hold of the Lord and His abiding presence. It is in corporate worship that this is seen the greatest.
The phrase itself is a 20th century concoction. But the philosophy does go back about that far. ‘Making a decision’ for salvation was unheard of until the 1820’s when Charles Finney (1792-1875) introduced this method. Billy Graham is his spiritual descendant.
Reformed denominations have always rejected it.
True!
T
Tommy999
Guest
As an evangelical who uses the expression “Personal Lord and Savior” myself, it means that God has chosen to be in close and personal relationship with His children through the Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross for our sins.He is not too distant to care and love us individually as well as communally. I’ve heard priests and Catholic commentators on EWTN comment that many Catholics have been sacramentalized but not evangelized. We all need to be evangelized, not just some. In that way, it becomes personal but at the same time we are to help one another get to heaven.
In the end, we all have to make an individual decision to follow Him or not. We can’t drag someone else into heaven with is. We can and should invite them to follow the Lord with us and we should model the Christian faith for them as best we can, but we cannot force them to do it. In that respect, it is a personal decision and choice that each individual must make on their own in the end.
While you don’t need the Church to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior (you can do that in a coffee shop, at home, in your car, on a retreat, or anywhere else if it is divinely appointed), each of us should go to church and not forsake the gathering together with other believers as stated in Holy Scripture and to receive teaching from those in authority who know and teach the Word of God, like our pastors.
Hebrews 10:24-25
…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near
In the end, we all have to make an individual decision to follow Him or not. We can’t drag someone else into heaven with is. We can and should invite them to follow the Lord with us and we should model the Christian faith for them as best we can, but we cannot force them to do it. In that respect, it is a personal decision and choice that each individual must make on their own in the end.
While you don’t need the Church to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior (you can do that in a coffee shop, at home, in your car, on a retreat, or anywhere else if it is divinely appointed), each of us should go to church and not forsake the gathering together with other believers as stated in Holy Scripture and to receive teaching from those in authority who know and teach the Word of God, like our pastors.
Hebrews 10:24-25
…and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near
S
SyroMalankara
Guest
When someone tells me that they accept Jesus but don’t think the Church is necessary, it comes off to me as that person is missing a critical element of what Jesus teaches and what the Church is. It’s like someone saying they accept a paycheck but dislike money; or they love hiking but hate the outdoors. There’s a disconnect.
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frangiuliano115
Guest
Great explanation. I like the concept of this being a personal decision. When I was growing up we were told that all we had to do was go to church and confession and we’d be okay. What a lie. What emptiness!
We must each accept Jesus personally. It’s a relationship. Perfect.
Fran
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petra22
Guest
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phil19034
Guest
In general, what you are saying here (except what I highlighted in red) is consistent with the Catholic Church. However, to Catholics, accepting Jesus but not going to Church can be compared loving your parents / grandparents but sending them off to a retirement home without ever visiting.
Anyway, may The Lord bring us all wisdom and peace during this Christmastide Season.
God Bless and have a Holy Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
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wmscott
Guest
Agreed, which goes to the point of why did Christ establish His Church if it was not necessary to go to Church.In general, what you are saying here (except what I highlighted in red) is consistent with the Catholic Church. However, to Catholics, accepting Jesus but not going to Church can be compared loving your parents / grandparents but sending them off to a retirement home without ever visiting.
Anyway, may The Lord bring us all wisdom and peace during this Christmastide Season.
God Bless and have a Holy Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
J
JustaServant
Guest
Since my earlier post is a few years old (yes, the longer you are here the more you will cut and paste.
), I wanted clarify:
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the phrase, it’s not heretical or anything. I just find it to be a rather inadequate way of expressing our relationship with Christ. It is not either/or. It is both personal and corporate.
), I wanted clarify:There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the phrase, it’s not heretical or anything. I just find it to be a rather inadequate way of expressing our relationship with Christ. It is not either/or. It is both personal and corporate.
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Tommy999
Guest
While I agree that attending church is important to growing in Christ and for helping others grow in Christ, and while I also believe it is foolish and immature for any person to think he/she can live a strong Christian life without the help of the Church, I stand by my point that you highlighted in red in your previous post. (post #10).In general, what you are saying here (except what I highlighted in red) is consistent with the Catholic Church. However, to Catholics, accepting Jesus but not going to Church can be compared loving your parents / grandparents but sending them off to a retirement home without ever visiting.
Anyway, may The Lord bring us all wisdom and peace during this Christmastide Season.
God Bless and have a Holy Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
I know of people who came to know Christ in various settings (not just at church) through the Christian witness of a friend at a setting such as a coffee shop, etc.
I also know of people who attended church for a long time and didn’t come into a personal relationship with Christ until much later when they attended a Christian retreat, at which His presence came alive to them through the presence of the Holy Spirit gracing the person. Christ is not restricted to one place. His Spirit can move in any setting where God wills it.
In my case, I had attended church for several years going through the motions before Christ became my personal Lord and Savior. I accepted Him as such while sitting in my living room watching a Billy Graham crusade several years ago as a teenager when Christ came alive to me in a real way.
My point was that you don’t need a church in order for Jesus to become your Lord and Savior. However, if you want to grow in Christ and help others do the same, you should attend church and be with other Christians to grow and to help others to grow. To do otherwise would be counterproductive to your faith and stunt your spiritual growth.
May everyone have a blessed Christmas and may His presence be with you always.
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guanophore
Guest
This phrase came out of the American Fundamentalist movemement. It was a reaction against the nominal christianity of mainline evangelicals.
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spedteacherita
Guest
I have to disagree with your statement that Protestants belief that they don’t need the Church in their personal walk with Jesus. We each have our personal relationship with Him but need to be fed spiritually within an ecclesiastical setting hearing and sharing the Word with one another as well as taking care of those in need. In the Lutheran setting we also need to be present in order to partake of the Real Presence thru Holy Communion.
God bless!
Rita
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Dorothy
Guest
Yes, that was a broad brush statement to make that Protestants believe they don’t need the Church.
However, there are some who appear to reject hierarchy and assembling together, at least weekly.
Perhaps it is a choice of their own making and not of the denomination to which they belong?
I don’t think it is a particularly large percentage. In fact, probably rather small.
Jon
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spedteacherita
Guest
And to hear the word and receive Holy Absolution.
Jon
Thanks for adding that…- Status