Muslims are Converting to Christianity in Record Numbers

National Catholic Register ^ | Patti Armstrong

[GoldenState_Rose]

We are in a time of the first ever mass conversions of Muslims,” Father Mitch Pacwa SJ told me in a phone interview. “God is doing a mighty work among them.”

Pacwa said that mass conversions are happening even in very fundamentalist countries. There is rapidly growing number of conversions especially on the edges of the Muslim world in the western and southern parts of Africa, he said. “Africa is now growing predominantly Christian despite crackdowns,” Pacwa said.

Some of the noteworthy countries he mentioned include Iran, reported to have 3 million Christians, and Indonesia with reports of 2 million a year converting.

“In Mongolia, the president opened the country to Christians and there’s even an archbishop,” Pacwa said. “They built a Catholic school there too. If I was younger, I would have gone.” He said that the desire for a Western education was the impetus to open up the country to the Catholic Church.

There are even conversions happening in many strict Muslim countries, according to Pacwa. He did not want to go on record with particulars for fear of increased retribution. Mass conversions are also being reported among refugees that are filling up the Christian churches left empty by Europeans. Many wonder if those are authentic conversions or just a response to improving their chances for amnesty, but time will tell.

Signs of this conversion are showing up in the U.S. too, Pacwa said. “I was about to celebrate Mass at a Maronite church in San Diego and I said hi to a man who introduced himself as Achmad. I asked if he was a Christian. He said: ‘Yes, I was recently baptized.’ He said he from Morocco. Christians do not have the name Ahmad—that’s a form of Mohammad.”

[Elsie]

There is NO short answer here.

What does that bait taste like?

[Elsie]

One who seriously sins and is impenitent to the end cannot be saved.
That's clear, and it's true.

Nudge - nudge

[Elsie]

We must correctly define our terms here, or we really can’t even have a conversation.

 

 

'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone,

' it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less.'

'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'  

[Elsie]

No one is obliged to believe "Special Revelation," or "Private Revelation," not even the person to whom the purported revelation is given.

Hey Mary!!!

You're wasting your time!!!

[Mark17]

As I understand it--- correct me if I'm wrong --- you're saying a person who is lost, was never saved. That is true per definition, ~IF~ you define saved as incapable of being lost.

Yes, a person who ends up in Hell, was never saved in the first place. Jesus will not say “I knew you once, but later I didn’t know you” No, Jesus says, “I NEVER knew you. They were lost from the beginning.

It brings us around in a circle, since if a person says he is saved, and believes he is saved, turns out to be finally impenitent, he is lost and never was saved. He ought not to have said he was: it is presumptuous.

I don’t get into presumption. It’s something I never worry about. There are millions of people who think they are saved, claim they are saved, and go on through life this way, who are going to be utterly shocked when they wake up in Hell. Again, He will say, “I NEVER knew you.”

Per definition, the sin of presumption is saying you're now saved no matter what you do. The similar but opposite sin of despair is saying you're now damned no matter what you do.

Again, I am not concerned with presumption. It’s not important to me. Now, despair might be closer to the truth. We are all truly damned, no matter what we do. That I agree with. As Dan says, until one realizes they are a poor, lost, damned destitute sinner, without one single, solitary ray of hope, one will never be saved.

That's why Catholics generally don't talk about being "saved." It is because that determination is made only at judgment upon the moment of death.

I totally, completely, 💯% disagree with that statement. We can know right here and now we are saved. If someone waits till they die, to see if they “attain” Heaven, it is an iron clad guarantee that they will wake up in Hell. Absolutely guaranteed.
My opinion (just my opinion) is that 97 to 98% of the world’s population, will end up in Hell. Not very good odds. That is why we are to enter through the strait gate. Not many people will go to Heaven.

[Mark17]

There is NO short answer here.

What does that bait taste like?

Best watch out bro, or I will lay another Limerick on you. 😀😄😄

[Mrs. Don-o]

No, my dear Elsie, she's not wasting her time. I did say that visions and such can provide wholesome consolation or wholesome warning. Or they cn arouse renewed fervor for the Lord. But visions do not convey new dogma, what is, new doctrines needed for salvation.

General Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle, about 100 AD.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I wonder what you think of St. Paul's perspective, in which says we are not to anticipate the result of the Lord's judgment,but leave that to the Lord:

1 Cor 4:3-4
I care very little if I am judged
by you or by any human court;
indeed, I do not even judge myself.
My conscience is clear,
but that does not make me innocent.
It is the Lord who judges me.
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time;
wait until the Lord comes.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[aMorePerfectUnion]

This verse isn’t about salvation, but eternal rewards...

[Mark17]

I think I have to agree with AMPU. I think this judgement is not to determine lost or saved status, but to determine rewards in Heaven. True believers WILL go through judgement. As I mentioned, this judgement of the believers is ONLY to determine rewards in Heaven. Some believers may be a little embarrassed, as they will know they should have worked harder for Jesus than they did. The wood, hay and stubble will be burned up. They will suffer loss, but not the loss of their souls. Only the loss of rewards.
Some of these Bible verses, may be a bit hard to understand. I agree with that. I do, however, interpret the difficult to understand verses, in the light of the clear teachings of the Bible, not the other way around. The clear teaching of the Bible, is the saving, salvation experience, MUST happen here, on this earth, while physically alive. No one should wait for physical death to see if they “attain” Heaven. They absolutely, and most assuredly will not.
That just gets right down to the gut issues of life, doesn’t it?

