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FallenCatholic
Guest
Thank you all so much for your replies! Please don’t be upset if I don’t respond right away. There is alot of info you all post and I want to take time to read it and absorb it. I may just print it out…lol.
- Status
F
FallenCatholic
Guest
Whatif - I should also add I found your post quite interesting. Reason being, last Sunday at the Baptist church the pastor talked about following God and listening even if it means leaving friends and family. I felt as though he was talking just to me as I am walking through this right now.
J
jimmy
Guest
Hello fallen Catholic, welcome back to the Church, and welcome to the forums.
The Catholic view of salvation is that we are saved by the Grace of God, through faith and works. Now this does not mean that you can work your way to heaven. What it means is that by accepting Gods Grace and doing the good works we are accepting Christ. We accept Christ each of our actions, not only in faith. James says, “Can’t you see that faith without works is dead?” That is exactly what the Catholic Church teaches. I could say, “Thankyou Lord for saving me.” and then go and sin.
Your friend is wrong when she says that we are not judged when we die, but our works are. If you look at Matthew 25 you can see that the person is judged, not the works.
The person is being judged, not his works. Christ does not mention how good the works are. He says that the man has been faithful over a few things.
Like you said, you can not enter heaven unclean. But the loving father that God is, he has given a way for us to enter heaven. Through purgatory we are cleansed and freed from all attachments to sin. *
The Catholic view of salvation is that we are saved by the Grace of God, through faith and works. Now this does not mean that you can work your way to heaven. What it means is that by accepting Gods Grace and doing the good works we are accepting Christ. We accept Christ each of our actions, not only in faith. James says, “Can’t you see that faith without works is dead?” That is exactly what the Catholic Church teaches. I could say, “Thankyou Lord for saving me.” and then go and sin.
Your friend is wrong when she says that we are not judged when we die, but our works are. If you look at Matthew 25 you can see that the person is judged, not the works.
His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
The person is being judged, not his works. Christ does not mention how good the works are. He says that the man has been faithful over a few things.
Like you said, you can not enter heaven unclean. But the loving father that God is, he has given a way for us to enter heaven. Through purgatory we are cleansed and freed from all attachments to sin. *
F
FallenCatholic
Guest
Dhgray said
Also, your post, #4 is great. Can I share that with my friend?
Mickey said
RichSpidizzy – thanks for all the links!
Puzzleannie – thanks for your support. Hmmm, I don’t know what I would change my name to? Let me think about it. You are right though, I am not really fallen, just a little lost and finding my way back to the truth.
Lisa4Catholics – thanks so much. I am going to write that note to my friend also, about Jesus being accused of getting power from demons.
Exporter – Yes, after you mention it the word “craving” is probably not the best word, but it seems stronger than pull to articulate. Being pulled doesn’t give justice to what I feel. Thanks for your explanation of purgatory, that really makes sense.
Hlgomez – what you say makes sense also. And I believe there is scriptures that say the second coming He will return to judge the living and the dead.
Fidelis – thanks so much!
Johnq – thank you, I am going to give those Scriptures to her as well.
John Henry – thanks so much for your thorough post. Do you mind if I share some with it with my friend?
Mike B – thank you!
I hope you all don’t mind that I replied to each of you in the same post, I thought it might be easier this way. I am getting ready to write to my friend and explain some more things to her. If you don’t mind, I will let you all know her response.
Thanks again!
Jill
In order to become a member of the Baptist church I had to be baptized.
Also, your post, #4 is great. Can I share that with my friend?
Mickey said
This is interesting. The Catholic church accepts baptism in the Baptist church as long as it is in the Trinitarian formula, as you said. But does it matter that they don’t believe Baptism washing Original Sin away?
RichSpidizzy – thanks for all the links!
Puzzleannie – thanks for your support. Hmmm, I don’t know what I would change my name to? Let me think about it. You are right though, I am not really fallen, just a little lost and finding my way back to the truth.
Lisa4Catholics – thanks so much. I am going to write that note to my friend also, about Jesus being accused of getting power from demons.
Exporter – Yes, after you mention it the word “craving” is probably not the best word, but it seems stronger than pull to articulate. Being pulled doesn’t give justice to what I feel. Thanks for your explanation of purgatory, that really makes sense.
Hlgomez – what you say makes sense also. And I believe there is scriptures that say the second coming He will return to judge the living and the dead.
Fidelis – thanks so much!
Johnq – thank you, I am going to give those Scriptures to her as well.
