I have a protestant friend who says that being saved is a relationship with Jesus Christ and religion is mans way of trying to fit God into a box and smother Him with traditions. one how do you respond to that ive asked her what she means but i dont get a direct answer. so can anyone Catholic or Protestant tell me what she means and what denomination this is and can anyone give me a Catholic website that says what specific denominations believe?
If she won’t tell you what she means by being saved how can we know what she means? It sounds like she doesn’t go to any church if that is what she thinks about religion. She may think ‘being saved’ means you are assured you will go to heaven. She may have bad feelings about religion and churches because of experiences she had with ‘religious people’ who were not kind and loving. Sometimes an authoritarian father will make it hard for someone to see God as a loving father and that feeling may transfer to how she feels about pastors or priests or authorities in general.
You could tell her you agree that the most important thing in life is a relationship with Jesus. Now what does Jesus tell us about how to have a relationship with him and follow him? Then you could show her things in the bible. Jesus talks about building his church. Jesus says to eat his body, tells the apostles to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. He teaches the apostles after he rises from the dead. He promises to send the Holy Spirit. etc. He tells us to love God and one another.
Well, Jesus must want us to be part of the church, to listen to what the apostles taught, to be baptized. In Paul’s letters he tells how the church is like Christ’s body. Gifts are given to some members so they can be used for the good of the others. She needs to share the gifts God gives her.
DON’T try to get into this all at once. Your purpose is not to win arguments.
It might be best to begin with sharing your faith journey with her. How you came to know Jesus. What He has done in your life. Ask how she came to know Him? How knowing Him has made a difference to her. What are things the does to follow Him? Maybe you can work together on a project to help others. Can you pray together?, ask her if she would like to go to Stations of the Cross one time in lent? Let her see that religion is to help us get closer to God.
Keep praying for her. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.