What IS the "good news" ?

[reen12]

Hi, Pug,

quote: Pug

Those who were in darkness have seen a great light

Yes! My husband and I made a Christmas card, one
year, with that verse.
It seemed to say it all, in some way.

Thanks for offering your insight, Pug,

Best,

reen12

 

[Matt16_18]

The good news is that Christ died on the cross so that men can be freed from the bondage of sin. The bad news is that some people don’t want to be freed from the bondage to sin.this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil
John 3:19

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.
John 3:36

 

[francisca]

**Blessed Assurance. ? = Guranteed Salvation?

Matthew 19:16, Jesus was asked what must be done to inherit eternal life. His answer: “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments” (verse 17). Jesus then enumerated enough of the Ten Commandments to make clear which commandments He meant: “…‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (verses 18,19). **

Hi Sara,

I would like to know your answer :

The young man has observed the law, what did he lack of ??

Matthew 19:16-22
16
11 12 Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
17
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. 13 If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18
14 He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, " ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness;
19
honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"
20
15 The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
21
Jesus said to him,“If you wish to be perfect, 16 go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

 

[reen12]

Dear francisca,

Would you please give me some further reflections on:

from francisca’s post

God is condemn to death by religion. But He lives among His people who truely believe Him.

Many thanks,

reen12

 

[reen12]

Hi, Matt16_18,

Matt 16_18, quoting from John 3

…and men loved darkness rather than light…

parallels:

Those who were in darkness have seen a great light

Which also brings to mind:
Let your light so shine before men…

“Light” seems to be emerging as a response to:
“So what IS the good news?”

Best, Matt,

Maureen

 

[allhers]

Jesus Is the Good News, He is the Light that Shines in the dark!

 

[mhansen]

reen12:

Dear francisca,

Would you please give me some further reflections on:

from francisca’s post

Many thanks,

reen12

Hello again reen,

I can’t speak for francisca, but I can speak for me. The statement “God is condemn to death by religion. But He lives among His people who truely believe Him”, speaks volumes to me.

Religion, however well-intentioned it may be, has done the most thorough job imaginable in distorting the true nature of God. It has turned an unconditionally loving, compassionate, forgiving God into a bloodthirsty God of vengeance, punishment, and condemnation.

Why is this so? I believe it is perhaps because we simply haven’t gotten in touch with that unconditional love in all of us…that part of us wherein God dwells. If WE punish, condemn, kill, etc, then so must God, for we are made in His image…or something like that. But that’s a misinterpretation. We ARE made in His image, but that image is, again, LOVE. Religion has “killed” this in us, sad to say, by creating a God that doesn’t exist. A God of fear, guilt, condemnation, and vengeance that none of us can say, with a clear conscience, even exists. If this is love, what is hate?

Religion, with its doctrine and dogma, has actually separated us from God. That which was intended to draw us closer has pushed us away. If God is the God described by religion, who wants Him? It is only when we experience Him by ourselves, without religion getting in the way, that we truly come to understand the true nature of God.

In this, religion has done us a great disservice.

Mike

 

[Pug]

“Light” seems to be emerging as a response to:
“So what IS the good news?”

Maybe there is no single phrase or sentence response to the question. Maybe it needs more words? Or, maybe there are many responses, each highlighting something different?

Going with the light theme:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” From first chapter of John somewhere.

He is risen! Aleluia!

 

[sara888]

**Fransica said:The young man has observed the law, what did he lack of ??

HOLINESS,!

The young man was told to deny self and follow Christ, give up all his goods and possesions.

Holiness, that is why Catholics have Purgatory, because nothing unclean or unholy can enter into the Kingdom of God, do not confuse holiness with being perfect as they are two different entities.

Sara**

 

[sara888]

**Reen said:Before I continue, in this thread, “assurance” does
not mean “once saved, always saved” [OSAS], or that
one is free to “accept” salvation, while ignoring the clear
commands of Christ.

Sara ask’s
Lets say you have Faith and you do follow Gods commandments, what happens if you stop.?

