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look3467
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Well answer me this, are you now saved? And if you are now saved why is it not demonstrated as such in your testimony as to a secure believer? Once saved always saved?
Peace>>>AJ
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Peace>>>AJ
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jake23
Guest
as a protestant in the past that studied at Liberty University to be a pastor I found the more I learned the more it took me home to the catholic church. The protestant religions are her for many reasons. 1. free will 2. an example of how personal opinion can break one body intoa chaotic mess 3. to help give the catholic church a better understanding of itself. We must remember that the Catholic church existed before the Bible was written and that the Bible came from the church not the church came from the bible. The other religions are to remind us that our church rituals where built to help us understand and not go a stray from the true meanings of biblical scripture. After learning the original languages, history, and there expression of the biblical text that it did not coincide with protestant beliefs. Of course there are some truths in there beliefs but allot of detail is misconstrude. There beliefs are the after math of our vane minds letting us go astray by personal interpretaton with lack of historical understanding. I pray that they one day come back home to the mother church.
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look3467
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Thank you for that gentle admonition for it shows the content of what is in your heart.
I know I am not in form here because of my views, but I know in faith without a doubt that what I am lead to believe has been tried in the furnace of life to Gods credit and my reward.
I wish to share that liberty in which Christ has made me.
That liberty addresses only that which touches the heart and one which claims no religious belief.
Peace>>>AJ
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look3467
Guest
Jake,
That is a decision between you and God and one in which you only are able to give testimony of.
But there are many out side the Catholic Church whose faith is as solid as a rock who are as stones raised up independent of the Catholic church.
Faith is not limited to the Catholic Church, though it is an instrument promoting faith in God, so does the others as well.
Key point in all this, is the content of the individuals heart?
Before anything can happen in life, whether Catholic or not, the heart has to be addressed first, for there is the seed that will bloom into a beautiful flower giving evidence of the God that made it.
Peace>>>AJ
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MelanieAnne
Guest
OK, AJ, let me put in another way. You continue to assert that Catholics are not saved, so please either support that assertion or admit that such an assertion has no foundation and is merely speculation on your part.
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jake23
Guest
Your response really is not relevant to the thread but OK I guess? Yes I believe that non-catholic christians can go to heaven thats not the point! I am merely responding to what this thread is all about and yes many poeple of many faiths will find there way to heaven but anyone educated in historical scripture knows that the Catholic church is the only church made by Christ all others where made by the opinion of man, but hey thats another thread! Lets get back to what this thread is about huh? God Bless!
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Matariel
Guest
There are plenty of verses which say otherwise; however, we are derailing this thread, it’d be better to start a new one with this topic.
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distracted
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i hope she didn’t say that the Church got out of line…?
it never does… the PEOPLE in the Churc get out of line all the time… but not the Church…
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jake23
Guest
Wow Dr. North! I am saddened to see someone who claims to be a reverend making negative comments! one should lead by example in a christ like manner! I will pray for you! There has been poeple of the church that are corrupt and in the past the church was forced under rule of royalty causing the election of popes and bishops chosen by kings which lead to some disturbing things but christ church at the end prevailed! no pain no gain!
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look3467
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I am not making that assertion, because I believe in universal salvation.
What I am trying to share is the brotherhood of believers, of varies beliefs via the commandment to love our neighbor.
If I have love only for members of my own beliefs, than I am limiting my love as they being the only ones God loves.
First is to love the soul that Christ purchased with His blood, and second, share Gods love with them.
If there were a ship at sea that was sinking, and the crew of that ship were of different faiths, a distress signal was sent out to the coast guard for rescue.
The Captain of the coast guard instructs the rescuers to fly out and rescue the crew of that ship, with these instructions," Don’t come back until you save every rescueable soul.
All were rescued even if they were of varying faiths.
The Captain is as God and the pilot of the rescue vehicle is as Jesus.
Jesus came back losing not one soul!
Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Peace>>>AJ
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look3467
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look3467
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Who is managing the church? God or man?
If God, than mankind will fail. If man, than mankind will fail.
God remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Consider the church as a newly born child 2,000 years ago.
The child had to grow amidst all the objections, persecutions and world influences in the process of learning to be true to God.
Consider each one of us in like manner. When we were born spiritually, our new born spirit (Life) begun its journey to grow in grace as we strive to be true to God.
Jesus selected 12 disciples of which one betrayed Him.
Which only goes to show that even if Christ selects us, it does not mean we can’t corrupt ourselves. Judas, Saul,Solomon, King David and others.
We are in the world and Jesus prayed that we should remain, but that God would make us one with Him as He and the Father are one.
Peace>>>AJ
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guanophore
Guest
No. The were cast out because of their disobedience (lack of faith). Go wanted them to have the knowledge of good and evil. He just wanted them to get it from Him instead of themselves.
Yes. God, in His mercy, did not want His creatures to die in their sins, so He separated them from the Tree of Life, in the expectation that they could be saved.
I agree (not with the premise) but with the conclusion. However, the knowledge of good and evil was not about Christ, but was about becoming “like gods” replacing God’s revelation of moral expectations with our own.
human beings are not capable, in and of themselves, to make right choices. This is not possible apart from the revelation and grace of God.
For the child’s physical development, yes. But for spiritual development, it is dependence upon the revelation of God.
No. Jesus makes it clear that when we are spirituall mature, we re in communion with the Church. We are never 'alone". This “me and Jesus” mentality is balderdash.
I am so relieved that I have passed inspection!
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guanophore
Guest
No, this would be a mischaracterization. What results in the failure to attain salvation is a lack of faith. We cannot 'behave" our way into heaven. Only by grace, through faith can we be saved. The engagement in sinful behavior indicates a lack of faith. since faith is the avenue by which we access the grace that saves us, such sin kills the life of the soul, and separates us from God.
The nature of sin has not changed.
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MelanieAnne
Guest
AJ, you have repeatedly asserted that your salvation is assured while the salvation of others is not. You need to be accountable for your own assertions. There are examples in this thread.
So are you saying now that you are disavowing those previous assertions when you stated that the salvation of others was not assured? What are we supposed to understand? What you’re saying now or what you said before?
Because before, when I asked you about this, you said that the salvation of Catholics was not assured. When I challenged you on this, now you appear to be backing away. So which is it?
A little clarity would be refreshing.
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distracted
Guest
So:
Why do you think God allowed Catholicism?
Why do you think God allowed Catholicism?
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MelanieAnne
Guest
God didn’t “allow” Catholicism, He FOUNDED it.
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Matariel
Guest
To save us all.So:
Why do you think God allowed Catholicism?
The holy Catholic Church is the Universal Sacrament of Salvation.
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eucharist04
Guest
Great response, it helped me.For the same reason that He allowed Gnosticism, Nestorianism, Arianism, and every other heresy - so that the Church would be moved to define its teachings even more clearly, and bring us even closer to a full understanding of Christ.
After all, if there had never been any heresies, there never would have been any Councils, and there are so many things that would be more difficult for us to understand, and to find out, because the definitions for them would not exist.
But iron sharpens iron, and fierce opposition forces us to clarify our teachings, and beak them down into small concepts, simple enough for everyone to understand them.
I have also noticed that competition improves the final product. A Catholic Church that is situated within walking distance of one or more Protestant churches tends to be a lot more orthodox in its teaching than one that has no such competition.
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adstrinity
Guest
I’m not about to read 42 pages of what has been said, but, to answer the original question, as no doubt it has gone verily merrily off topic, it is because we got America.
The United States of America is the best country in the world, and we wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for Protestantism.
The United States of America is the best country in the world, and we wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for Protestantism.
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