What makes you think that lying about someone else’s faith is a morally justifiable way to convince people of your opinions?
I stumbled across Matt Slick’s webpage many years ago. It was so early in his career that Catholic Answers had never heard of him at that point (even though they were both in San Diego at that time if I remember correctly). I called him on the phone - this is back when I honestly believed that anti-Catholics were not hateful liars but just mistaken and ignorant. We chatted for a while. He was brought up short on each and every Catholic doctrine we talked about. It was clear he had never actually studied any of the things he attacked. He knew nothing about what Catholics really believed or why. I was stunned. Now I realize that that attitude is just part of the mental illness that is anti-Catholicism.
I should add that Slick was at least very polite, cordial. I bet he’s a great guy to have a beer with. I just could never trust him because of his bigotry.
Not even worth reading after this point. We part ways entirely here. Matt Slick believes in a God who declares sinners righteous without actually making them anything of the sort. Catholics believe in a God whose very word brings reality into existence, who justifies sinners, infuses righteousness purchased at the Cross into their souls, and makes them his adopted sons and daughters through grace.
Which one will you choose? A God who declares something righteous which isn't (making him a liar!), and leaves the sinner a "snow-covered dungheap" (according to M. Luther) ... or a God who lifts up the lowly and seats him with princes (1 Sm 2:8), a God who shares his sonship with his people by becoming their eldest brother (Rom 8:29; 1 John 3:1), a God who makes, not merely declares, his people righteous (1 John 1:9) pouring out his love within their hearts (Rom 5:5), a God who makes his people participants in his very divinity (2 Pt 1:4) through his own Body and Blood in the Eucharist (1 Cor 11:23-30).
Your choice. As for me, I would never give up the true Gospel for the unbiblical legal fiction of Protestant imputed righteousness.
This rhetorical sleight-of-hand is not only wrong, not only un-biblical, but scripturally disprovable by a close reading of Simeon's prayer at the dedication of Jesus.
"Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation." Philippians 2:12
Does it bother you at all that there is no evidence of any Christian, anywhere, prior to the 15th C (Maybe) interpreting scripture the way you do?
Do you really think the scriptures require no interpretive framework and that every reader must open them as if he were a blank slate?
You appear to be part of a narrow sectarian, enlightenment interpretive cult. This same inability to examine your own presuppositions - when extended to politics results in liberalism.
What Catholics don't understand is that people don't believe they are "evil" because they "Catholic". I know of many ex and current Catholics that are wonderful people.
It's what current Catholic believe that is troublesome - such as praying TO Mary who is just another dead sinner who can't hear you anyway. NO where can you "infer" that she is without sin as the Catholic Church bangs into their head through endless recitations of "Hail Mary". It truly doesn't matter how many times you say something - repetition doesn' t make it TRUE when it is FALSE.
For the moment I'll focus on the false teaching of elevating Mary to the position of Christ or very close to it. None of this is Biblical and further revealed in Scripture clarifies this false teaching about Mary.
Mary must have been a wonderful person otherwise God would not have chosen her as the vessel to give birth to Christ. Mary was WITH sin as ANY and ALL human beings since Adam and Eve are. Mary INHERITED their sinful nature as have ALL those before her to Adam and Eve.
To say Mary is WITHOUT sin is totally unBiblcial. Let's just take that a step further -> IF any mere mortal was capable of being "without sin", then Christ would NOT have had to lead a SINLESS life, die and rise again to atone for OUR sins. The punishment of sin is DEATH.
People have NO business suggesting Mary is without sin since it DETRACTS from the glory of God and what Christ did for us on the cross. Mary is NO "co-redeemer" and does NOT share in the redemption of sin when she herself is another sinner in need of Christ too!
When something, anything detracts and doesn't give GOD the GLORY, then it is false teachings. It's all about CHRIST; not Mary. Catholics are told to pray TO MARY to get close to Jesus. we pray to Mary so that we might grow closer to Jesus. Mary was NOT the "first disciple". Mary was barely mentioned in the Bible and did NO discipleship what so ever! She was a tad goofy and couldn't figure out where Jesus was when they LEFT CHRIST at the Temple when He debated with the Rabbis there. She didn't know what Christ was doing and was looking all over for Him and angry that He started His ministry WITHOUT her no less! Mary is hardly a mortal that has omnipresence, omnipotent or omniscient! Nor is there any evidence at all in the Bible that she developed those godly attributes in heaven!
So let's see what God's WORD, not fallible man's word has to say about Christ and His role to us.
Christ a Mediator
“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,” Hebrews 12:24 “
For there is ONE God, and ONE mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” 1Timothy 2:5. Notice the word - ONE mediator! He is not only God, but man; not only man, but God: a blessed reconciler of man to God, and of God to man. Galatians 4:4-5.
: No where does the BIBLE state Mary is either a mediator or an intercessor. God is very clear that CHRIST is the ONLY mediator. Not Mary and there is NOTHING unclear or in need of "inferring". Using Mary in these ways DETRACTS from Christ's individual and finished work on the cross. It is CHRIST that deserves all the glory according to God.
Now, who, according to God, NOT MAN, intercedes for us? Now, who intercedes for us?
Romans 8:26 and 27
[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
[27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
: Mary is NOT God. Mary doesn't have the attributes of omnipresence, omnipotent or being omniscient. The Holy Spirt DOES and KNOWS how to approach the Father in heaven properly for us. If you don't believe ME, argue with God.
It is GOD that is stating this and I'm a just repeating it to clarify false teachings about Mary. Yes, show your "love" and insult me or condemn me for stating what GOD states in the Bible as truth. It dosn't bother me at all.
Isn't it odd how that "truth" doesn't match up with what the Catholic Church teaches you? Yes, they will mix in LIES with truth so something else they state may be true and keep you hooked. But I ask you this, when you mix FALSE teachings, such as those with about Mary with truth, you have a mess, to put it tactfully. In a true false table, T + F = F.
This is the old justification by Faith/Works argument. St. Paul in Romans 3:28 For we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Whereas in St. James 2:24 See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
The bottom line is that these statements are compatible. Paul was railing against people who were so immersed in following the Law of Moses that they lost sight of God. People who do works for the sake of works fail.
James was saying that you cannot declare that you believe in God and then do nothing because you have been "saved" by your faith.
James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?
Paul and James both support their compatible positions by quoting Abraham.
There is no issue with the position of the Catholic Church on Works vs Faith, IMO. There are issues outside of the Catholic Church usually raised by outsiders obsessed with the Church.
ROFL!!!!!
That must be a short "part" ...
Empty, actually.
working diligently to be faithful by begging and pleading for God’s mercy will be of no avail?
kindred: The time is getting short and bible believers are looking for the change (aka,translation,rapture) when the Lord Jesus Christ will descend from heaven in the air with a shout and the trump of God and the dead in Christ will rise first, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them and so will we ever be with the Lord and Saviour, the blessed God Jesus Christ. If you do not go up, search the Scriptures and you may understand.
Ping for later
Are you a Catholic?
Why are you posting this?
Thanks, Matt Slick is a wonderful teacher and advocate for Christ