So Ralphy, If I understand the chronology right, you left Catholicism in 1977 at age 43 and you have spent the last 32 years as a Protestant of some type, So this isn’t a recent event. Do I have this correct?
And these are the 5 verses that turned you from Catholicism, right:
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
,Acts 3:19 Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,
Acts 13:31, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are (now) his witnesses before the people
Romans 10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
John 5:24. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.
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I always find it interesting when people pull out one verse and ascribe all kinds of meaning to it without considering context. For instance, if you read jsut 3 verses further in John 5 you would get: John 5:28-29 ==>
Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.
Clearly it is more than just believing that gets you eternal life. You need to have done good deeds. Sure, you need to have faith first, but you still have the responsibility to live out that faith. This is basic Catholic teaching.
The same goes for Romans; If you read the entire epistle, you would know that in Chapter 2, verses 1-16 Paul says:
Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God would lead you to repentance? By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, **who will repay everyone according to his works eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. ** Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
There is no partiality with God. All who sin outside the law will also perish without reference to it, and all who sin under the law will be judged in accordance with it. For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified. For when the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature observe the prescriptions of the law, they are a law for themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them
on the day when,** according to my gospel, God will judge people’s hidden works through Christ Jesus**.
So in both your accounts, you have cherrypicked one verse out of context that seems to contradict the overall message of the gospel. Works are necessary to demonstrate faith and will be the focus of the judgment of whether you are granted eternal life in heaven or not.