Also if you believe and not follow Gods commandments do you still have blessed assurance or guranteed Salvation.?

BTW, could you clarify the following, for me?

Quote:
Some try to deny His plain, simple statement by interpreting the verse to mean the law was not abolished until Jesus came and fulfilled it. They then interpret “fulfill” as “bringing to an end,” “superseding” or some other synonym for “abolishing.” In essence they have Jesus saying, “I have not come to abolish the law, but to fullfill it.”

Sara Says:
When certain Sects try to claim the Laws were abolished when Christ died on the Cross. We explain the above statement as to refute such absurd unbiblical non-sense.

This applies to the OSAS or Assured Salvation Sects, referring to - Gods commandments by claiming Christ done away with the Laws when he died on the cross. His blood shed cleared Past, Present and future sins.

Sara**

 

[reen12]

Hi, Mike,

We really* are *singing from the same page in the hymnal!

If you have time, or interest, would you please take a
look at a post I wrote, this morning, on another thread?

Post #62 in:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=62611&highlight=reen12

I’d value your thought on same,

Best,

reen12

 

[reen12]

Hi, Pug,

quote: Pug

Maybe there is no single phrase or sentence response to the question. Maybe it needs more words? Or, maybe there are many responses, each highlighting something different?

Yes, I think you’re right on this, and it is a point well made.

What interested me, was that a couple of posters mentioned
“light”, and it made me remember that I was so pleased
with the Christmas card we made:
A people who have sat in darkness have seen a great light.

[Hmmm. Light from the star, guiding the Magi, as well.]
Or, St. John: “…Light, from Light…”

Recently, the image of the Good Shepherd, has brought
a song to my heart. Especially after I heard a talk, once,
on EWTN, by Fr. Pacwa, on how a shepherd guarded
his sheep, in OT times.

Best to you, Pug

reen

 

[Darrel]

The good news is that salvation became available to Jew and Gentile alike covering the whole of the Earth. Just my 2 cents. The new covenant with all people verses the old covenant.

-D

 

[reen12]

Hi, sara888,

quote: sara888
**

This applies to the OSAS or Assured Salvation Sects, referring to - Gods commandments by claiming Christ done away with the Laws when he died on the cross. His blood shed cleared Past, Present and future sins.

**
People who have blessed assurance do not hold that

a Christian does not have to follow the clear commands

of Christ, which, of course, include the 10 commandments.

What they do hold, is:

-that, if the sheep follows the commands

of the Good Shepherd, to the best of their ability,

with the help of God’s grace

-then, that “sheep” can rest, in the peace and

certainty [blessed assurance], of Christ’s

promise…that he/she is saved

That “sheep” trusts Christ, to keep His promise.

No anxiety, no waiting til the moment of death, to

“find out” if they are saved. Blessed assurance.

Definitely not, “once saved, always saved”.

When a blessed assurance sheep sins, he/she

turns back to the Shepherd, in sorrow and

repentence, again, trusting in His promise to

forgive.

Do you see a difference, between that belief, and OSAS?

Best,

reen

 

[mhansen]

reen12:

Hi, Mike,

We really* are *singing from the same page in the hymnal!

If you have time, or interest, would you please take a
look at a post I wrote, this morning, on another thread?

Post #62 in:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=62611&highlight=reen12

I’d value your thought on same,

Best,

reen12

Hi reen,

Yes, we do sing from the same hymnal!

I’ve been following that thread, actually. You are a voice of reason, a voice of love, that this forum desperately needs. I agree with what you’ve said in that post completely. It has gotten so bad, that frankly, I can’t read ANYTHING anymore and expect to get even a shred of truth out of it. Man has had 2000 years to distort Christ’s message, and they’ve used every one of them to the fullest. Books have been selectively edited or even burned, history has been “altered”, or at least recorded with obvious bias, and man has taken it upon himself to distort the words of Christ to serve a religion that serves not God, but man.

