The issue is, however, that the different denominations do teach different things. If they didn't have different doctrines there would not be divisions. These divisions have existed since Calvin, Zwingli, and Luther first disagreed in the sixteenth century, and it's continued since then. And they can't all be right.
Honestly, I'm just making the same point over and over. Let God sort out the sheep from the goats. We don't need to do the judging for Him. I'm begging everyone to stop hatin' on those Christians who believe differently, if they love and serve Christ as Saviour. You cannot know how God will judge others! But this bickering is madness. It's truly of Satan. You and other Protestants are devoting so very much energy to attacking Catholics who are your brothers and sisters in Christ; would it not please and honor God more to redirect that energy to peace among ourselves and strength against the Devil?
I write this as a lifelong Protestant, now a joyful Catholic. To quote the founder, Hier stehe ich. Ich kann nicht oder.
Good night, and may God richly bless your life.
And they can't all be right.
I don't think ANYBODY is all *right*.
I have issues with some of the teachings of Pentecostalism, and yet I have many friends who I know love Christ who hold to them.
Do I think they're *right*? No, not really.
Do I think they're saved? Absolutely.
The issue is what you do with Jesus, not speaking in tongues or being *slain in the Spirit*.
Romans 10:9-13 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Ephesians 2:4-10 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christby grace you have been saved 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Jesus saves, not a church, which is why anyone who knows better doesn't make an issue about which denomination someone affiliates with unless that denomination teaches salvation by some other means than Jesus.
God doesn't require perfect doctrine or theology to save someone. Just a repentant heart and trusting Christ.
Catholic is not by default Christian.
I have no issues with Christians, but not all Catholics are Christian, just as not all of any denomination are Christian.
There are Christians and non-Christians in EVERY denomination and church (local assembly of believers) on this planet. Lots of non-Christians attend church every Sunday and affiliate with a local body of believers, but unless they have repented and put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, they are not saved, no matter how often they attend, no matter how hard they work, what offices they hold, and how well they know and can defend their church history.
There are some Catholics posting on FR who give evidence of having sincerely and truly trusted Christ alone for their salvation and I don’t have any problems with them. Those are not the ones I am at odds with.
You do know that the denominations you are singling out are the ones that to this day have the closest ties to Rome ?
In fact Rome even considers them to be real Christians .
What you are pointing out is that it is these very same churches are full of liberals much like the Roman Catholic churches .
You know what the funniest thing I have read on this board is ? It was a comment by a Roman Catholic (Salvation) posted after the big Denver football win by Tim Tebow .
I wish I could find the post but I did not book mark it (pinging Salvation too) Basically she thought he was a Roman Catholic because he did not believe in abortion.
HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WAKE UPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
Tim Tebow is a born again Christian who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ . He was raised in a Baptist church and he is a missionary preacher overseas (his football job comes second to his preacher job)
Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is not a ticket to living a sinful life . It means that sin will no longer reign in your life , the Holy Spirit cleans you up . You do not become sinless but right away you start sinning a whole lot less.
Oh BTW even with all that money , all the temptation that he is put under , he is also still a virgin.
Can you say that about your own children under normal circumstances ?
I laugh because I constantly hear how wrong we are and yet I also constantly hear this so and so must be catholic .
He is exactly what you want your kids to be
He is born again.
He has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ .
He is indwelt by the Holy Spirit .
He knows how to ask the Holy Spirit to constantly keep him filled to overflowing.
His eyes are not on anything but Christ .
He does not run around asking Mary to help him , he knows who his redeemer is and by that I mean HE REALLY KNOWS HIM.
He does not trust in his church to get him there by any mysteries etc .
Is he sinless ? No
Is he perfect ? No
If he was either he would just ask God to move over when he got to heaven.
He is not defeated and blind .
Most Proddys get on quite well the the
reasonable
RC’s.
It’s the rabid clique types that drive us to distractions.