John Henry – thanks so much for your thorough post. Do you mind if I share some with it with my friend?
Mike B – thank you!
I hope you all don’t mind that I replied to each of you in the same post, I thought it might be easier this way. I am getting ready to write to my friend and explain some more things to her. If you don’t mind, I will let you all know her response.
Thanks again!
Jill
M
Mickey
Guest
No it does not matter what the individual believes. Remember, they were not Baptized by a man. They were Baptized by the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Original sin was washed away whether they decide to acknowledge this or not. To reject your first and only valid Baptism, is a seriously grave error. You are basically saying that you did not trust The Holy Spirit the first time!
B
BibleReader
Guest
Hi, FallenCatholic.
What an interesting post! Thank you!
Initially, in saying the Rosary, don’t forget to contemplate the Mysteries. That is its reason for being.
"Regarding acceptance of Salvation…I have been thinking about this a great deal lately. I cannot remember word for word what I said in my last email regarding purgatory and how it makes sense to me, the need for it makes sense to me. First I will begin with a question. If we accept Jesus into our hearts as our Lord and Savior, we are saved right? If that is true, why are we judged when we die? There would be no need for judgement if our Salvation was gaurenteed, right?
Not so simple. The word “accept” in “accept Jesus into our hearts,” the way many of our Protestant brethren use it, has mischief in the definition. The Devil “believes in” Jesus and very, very much “accepts” Him as a reality, yet he hates Him. In fact, that is probably the ultimate character of all human serious sin – intentionally walking away from God.
Next, can we repeatedly “accept” Jesus into our hearts in the fuller sense of being filled with grace, reject Him, “accept” Jesus into our hearts in the fuller sense of being filled with grace, again, and reject Him, again, and so on?
Two Biblical quotations come to mind on this point…
The Parable of the Ten Virgins, in Matthew 25, in which there are two groups of five virgins with lighted lamps. The foolish virgins let their lamps become extinguished, and are barred from the wedding feast.
Typologically, the foolish virgins start out with lighted lamps because in the Bible “fire” = “a special presence of God.” I.e., they have “Christ” in them.
Additionally, there are “five” in that group to tell us the same thing. “Five” = "Christ."
In other words, these folks begin the parable in a Godly state, and then lose it. “Once saved always saved” is wrong.
The other verse I have in mind is Jesus’ response to Peter at the Last Supper after Peter finally agrees to let Jesus wash his feet. In the Bible, “dirty feet” = actual sin. From that perspective, read Christ’s words…
*"The man who has bathed * has no need to wash except for his feet ." John 13:10.
So, just as the Devil can “believe” and still be damned, so can we. Indeed, that very “belief” may be the main content of sins that are “mortal” – we nastily rebel despite our "belief."
Next, many Protestant congregations restrict judgment to the damned.
I believe that this is mere semantics. By defining judgment as a negative thing, only, they win their “argument.” If we regard “Well done, good and faithful servant!” as judgment, then it runs both ways. Again and again Scripture has both sheep and goats standing before the throne.**
What an interesting post! Thank you!
Initially, in saying the Rosary, don’t forget to contemplate the Mysteries. That is its reason for being.
"Regarding acceptance of Salvation…I have been thinking about this a great deal lately. I cannot remember word for word what I said in my last email regarding purgatory and how it makes sense to me, the need for it makes sense to me. First I will begin with a question. If we accept Jesus into our hearts as our Lord and Savior, we are saved right? If that is true, why are we judged when we die? There would be no need for judgement if our Salvation was gaurenteed, right?
Not so simple. The word “accept” in “accept Jesus into our hearts,” the way many of our Protestant brethren use it, has mischief in the definition. The Devil “believes in” Jesus and very, very much “accepts” Him as a reality, yet he hates Him. In fact, that is probably the ultimate character of all human serious sin – intentionally walking away from God.
Next, can we repeatedly “accept” Jesus into our hearts in the fuller sense of being filled with grace, reject Him, “accept” Jesus into our hearts in the fuller sense of being filled with grace, again, and reject Him, again, and so on?
Two Biblical quotations come to mind on this point…
The Parable of the Ten Virgins, in Matthew 25, in which there are two groups of five virgins with lighted lamps. The foolish virgins let their lamps become extinguished, and are barred from the wedding feast.
Typologically, the foolish virgins start out with lighted lamps because in the Bible “fire” = “a special presence of God.” I.e., they have “Christ” in them.
Additionally, there are “five” in that group to tell us the same thing. “Five” = "Christ."
