Yes I am eager. I just want to find a place where I can grow in holiness. Not just my own life, but within the context of a fellowship of people where all are of the same mind and judgement. One where my family will see examples of disciples.
Ive never even met a catholic who speaks like Ireneus, Justin martyr, or Augustine. But I have found many protestants who do.
Well, maybe you just haven’t met enough Catholics yet. And maybe, just maybe, 'speaking like Ireneus, Justin Martyr, or Augustine" isn’t the sum total of the Christian faith.
And (I know this may shock you), ‘speaking like’ a person doesn’t make you really ‘like’ that person.
The other day we had ‘talk like a pirate day’. Does that mean that all of us having fun with “Avast, ye scurvy swabs” WERE pirates?
Plenty of people can ‘talk’ up a good game of Scripture. And they can (like the Pharisees) even ‘show’ a good game.
It’s the heart that counts.
In my life I have known dozens of people (Catholics) who might have, in their lives, made the occasional rude comment, sinned the occasional (or even more) sin, mixed up now and then "assumption’ and ‘ascension’, etc.
BUT in the sum total of their lives, these people whom you probably never noticed, or would have dismissed as hypocrites, having ‘seen’ them perhaps openly sinning on an occasional, went on to actually ‘be’ an Augustine. . .realizing their errors, repenting, doing penance, doing good. Quietly.
Because they weren’t ‘out in your view’, you dismiss them. Because their prayers were ‘in secret’ while their sin was ‘in public’, you think only of their sin. Because they were humble enough not to go around once they DID realize their error, and instead QUIETLY did reparation, ‘living the gospel’ and not having to ‘use words’ and exalt themselves, they aren’t ‘known’ to you. But they are to God.
(Of course, I know plenty of protestants for whom one could say the same --they may not have looked ‘good’ at some point, but they repented later and they tried to please God. Thing is, you already give the Protestants the benefit of the doubt!!! Not Catholics, though!!!)
Remember what the Scripture says? There are going to be people saying, “But Lord, I did all kinds of things IN YOUR NAME” and He will say, “I never knew you”.
I don’t want to be unkind, but lately, Erick, I see an awful lot of the "Pharisee’ in your posts, glorying that you and your protestant peeps are so wonderful, not like the Catholic drunks and losers. . .
and if you’ll recall, it wasn’t THAT man who went home justified, but the ‘low life’ loser who prayed, "God be merciful to me, a sinner’.
There are a LOT of Catholics, and I’m one of them, who make the prayer of that publican every single day. We KNOW we are sinners. We try the best we can. I’m sorry if that isn’t enough for YOU, but luckily we aren’t trying to please you, but to please God. . .
