Posted on 05/08/2015 2:03:24 PM PDT by NYer
Many supposed "theological differences" between Catholics and Evangelicals are, I think, founded in semantics rather than in substantial disagreement.
For example, when I was an Evangelical one of the periodic arguments I ran across against Catholic moral theology was that the concept of mortal and venial sin is unbiblical. Sin is sin, say Evangelicals, and there's no good in trying to make out some sins as "minor." To us Evangelicals such nice distinctions smelled a great deal like rationalization and looked like an escape clause from the commandment "Be holy, for I, the Lord, am Holy." After all, James wrote, "Whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker" (James 2:10-11). So the forthright and honest Evangelical attitude was "We'll take our forgiveness straight, thanks! Let's have no plea-bargaining at the foot of the Cross."
Such an attitude to purity before God is, I think, entirely commendable. And, truth to tell, it contrasts very favorably to the lax Catholic who really does say "It's just a teensy-weensy little sin" as an excuse for doing whatever they like. Such Catholics need to be reminded that "Whoever can be trusted with a teensy-weensy little thing can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with a teensy-weensy little thing will also be dishonest with much" (Luke 16:10).
(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...
As you see it. We believe that Jesus died for ALL men. We are not taught that it is our right to decide who is damned, but God's alone.
**1Jn_2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:**
The Jews worshipped the Father thousands of years before Jesus was on earth. He appeared with Moses and Elijah. We do not believe that they are damned.
We also believe that we are first born in our mother's womb, then born again at Baptism.
Any good works will always call short. Does that mean we live our lives without them? Isn't faith without works dead? Are we not promised that, through the Spirit we shall do even greater works than the Apostles? Don't you believe that loving God and your neighbor is the heart of the law? Should we not do all within our power to show, as much as is in our power, our love and gratitude to Jesus for all He did for us, to make it possible for us to use our free will to be with Him in Heaven? Isn't that fact alone proof of faith?
I'm simply stating rhetorically what Catholics believe. The original remark I responded to was not an accurate representation of same.
Good bless you!
First of all, by saying that Christ already atoned for the sins of unbelievers is going into Universalism and denies the necessity of faith. Just making the assertion over and over again does not help you. Second of all, strictly speaking, not all Catholics actually believe what you have claimed:
(Augustine, Enchiridion on Faith, Hope and Love, Ch. 103. Interpretation of the Expression in I Tim. 2:4: “Who Will Have All Men to Be Saved”.)
“Or, it is said, “Who will have all men to be saved;” not that there is no man whose salvation He does not will (for how, then, explain the fact that He was unwilling to work miracles in the presence of some who, He said, would have repented if He had worked them?), but that we are to understand by “all men,” the human race in all its varieties of rank and circumstances,—kings, subjects; noble, plebeian, high, low, learned, and unlearned; the sound in body, the feeble, the clever, the dull, the foolish, the rich, the poor, and those of middling circumstances; males, females, infants, boys, youths; young, middle-aged, and old men; of every tongue, of every fashion, of all arts, of all professions, with all the innumerable differences of will and conscience, and whatever else there is that makes a distinction among men. For which of all these classes is there out of which God does not will that men should be saved in all nations through His only-begotten Son, our Lord, and therefore does save them; for the Omnipotent cannot will in vain, whatsoever He may will? Now the apostle had enjoined that prayers should be made for all men, and had especially added, “For kings, and for all that are in authority,” who might be supposed, in the pride and pomp of worldly station, to shrink from the humility of the Christian faith. Then saying, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour,” that is, that prayers should be made for such as these, he immediately adds, as if to remove any ground of despair, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” [I Tim. 2:1-4]. God, then, in His great condescension has judged it good to grant to the prayers of the humble the salvation of the exalted; and assuredly we have many examples of this. Our Lord, too, makes use of the same mode of speech in the Gospel, when He says to the Pharisees: “Ye tithe mint, and rue, and every herb” [Luke 11:42]. For the Pharisees did not tithe what belonged to others, nor all the herbs of all the inhabitants of other lands. As, then, in this place we must understand by “every herb,” every kind of herbs, so in the former passage we may understand by “all men,” every sort of men. And we may interpret it in any other way we please, so long as we are not compelled to believe that the omnipotent God has willed anything to be done which was not done: for setting aside all ambiguities, if “He hath done all that He pleased in heaven and in earth” [Ps. 115:3]. as the psalmist sings of Him, He certainly did not will to do anything that He hath not done.”