In other words, these folks begin the parable in a Godly state, and then lose it. “Once saved always saved” is wrong.
The other verse I have in mind is Jesus’ response to Peter at the Last Supper after Peter finally agrees to let Jesus wash his feet. In the Bible, “dirty feet” = actual sin. From that perspective, read Christ’s words…
*"The man who has bathed * has no need to wash except for his feet ." John 13:10.
So, just as the Devil can “believe” and still be damned, so can we. Indeed, that very “belief” may be the main content of sins that are “mortal” – we nastily rebel despite our "belief."
Next, many Protestant congregations restrict judgment to the damned.
I believe that this is mere semantics. By defining judgment as a negative thing, only, they win their “argument.” If we regard “Well done, good and faithful servant!” as judgment, then it runs both ways. Again and again Scripture has both sheep and goats standing before the throne.**
B
BibleReader
Guest
- Now, the way I understand the Catholic teaching of purgatory is this…though we are covered by Jesus’ blood, our sins remain on our soul. Nothing unclean can enter heaven. And the Loving Father that God is has created a way for us to be thoroughly cleansed so that we can enter heaven. Just as we are to discipline our children, our Father disciplines us, gives us our just punishment for our sins."
The punishment of Hell is fundamentally different from this. Though Hell hurts, the state of alienation from God in Man’s heart which is described in the Original Sin myth reigns supreme in the damned, completely deprived of the shower of grace won on the cross which tempers all, even the damned, during their lives on Earth (except when they really “make love to” evil, as in the case, perhaps, of sexual serial killers). In other words, the damned are raging haters, and they hate God like crazy, and so they march to Hell, flags flying. I believe that Hell has no walls.
Purgatory isn’t like this, nor is what they are in Purgatory for the same thing that the damned are in Hell for. The purpose is not comparable.
In Hell, the souls there are happy while they suffer. They know they have made it. They have been perfectly enlightened by God to have an awareness of the fairness of their fate, and they agree with all that is happening to them.
Because of the essential differences between Purgatory and Hell and the issues addressed in each, the objection to Purgatory of our Protestant brethren – that “all” of our “sins” are covered, does not quite apply.
Her response to this was the following:
*"we aren’t judged, only our works are judged if we’ve been saved. *
In my opinion, this, here, is simply wrong. When a person is judged, God looks at the person – “Is his or her fundamental orientation, ‘Enemy’?” – and at the works – Does this person have temporal debris from previous sin which needs addressing?"
When we receive Christ’s atonement, we are once and for all saved.
**Already dealt with: Remember the five foolish virgins who started-out with fire. Remember Christ’s words in John indicating that we need to be both “bathed” (baptized) and “washed” (reconciliation in confession).
When we stand before Him after we die, we stand before him as our Savior, not our judge.
Already addressed.
B
BibleReader
Guest
- John MacArthur was definitely not referring to purgatory. He’s referring to those people who receive salvation, but don’t full live the victorious Christian life. Their works are shallow, thus easily “burned up”.*
- He’s talking about people who are saved, but “just barely” because of the way they lived their lives. This in no way refers to purgatory. There is something called the Great White Throne judgment mentioned in the book of Revelation. This judgment is not for believers, but for the non-believers.*
- When we, as believers die, we are immediately in His presence and all he sees is not our righteousness, but the righteousness that was imparted to us upon our acceptance of Christ. Our robes will be white as snow. We will get our crowns “rewards” based upon what we did for the Kingdom while here on earth."*
Pray and you will know.
F
FallenCatholic
Guest
Yes, that is very scary indeed. I do trust that the Holy Spirit baptized me the first time. I asked my friend (waiting for her response) why baptism is only symbolic when we are commanded to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. It is like that Baptist church and Catholic church are in complete conflict with one another, doctrinally. One of them is correct, I am beginning to see which. I explained to her as I am explaining now here, I believe the Lord took me on this adventure to help me mature some. I was taking the sacrament of Reconcilliation for granted in the past because all I had to do was confess my sins. Not really repentant, huh. I am learning now though!
M
Mickey
Guest
Yes you are correct. Confession with a contrite heart and true repentance is necessary. It is such a beautiful sacrament. Protestants are not aware of what they are missing. I have friends who are baptist and what truly saddens me, is that the baptist church developed out of a separatist movement while trying to reform the church of England. They multiply by dividing and they are proud of that. They have moved to the opposite end of the spectrum. For the most part, their doctrine was formed as a protest to anything Catholic. They are still our brothers and sisters in Christ, but they are missing out on the fulness of truth.