[Mrs. Don-o]

"The clear teaching of the Bible, is the saving, salvation experience, MUST happen here, on this earth,"

There's much to agree with here. It goes along with what St. Catherine of Siena said, "All the way to Heaven is Heaven, because Christ said, 'I am the Way.'" Sanctifying grace is a participation in this "eternal life," which happens now and pervades our life here, if we are in Him.

Sanctifying grace is a kind of sharing in the divine nature, which St. Peter talks about here:

His divine power has given us everything we need
for life and godliness
through the knowledge of Him who called us
by His own glory and excellence.
Through these He has given us
His precious and magnificent promises,
so that through them you may become
partakers of the divine nature,
now that you have escaped
the corruption in the world
caused by evil desires."

However, this does not take away the need for "holding fast until the end" (Hebrews 3:4-6) I don't know of any Christian who says that it's possible to attain Heaven without final perseverance, or to be saved in a state of final obstinate impenitence.

[af_vet_1981]

μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται Κύριος ἁμαρτίαν. Romans 4:8

The italicized words in greek are emphatic. It is strongly saying that the Lord will not take into account your sins.

Original Word: אָדָם

Short Definition: man

Original Word: ἀνήρ

Short Definition: a male human being, a man

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

...

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

...

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

...

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Psalms, Catholic chapter thirty two, Protestant verses one to two ,
Romans, Catholic chapter four, Protestant verses six to eight,
Jeremiah, Catholic chapter thirty one, Protestant verses thirty one to thirty four,
Hebrews, Catholic chapter ten, Protestant verses sixteen to twenty nine,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

[aMorePerfectUnion]

However, this does not take away the need for "holding fast until the end" (Hebrews 3:4-6) I don't know of any Christian who says that it's possible to attain Heaven without final perseverance, or to be saved in a state of final obstinate impenitence.

Then you need to meet some! Hi Mrs. Don-o, I'm AMPU!

Christ is our final perseverance and our complete forgiveness of every single sin - past, present and future. He died for them all and applies them to the believer.

His sacrifice and the sealing of the Spirit as a down payment are the guarantee of salvation for those who have entrusted themselves to Him alone.

And this without worthiness or sacraments.

[Mark17]

Sanctifying grace is a participation in this "eternal life," which happens now and pervades our life here, if we are in Him.

I don’t refer to it as sanctifying grace, though I am not all that concerned what anyone calls it. To me, grace, like Ephesians 2:8-9 grace, simply means we receive God’s favor, but do not deserve even one iota of it. Now, let me see if I get your meaning. I don’t know that I would say that “grace” is a participation in this eternal life, since grace is completely undeserved. What I WOULD say, is that BECAUSE of our salvation experience, by grace through faith, it motivates us to a life of service to God. The motivation to a life of service, is a natural out pouring from our salvation experience. It does not cause our eternal life, the life of service is the result of salvation. If that is what you are saying, then I can definitely agree with that.
We don’t do good works to get saved. We don’t do good works to stay saved. We do good works, BECAUSE we are saved. Make sense?

[ealgeone]

Really would be helpful if you would label which verses are from what book.

You've been asked to do this before. I have no idea why you are being deliberately stubborn on this issue.

I would imagine that in Roman Catholicism you are committing a mortal sin in some manner.

[ealgeone]

I would say anyone can lose one's salvation by final impenitence.

What if Mother Teresa lived an almost perfect life....yet right there at the end she slipped and told a lie but died before she could ask for forgiveness.

Now, we're presuming she had faith in Christ and had believed in Christ in this discussion.

Heaven or Hell for her?

[Mark17]

However, this does not take away the need for "holding fast until the end" (Hebrews 3:4-6) I don't know of any Christian who says that it's possible to attain Heaven without final perseverance, or to be saved in a state of final obstinate impenitence.

Let me say this about that, so we define our terms. There has never been even one person in the history of the world, who has been able to “attain” Heaven. Not a single one. So, if we are to be in the 2 or 3% of the world’s population that goes to Heaven, it’s going to be done another way. Thanks be to God, we make it to Heaven by dispairing of any thought that there is even one thing we can do to be saved. There isn’t ANYTHING we can do, but when one reaches a point of dispair, then one looks for the ONLY way to reach Heaven, the born from above experience. Jesus said, in John 10:1, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”
Such is anyone trying to work their way to Heaven. If people have a problem with that, they need to take it up with Jesus. Those were His words, not mine.

[ealgeone]

But visions do not convey new dogma, what is, new doctrines needed for salvation. General Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle, about 100 AD.

You just wiped out a great deal of Roman Catholic teaching on Mary and a whole lot of other Roman Catholic teaching.

Roman Catholicism has been adding new dogmas ever since 200-300 AD.

[ealgeone]

We don’t do good works to get saved. We don’t do good works to stay saved. We do good works, BECAUSE we are saved. Make sense?

Winner!