Posted on 08/18/2011 7:18:16 AM PDT by marshmallow
Perhaps he has the faith of the Centurion. (Matt. 8:5-14)
By the *this* I am presuming that you are referring to the exercising of faith, correct?
I think your initial statement would lead through this. I wouldn't want to limit the question to it, unless it were in order to keep the discussion to something manageable in this medium.
It could also involve how you do (or can) know you have truly (or sufficiently) "honored God by taking Him at His word."
Belief and faith are more qualitative, difficult to quantify, and are, for us, subjectively known and measured to whatever extent they can be measured..
I think your full response is on track with my question.
I don't know that stfassisi is a prophet. But then I think I could almost agree with those arrayed against the Catholic Church when they say I am spiritually blind.
My thinking was like this: certainly there are plenty of sick Catholics, including people who can't handle gluten.
And, as caww pointed out, one of the clearest examples of God’s answering a prayer with a “No,” was to an unquestionably spiritual guy who was, by our reckoning if not by yours, a Catholic.
So stfassisi couldn't have meant to say that being a full-bore Catholic heals all ills.
So all that's left, as I figure it, is that stfassisi had a "special" word about metmom.
And as to our not knowing, well, that's not SO remarkable, is it?
Paul was a Catholic?
No, Jesus told me, but thanks for playing.
Look, I know you think it ludicrous, but it follows from our thinking that the fullness of the Church subsists in those particular churches in communion with the See of Rome that we would say that Paul was a Catholic.
Besides, we papists have secret information that his full name was Paul O’Flanahan Kowslowski Gomez Gambino. So what else could he be?
You gotta think these things through.
Good Dawg, but not quite, you said:
But, I suggest, His word does not return to Him empty but prospers in that for which He sent it. It may start out with our being put in the sheep pen, not because we are particularly sheepish, but by an alien grace (Starring Sigourny Weaver). But as time passes, again by grace, we begin acting sheepish, and developing sheepy habits.
Bkaycee said it correctly, IMHO. We already are sheep (by grace through faith) so that is why he places us in the sheep herd and pen. We become more sheeplike the more his grace works upon us conforming us to the image of Christ. Like the paragraph I posted by Scofield, the prince grows more prince-like, but he was still born a prince.
The difference I see is you seem to be saying the closer we get to actually looking like and behaving like sheep, the closer we get to actually BEING sheep as opposed to goats. I see it like Bkaycee expressed it, we ARE sheep, or become his sheep, when we respond to his call by faith. He places us in the sheepfold and is our shepherd. As we grow in our faith we exhibit more good and mature sheepishness. As a sheepherder in your former life, I doubt you EVER saw a sheep turn into a goat or vice versa. Did you???
He'll always be Rocky to me.
LOL! Seriously, LOL! Thanks! smvoice
Actually, Paul was a celibate Catholic priest.
Are you now the prophet of God? Did you get the gift of healing all of a sudden? Unbelievable that someone would use such a thing as a sort of enticement to join their church! Metmom cares more for her spiritual health than her physical health.
You claim you were once a Protestant, do you ever consider yourself a "failed" Protestant?
Anyone who says that "God speaks to me and I will tell you what he says" is taking the Lords name in vain. This includes Street Preachers, Televangelists, Popes, the Bishops of Nicene, Saints and even some authors of the Gospels who were not eye witnesses.
-- Natural Law, December 1 2004
How about a recovering Protestant?
An amazing debate - most are not on topic - well tangentially so, I suppose.
On topic - Suppose one simply needs a lawyer or a doctor to trust with their confidences.
HIPPA laws, etc. are required.
On a secular basis alone one must at least hope for confidentiality.
So - why not in the confessional?
The issue got lost in the raging debate, (I think)
The issue did get lost. And you made an interesting about it.
Near miraculous on these types of threads.
:)
Do you believe your tag line? Is that tag line true for every Christian? If so, then why isn’t mm healed? YOU said “FULL RESPONSIBILITY.” Is mm a failed protestant?
Not even in context or germane. But keep trying, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while. (Nice to see your guardian angel is still at your command)
I agree! That is EXACTLY what God meant by rending the three-foot thick curtain from top to bottom. Before that, only the high priest (not just any ol' priest) could enter that area of the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle called the "Holy of Holies". It contained the Ark of the Covenant of which the top was called the "Mercy Seat". The high priest, even, could only enter once a year at Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The blood of a bull and goat was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat and was an act of expiation for the sins of all the people. The people prepared for the observance by prayers, fasting and consideration of their sins for which the blood offering covered.
When the veil/curtain was torn, God was announcing that there was no more a need for the acts of the high priest. That the blood offerings of animals - that were only as a covering - were no longer needed because God himself made propitiation for all our sins. Sin was no longer just covered, but completely removed, taken away. And you are so right, the Mercy Seat of the Throne of God can now be accessed by all those who have received and trusted in Jesus Christ who IS the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Glory and hallelujah to his holy name!
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