A
aimekuelmc
Guest
This sounds very similar to what I felt. For me, I could only describe it as God dragging me to the Church because I was being so obstinate.
For me, I felt the “pull” and went to confession which I thought would be enough. But I didn’t continue going to church. This happened twice before the dragging feeling. It was as though God was saying “enough is enough”.
Truly there are no words to adequately describe the sensation. But once I “gave in” and followed His leading, I’ve been at peace.
Your friend’s prayer should not be that you resist “demon’s”, but that you follow God’s will, where ever it may lead.
MC
B
BibleReader
Guest
Whoa! Typo, typo, typo. In #27 I say that the souls in “Hell” are happy while they suffer. Brain slip. That was intended to say that the souls in PURGATORY are happy while they suffer!
E
enanneman
Guest
I’ve heard that line of arguement before–that the Great White Throne judgment is only for nonbelievers who will be judged by their works. This judgment in appears in Revelation 20, but it’s quite clear from the text that all of humanity will be judged before the throne: believers and nonbelievers alike.
Revelation 20 also meshes well with Jesus’ description of the Last Day present in the Gospel of St. Matthew.
F
FallenCatholic
Guest
Good Morning to my friends here at CA!!!
I emailed my friend a very lengthy message. It included several items that you all told me, on Salvation, Eucharist, Reconcilliation and Purgatory. Throughout the email when there were obvious scripture references I asked her a question from the protestant perspective. I find it puzzling that she didn’t answer any of my questions. Here reply was this:
“I think that all the points you brought up are clearly explained in the book “The Gospel According to Rome”. It breaks my heart that you are backsliding into that system, but no matter what you do, I want you to know that my love for you is unconditional. Whether you become Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, it doesn’t change my love for you. The only thing that it does is grieve my heart that you are making a decision that I believe is wrong. You asked if I thought the Catholic church is Christian. My answer is that at its core, yes, it is Christian, but is has become wrapped in many lies. You have to decide for yourself whom your arbiter of truth is - it’s either God’s Word or man. That is what it boils down to. And you’ve got the huge responsibility of your two girls. In what direction are you going to direct them??
As I contemplate what Jesus did for me on the cross and read God’s Word, there is no way that I can take the prideful attitude that I need to do anything else to gain salvation. Salvation is a once and for all thing, sanctification is the process we all go through in becoming more Christ-like. That is what you’re confused in - salvation and sanctification are two different things. That is why it’s so important to read the new testament in Greek - use Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Once you are saved, you are justified and it’s a done deal, but our sanctification is the ongoing process. We’re weak humans and are in a continuous state of growth. Just know that salvation, justification is a permanent thing and that sanctification is the continual process that we go through to make us more Christ-like.”
Okay, the book she references was written by an ex-Catholic, his name is James G. McCarthy. He refutes pretty much every teaching of the church and bases those on Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Check out a small right up and user comment from Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=oL5rf6nAxa&isbn=1565071077&itm=1 Another website she has pointed me to in the past for the truth is pro-gospel.org/ this website is here to help save Catholics.
She asks who my arbiter of truth is, God’s Word or man? When I sit here and think about it I really see God’s Word all throughout the Catholic Church. Yesterday I read a passage from the Duoay Rheims bible online, when Jesus institutes the Eucharist.
John 6:54-58
54 Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. 55 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in that last day. 56 For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. 57 He that eateth my fesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him. 58 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.
When He says in vs. 56 “for my flesh is meat indeed” I never heard it said that way. Most other translations says “food indeed”, meat just seems so much more real, easier to grasp and really understand what He was saying and how serious this matter really is.
(continued on next post)
I emailed my friend a very lengthy message. It included several items that you all told me, on Salvation, Eucharist, Reconcilliation and Purgatory. Throughout the email when there were obvious scripture references I asked her a question from the protestant perspective. I find it puzzling that she didn’t answer any of my questions. Here reply was this:
“I think that all the points you brought up are clearly explained in the book “The Gospel According to Rome”. It breaks my heart that you are backsliding into that system, but no matter what you do, I want you to know that my love for you is unconditional. Whether you become Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, it doesn’t change my love for you. The only thing that it does is grieve my heart that you are making a decision that I believe is wrong. You asked if I thought the Catholic church is Christian. My answer is that at its core, yes, it is Christian, but is has become wrapped in many lies. You have to decide for yourself whom your arbiter of truth is - it’s either God’s Word or man. That is what it boils down to. And you’ve got the huge responsibility of your two girls. In what direction are you going to direct them??