The Jews worshipped the Father thousands of years before Jesus was on earth.
This absolutely makes no difference, because they do not worship the Father now, as the scripture plainly teaches. You can't just repeat yourself and ignore the exact words of a verse. Well, umm, you CAN, but you have to realize how that is irrational. Well, maybe if you're irrational you can't realize it? You're really out of luck.
We do not believe that they are damned.
It's fine for you to believe that, but your claims are not backed up by the scripture. I have absolutely nothing to do with this post here except to hold back from mocking it.
Isn't faith without works dead?
Certainly, but those works are only the demonstration of faith. They do not Save, otherwise you contradict the scripture.
How about you tell the Mods you think I have them in my pocket? I don't even talk to the mods. And when did I condemn you to hell? I don't know if you're the fellow who said "I'll see you in hell," but I was only responding to that and denying I'd be seeing you or anyone else in there. Not because I'm so righteous, but because of grace.
Oh wait a minute, are you thinking I flagged your posts or something? I haven't touched that button for maybe a year or more. I don't mind being insulted, but in the religion forum that'll probably get deleted.
“THE Church”? Huh? If you mean R.C., it’s A denomination, not THE Church.
Maybe this denomination rates sin, and assigns levels to specific types of sins, but the Bible does not. Anybody can make up stuff, pointy hat or not; it doesn’t make it true. Come Judgment Day, they’re gonna have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.
You’re right! 3 lashes with a wet noodle for me as Anne Landers used to say.
So let’s change it to murder and a white lie. Surely, Protestants understand that there are major sins and minor sins.
Great alias for an Evangelical, lol.
You know, in all the religious threads for the past 5 weeks, I’ve not seen one comment on the BBC’s brilliant series “Wolf Hall” in which many of these issues are discussed by the characters of Cromwell, Wolsey & Henry 8.
RC? You mean Catholic Church
Denomination? Since the Catholic Church is the original (first) church founded by Jesus Christ, it is not a denomination. The word denomination means branch of. As the Church founded by Christ, denomination does not apply.
That's according to your human logic...And that's reasonable since your teacher (your Catholic religion) has nothing to rely on but its own failed human logic...But what does God say about it??? Did it ever occur to you to seek out what God says???
Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17
A proud look,
a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,
feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19
A false witness that speaketh lies,
and he that soweth discord among brethren.
And you think one is worse than the other??? God hates all of them...Even little white lies...
Jas 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
Your religion has planted some serious false teaching into your head...
And just because the religion with the biggest army (at that time) makes that claim doesn't make it true...
All one has to do is look at your religion and then look at the scriptures...There are no matches...Your religion is rejected by the scriptures...The scriptures condemn your religion's teaching and even existance...
You may have a legitimate religion but it is not the Christianity of the bible, of Jesus...
Your religion is loaded with forged writings over the centuries...I don't care about your religion...It's going to burn just like the rest of the pagan religions...You people ought to do some serious research before it's too late for you...
Don’t make this personal, ok? I won’t dive into your soul because I don’t know you so don’t make assumptions about me. Catholics are always being lectured on “not making it personal” so what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
If you want to believe all sins are equal you are entitled to your beliefs. They are not mine.
I believe that because God says it is so...You write on a public forum that you disagree with God and expect no defenders of God will step up and say something???
Why'd we do that? Because a bunch of Roman Catholics make non-scriptural and silly arguments that have already been refuted in previous posts? You'd be better off switching to the whole "infallible magisterium!" and "Peter is the Rock! Peter is the rock!" screaming and shouting.
Interesting. Self ping to remind myself to check on Amazon for “Wolf Hall”
This show has taken a lot of America by storm but freepers don’t seem to know anything about it. It’s Hilary Mantel’s book about Cromwell. Most of the guys and gals here should love it: it’s pretty anti-Catholic. I watch it for it’s fine acting, beautiful costuming and a reverse-mirror look at the life of arch villain Thomas Cromwell.
That’s your interpretation of what God says. Jesus also said “eat this in remembrance of me” when referring to his body and blood but you guys don’t believe that, do you? In other words, you interpret the bible the way you want to. I don’t want a God who can’t distinguish between sins.
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