It is for this reason that I choose to all but ignore doctrine, for it is the doctrine of men, and put my faith and trust in God that He will lead me. The Lord is my Shepherd. I trust that He will not fail me in areas that man has.

Christ is my Church. Prayer, my Bible. Love, my Catechism. God, my All. These things are all I require.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[sara888]

**B]

REEN.

OSAS, Assured Salvation, Blessed Assurance,

No I do not see the difference, and you will not convince me otherwise.
Blessed Assurance simply put is- Guranteed Salvation with Christ through Faith alone. You have made reference to this on another post with regard to your Guranteed Salvation.

Faith and love for Christ helps you to keep the commandments, however if you DO NOT keep them you still are saved or assured salvation because of your faith in Christ.

Are you Baptist, Christian Science, or non-denominational sect.?

Simple Sermon Outlines - Assurance of Salvation Blessed Assurance

Guranteed Salvation through Faith in Christ

You are creating a circular discussion because in one post you agree on commandment keeping, and then you claim they have nothing to do with ones salvation.

Sara**

 

[reen12]

quote: sara888
**

No I do not see the difference, and you will not convince me otherwise.

**

My effort is to convey an accurate reflection

of what blessed assurance is, for those

that hold that…me included.

quote: sara888
**

Blessed Assurance simply put is- Guranteed Salvation with Christ through Faith alone.

**

Assurance is a matter of trust.

I trust the Shepherd to keep His promise

to me.

**

…however if you DO NOT keep them you still are saved or assured salvation because of your faith in Christ.

**

That is not my belief, as I explain above.

quote: sara888
**

You are creating a circular discussion because in one post you agree on commandment keeping, and then you claim they have nothing to do with ones salvation.

**

It took me a moment, to understand what you are

refering to, here. I believe you’re making reference to

my saying [in this thread, or elsewhere, I can’t recall]:

*The good works that I do are not “salvific”…

*Christ is our righteousness and salvation. It is

His work, not our “good works”, that save us.

Conversely, if we fail to do those good works,

we will not be saved.

These “works” are done, in obedience to the commands

of Christ, and out of gratitude and love, for what He

has done, for us.

It reminds me of a hymn we used to sing in church,

as kids, at Easter:

*“The battle’s o’er, the Victory’s won…”

*All we need do, is to hear the Shepherd’s voice, and

obey Him, to share in His victory.

He has promised us that.

Blessed assurance.

Best to you, sara888,

reen

 

[reen12]

Dear sara888,

With reference to your post above:

My effort is to convey an accurate reflection
of what blessed assurance is, for those
that hold that…me included.

Blessed assurance means, keeping the
commands of Christ, out of obedience -
and out of gratitude and love, for what
He has accomplished for us.

Assurance is a matter of trust.
I trust the Shepherd to keep His promise
to me.

quote: sara888
**

You are creating a circular discussion because in one post you agree on commandment keeping, and then you claim they have nothing to do with ones salvation.

**

I have said, elsewhere, on these forums:

The good works that I do are not “salvific”…
*Christ is our righteousness and salvation. It is
His work, not our “good works”, that save us.
Conversely, if we fail to do those good works,
we will not be saved.

It reminds me of a hymn we used to sing in church,
as kids, at Easter:

“The battle’s o’er, the Victory’s won…”
*

*All we need do, is to hear the Shepherd’s voice, and
obey Him, to share in His victory.

He has promised us that.

Blessed assurance.

Best to you, sara888,

reen

 

[Matt16_18]

reen12:

“Light” seems to be emerging as a response to: “So what IS the good news?”

That God is light is not the Gospel. Even pagans can know that truth.

The good news is that the God-Man has come into the world to free men from the bondage to sin by following The Way.

The bad news is that some people are still singing “My Way”.

 

[reen12]

Hi, JohnPaul0,

I was re-reading the posts in this thread, and I noted you’re
saying:
quote: JohnPaul0

You can plant a seed so that, when the inevitable suffering of life comes, they know where to turn

I think that’s an excellent thought!

Best,
reen