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To: Dr. North

Then why does the Old Testament repeatedly say that God’s Covenant is forever? And Paul says the same thing at one point in his Epistles.

Admittedly, this is something of a mystery. The early Church grew as fast as it did party because a lot of Jews converted, as well as Romans and Greeks. It was presumed that all the Jews would convert, or else die out.

But they did not. And while there are bad Jews, just as there are bad Christians, it would be wrong to say that about all of the Jews. God converts whom He chooses to convert. And for some reason, He has apparently refrained from converting all of the Jews. For 2000 years.

This is admittedly a mystery. But there it is. Contrary to political correctness, there is nothing wrong in Christians trying to convert Jews. It would be less than charitable to refrain from doing that. But it would seem that God decides that some Jews belong where they are.

As a Catholic, I too believe that no one is saved except through Christ. But that includes patriarchs, prophets, and faithful Jews, such as Moses and Elijah, who appear with Jesus on the mountain. And the Church teaches that it can also include noble pagans who have not had the opportunity to convert, if God so chooses.

The same holds for the mystery of why God allowed His Church to splinter, although He calls on it to be one. I don’t believe that no one will be saved except those belonging to the correct sect, whichever that might be. Sincere Christians of all kinds will be saved, if they do the best they can by their lights, if they avoid or repent their mortal sins, and if God so wills. Catholics have the advantage of the sacraments, but presumably more is expected of them as a result.

Will the Jews be converted before the End of Days? Will the Church come together again in unity? That is for God to decide. We just have to do the best we can.

But I’ll repeat what I said earlier, because it’s important. Christianity did not supersede Judaism. Christianity fulfilled Judaism. Judaism was not a false religion, like Islam. Jesus came to fulfill the promises of the Hebrew Bible and the Hebrew Prophets.


18 posted on 01/25/2010 9:05:25 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Cicero; narses; Coleus; SJackson

Ping.


19 posted on 01/25/2010 9:11:16 AM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Cicero

Good post, thanks.


20 posted on 01/25/2010 9:29:06 AM PST by Judith Anne (Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.)
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