As I contemplate what Jesus did for me on the cross and read God’s Word, there is no way that I can take the prideful attitude that I need to do anything else to gain salvation. Salvation is a once and for all thing, sanctification is the process we all go through in becoming more Christ-like. That is what you’re confused in - salvation and sanctification are two different things. That is why it’s so important to read the new testament in Greek - use Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Once you are saved, you are justified and it’s a done deal, but our sanctification is the ongoing process. We’re weak humans and are in a continuous state of growth. Just know that salvation, justification is a permanent thing and that sanctification is the continual process that we go through to make us more Christ-like.”
Okay, the book she references was written by an ex-Catholic, his name is James G. McCarthy. He refutes pretty much every teaching of the church and bases those on Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Check out a small right up and user comment from Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=oL5rf6nAxa&isbn=1565071077&itm=1 Another website she has pointed me to in the past for the truth is pro-gospel.org/ this website is here to help save Catholics.
She asks who my arbiter of truth is, God’s Word or man? When I sit here and think about it I really see God’s Word all throughout the Catholic Church. Yesterday I read a passage from the Duoay Rheims bible online, when Jesus institutes the Eucharist.
John 6:54-58
54 Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. 55 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in that last day. 56 For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. 57 He that eateth my fesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him. 58 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.
When He says in vs. 56 “for my flesh is meat indeed” I never heard it said that way. Most other translations says “food indeed”, meat just seems so much more real, easier to grasp and really understand what He was saying and how serious this matter really is.
(continued on next post)
F
FallenCatholic
Guest
Above she also says I am confused about Salvation. I don’t think I am confused anymore. I always thought the Catholic church taught us that we had to work our way to Heaven. But that isn’t it. We are taught that Jesus has done everything we need to be saved, however the effects of our sin (turning from God’s ways) linger in our soul. The bible has been clear that we are not assured of our Salvation but we must work on it (follow God’s ways) every day until we reach the finish line.
At dictionary.com the definition for Salvation is: “Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption.” That is true. The penalty of sin is death. If we seek forgiveness and repent from our sins we are saved and will have eternal life with God. The definition of Sanctification is: “To make holy; purify.” That is exactly what the Church teaches. It is just, as I am learning, protestants believe Sanctification is completed at death whereas the Catholic church understands that it may not be completed at death and may need to continue after death in Purgatory.
She also says that “salvation / justification is a permanent thing”. I may be starting to confuse myself here so if you think I am in error please correct me. Anyway, Satan is an angel who was with God. (would that be his salvation?) He decided he could be better than God and turned on Him. He then lost his salvation. Is that correct in my thinking? Does that show that our Salvation can be lost, it is not guaranteed based on our praying the “sinners prayer”, no, we have to “work out our Salvation in fear and trembling”, not saying that WE ourselves can make our way to heaven, nope, Jesus did that for us He paid the price. But, we cannot just sit idly back and live whatever type of life we want and expect to live with our Father in the next life.
Okay, I am going to end this now. I am so glad you all are here to help me!
Thanks so much!
At dictionary.com the definition for Salvation is: “Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption.” That is true. The penalty of sin is death. If we seek forgiveness and repent from our sins we are saved and will have eternal life with God. The definition of Sanctification is: “To make holy; purify.” That is exactly what the Church teaches. It is just, as I am learning, protestants believe Sanctification is completed at death whereas the Catholic church understands that it may not be completed at death and may need to continue after death in Purgatory.
She also says that “salvation / justification is a permanent thing”. I may be starting to confuse myself here so if you think I am in error please correct me. Anyway, Satan is an angel who was with God. (would that be his salvation?) He decided he could be better than God and turned on Him. He then lost his salvation. Is that correct in my thinking? Does that show that our Salvation can be lost, it is not guaranteed based on our praying the “sinners prayer”, no, we have to “work out our Salvation in fear and trembling”, not saying that WE ourselves can make our way to heaven, nope, Jesus did that for us He paid the price. But, we cannot just sit idly back and live whatever type of life we want and expect to live with our Father in the next life.
Okay, I am going to end this now. I am so glad you all are here to help me!
Thanks so much!
J
John_Henry
Guest
That is absolutely correct. The bible is explicit about the fact that Christians can lose the state of grace. Hebrews 6:4-6. Hebrews 10:26-29. John 15:2. 1 Cor. 9:27. In my experience, Protestants frequently have alternate explanations for these verses, seen as they don’t fit with their theology. But the clear meaning of the text is obvious. There are many more such texts. Will your friend trust the Word of God, or the doctrines of men?
If your friend believes we are sanctified at death, you can reassure her that our belief isn’t much different. Purgatory is a timeless state (like heaven). Therefore the “duration” of it is impossible to convey in human language. Purgatory may be an instantaneous thing, that varies in degrees of intensity based on the individual.
Someone else will have to chime in on the Satan thing. Your friend is right when she says sanctification is a process. But she is wrong when she limits salvation and justification to a one-time event. As I demonstrated in my previous post, salvation has past, present, and future dimensions. It’s in the (Protestant) bible. Her claim that one needs to read Greek to “truly” understand the new testament is a diversion. Her NIV will demonstrate that salvation is process.
Same goes for justification. Abraham is described by the new testament as being justified on three separate occasions. 1) Hebrews 11:8 (your Protestant friend would agree that faith justifies), 2) Romans 4:3 (this describes a separate event from the Hebrews passage), and 3) James 2:21-24.
Her statement regarding who are you going to trust, God’s word versus man’s word, is a false dichotomy. Both Protestant and Catholic theology claim the backing of God’s word. The question isn’t who trusts God’s word, but who interprets it right. There are 29,999 Protestant denominations that interpret it different than she does. Is she so sure she is the one to get it right?
Finally, James McCarthy isn’t worth the paper he is printed on. There is a book refuting his book called the Gospel According to James McCarthy. I haven’t read it, but the title is great. I have attempted to read others of his books, but could never make it through without being tempted to anger.
R
RichSpidizzy
Guest
If you don’t mind, I would be interested in seeing what you had originally sent to your friend. I might learn something new.
Make sure you mention that to her. Flat out ask her why she didn’t answer any of your questions. Tell her before she chooses not to answer your questions and dismisses you off to read McCarthy, she should take a look at 1 Ptr 3:15:
Notice Peter isn’t making a suggestion, he is commanding us to be prepared to defend our faith. She isn’t doing a good job of following that scriptural command if she doesn’t defend her own beliefs.
I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say “Our Pleasure!” Few things make me happier than seeing someone return to the Church. Welcome Home!
P.S. maybe you can ask the Admin to change your name to “OnceFallenCatholic”
S
ShelleyAnne
Guest
Fallen,
Our priest explains Purgatory to us like this. It is like taking a nail and hammering it into a wall. The nail represents sin and the wall, our soul. Now you take a hammer (confession, forgiveness) and extract that nail from the wall. The sin is gone. God has forgiven us. Yet, there still remains a hole. That is in essence the stain of our sin. Now you take a little putty and fill the hole, sand it, paint it, and it is as good as new. That is what purgatory does for us. It cleans us. This priest, who is a very wise man, also once told a Catechism class I was teaching, that God does not send us to Purgatory, we send ourselves there. It is as though we are standing at those gates seeing Jesus on the other side beckoning us to come in. He is the most magnificant thing you have ever seen. Then we look down at ourselves. We are dirty with the stains of our sins. So we go to purgatory to cleanse ourselves. I am personall thankful for Purgatory. If you go to Purgatory, the one thing you can count on is that you will eventually go to Heaven. What a wonderful thought, and how much better it is than the alternative. I hope I have helped you in some way. I will be praying for you.
God Bless You!!!
Our priest explains Purgatory to us like this. It is like taking a nail and hammering it into a wall. The nail represents sin and the wall, our soul. Now you take a hammer (confession, forgiveness) and extract that nail from the wall. The sin is gone. God has forgiven us. Yet, there still remains a hole. That is in essence the stain of our sin. Now you take a little putty and fill the hole, sand it, paint it, and it is as good as new. That is what purgatory does for us. It cleans us. This priest, who is a very wise man, also once told a Catechism class I was teaching, that God does not send us to Purgatory, we send ourselves there. It is as though we are standing at those gates seeing Jesus on the other side beckoning us to come in. He is the most magnificant thing you have ever seen. Then we look down at ourselves. We are dirty with the stains of our sins. So we go to purgatory to cleanse ourselves. I am personall thankful for Purgatory. If you go to Purgatory, the one thing you can count on is that you will eventually go to Heaven. What a wonderful thought, and how much better it is than the alternative. I hope I have helped you in some way. I will be praying for you.
God Bless You!!!
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